New Delhi: In a major relief for UPSC aspirants appearing for the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2026, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has announced that Metro services will commence one hour earlier than usual on Sunday, May 24, to help candidates reach their examination centres conveniently.
According to the DMRC, Metro train services across the network will begin from 6:00 AM on Sunday. Special timing revisions have also been made for the Pink, Magenta and Grey Lines, which normally start operations at 7:00 AM on Sundays.
Special Metro Timings for UPSC Preliminary Examination
Anuj Dayal, Principal Executive Director (Corporate Communications), DMRC, said the revised arrangements have been made specifically to facilitate candidates appearing for the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination.
Usually, on Sundays, services on the following lines begin at 7:00 AM:
- Pink Line (Majlis Park to Shiv Vihar)
- Magenta Line (Krishna Park Extension to Botanical Garden)
- Grey Line (Dhansa Bus Stand to Dwarka)
However, on May 24, Metro services on all these lines will also start from 6:00 AM from terminal stations.
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Trains Every 15 Minutes Till 7 AM
DMRC stated that trains on the Pink, Magenta and Grey Lines will operate at a frequency of 15 minutes between 6:00 AM and 7:00 AM.
After 7:00 AM, normal Sunday schedules and train frequencies will resume across the network.
On all other Delhi Metro corridors, services will continue to start at 6:00 AM as per the regular Sunday timetable.
Relief for Thousands of UPSC Candidates
The move is expected to benefit thousands of UPSC aspirants travelling across Delhi-NCR for the Civil Services Preliminary Examination, one of the country’s most competitive examinations conducted annually by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
Candidates often face transportation challenges due to early reporting times at examination centres spread across Delhi and nearby regions.
The early commencement of Metro services is aimed at reducing last-minute travel stress and ensuring smoother movement of candidates on examination day.
Delhi Metro Issues Advisory
DMRC has also advised candidates and commuters to plan their journeys in advance and allow adequate travel time considering expected rush during the morning hours.
The Delhi Metro network remains one of the primary modes of public transport used by students and competitive examination aspirants across the National Capital Region.
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