We understand your excitement to become a part of India’s elite bureaucracy! However, the first thing you need to check and thoroughly understand before applying for the IAS exam is the UPSC Exam Eligibility criteria like UPSC age limit, number of attempts, etc. UPSC Exam Eligibility is a set of different parameters including nationality, educational qualification, age, etc, that you must qualify to apply for this exam. We’ve discussed all the criteria for UPSC eligibility in this article.
UPSC Exam Eligibility Snapshot
Broadly, you need to qualify the below parameters to be eligible for the UPSC Civil Services Exam:
| Age Limit | 21 to 32 years |
| Age relaxation | As per category (mentioned below) |
| Number of Attempts | 06 (General and EWS) ; 09 (OBC); SC/ST (Upto age limit) |
| Educational qualification for UPSC Civil Services | Graduation from any recognized university |
| Nationality | Indian (For IAS and IPS); |
UPSC Exam Eligibility 2022 – UPSC Age Limit
UPSC has a fixed number of attempts and eligibility criteria concerning age for the UPSC examination. Here’s the category-wise age limit and the number of attempts:
| Category | Upper Age Limit for UPSC | Maximum Number of Attempts |
| General | 32 | 6 |
| Economically Weaker Section (EWS) | 32 | 6 |
| OBC | 35 | 9 |
| SC/ST | 37 | Unlimited (Up to age limit) |
| Defence Services Personnel | 35 | 9 |
| Persons with Benchmark Disability | 35 | 9 |
How are the attempts in UPSC Civil Services Calculated?
It is important to note that an attempt is counted when you appear for the Prelims examination. Even if you’ve appeared in any one of the exams, your attempt will be counted. This is also one of the major reasons for absenteeism in the Prelims Exam. Only about 50% of the applicants who fill the form appear for the examination. If you’ve filled the examination form and do not appear for the exam, your attempt will not be counted.
Further, the person who has already joined the services of an IAS or IFS officer cannot write the examination again. However, an IPS can write the examination to compete for IAS rank
UPSC Exam Eligibility 2022 – Educational Qualification
UPSC does not discriminate against candidates based on their scores in graduation. Hence, there is no minimum qualifying percentage as the IAS eligibility condition. The UPSC eligibility conditions for the UPSC exam concerning educational qualification is given below:
- The candidate must hold a graduation degree from a government-recognized university.
- In their final year or awaiting results, candidates are also eligible to appear for UPSC preliminary Examination.
UPSC Exam Eligibility Criteria – Nationality
UPSC has defined the eligibility criteria in its notification for all the services. The citizens of other countries can also apply for UPSC under certain conditions, all of which are mentioned below. It is important to note that the eligibility criteria concerning the nationality of the applicant are mentioned post-wise:
For IAS and IPS:
- The candidate must be a citizen of India
All other Services:
Candidate must be either:-
- A citizen of India, or
- A subject of Nepal, or
- A subject of Bhutan, or
- A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1st January 1962 to permanently settle in India, or
- A person of Indian origin (PIO) who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Ethiopia, Zaire, and Vietnam intends to permanently settle in India.
- The candidates belonging to categories (2), (3), (4), and (5) should furnish a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India. Such candidates may take the exam before getting the said certificate of eligibility, but he/she would get the offer of appointment only after the certificate has been issued by the Government of India.
Reported By Sachin Rai, Dy. Editor, 8982355810 gondwananalandnews.com