UPSC eligibility criteria refer to the essential requirements that candidates must fulfil to sit for the exam. They include nationality, age limit, educational qualification, medical fitness, etc. Applications that don’t meet the UPSC eligibility criteria will be rejected by the UPSC board.

On the other hand, not knowing the detailed IAS exam criteria might make one lose the chance of attempting the exam as there are limited attempts allowed. If you’re aspiring for the UPSC 2025, you should learn about the UPSC/IAS eligibility criteria and deduce whether you can apply or not.

What is the UPSC Exam

UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) is a Public exam in India, conducted to select candidates for various Grade A administrative posts, including IAS, IPS, IFS, and IRS. It is conducted in three stages: UPSC Prelims, UPSC Mains, and Interview. Those who pass successfully through these stages will be inducted into the respective cadres as per their score in the exam. However, knowing the UPSC eligibility criteria is important for aspirants to make successful applications.

UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2024-2025

Nationality	Citizen of India
Age Limit	21-32 years for the General Category21-35 years OBC Category21-37 years SC/ST Category
Educational Qualification	A graduate degree from a recognised university
Number of Attempts	6 for the General Category9 for OBC Category/PwBDUnlimited (until age limit) for SC/ST Category
Exam Fee	Rs. 100 for all except Female/SC/ST
Physical Standards	Medical Tests, Physical Fitness, Body Measurements (For IPS and Indian Railway Services, etc.)

Detailed UPSC Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must thoroughly check the detailed UPSC eligibility criteria along with special rules and restrictions.

Nationality

When it comes to the UPSC Eligibility Criteria, nationality plays a role.

For Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and Indian Police Service (IPS):
Candidates must be citizens of India to meet IAS eligibility criteria. This is a strict UPSC eligibility criteria for these prestigious positions, as they are integral to the Indian administrative framework.

For Other Services:
There are a few additional UPSC eligibility criteria:

They can be citizens of India.
Citizens of Nepal or Bhutan are also eligible.
Tibetan refugees who settled in India before January 1, 1962, may apply.
People of Indian origin who have migrated from countries like Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, and certain East African nations can also be considered, provided they intend to permanently settle in India.

There is one more IAS eligibility criterion: Citizens of Nepal, Bhutan, Tibetan refugees, and individuals of Indian origin must secure a certificate of eligibility from the Government of India. While these candidates can sit for the exam, an offer of appointment will only be made once the eligibility certificate is issued.

Age Limit

General Age Limit: The upper IAS age limit for the exam is 32 years for general category candidates.

Age Relaxation:

Scheduled Caste (SC) / Scheduled Tribe (ST): Up to 5 years.
Other Backward Classes (OBC): Up to 3 years.
Defence Services Personnel: Up to 3 years for those disabled during service.
Ex-Servicemen: Up to 5 years for those with a minimum of 5 years of military service.
ECOs/SSCOs: Up to 5 years if they have completed at least 5 years of military service and have a certificate from the Ministry of Defence.
Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD): IAS eligibility allows up to 10 years, covering various disabilities as specified.

To fulfil UPSC/IAS exam criteria, the proof of age must be the same as recorded in their Matriculation or equivalent certificate. Candidates must be careful, as requests for changes to the date of birth are not permitted after submitting their UPSC application, except in cases of unintentional errors, which must be rectified by a specific deadline.

UPSC Qualification

The UPSC eligibility criteria for education include the following requirements:

Degree Requirement
Candidates must hold a graduate degree from a recognised university or institution in India to fulfil UPSC qualifications.

Awaiting Results
Those who have appeared for a qualifying examination but are waiting for results can apply for the Preliminary Exam. Proof of passing must be provided for the Main Exam.

Exceptional Cases
Candidates without the required qualifications may be considered if they have passed an exam considered equivalent by the Commission.

Professional Qualifications:
Candidates with recognised professional or technical qualifications equivalent to a degree are also eligible.

Medical Graduates
Medical graduates who have completed their final MBBS exam but not their internship can apply provisionally. They must have proof of passing the exam and complete their internship before the interview.

Number of Attempts

Candidates meeting the UPSC eligibility criteria for the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) are allowed six attempts. However, there are relaxations for certain categories:

Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST): Unlimited attempts.
Other Backward Classes (OBC): Up to 9 attempts.
Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD): Also up to 9 attempts for General, EWS, and OBC categories; unlimited for SC/ST.

If a candidate appears in the Preliminary exam without attempting the UPSC Mains, it is counted as an attempt. Even if the candidate is disqualified or cancelled, it is counted. So every aspirant must be careful in utilising the number of UPSC attempts allowed for them. They can’t apply after exhausting their limit for the UPSC attempts, even if they fulfil the IAS exam criteria.

Restrictions to UPSC Application

Candidates already appointed to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) or Indian Foreign Service (IFS) through previous exams cannot apply for the Civil Services Examination (CSE), even if they fulfil UPSC eligibility criteria. This includes those who qualify for the Preliminary Exam.

If they join IAS or IFS after the Preliminary Exam but before the Main Exam results, they won’t be considered for appointments based on the CSE.

Similarly, candidates already in the Indian Police Service (IPS) cannot apply for IPS positions through the CSE, even if they fulfil the UPSC eligibility criteria.

Physical Standards

Candidates must pass a medical test to meet the UPSC/IAS exam criteria for Civil Service appointments.
Specific physical requirements (height, weight, chest measurements) apply mainly to:
- IPS officers
- Police services
- Indian Railway services
UPSC eligibility criteria for non-technical positions have fewer physical requirements. But they require candidates to be fit and mentally stable.
Detailed physical standards are outlined in Appendix III of the Examination Rules published in the Gazette of India.

Download the official UPSC Eligibility Criteria PDF.

Conclusion

Apart from the UPSC eligibility criteria, aspirants should focus on understanding the UPSC exam pattern and stages in detail. It’s equally important to be aware of how previous year question trends evolve, which could provide an edge in UPSC preparation. Building a solid strategy for each stage ensures better success. Additionally, staying informed about UPSC exam notifications and updates is key to avoiding missing important deadlines or changes.

FAQs

Is the UPSC age limit increased to 35?

The age relaxation in the UPSC to 35 years applies to only OBC/PwBD candidates. General candidates have up to 32 years maximum.

Are the UPSC eligibility criteria for females and males the same?

UPSC/IAS exam criteria for OBC, General, and SC/ST are the same for both men and women. However, females of all categories are exempted from paying the examination fee of Rs. 100.

What is the UPSC age limit for females?

The age limit for females in the UPSC remains as that for the males.

For General category females, the age limit is 21-32 years.
For OBC, the age limit is 21-35 years.
For SC/ST, it is 21-37 years.

Is there a UPSC age limit of 40 years?

No, the UPSC/IAS age limit of 40 years is not applicable for general, OBC, SC/ST candidates. However, if you’re a PwBD person, you have an age relaxation of up to 42 years.