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UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2024, Qualification, & Age Limit

PWOnlyIAS July 02, 2024 02:20 2215 0

UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2024 will help candidates determine the minimum qualification to apply for UPSC exam 2024. Learn more about UPSC eligibility criteria from here!

UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2024, Qualification, & Age Limit

UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2024 mainly focuses on educational qualification, number of attempts, nationality, and medical criteria. Candidates who are planning to apply for UPSC must fulfill certain eligibility criteria. The requirement criteria of qualification, nationality, and age limit are set by the UPSC. It is advised to candidates to check their eligibility before applying. Failure to meet the criteria may lead to rejection of the candidature of the applicant.

Here, you can check out the minimum requirements a candidate has to fulfill to apply for the exam. Read on to learn more about UPSC Civil Services Eligibility Criteria 2024!

UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2024 Overview

A candidate has to qualify for certain parameters to be eligible for UPSC 2024. These UPSC eligibility 2024 criteria vary from candidate to candidate, depending on the category under which they have applied. The overview of UPSC eligibility 2024 is provided below.

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UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2024
Type of Eligibility Details
Age  21 to 32 years (relaxation available)
Number of Attempts 6 for General (relaxations available)
Educational Qualification Graduate
Nationality Citizen of India for IAS and IPS
Physical Standards Required for IPS

UPSC Educational Qualification Criteria 2024

The minimum educational qualification is graduation. However, there are other detailed criteria as part of UPSC eligibility 2024.

  • Minimum Qualification for IAS: As a minimum qualification for IAS, a candidate must have graduated from a recognized university or have an equivalent qualification.
  • Eligibility Criteria for Final Year Graduates: Candidates who are in their final year of graduation or awaiting results can also appear for the UPSC Prelims Examination. However, they are required to have passed their final year examination while applying for the UPSC Mains Examination.
  • Eligibility of Professional and Technical Qualifications: Candidates who possess professional and technical qualifications recognised by the Government as equivalent to professional and technical degrees are also eligible for IAS Exam.
  • Eligibility for Medical Students: Medical students, who have not completed their internship, despite passing the final year of MBBS, can also apply for IAS Exam. However, they are required to submit a course completion certificate from the concerned authority along with their Mains Exam application.

UPSC Eligibility 2024 Based on Nationality and Citizenship  

There is a citizenship qualification for Grade-A Services such as IAS, IPS and IFS. A candidate must fulfil certain citizenship criteria as part of UPSC eligibility 2024 to be qualified for these services.

Service  Citizenship Requirements
IAS A Citizen of India
IPS A Citizen of India
IFS A Citizen of India or a Person of Indian origin (PIO) who has migrated from Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Ethiopia, Zaire, and Vietnam, for permanently settling in India.
Other Services
  • A citizen of India, or
  • A citizen of Nepal, or
  • A citizen of Bhutan, or
  • A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1st January 1962 for settling permanently, or
  • A Person of Indian origin (PIO) who has migrated from Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Ethiopia, Zaire, and Vietnam, for permanently settling in India.

Candidates who are citizens of Nepal, citizens of Bhutan, a Tibetan refugee or a Person of Indian origin (PIO) who has migrated from Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Ethiopia, Zaire, and Vietnam, for permanently settling in India, must furnish a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India for getting appointed, even though they are eligible to write exam without it.

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UPSC Eligibility 2024 Based on Number of Attempts & Age Limit

The UPSC imposes a limit on the number of times a candidate can appear for the IAS Examination. This number varies according to the category of the candidate. The UPSC eligibility 2024 based on attempts is given below.

Category  Number of Attempts Maximum Age (Years)
General and EWS 6 32
OBC  9 35
PwBD 9 42
SC and ST Unlimited 37
Ex-Servicemen 9 37
Disabled Defence Services Personnel 9 35
General/OBC/EWS PwBD candidates 9 See below Description
SC/ST categories PwBD candidates Unlimited See below Description
Age Relaxation for PWD Candidate

The prescribed upper age-limit of an examination (wherever applicable) is relaxable up to a maximum of 10 years in the case of candidates belonging to PwBD categories as below

(a) low vision and blindness; 

(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; 

(e) Multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (a) to (e) including deaf, blindness. PwBD candidates, who also belong to either SC or ST or OBC or Ex-servicemen, are eligible for grant of cumulative age-relaxation under both categories. 

UPSC Eligibility 2024 Based on Medical Criteria

For serving as IPS officers for districts, Indian Railway services, and the police services of Pondicherry, candidates need to have the necessary eyesight, height, and chest measurements. The details of this UPSC eligibility 2024 in terms of medical requirements are as below.

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Physical Feature Requirement
Height 165 cm for males and for females it is 150 cm (Relaxation applicable)
Chest Minimum 84 cm and Expansion 5 cm for males. For females, it is Minimum 79 cm and Expansion 5 cm.
Eyesight 6/6 or 6/9 distant vision for good eye

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UPSC Eligibility 2024 FAQs

General and EWS candidates have 6 attempts; OBC candidates have 9 attempts; SC/ST candidates can attempt until they reach the age limit.

No. Only Indian citizens are eligible for IAS.

The minimum educational qualification is graduation from a recognised university.

No. A candidate has to attain 21 years and be a graduate before applying for the UPSC exam.

Technical services such as IPS require minimum physical standards for being eligible for service.
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UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध

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