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UPSC CSE Eligibility Criteria 2023

UPSC stands for Union Public Service Commission. It is a government agency that recruits officers in the civil services of the country. UPSC conducts Civil Services Examination CSE and selects the eligible officers. The Civil Services include services like IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS, etc. There are 3 factors to keep in mind for the eligibility criteria (age, nationality, and qualification.) 

In this article, we will learn about the UPSC Civil Services Exam Eligibility Criteria for 2023. The candidates for UPSC CSE 2023 need to fulfill three important factors: Age, Nationality, and Qualification. The eligibility requirements for UPSC CSE are listed below in this article:

UPSC CSE Eligibility Overview:

Exam Age Limit 21 to 32 years
Age Relaxation As per category (mentioned below)
Educational Qualification Graduation
Nationality Indian citizens only

UPSC CSE Age Criteria

The candidates are required to calculate their age as of August 1, 2023. The upper age limit for the exam is 32 years. This means the candidate should not be the age of 32 years as of 1st August 2023. 

Note: For UPSC 2022, the minimum age will be 21 as of 1st August 2022, and the maximum age will be 32, falling between 2nd August 1991 and 1st August 2002.

UPSC Age Criteria – The age limit for the UPSC 2023 as of August 1, 2023.

Category Minimum Age Limit for UPSC Maximum Age Limit for UPSC
Age Limit for General Category 21 32
EWS 21 32
SC/ST 21 37
IAS OBC Age Limit 21 35

UPSC Age Relaxation 2023

UPSC provides age relaxation for different categories. The candidates need to check the age relaxation details for the exam.

Category UPSC Age Limit- Upper Relaxation
General 32
OBC 35
SC/ST 37
Disabled Defence Services Personnel 35
Ex-Servicemen 37
Persons with Benchmark Disability – EWS (Economically Weaker Section) 42

UPSC Eligibility Criteria for Physically Handicapped (PH) candidates are listed below:

Code Physical Requirements Code Functional Classification
S Sitting OH Orthopaedically Handicapped
ST Standing MW Muscular Weakness
W Walking BL Both Legs
MF Manipulation by finger OL One Leg
PP Pushing and Pulling OAL One Arm One Leg
BN Bending BLA Both Legs and Arms
L Lifting BLOA Both Legs One Arm
KC Kneeling and Crouching BL Both Legs
SE Seeing VH Visually Handicapped
RW Reading and Writing LV Low Vision
B Blind
H Hearing/Speaking HH Hearing Handicapped
C Communication PD Partially Deaf
FD Fully Deaf

Civil services positions for physically handicapped candidates are listed below:

