How many attempts are permitted in the UPSC CSE? What is the upper age limit for the IAS exam? Know the IAS exam eligibility details by reading this article.
IAS Exam eligibility as per the latest notification of UPSC (Union Public Services Commission) is discussed here.
We hope this post clears all doubts regarding the number of attempts, age limits, educational qualifications etc permitted for the UPSC Civil Services Exam (popularly known as the IAS exam).
Minimum Educational Qualifications to appear forUPSC Civil Services Exam | IAS Exam Eligibility
Any degree (graduation). From:
- any of the Universities incorporated by an Act of theCentral or State Legislature in India.
- orothereducational institutions established by anAct of Parliament.
- or declared to be deemedas a University Under Section-3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956.
- orpossess an equivalent qualification.
Note: Final-year students can also apply.
For details refer to Educational Qualification Requirement for IAS Exam.
Minimum age to appear for UPSC IAS Exam |IAS Exam Eligibility
The minimum age to appear for IAS Exam is 21 years. This means that the candidate must have at least 21 years of age on 1st August of that given year when the exam is held. For example, if the candidate is appearing for 2023 prelims, he/she should be above 21 years of age by Aug 1, 2023.
Upper age limit to appear for UPSC IAS Exam |IAS Exam Eligibility
The upper age limit is also calculated on the date Aug 1. This means if the candidate is appearing for 2023 prelims, he/she should be below the mentioned maximum limit by Aug 1, 2023. The upper age limit is fixed differently for different categories, which is given below.
- The upper age limit for the General category: 32 years.
- The upper age limit for OBC: 35 years.
- The upper age limit for SC/ST: 37 Years.
- The upper age limit for Defense Services personnel disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area and released as a consequence thereof: 35 years.
- The upper age limit for Ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least five years of Military Service: 37 years.
- The upper age limit for blind, deaf-mute and Orthopaedically handicapped persons (general category): 42 years.
Apart from the mentioned limits, OBC/ SC/ ST candidates will get the benefit of cumulative age relaxation. This means age relaxations get added in special cases, say, for example, if the person is OBC + Ex-servicemen, he will get an extension of 3 + 5 = 8 years, ie his upper age limit now stands at 40 years.
How many attempts are allowed for the UPSC Civil Services Exam?
Ageneral category candidate has an age limit of 32 years, but thatdoesn’tmean that hecan write this exam as many times as hewishes. There are some restrictions on the number of times this exam can be taken, which again is different for different categories.
- The number of attempts for the IAS exam: General Category: 6 attempts till 32 years of age.
- The number of attempts for the IAS exam: OBC:9 attempts till 35 years of age.
- The number of attempts for the IAS exam: SC/ST: unlimitedattempts till 37 years of age.
NB: Physically Handicapped /disabled candidates belonging to the General category will get the benefit of 9attempts till the age prescribed by UPSC – 42 years.
How are attempts for the Civil Service Exam calculated?
If you appear for any of the papers of the Civil Services Preliminary Exam, your attempt is counted. If you fill-up the UPSC application form but didn’t go to take the Preliminary Exam, your attempt will NOT BE COUNTED.
UPSC Age Calculator
Our UPSC Age Calculator is a simple yet powerful tool to help you calculate your current age and understand your eligibility for UPSC exams.
Enter your date of birth and other required details in the ClearIAS Age Calculator to calculate your UPSC exam eligibility.
UPSC Civil Services Exam Syllabus
Read the IAS Exam Syllabus to know more about the UPSC exam pattern.
UPSC Civil Services Exam Notification
ClearIAS always recommend aspirants clarify their queries regarding IAS/IPS exam eligibility from the official UPSC Civil Services Exam notification.
The UPSC CSE Exam notification has all the details you are looking for. This includes further details of relaxation, medical requirements for various services like IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS etc, and even the entire UPSC syllabus.
If you are unable to find it on the UPSC website, don’t worry. Just download the ‘Beginner’s Guide to Success in UPSC Civil Services Exam‘. The latest UPSC notification is added towards the end.
When did UPSC relax the age and number of attempts, for the last time?
It was in 2014.
Read thenotification by the Center giving relaxation in the number of attempts and age limits for the UPSC Civil Services Exam.
We keep updating this post whenever we come across any changes in the age limit or number of attempts, however, it is always advised to cross-check the latest notification about IAS exam eligibility criteria published on the official UPSC website.
When can I apply for the UPSC Civil Services Exam?
The notification for the UPSC Civil Services Examination for 2023 will be published on February 14, 2024. You can apply for UPSC CSE 2023 between February 14, 2024, and May 05, 2024.
- UPSC CSE 2024 Prelims Date: May 26 2024 (Sunday)
- UPSC CSE 2024 Mains Date: September 20 2024 (5 days)
- UPSC CSE 2024 Interview Date: January-March 2025 (expected)
- UPSC CSE 2024 Final Result Date: April 2025 (expected)
Check the UPSC 2024 Exam Calendarfor details.
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