Broadly, you need to qualify the below parameters to be eligible for the UPSC Civil Services Exam:
| Age Limit | 21 to 32 years |
| Age relaxation | As per category (mentioned below) |
| Number of Attempts | 06 (General and EWS) ; 09 (OBC); SC/ST (Upto age limit) |
| Educational qualification for UPSC Civil Services | Graduation from any recognized university |
| Nationality | Indian (For IAS and IPS); |
UPSC has a fixed number of attempts and eligibility criteria concerning age for the UPSC examination. Here’s the category-wise age limit and the number of attempts:
| Category | Upper Age Limit for UPSC | Maximum Number of Attempts |
| General | 32 | 6 |
| Economically Weaker Section (EWS) | 32 | 6 |
| OBC | 35 | 9 |
| SC/ST | 37 | Unlimited (Up to age limit) |
| Defence Services Personnel | 35 | 9 |
| Persons with Benchmark Disability | 35 | 9 |
It is important to note that an attempt is counted when you appear for the Prelims examination. Even if you’ve appeared in any one of the exams, your attempt will be counted. This is also one of the major reasons for absenteeism in the Prelims Exam. Only about 50% of the applicants who fill the form appear for the examination. If you’ve filled the examination form and not appear for the exam, your attempt will not be counted.
Further, the person who has already joined the services of IAS or IFS officer cannot write the examination again. However, an IPS can write the examination to compete for IAS rank
UPSC Exam Eligibility 2026 – Educational Qualification
UPSC does not discriminate against candidates based on their scores in graduation. Hence, there is no minimum qualifying percentage as the IAS eligibility condition. The UPSC eligibility conditions for the UPSC exam concerning educational qualification is given below:
- The candidate must hold a graduation degree from a government-recognized university.
- In their final year or awaiting results, candidates are also eligible to appear for UPSC preliminary Examination.