UPSC Civil Services
Eligibility
Nationality
| Services | A candidate must be |
|---|---|
| Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, Indian Police Service | A citizen of India |
| All other services | A citizen of India, or a subject of Nepal, or a subject of Bhutan, or a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India |
Age limits
A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 32 years on the 1st of August, 2026, that is, the candidate must have been born not earlier than 2nd August, 1994 and not later than 1st August, 2005.
| Category | Maximum relaxation |
|---|---|
| Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe | Five years |
| Other Backward Classes eligible to avail of reservation | Three years |
| Defence Services Personnel disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area, and released as a consequence | Three years |
| Ex-servicemen, including Commissioned Officers and ECOs or SSCOs who have rendered at least five years Military Service as on 1st August, 2026 and have been released | Five years |
| ECOs or SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of five years of Military Service as on 1st August, 2026 and whose assignment has been extended beyond five years | Five years |
| Persons with Benchmark Disabilities | 10 years |
Number of attempts
| Category | Attempts |
|---|---|
| General | Six |
| Economically Weaker Sections | Six |
| Other Backward Classes | Nine |
| Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe | Unlimited |
| Persons with Benchmark Disability — General, EWS or OBC | Nine |
| Persons with Benchmark Disability — SC or ST | Unlimited |
Educational qualification
A candidate must hold a Graduate degree of any of the Universities incorporated by an Act of the central or State Legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as a University under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, or possess an equivalent qualification.
- A candidate who has appeared at a qualifying examination but has not been informed of the result, and a candidate who intends to appear at such an examination, is eligible for admission to the written part of the examination, and must produce proof of passing within the time limit prescribed in Rule 13 if declared qualified for the Personality Test.
- Candidates possessing professional and technical qualifications recognised by Government as equivalent to a professional or technical degree are eligible.
- A candidate who has passed the final professional MBBS or an equivalent examination but has not completed the internship is admitted provisionally, and must produce the degree or a completion certificate at the time of the interview.
Common questions
- What is the age limit for the UPSC Civil Services Examination?
- A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 32 years on the 1st of August, 2026, that is, the candidate must have been born not earlier than 2nd August, 1994 and not later than 1st August, 2005.
- How many attempts does a general-category candidate get?
- Every candidate appearing at the examination, who is otherwise eligible, is permitted six attempts at the Civil Services Examination. Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates have unlimited attempts and Other Backward Classes candidates have nine.
- What is the age relaxation for SC, ST, OBC and PwBD candidates?
- The upper age limit is relaxable up to a maximum of five years for Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe candidates, three years for Other Backward Classes candidates eligible to avail of reservation, and 10 years for candidates belonging to Persons with Benchmark Disabilities categories.
- What qualification do you need to apply for the UPSC Civil Services Examination?
- A candidate must hold a Graduate degree of any of the Universities incorporated by an Act of the central or State Legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as a University under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, or possess an equivalent qualification.
- Can a final-year student apply for the UPSC Civil Services Examination?
- Candidates who have appeared at a qualifying examination but have not been informed of the result, and candidates who intend to appear at such a qualifying examination, are eligible for admission to the written part of the examination, and must produce proof of passing if they are declared qualified for the Personality Test.
- Who can apply for the UPSC Civil Services Examination by nationality?
- For the Indian Administrative Service, the Indian Foreign Service and the Indian Police Service, a candidate must be a citizen of India. For other services a candidate may also be a subject of Nepal or Bhutan, a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January, 1962, or a person of Indian origin who has migrated from certain listed countries, in each case with the intention of permanently settling in India.
Sources
Source: UPSC notification 2026
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