Books & Magazines
UPSC eligibility criteria 2026 are provided here for various categories. Check the detailed UPSC eligibility criteria 2026, including qualification, age limit, physical standards, and relaxation.
PWOnlyIAS
July 15, 2025
UPSC Eligibility Criteria: 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.
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.
The UPSC eligibility criteria 2026 will tentatively be released in January 2026. The official notification will provide key details for the academic qualification, age limit, number of UPSC attempts, and nationality.
For the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and Indian Police Service (IPS), a candidate must be a citizen of India. However, for other services, a candidate must meet the following UPSC eligibility criteria:
Presented below are the key highlights of UPSC eligibility criteria:
| UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2026 Overview | |
| Criteria | Details |
| Nationality | Must be a citizen of India. |
| Tibetan refugees who came to India before 1st January 1962. | |
| Individuals from Bhutan, Nepal, or Indian origin migrants from specific countries (as per the UPSC norms) may be considered eligible. | |
| Minimum Qualification for UPSC | Must have completed or be in the final year of UG degree from a recognised university. |
| Final-year students must submit the degree completion certificate before the Mains. | |
| No minimum marks required in UG final exam. | |
| UPSC Age Limit | Must be between 21 and 32 years of age. |
To meet the UPSC eligibility criteria for age, a candidate belonging to the general category must have attained the age of 21 years to apply for the UPSC exam. Additionally, they must not have attained the age of 32 years at the time of the Mains exam. This means, to meet the UPSC age limit for general candidates, candidates must have been born not earlier than August 1994 and not later than August 2005.
UPSC offers age relaxation to candidates belonging to various categories to ensure equal opportunity and inclusivity in the Civil Services Examination. Presented below is the category-wise age relaxation offered by UPCS:
| Category-wise Age Relaxation for UPSC | |||
| Category | Minimum Age | Relaxation | Maximum Age |
| General | 21 Years | No Relaxation | 32 Years |
| OBC | 21 Years | +3 Years | 35 Years |
| SC/ST | 21 Years | +5 Years | 37 Years |
| PwBD (Blind, Deaf-mute, Orthopedically handicapped) | 21 Years | +10 Years | 42 Years |
| Ex-Servicemen (Discharged due to disability) General | 21 Years | +3 Years | 35 Years |
| Ex-Servicemen (Discharged due to disability) OBC | 21 Years | +6 Years (3+3) | 38 Years |
| Ex-Servicemen (Discharged due to disability) SC/ST | 21 Years | +8 Years (3+5) | 40 Years |
| Ex-Servicemen (After 5 years of service) General | 21 Years | +5 Years | 37 Years |
| Ex-Servicemen (After 5 years of service) OBC | 21 Years | +8 Years (5+3) | 40 Years |
| Ex-Servicemen (After 5 years of service) SC/ST | 21 Years | +10 Years (5+5) | 42 Years |
Candidates belonging to the SC/ST category get a maximum age relaxation of 5 years for the UPSC exam. This means, the maximum age limit for SC/ST candidates is 37. To meet the UPSC eligibility criteria 2026, candidates belonging to SC/ST category must be born in or after August 1988.
As per the UPSC eligibility criteria, Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) are eligible for age relaxation up to a maximum of 10 years. This means that the maximum age limit for PwBD candidates can apply for UPSC until they turn 42 years. The quality for the PwBD categories candidates must have:
Important Note: Candidates belonging to either the SC or the ST, or the OBC category who are covered under the PwBD category are eligible for grant of cumulative age-relaxation under both categories. Additionally, candidates of PwBD category will be considered to be eligible for appointment only if they meet the UPSC eligibility criteria of physical and medical standards for the concerned Services after medical examination.
Other Backward Classes (OBC) candidates are eligible for age relaxation up to a maximum of three years for UPSC CSE. This means OBC candidates can appear for the examination until they attain the age of 35 years. For attempting the UPSC 2026 exam, OBC candidates must be born on or after August 1990.
