Eligibility for the UPSC Civil Services Examination is governed strictly by the rules notified by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) and published in the annual UPSC CSE Gazette notification.
Candidates must satisfy conditions regarding nationality, age, educational degree, and attempt limitations as of the crucial reference date.
1. Nationality & Citizenship
- For IAS, IPS, and IFS: The candidate must be a Citizen of India. No exceptions are permissible for these three core services.
- For Other Central Civil Services: The candidate must be either:
- A citizen of India, or
- A subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or
- A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1st January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
- A person of Indian origin migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries, etc., holding a valid Government of India eligibility certificate.
2. Educational Qualifications
Minimum Degree Requirement
- The candidate must hold a Graduation Degree from any University 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 UGC Act, 1956.
- Any degree in any discipline (Arts, Science, Commerce, B.Tech, MBBS, BBA, Law, etc.) is accepted.
- Distance education or open university degrees (e.g., IGNOU) are fully recognized provided the institution is UGC/DEB recognized.
- No Minimum Percentage: There is no cut-off percentage (first class or third division); a simple passing grade satisfies the requirement.
Final Year Candidates Provision
- Candidates who have appeared or intend to appear at the qualifying degree examination and are awaiting results can apply for the Preliminary Examination.
- However, such candidates must produce proof of passing the degree examination while submitting the Detailed Application Form (DAF-I) for the Main Examination.
3. Age Limits & Community Relaxations
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 of the examination year:
| Category | Lower Age Limit | Upper Age Limit | Total Relaxed Age Ceiling |
|---|---|---|---|
| General / EWS | 21 Years | 32 Years | 32 Years |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 21 Years | 32 + 3 Years | 35 Years |
| SC / ST Candidates | 21 Years | 32 + 5 Years | 37 Years |
| PwBD (General / EWS) | 21 Years | 32 + 10 Years | 42 Years |
| PwBD (OBC-NCL) | 21 Years | 32 + 13 Years | 45 Years |
| PwBD (SC / ST) | 21 Years | 32 + 15 Years | 47 Years |
| Defence Services Personnel (Disabled) | 21 Years | 32 + 3 Years | 35 Years |
| Ex-Servicemen (ECOs/SSCOs 5+ yrs) | 21 Years | 32 + 5 Years | 37 Years |
4. Number of Attempts & Counting Rules
UPSC enforces strict attempt restrictions across social categories:
| Social Category | Permissible Number of Attempts |
|---|---|
| General / EWS | 6 Attempts |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 9 Attempts |
| PwBD (General / EWS / OBC) | 9 Attempts |
| SC / ST Candidates | Unlimited (Until the age ceiling of 37 years) |
How Exactly Is an Attempt Counted?
- Merely submitting the online application form does NOT count as an attempt.
- Downloading the e-Admit Card does NOT count as an attempt.
- If a candidate appears in even one paper of the Preliminary Examination (e.g., Paper I GS), it is officially counted as an attempt.
- Disqualification or cancellation of candidature after entering the examination hall still consumes one attempt.
5. Important Disqualifications to Note
- Appointed Officers Restriction: A candidate who is appointed to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) or the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) on the results of an earlier examination and continues to be a member of that service is ineligible to apply for CSE again.
- Medical Fitness: While general civil services require standard physical health, posts like IPS, DANIPS, and IRTS enforce minimum height requirements (165 cm for men, 150 cm for women in general categories) and strict binocular vision tests.
Always verify conditions in the latest official notification on upsc.gov.in. Learn more about What is UPSC Civil Services and UPSC Prelims vs Mains.