UPSC / IAS Age Limit 2025-26, Complete Eligibility Guide

Preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE)? Before you begin your preparation, make sure you meet the eligibility criteria, especially the age limit and number of attempts.

This guide covers the complete UPSC Age Limit for 2025-26, category-wise relaxations, educational qualifications, nationality rules, and allowed attempts.

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Basic Eligibility, At a Glance

Eligibility	Requirement
Minimum Age	21 years
Maximum Age	32 years for General Category
Education	Graduate or in Final Year
Attempts	6 for General Category
Nationality	Indian citizen (for IAS/IPS)

The minimum age applies to everyone; you must be 21 years old on 1st August of the exam year.

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UPSC Age Limit Category-wise

Category	Age Range	Max Age after Relaxation
General / EWS	21–32 yrs	32 yrs
OBC	21–35 yrs	+3 years relaxation
SC / ST	21–37 yrs	+5 years relaxation
PwBD (General/EWS/OBC)	21–42 yrs	+10 years relaxation
PwBD (SC/ST)	21–42 yrs	+10 years relaxation

Relaxation only applies when you submit the proper category documents.

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UPSC Attempts Allowed

Category	Attempts Available
General + EWS	6 attempts
OBC	9 attempts
SC / ST	Unlimited attempts till max age
PwBD	9 attempts (Gen/OBC) / Unlimited (SC/ST)

⚠️ Important:

If you just appear in the Prelims, one attempt is counted.

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Educational Qualification

You are eligible if you are:

• A graduate from a recognized university, or
• A final year student (must provide degree proof before Mains)

Candidates with professional or technical degrees can also apply.

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Nationality Eligibility

For IAS, IPS, IFS posts, only Indian citizens can apply.
For other central services, certain additional foreign national categories may apply (conditions apply).

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Physical Standards (Mainly for IPS)

Candidates must meet:

• Basic fitness requirements
• Height, chest, and medical criteria (according to UPSC medical standards)

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Quick Example

If you belong to the OBC category:

• Eligible until 35 years
• 9 attempts

If you belong to SC/ST:

• Eligible until 37 years
• Unlimited attempts until age limit

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FAQs

Q: Can I apply for UPSC while in the final year?
✔ Yes, but submit proof of graduation before Mains.

Q: Does being female provide extra relaxation?
❌ No, relaxations are only based on categories.

Q: Is there age relaxation for the General category?
❌ No, the fixed upper limit is 32 years.

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Final Words

Before planning your books, coaching, or timetable:
✔ Check your age
✔ Check your remaining attempts
✔ Validate your documents
✔ Start your preparation confidently

UPSC is a long journey, but with the right strategy and consistency, you can achieve your IAS dream.

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