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UPSC Eligibility 2025: IAS Age Limit, Qualification & Attempts!

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Last Updated on June 11, 2025

The detailed UPSC Eligibility 2025 is specified in the official UPSC notification that has been released on 22 January, 2025. The IAS Eligibility Criteria is defined in terms of age limit, educational qualifications, number of attempts and citizenship. For all the UPSC aspirants who will be applying for the UPSC Civil Services Recruitment 2025, it is crucial to check the detailed eligibility criteria before filling out the UPSC Application Form. The minimum UPSC age limit is 21 years. Aspirants must fall in the age group of 21 to 32 years and possess a Bachelor's Degree in any discipline to be eligible for the IAS Exam. Embarking on the path of a UPSC aspirant requires a thorough understanding of the UPSC eligibility as the first step to one's dream of becoming a civil servant in India.

  • The UPSC Civil Services age limit for general categories is 21 to 32 years, 21 to 35 years for OBC, 21 to 37 for SC/ST candidates and 21 to 42 for PwBD candidates.
  • Candidates must possess a Bachelor's Degree from a recognized University/Institution; candidates with technical degree like MBBS/B.E./B.Tech will also be eligible.
  • A total of 6 IAS Exam attempts are available for General category candidates and 9 attempts for OBC candidates. There is no limit to number of attempts for SC/ST candidates.
  • Only Indian citizens are eligible to apply for UPSC CSE 2025 Exam.

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UPSC Eligibility 2025: Highlights

The UPSC Civil Services Eligibility is defined in terms of the candidate's age limit, educational qualification, nationality, etc. Criteria such as age limit are also relaxed for reserved category applicants. The details of the UPSC Civil Services Eligibility Criteria are discussed in the following sub-sections.

UPSC CSE Eligibility Criteria 2025 Highlights

Criteria

Eligibility

UPSC Age Limit for General

21 to 32 years

Age Relaxations

OBC - 3 years

SC/ST - 5 years

PwBD - 10 years

Minimum Educational Qualification

Graduation

Number of Attempts

General/EWS - 6

OBC/PwBD - 9

SC/ST - Unlimited

Nationality

Citizen of India

 

UPSC Age Limit 2025

The minimum age limit for UPSC candidates is 21 years. The maximum age limit for General Category should not be more than the age of 32 years. The UPSC Civil Services upper age limit is however released by a few years for reserved category applicants.

Category Minimum Age Limit for IAS Maximum IAS Age Limit for IAS
UPSC Age Limit for General 21 32 
UPSC Age Limit for OBC 21 35
UPSC Age Limit for SC/ST 21 37
UPSC Age Limit for EWS 21 32

It is important for the aspirants to be aware of the above-mentioned IAS Age Limit before planning to appear for the IAS exam.

Check out: UPSC Syllabus here.

UPSC Civil Services Age Relaxations

The age limit of candidates will be relaxable as per their categories which are mentioned below in the table.

Category

Age Relaxation 

OBC 

3 Years

Defence Services Personnel, disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area and released as a consequence thereof

3 Years

SC/ ST

5 Years

Ex-servicemen including commissioned officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least five years of military service and have been released

5 Years

PwD

(a) blindness and low vision; (b) deaf and hard of hearing; (c) locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy; (d) autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness; and (e) multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (a) to (d) including deaf-blindness

10 Years

UPSC Attempt Limit: Number Of Attempts For UPSC

Candidates of different categories will be able to appear for the UPSC IAS Exam up to a certain number which is mentioned below in the article.

  • General Category: 6 attempts till 32 years of age.
  • OBC: 9 attempts till 35 years of age.
  • SC/ST: unlimited attempts till 37 years of age.
  • Physically Handicapped /disabled candidates belonging to the General category will get the benefit of 9 attempts till the age prescribed by UPSC - 42 years.

Check out the detailed UPSC Exam Syllabus here.

UPSC Civil Services Educational Qualification

Candidates willing to appear for the UPSC IAS Exam, candidates must possess the minimum educational qualification. Check below to know about the minimum educational qualification required.

  • The minimum qualification for the UPSC exam is that the candidate must have a Bachelor's degree from a Government recognized University or possess an equivalent qualification.
  • Candidates who are awaiting results or are in their final year are also eligible to appear for UPSC Prelims Examination. All such candidates who are qualified to appear for UPSC exams must make sure to produce confirmation of having passed the said examination along with the application for the main IAS examination.
  • Candidates having technical and professional qualifications recognized by the Government as equal to professional and technical degrees.
  • Medical students who have passed the final year of MBBS, but are still to complete their internship are also qualified for the UPSC exam. Although, along with the Main Examination application, a certificate of course fulfilment of educational qualifications as well as the degree from the concerned authority of the University/Institution has to be submitted.

UPSC Civil Services Nationality

Candidates applying for the UPSC IAS Exam must necessarily be Indian. The candidates will have to satisfy other requirements as well in order to be eligible for the UPSC IAS exam. Read below to know in detail about the nationality of the candidates.

  • The candidate must be a citizen of India or
  • Citizen of Nepal 
  • A subject of Bhutan
  • The candidate must have been a Tibetan Refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962, to be settled forever in India 
  • The candidate must be a person of Indian Origin who has migrated from the given countries- Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, Zaire, or Zambia with an intention of permanently settling in India

For IAS and IPS

For All Other Services

Candidate must be a citizen of India

  • Candidate must be either:-
    1. A citizen of India, or
    2. A subject of Nepal, or
    3. A subject of Bhutan, or
    4. A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1st January 1962 intending to settle in India permanently, or
    5. A person of Indian origin (PIO) who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Ethiopia, Zaire and Vietnam intending to settle in India permanently.
  • The candidates belonging to categories (2), (3), (4) and (5) should furnish a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India. Such candidates may take the exam before getting the said certificate of eligibility, but he/she would get the offer of appointment only after the Government of India has issued the certificate.
  • Point to Note: A person belonging to categories (2), (3) and (4) are not eligible for appointment to the Indian Foreign Service (IFS).
 

