UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2026: Age Limit, Qualification, Attempts

UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2026: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has officially released the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026 notification on 4 February 2026, announcing 933 vacancies. Eligible graduate candidates aged 21 to 32 years can apply online for UPSC CSE 2026. To apply for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, candidates must meet a set of eligibility requirements. These requirements are designed by UPSC. The UPSC eligibility criteria include essential factors such as nationality, minimum age, number of attempts, physical fitness, and academic background. 

The basic requirement to attempt the UPSC exam mandates the candidates to be Indian nationals. Additionally, they should have either graduated or or be in the final year of their undergraduate program. Besides academic criteria, candidates must also be 21 years old to apply for UPSC CSE.

These eligibility conditions are essential for both the Preliminary and Main stages of the exam. The goal of the UPSC eligibility criteria is to identify capable and well-prepared candidates who are ready to take highly responsible roles in national administration and public service.

What is the UPSC CSE Exam? 

The Civil Services Examination (CSE) is regarded as one of the most prestigious and competitive exams in India. It is conducted annually by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which is a constitutional authority responsible for selecting candidates for top administrative roles in the government.

UPSC CSE is a national-level exam that serves as the gateway to a range of high-ranking government positions in the civil services. Among the most well-known posts that come with UPSC qualification include the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Foreign Service (IFS), among others.

The purpose of the UPSC CSE is to recruit individuals who can take on leadership roles in public administration, law enforcement, diplomacy, and policy implementation. To select the most suitable individual UPSC aims to test academic knowledge, decision-making, ethical understanding, and general awareness of the aspirants. All these qualities are essential for managing the responsibilities of governance in India.

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UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2026 Overview

The UPSC eligibility criteria 2026 have been released on 4th February 2026. The official notification provided key details for the academic qualification, age limit, number of UPSC attempts, and nationality. 

Nationality Requirements:

1. For Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and Indian Police Service (IPS):

   • The candidate must be a citizen of India.

2. For other services, the candidate must be one of the following:
   a) A citizen of India
   b) A subject of Nepal
   c) A subject of Bhutan
   d) A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1st January 1962, with the intention of permanently settling in India
   e) A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, or East African countries (Kenya, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia) and Vietnam, with the intention of permanently settling in India

Note: Candidates in categories (b), (c), (d), and (e) must have a Certificate of Eligibility issued by the Government of India.

• Candidates requiring this certificate may appear for the examination, but an appointment offer will be made only after the eligibility certificate is issued by the Government of India.

Presented below are the key highlights of UPSC eligibility criteria:

UPSC General Age Limit (as on 1st August 2026)

Candidates must be 21–32 years as of 1st August 2026 (born between 2nd August 1994 and 1st August 2005). Upper age relaxation is provided for SC/ST, OBC, Ex-Servicemen, Defence Personnel, and PwBD candidates as per rules.

1. General Age Requirement:

   • Candidates must be 21 to 32 years old.

   • Date of birth must be between 2nd August 1994 and 1st August 2005.

2. Age Relaxation:

   • SC/ST: up to 5 years

   • OBC (Non-Creamy Layer): up to 3 years

   • Defence Services Personnel (disabled during hostilities in foreign or disturbed areas and released): up to 3 years

   • Ex-Servicemen (ECOs/SSCOs) with ≥5 years service: up to 5 years, if released:

     • On completion of assignment (including those due within 1 year), not dismissed or discharged for misconduct

     • On account of physical disability from service

     • On invalidation

   • ECOs/SSCOs with extended service beyond 5 years: up to 5 years, if Ministry of Defence issues a certificate allowing civil employment and release on three months’ notice

   • Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD): up to 10 years, including:

     1. Blindness and low vision

     2. Deaf and hard of hearing

     3. Locomotor disabilities (including cerebral palsy, leprosy-cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims, muscular dystrophy)

     4. Autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability, mental illness

     5. Multiple disabilities (including deaf-blindness)

Also Read: UPSC Age Limit

Notes:

1. SC/ST/OBC candidates who are also Ex-Servicemen or PwBD are eligible for cumulative age relaxation.

2. Ex-Servicemen are as defined in the Ex-Servicemen (Re-employment in Civil Services and Posts) Rules, 1979.

3. Age relaxation for Ex-Servicemen applies to those retired, relieved, or discharged from the Regular Army, Navy, or Air Force.

4. PwBD candidates must meet medical and physical standards for the allocated services.

5. No other age relaxation is allowed beyond these rules.

6. Only the date of birth on Matriculation/Secondary or equivalent certificate is valid; no changes or other documents (affidavits, horoscopes, service records) are accepted.

UPSC Qualification 2026

A candidate must have a Graduate degree from a university recognized by an Act of Parliament or State Legislature in India, or from an institution deemed a university under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, or possess an equivalent qualification.