Here are the key points OBC candidates must consider for the UPSC exam:
Ex-servicemen are eligible for different types of age relaxations as per the UPSC eligibility criteria. These are as follows:
Eligible candidates include ex-servicemen, such as Commissioned Officers, Emergency Commissioned Officers (ECOs), and Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCOs), who have completed at least five years of military service and have been released by August 2026. These candidates are entitled to age relaxation of up to five years.
Defence Services Personnel who meet the UPSC eligibility criteria and were disabled during operations in hostilities with any foreign country or disturbed areas and were released because of the disability are considered under this category. They are eligible for up to three years of age relaxation for the UPSC exam.
ECOs/SSCOs who have completed five years of initial military service by August 2026 and whose service has been extended beyond five years are considered under this category. These candidates are eligible for up to five years of age relaxation, provided the Ministry of Defence certifies that they are eligible to apply for civil jobs and will be released with three months’ notice if selected.
A candidate must have a graduate degree from a recognised university in India, either established by law or declared as a deemed university under the UGC Act, 1956, or must hold an equivalent qualification. Here are special provisions for education qualification considered for UPSC eligibility criteria:
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.
Here are the key points that count as a UPSC attempt:
The maximum UPSC attempts for the General category is 6. In contrast, OBC and PwBD candidates are allowed to take the UPSC exam for a maximum of 9 times. The table below presents the category-wise UPSC attempt limit:
| UPSC Attempt Limit Category Wise | |
| Category | No. of Attempts Allowed |
| General/EWS | 6 attempts |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | Unlimited attempts |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | Unlimited attempts |
| Other Backward Classes (OBC) | 9 attempts |
| PwBD (General/EWS/OBC) | 9 attempts |
| PwBD (SC/ST) | Unlimited attempts |
How Many UPSC Exam Attempts For General, OBC, SC/ST?
UPSC specifies the physical fitness requirements to select only the deserving candidates for the civil service posts. Candidates must meet the physical fitness standards for attempting the Civil Services Examination. The guidelines for the UPSC physical eligibility criteria are presented in Appendix-III of Rules for Examination, which is published in the Gazette of India Extraordinary on 22nd January, 2025.
All candidates selected for the Civil Services Examination will be required to undergo medical examination to ensure they meet the prescribed physical and medical standards.
IPS Physical Eligibility Criteria
Here are the notable physical eligibility criteria for UPSC exam:
| UPSC Physical Eligibility Criteria 2026 | ||||
| Service | Height Requirement | Chest Requirement | Vision Standard | Other Physical Requirements |
| IAS | Male: No specific requirement | Male: No specific requirement | General medical test | Candidates must pass a general health check-up. Disabilities are allowed as per the Disability Act. |
| Female: No specific requirement | Female: No specific requirement | |||
| IPS | Male: 165 cm (160 cm for SC/ST) | Male: 84 cm (with 5 cm expansion) | Better eye: 6/6 or 6/9 | No colour blindness, squint, or night blindness. No flat feet, knocked knees, or varicose veins. |
| Female: 150 cm (145 cm for SC/ST) | Female: 79 cm (with 5 cm expansion) | Worse eye: 6/12 or 6/9 | ||
| IFoS | Male: 163 cm (152 cm for hilly areas) | Male: 84 cm (with 5 cm expansion) | Better eye: 6/6 or 6/9 | No colour or night blindness. Must be fit for strenuous outdoor fieldwork. |
| Female: 150 cm (145 cm for hilly areas) | Female: 79 cm (with 5 cm expansion) | Worse eye: 6/12 or 6/9 | ||
| General Medical Test | Applicable to all services | Not applicable | General vision test | Includes checks for general physical health, hearing, eyesight, and overall fitness. |
Ready to boost your UPSC 2026 preparation? Join PW’s UPSC online courses today!
.png)
Connect with our experts to get free counselling & start preparing
Download Our App
Download Our App
Books & Magazines
Prahaar (Mains Wallah)
Mains Wallah (Q&A Bank)
Budget & Economic Survey
Monthly Current Wallah
Weekly Current Wallah
Editorial Summary
Editorial Q&A Compilation
NCERT Wallah
Marks Booster
Udaan 500+
Udaan
Prelims Wallah (Q&A Bank)
<div class="new-fform">
</div>