UPSC Civil Services​ Physical Eligibility

The UPSC Physical Eligibility criteria is applicable for candidates applying for All India Services. Such candidates will need to appear and clear a physical test which will be conducted by the examination conducting body as per rules and regulations decided by the Government of India. Clearing the Physical Standard Test is mandatory for the efficient discharge of duties and services. 

  • The Physical Standard test consists of both Physical and Mental Tests so candidates need to be physically and mentally fit to join any post of All India Services. 
  • The Physical Test is applicable for those candidates applying for IPS officers for districts or Indian Railway services and the police services of Pondicherry, among others.
  • These physical standards are determined according to the guidelines provided in Appendix-III of the Rules for Examination published in the Gazette of India Extraordinary dated February 02, 2023.
  • Candidates who will not satisfy the requirements for the Physical Standard Test decided by the exam conducting body will not be appointed for any post of All India Services.

List of Hospitals Conducting Medical Test for UPSC

Candidates irrespective of gender need to take part in the medical test which will be conducted by the following hospitals in Delhi. 

  1. Safdarjung Hospital
  2. Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital
  3. Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital
  4. Sucheta Kriplani Hospital
  5. Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital
  6. Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital
  7. BR Ambedkar Hospital

The Medical Test for candidates belonging to the Physical Disability category will be conducted by the following hospitals in Delhi.

  1. Safdarjung Hospital
  2. Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital
  3. LHMC
  4. Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital
  5. Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital

Candidates who may require Appellate Specialized Medical Board for their eye conditions will be referred to the Guru Nanak Eye Centre, New Delhi for their medical examination.

Restrictions on Applying for the UPSC Exam 2025

  • Candidates who are already appointed to the IAS and IFS posts based on the previous cycle of UPSC CSE Exam and are currently serving in either of these two services will not be eligible to appear in the exams for that specific year. 
  • Similarly, a candidate who is previously appointed as an IPS Officer based on the results of the previous examination and currently serving as an IPS officer will not be eligible to select IPS as an option in the exams for that particular year.

UPSC Civil Services Eligibility​: Key Points to Remember

To be eligible for the UPSC IAS Examination, candidates must meet the following criteria. Mentioned below is a summary of IAS eligibility criteria mentioning the UPSC maximum age limit, count of attempts, relaxations, and more

Nationality Requirements for the IAS Exam: Candidates must be either a citizen of India, of Indian origin, or a subject of Nepal, Bhutan, or a Tibetan refugee who settled in India before January 1, 1962.

Educational Qualifications for the IAS Exam: Applicants are required to possess a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited university.

Age Requirements for the UPSC Civil Services Exam: Applicants should be at least 21 years old but not exceed 32 years.

Categorial Age Relaxations and Attempt Limits for the UPSC CSE:

  • General Category & EWS: Up to 32 years; limited to 6 attempts.
  • OBC (Non-Creamy Layer): Up to 35 years (32+3); allowed 9 attempts.
  • SC/ST Categories: Up to 37 years (32+5); permitted unlimited attempts.
  • Persons with Benchmark Disabilities: Up to 42 years (32+10); General/OBC/EWS candidates are limited to 9 attempts while SC/ST candidates have unlimited attempts.
  • Domiciles of Jammu & Kashmir: Up to 37 years or 40 years (32+5, plus 3 if OBC or 5 if SC/ST); The number of attempts varies according to the reservation category.
  • Disabled and Discharged Defence Service Personnel: Age is extended to 35 years for General/OBC (32+3) and 37 years for SC/ST candidates (32+3/5 years).
  • Ex-Servicemen Commissioned Officers: Allowed up to 37 (for General) or up to 40 years (for OBC) or 42 years (for SC/ST) (32+5, plus 3 if OBC or 5 if SC/ST).

We hope that you got an adequate idea about the eligibility criteria which you will have to keep in mind while preparing for the UPSC IAS exam. You can post your doubts in the comments section. Keeping this in mind, candidates should prepare well and make sure to score well. You can also read more of our articles on the UPSC IAS Exam.

You can also start preparing yourself online for all competitive examinations simply by downloading the Testbook App

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Latest UPSC Civil Services Updates

Last updated: June 11, 2025

-> Candidates can check out the Daily Headlines for 13th June UPSC Current Affairs.

-> The UPSC CSE and IFS result has been released @upsc.gov.in on 11 June, 2025. Check UPSC Prelims Result 2025, UPSC IFS Result 2025 

-> UPSC Launches New Online Portal upsconline.nic.in. Check OTR Registration Process.

-> Check UPSC Prelims 2025 Exam Analysis and UPSC Prelims 2025 Question Paper for GS Paper 1 & CSAT.

-> UPSC 2024 Prelims Answer Key released on 21st May 2025 at upsc.gov.in for Paper 1, 2.

-> UPSC Exam Calendar 2026. UPSC CSE 2026 Notification will be released on 14 January, 2026. 

-> The UPSC Civil Services Notification 2025 was out on 22nd January, 2025 and the UPSC 2025 Prelims exam date is 25th May, 2025.

-> Calculate your Prelims score using the UPSC Marks Calculator.

-> Go through the UPSC Previous Year Papers and UPSC Civil Services Test Series to enhance your preparation.

-> Check Axiom-4 mission: Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's AX-4 mission Launch Date & Time

-> PM Kisan 20th Installment Date 2025: Beneficiary Status & List, Check eKYC Process

-> 8th Pay Commission Salary Hike

UPSC Civil Services Eligibility 2025 FAQs

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