Service Categories for which identified Functional Classification Physical Requirements
Indian Administrative Service Locomotor disability BA, OA, OL, BH, BL, MW, BLOA, BLA, OAL C, S, W, ST, SE, RW, H
Visual impairment B, LV C, MF, RW, PP, KC, L, BN, ST, W, H
Hearing impairment FD, PD C, PP, KC, MF, L, BN, ST, RW, W
Indian Foreign Service Locomotor disability OA, OL, OAL RW, ST, S, W, C, SE, MF
Visual impairment LV SE, RW
Hearing impairment HH H
Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Central Excise, Gr. A) Locomotor disability OL, OA C, S, BN, L, SE, RW, H, MF, W, ST
Hearing impairment HH C, H, S, L, ST, W, BN, SE, RW, MF
Indian P&T Accounts & Finance Service, Gr. A Locomotor disability BH, BA, BL, OA, OL, MW, OAL BN, KC, S, PP, SE, W, RW, C, ST, H, L, MF
Visual impairment LV (PB), B BN, C, W, PP, S,RW,ST,H,L,KC,MF
Hearing impairment PD, FD BN, C, S, SE, W, RW, ST, KC, L, MF, PP
Indian Audit & Accounts Service, Gr. A Locomotor disability OL, OA BN, S, SE, C, W, RW, ST
Hearing impairment PD S, ST,W,SE,RW, BN, C
Indian Defence Accounts Service, Gr. A Locomotor disability OL, OA S, ST, W, BN, SE, RW, C
Indian Revenue Service (I.T.), Gr. A Locomotor disability OA, OL, OAL, BL S,ST,SE,RW,C, W
Visual impairment LV, B MF, L, KC, BN,
ST, W, H, RW, C, PP
Hearing impairment PD, FD MF,PP,L,KC,BN,
ST, W,RW,C, H
Indian Ordnance Locomotor disability OA, OL S,ST,W,BN,RW, SE,H,C
Factories Service, Gr. A Visual impairment LV (PB) S, ST, W, RW, SE, H, C, BN
  Hearing impairment PD S, ST, W, BN, RW, SE, H(Speaking), C
Indian Postal Service, Gr. A Locomotor disability OA, OL S, ST, W, RW, SE, H, C, BN
Visual impairment LV S, ST, W, BN, SE, H, C, RW
Hearing impairment HH S, ST, W, BN, RW, SE, H, C
Indian Civil Accounts Service, Gr. A Locomotor disability OA, OL, OAL, BL S,ST,W,RW,H,C, SE
Visual impairment LV S,ST,W,SE, RW,H,C
Hearing impairment HH S,ST,W,SE, RW,H,C
Indian Railway Accounts Service, Gr. A Locomotor disability OA, OL, OAL, BL S,ST,W,RW,C,H, SE
Visual impairment LV S, ST, W, RW, SE, C, H
Hearing impairment PD S, ST, W, RW, SE, C, H
Indian Railway Personnel Service, Gr. A Locomotor disability OA, OL S,ST,BN,SE,C,W,H,RW
Visual impairment LV S, ST, BN, SE, C, W, H, RW
Hearing impairment PD S, ST, BN, SE, C, W, H, RW
Indian Railway Traffic Service, Gr. A Locomotor disability OA, OL S, ST, W, SE, RW,
H, C
Indian Defence Estates Services, Gr. A Locomotor disability OA, OL, BL S,ST,W,BN,MF,PP,KC,SE,RW,H,C
Visual impairment LV S, ST, W, BN, MF, PP, KC, SE, RW, H, C
Hearing impairment HH S, ST, W, BN, MF, PP, KC, SE, RW, H, C
Indian Information Service, Gr. A Locomotor disability BA, OL, OA, BH, MW, BL, OAL, BLA, BLOA S,ST,W,RW,SE,H,C
Visual impairment LV, B MF,PP,L,KC,BN,
ST,W,H,RW,C
Hearing impairment PD, FD MF, PP, L, KC, BN,
ST, W, H, RW, C
Indian Trade Service, Gr. A (Gr. III) Locomotor disability BA, OL, OA, BH, MW, BL, OAL, BLOA, BLA S,ST,W,SE, H, RW,C
Visual impairment LV, B MF, PP, L, KC, BN,
ST, W, H, RW, C
Hearing impairment PD, FD MF, PP, L, KC, BN,
ST, W, H, RW, C
Indian Corporate Law Service Locomotor disability OA, OL, OAL, BL ST, RW, SE, S,BN,H
Visual impairment LV ST, RW, SE, S, BN, H
Hearing impairment HH ST, RW, SE, S, BN, H
Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service, Gr. B (Section Officers’ Grade) Locomotor disability OA, OL, BL S,ST,W,BN,MF,SE,RW,H, C
Visual impairment LV, B S,ST,W,BN,MF,RW,H,C
Hearing impairment HH S,ST,W,BN,MF,SE,RW,C
Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Civil Service, Gr. B Locomotor disability BA, OL, OA, BH, S,ST,W,H,SE,RW,C
MW, BL, OAL,
BLA, BLOA
Visual impairment LV, B MF,PP,L,KC,BN,
ST,W,H,RW,C
Hearing impairment PD, FD MF, PP, L, KC, BN,
ST, W, H, RW, C
Pondicherry Civil Service, Gr. B Locomotor disability OA, OL, BL, OAL S,ST,W,SE,
S, ST, W, SE, RW, HC
Visual impairment LV S, ST, W, SE, RW, HC
Hearing impairment HH HC, W, S, ST, SE, RW

UPSC CSE Qualification criteria

The UPSC CSE exam does not need a big certificate of educational qualification from the applicants. The candidates should have any graduation level degree from any government-recognized university or UGC-approved university. The graduation could be done in any branch. Those who are in their final year of graduation are also eligible to apply for UPSC. However, their graduation result should be declared before the final exam of UPSC.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1.  What is the maximum number of attempts for general category students for UPSC?

Ans.  The UPSC commission set the general category IAS exam limit. The number of attempts is 6 times till the age of 32.

Q2.  Is there any age relaxation for females in UPSC?

Ans. No, there is no special relaxation for females in UPSC. The age criteria are the same for any gender. The reservation is not based on gender in UPSC.

Q3.  What is the age limit for the IAS Exam?

Ans. The minimum age for the IAS exam is 21 years and the maximum age is 32 years.

Q4.  Is there any reservation for ex-servicemen in the UPSC exam?

Ans. Yes there is age relaxation for the Ex-Serviceman in the UPSC exam of 5 years, who had served a minimum of five years of Military Service. It also includes Commissioned Offers and SSCO/ECOs. 

Q5. Can the 12th pass apply for UPSC?

Ans. Only the 12th pass can not apply for the UPSC. The candidate must have a graduation degree to appear in the exam.

Q6. Is physical fitness required for IAS?

Ans. In rule 21 of the department of personnel and training (DOPTs) describes that “A candidate must be in good mental and bodily health.”

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