Educational Qualification Notes for CSE 2026:

1. Candidates who have appeared for the final qualifying exam but results are pending, or who intend to appear, can apply provisionally. They must provide proof of passing (degree, mark sheet, or provisional certificate) before the interview. Internship completion is required for professional degrees like MBBS/BDS/Veterinary Science.

2. In exceptional cases, the Commission may allow candidates without standard qualifications if their exam is deemed equivalent.

3. Recognized professional or technical degrees equivalent to government-approved qualifications are eligible.

4. Candidates who have passed the final professional exam but not completed internship can apply provisionally with a certificate; they must submit proof of completion before the interview.

How Many Attempts for UPSC?

Every candidate who meets the UPCS eligibility criteria is allowed to appear for the CSE exam a maximum of six times. However, candidates belonging to reserved categories are eligible for relaxation in the number of attempts.

• General Rule: Every candidate is allowed 6 attempts at the Civil Services Examination (CSE).

• Relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD candidates:

EWS: Economically Weaker Sections,

SC: Scheduled Castes,

ST: Scheduled Tribes,

OBC: Other Backward Classes,

PwBD: Persons with Benchmark Disability

Notes:

1. Attempts are restricted as per Rule 12 of Civil Service Rules 2026.

2. Preliminary Exam attempts count: Each attempt at the Preliminary Exam is considered an attempt at the CSE.

3. If a candidate appears in any one paper of the Preliminary Exam, it counts as an attempt.

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UPSC Attempt Limit Category Wise 2026

The maximum UPSC attempts for the General category is 6. In contrast, OBC and PwBD candidates are allowed to take the UPSC exam a maximum of 9 times. The table below presents the category-wise UPSC attempt limit:

Also Read: How Many UPSC Exam Attempts For General, OBC, SC/ST?

UPSC Physical Eligibility Criteria 2026

Candidates must meet the physical fitness standards prescribed for admission to the Civil Services Examination 2026, as outlined in Appendix-III of the Examination Rules published in the Gazette of India Extraordinary on 4th February 2026.

Also Read: IPS Physical Eligibility Criteria

Here are the notable physical eligibility criteria for UPSC exam:

Eligibility and Service Allocation Rules for Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026

1. Candidates already in IAS or IFS

   • If a candidate has been appointed to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) or Indian Foreign Service (IFS) from an earlier examination and continues as a member, they cannot appear in CSE-2026.

   • If such a candidate is appointed to IAS or IFS after the CSE (Prelims) 2026 but continues as a member, they cannot appear in CSE (Mains) 2026, even if they qualified in Prelims.

   • If appointed to IAS or IFS after the CSE (Mains) 2026 begins but before results are declared, they will not be considered for any service/post based on CSE-2026 results.

2. Candidates in Indian Police Service (IPS) from earlier exams

   • Candidates already selected or appointed to the Indian Police Service (IPS) based on an earlier exam cannot opt for IPS through CSE-2026.

3. Candidates allocated to IPS or other Central Group ‘A’ Services via CSE-2026
   Such candidates may appear in CSE-2027 if eligible, but under these conditions:

   a. Exemption from Training:

   • Candidates must obtain a one-time exemption from training for the service allocated via CSE-2026 from the relevant authority.

   • This exemption is only to allow participation in CSE-2027.

   b. Foundation Course (FC):

   • If appearing in CSE-2027, the candidate joins only the Foundation Course (FC) of the new allocation.

   c. Non-compliance:

   • If the candidate neither joins training nor takes exemption, the service allocation from CSE-2026 is cancelled.

   d. Allocation based on CSE-2027:

   • If recommended in CSE-2027, the candidate can choose to join either the service allocated in CSE-2026 or CSE-2027.

   • Allocation not chosen will be cancelled.

   • If no service is allocated in CSE-2027, the candidate may join the service from CSE-2026.

   e. Failure to Join Training:

   • If the candidate does not join training for either CSE-2026 or CSE-2027 allocation, both allocations are cancelled.

   f. Seniority:

   • Seniority will be determined based on the joining date of the service (CSE-2026 or CSE-2027).

   • This seniority will not be reduced.

   g. Future Attempts:

   • The candidate cannot appear in CSE-2028 or later unless they resign from the allocated service.

   h. Utilizing Remaining Attempts:

   • Candidates may use their remaining attempts for CSE-2027 only if they do not join the service allocated in CSE-2026 or CSE-2027.

   • Such service allocation is automatically cancelled.

   i. Candidates allocated in CSE-2025 or earlier:

   • They are given a one-time opportunity to appear in CSE-2026 or CSE-2027 to use their remaining attempts without resigning.

   • To appear in CSE-2028 or later, they must resign from the allocated service.

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