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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.