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UPSC Eligibility 2025, Check Out IAS Age Limit and Education

Union Public Service Commission is responsible for setting the Eligibility. It includes criteria such as age limit, nationality, educational qualification, etc., which decide whether or not an individual is eligible to apply for the UPSC CSE exam. Candidate must be an Indian citizen who is at least 21 years old and be a graduate or in the final year of graduation as per the UPSC eligibility criteria

UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2025

Aspirants preparing for the Civil Services examination must meet the eligibility criteria to appear in the Prelims and Mains exam. Candidates who want to qualify for the UPSC 2025 Examination in order to become IAS/ IPS/ IFS and other officers must fulfill all the eligibility requirements mentioned in the official notification. It is the minimum necessary qualification needed to take the exam. Details on UPSC 2025 eligibility criteria conditions are provided below:

UPSC Age Limit 2025

The UPSC Age Limit is a crucial aspect of eligibility for the Civil Services Examination (CSE), which is conducted annually by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to select candidates for various administrative services under the Government of India. The age limit is specified in the UPSC Notification and is different for different categories of candidates. The minimum age limit for the UPSC Exam 2025 is 21 years and the maximum age limit is 32 years (except for age relaxation categories). Hence, candidates must generally meet the requirements listed below:

UPSC Age Limit

Age Limit

21 to 32 years

Age Relaxation

As per the category (OBC, SC, ST)

Number of Attempts

06 (General and EWS)

09 (OBC)

SC/ST (Upto age limit)

Educational Qualification for UPSC CSE

Graduation from any recognized university

Nationality

Indian (For IAS, IFS and IPS)

Candidate can read UPSC Syllabus 2025 Here!

UPSC Age Limit Relaxation for Different Categories

UPSC has a fixed number of attempts and Age Limit Criteria for the UPSC examination. A candidate must have a minimum age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 32 years. Here is the category-wise age limit and the number of attempts:

Maximum Age Limit for UPSC for all Categories
Category IAS Age Limit Relaxation Number of Attempts
UPSC Age Limit for General No Age Relaxation 6
UPSC Age Limit for OBC 3 Years 9
UPSC Age Limit for Disabled Defense Services Personnel 3 Years 9
UPSC Age Limit for SC / ST 5 Years Unlimited (Up to age limit)
UPSC Age Limit for Ex-Servicemen 5 Years 9
UPSC Age Limit for Benchmark Disability- EWS 10 Years 9
IAS Age Limit for Female No Relaxation 9

Candidate can Solve UPSC Previous Year Question Paper Here!

UPSC Age Limit Calculator

Union Public Service Commission determines age limit eligibility based on a specific reference point:

  • August 1st of the examination year. To qualify for the UPSC CSE exam 2025, candidates must be at least 21 years old on August 1st of the year in which the exam is held.
  • For example, for the UPSC 2025 exam, candidates must be 21 years old by August 1, 2025. The upper age limit for general category candidates is 32 years as of August 1st.
  • However, there are relaxations in the upper age limit for certain categories. Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates are eligible up to the age of 37, as they get a five-year relaxation. Similarly, Other Backward Class (OBC) candidates have a three-year relaxation, making their maximum age limit 35 years as of August 1st.
  • To simplify this, if you were born earlier than August 2, 1991, you meet the age criteria for the UPSC exam in 2025, and your birthdate should fall on or before August 1, 2002. This clear age calculation ensures that candidates understand the UPSC eligibility criteria.
Category Minimum Age Limit for UPSC Maximum Age Limit for UPSC
IAS exam Age Limit for General Category 21 32
EWS 21 32
SC/ST 21 37
IAS OBC Age Limit 21 35

Nationality Criteria

  • For the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS), a candidate must be a citizen of India.
  • For other services, a candidate must be either:
    • a citizen of India, or
    • a subject of Nepal, or
    • a subject of Bhutan, or
    • a Tibetan refugee who entered India prior to January 1, 1962, with the purpose to settle there permanently, or
    • a person of Indian origin who moved to India with the purpose of residing there permanently, primarily from Vietnam, Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, or the East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire and Ethiopia.

Educational Qualification

A candidate must hold a graduate degree from one of the Indian universities established by an act of the national or state legislature or from one of the other educational institutions recognised as universities under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, or possess an equivalent degree from one of those institutions. Candidates who are in their final year of college or who are awaiting results may also apply to take the UPSC preliminary examination. All such candidates who plan to attempt for IAS exams must submit documentation of their success in the relevant test along with their application for the main IAS exam. Medical students who have passed the final year of their MBBS programme but have not yet finished their internship are also eligible for the IAS. However a course completion certificate (including an internship) from the relevant University/Institution authority must be submitted with the Main Examination application.

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UPSC Age Limit 2024 FAQs

Can a 40-year-old give the IAS exam?

The candidate must be at least 21 years old and not older than 32 years old.

Can I become IAS after 35 years?

The upper age limit for appearing in the UPSC IAS examination is 32 years for the general and EWS categories while 35 years is for OBC and 37 years is for SC/ST.

Can a 45-year-old give the IAS exam?

Age Limit criteria for the UPSC IAS exam:

The upper age limit for the General & EWS Category is 32 years.
The upper age limit for OBC is 35 years.
The upper age limit for SC/ST is 37 Years.

What is the Qualification of UPSC?

The candidate must hold a graduation degree from a government-recognized university.

How many attempts are there for the IAS exam?

A candidate for the general category or EWS has six attempts to pass the UPSC IAS exam. Candidates from the OBC have nine attempts; candidates from the SC/ST have no maximum number of attempts (they can take the exam until they reach the upper age limit).

Can I give UPSC if I am 32 years old?

The UPSC has set an age limit for candidates who wish to take the civil services exam. For the general community, the age limit is 32 years.

Is 35 too late for UPSC?

The maximum age limit for the candidates belonging to the General category is 32 years, and for OBC is 35.

What is the UPSC age limit for the Civil Services Examination?

The UPSC age limit for the Civil Services Examination is different for different categories of candidates. The general age limit is 21 to 32 years, but there are age relaxations for candidates from certain categories, such as OBC, SC/ST, and PwBD.

About the Author

I, Sakshi Gupta, am a content writer to empower students aiming for UPSC, PSC, and other competitive exams. My objective is to provide clear, concise, and informative content that caters to your exam preparation needs. I strive to make my content not only informative but also engaging, keeping you motivated throughout your journey!

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