What is the eligibility criteria for the UPSC civil services exam ?

 The UPSC civil services exam is one of the most prestigious and competitive exams in India. It is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to recruit candidates for various services and posts in the central government, such as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and others. The exam consists of three stages: the preliminary exam, the main exam, and the personality test.

To be eligible for the UPSC civil services exam, candidates need to fulfill certain criteria based on their nationality, age, education, number of attempts, and physical fitness. Here is a brief overview of the eligibility criteria for the UPSC civil services exam:

Nationality: The candidate must be a citizen of India for the IAS and IPS services. For other services, a candidate can 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 January 1, 1962, or a person of Indian origin who migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries, Vietnam, or Zambia with the intention of permanently settling in India1.

Age limit: The candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 32 years as on August 1 of the year of examination. However, there are some relaxations in the upper age limit for candidates belonging to certain categories, such as Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD), Ex-servicemen, and others1. The details of the age relaxations are given in the table below:

Category Age Relaxation

SC/ST :- 5 years

OBC :- 3 years

PwBD :- 10 years

Ex-servicemen :- 5 years

Jammu and Kashmir domiciled during 1980-89 :- 5 years

Educational qualification: The candidate must hold a degree from a recognized university or equivalent qualification. Candidates who are in their final year of graduation or awaiting results are also eligible to apply for the preliminary exam, but they have to produce proof of passing the degree exam before the main exam1. Candidates with professional and technical qualifications recognized by the Government of India as equivalent to a degree are also eligible2.

Number of attempts: The candidate can attempt the UPSC civil services exam a maximum number of times depending on their category. The details of the number of attempts are given in the table below:

Category Number of Attempts

General :- 6

OBC :- 9

SC/ST :- No limit

PwBD :- No limit

Physical standards: The candidate must be physically fit according to the standards prescribed by the UPSC for admission to the civil services. The physical requirements vary for different services and posts. The candidates have to undergo a medical examination after qualifying the main exam and before appearing for the personality test1.

These are the basic eligibility criteria for the UPSC civil services exam. However, there may be some additional requirements or exceptions for specific services or posts. Candidates are advised to read the official notification issued by the UPSC every year before applying for the exam.

Thank you for reading and all the best for your preparation!