The Union Public Service Commission has laid down certain eligibility requirements for candidates who wish to apply for the Civil Services Examination. Aspirants who plan to apply for the UPSC CSE should carefully go through the eligibility criteria given in the official notification.
Aspirants who wish to prepare for the Civil Services Exam can use resources available online or join UPSC coaching. Nowadays, all the study materials can be easily accessed online by paying a small fee.
Civil Services Examination Eligibility Requirements
The nationality, age limit, and other eligibility criteria for candidates who want to apply for the Civil Services Examination are given below.
- Nationality
| UPSC CSE Nationality or Citizenship Criteria | |
| S.No. | Description |
| 1 | For the Indian Administrative Service, the Indian Foreign Service and the Indian Police Service, a candidate must be a citizen of India. |
| 2 | For other services, a candidate must be either: |
| (a) | A citizen of India, or |
| (b) | A subject of Nepal, or |
| (c) | A subject of Bhutan, or |
| (d) | A Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January, 1962 with the intention
of permanently settling in India, or |
| (e) | A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East
African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India. |
| Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (b), (c), (d) and (e) shall be a person in
whose favour, a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India. A candidate in whose case a certificate of eligibility is necessary may be admitted to the examination, but the offer of appointment may be given only after the necessary eligibility certificate has been issued to them by the Government of India. |
|
- Age Limit
The minimum age requirement for a candidate who wishes to apply for the UPSC CSE is 21 years. A candidate must not be 32 years of age on the date specified in the official CSE notification. There is a relaxation of the upper age limit for some categories of candidates.
| UPSC CSE Age Relaxation | ||
| S.No. | Category | Age Relaxation |
| 1. | SC/ST | Up to a maximum of five years |
| 2. | OBC | Up to a maximum of three years |
| 3. | Defence Services Personnel, disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area and released as a consequence thereof | Up to a maximum of three years |
| 4. | Persons with
Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) |
Up to a maximum of 10 years |
| 5. | Ex-servicemen including Commissioned
Officers and Emergency Commissioned Officers (ECOs)/ Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCOs) who have rendered at least five years of Military Service (as on the date specified in the CSE notification) and have been released: (i) On completion of assignment (including those whose assignment is due to be completed within one year from 1st August, 2021, otherwise than by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency); or (ii) On account of physical disability attributable to Military Service; or (iii) On invalidment |
Up to a maximum of five years |
| 6. | ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial
period of assignment of five years of Military Service (as on the date specified in the CSE notification) and whose assignment has been extended beyond five years and in whose case the Ministry of Defence issues a certificate that they can apply for civil employment and that they will be released on three months notice on selection from the date of receipt of the offer of appointment. |
Up to a maximum of five years |
- Minimum Educational Qualification
The minimum educational criteria prescribed by the Union Public Service Commission are given in the table below.
| UPSC CSE Minimum Educational Qualification | |
| S. No. | Description |
| 1 | A candidate must hold a degree from any of the Universities incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as a University under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 or possess an equivalent qualification. |
| 2 | Applicants who have appeared at a qualifying examination but have not been informed of the result as also the candidates who intend to appear at such a qualifying examination are also eligible to apply for the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination. |
| 3 | In exceptional cases, the Commission may treat a candidate who does not have any of the foregoing qualifications as a candidate, provided that the candidate has passed an examination conducted by any other institution, the standard of which, in the opinion of the Commission, justifies the admission to the Civil Services Examination. |
| 4 | Candidates who have professional and technical qualifications which are recognised by the Government as equivalent to a professional and technical degree are also eligible for admission to the Civil Services Examination. |
| 5 | Applicants who have passed the final professional M.B.B.S or any other equivalent professional examination leading to a medical degree or certificate but have not completed their internship by the time of submission of their applications for the Civil Services (Main). |
Aspirants should ensure that they fulfil all the eligibility criteria given in the CSE notification before applying for the exam.
If candidates wish to apply for the UPSC CSE scheduled to be held next year, then they should start their preparation now. Candidates can join IAS coaching in Bangalore, Delhi, etc. or study by themselves. Candidates must take mock tests after studying the subjects. Mock tests help aspirants in analysing and assessing their performance.
The IAS exam is a highly competitive exam, but with perseverance and the right strategy, candidates can do well in the examination.
