UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2026, Age Limit, Qualification, Number of Attempts
Check UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2026 including age limit, educational qualification, nationality, and number of attempts for aspirants. Ensure you meet all conditions before applying.
Deeksha Dixit5 Feb, 2026
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UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2026 refers to the minimum requirements prescribed by the Union Public Service Commission for candidates appearing in the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026. As per the UPSC Notification 2026 released on 4 February 2026, candidates must fulfill the prescribed criteria related to educational qualification, age limit, physical fitness, and other service-specific requirements to be eligible to apply. Only those candidates who meet the eligibility conditions mentioned in the official notification are allowed to submit the application form.
UPSC reserves the right to reject the candidature at any stage of the examination if the eligibility criteria are not fulfilled. Candidates are advised to carefully check the latest UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2026 as notified officially before applying.
UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2026
The commission set the UPSC age limit, UPSC exam eligibility educational qualification, attempt limit, etc. that must be checked before applying. During document verification, UPSC will verify candidates' eligibility, and anyone who fails to meet UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2026 will be disqualified.| UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2026 Overview | |
| Eligibility | Criteria |
| Educational | Graduation or equivalent |
| Age Limit | 21 - 32 years |
| Age Relaxation | Applicable |
| Total Attempts | 6 |
| Relaxation in Attempts | Allowed |
| Nationality | Indian |
UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2026 Nationality
The first criteria that should be checked by aspirants before applying for the UPSC CSE exam are that they meet the following Nationality requirements:- Only a citizen of India is eligible to apply for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Police Service (IPS), and the Indian Foreign Service (IFS).
- To apply for the other services candidates should be either:
- Indian Citizen
- Subject of Nepal
- A subject of Bhutan
- A Tibetan refugee who came over to permanently settle in India before 1st January 1962.
- A person of Indian origin (PIO) who has migrated from Burma, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, East African countries (Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia), and Vietnam intending to permanently settle in India.
Also Read: UPSC Syllabus 2026
UPSC Age Limit 2026
The next criterion to be checked is the age limit for the UPSC exam. The UPSC exam age limit is a minimum of 21 and a maximum of 32 years as of 1 August 2026 . There are some relaxations in the maximum age limit for certain categories according to government regulations. For instance, in UPSC eligibility criteria for OBC, a relaxation of 3 years has been granted. The UPSC age limit including relaxation for all categories is as follows:| UPSC Age Limit 2026 | ||
| Category | Relaxation | Maximum Age |
| General/EWS | No | 32 Years |
| OBC | 3 Years | 35 Years |
| SC/ST | 5 Years | 37 Years |
| Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) | 10 Years | 42 Years |
| Ex-Defence Services Personnel (Disabled in operations) | 3 Years |
|
| Ex-servicemen/ECOs/(SSCOs (completed 5 years of service under certain conditions) | 5 Years |
|
UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2026 Educational Qualification
To apply for the UPSC Civil Services exam candidates must have a Bachelor's degree or equivalent. Candidates should be graduates from any of the Universities incorporated by an act of the central or State government or any other institutions established by an act of Parliament. Candidates appearing for final year examinations or waiting for final year results may also apply but they will need to submit proof of passing the graduation exam as of the closing date of DAF 1 at the time of Document verification. Until document verification is completed the candidature of such candidates is provisional.UPSC Attempts Limit 2026
UPSC has set a cap on the number of attempts that a candidate can make in the Civil Services Exam. The UPSC attempt limit varies according to the category of candidates. Generally, eligible candidates are allowed a maximum of 6 attempts in the UPSC CSE exam. However, a relaxation in the maximum number of attempts is provided to certain categories which are as follows:| UPSC Attempts Limit 2026 | ||
| Category | Maximum Age | Number of Attempts till Max. Age Limit |
| General/EWS | 32 Years | 6 |
| OBC | 35 Years | 9 |
| SC/ST | 37 Years | Unlimited |
| Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) | 42 Years | GL/EWS/OBC - 09 SC/ST - Unlimited |
| Note: The attempt will be counted if candidates appear in any one paper of the UPSC Prelim exam stage. | ||
Important Points Related to UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2026
Candidates should note two important points regarding eligibility criteria for the UPSC 2026 exam. First regarding restrictions on applying for the exam again after selection and the second is about physical fitness criteria. These crucial points are described below:Restrictions on Applying:
While candidates are allowed to attempt UPSC CSE again to improve their rank or change their allocated service, any candidate who is appointed as IAS/IFS based on the previous exam will not be eligible to appear again. Such candidates must resign first to apply again for the UPSC exam. Further, a candidate who is allocated IPS in a previous exam and serving as an IPS officer will not be eligible to opt for this service again in the UPSC 2026 exam.Medical and Physical Criteria:
Candidates should be physically fit based on the standards provided in Appendix-III of Rules for Examination published in the Gazette of India Extraordinary (UPSC Notification 2026) to be allocated a service based on the results of the Civil Services Examination 2026. These physical fitness tests will be conducted following the interview and candidates applying for the technical services such as IPS must be declared physically fit by the board. Get ready to ace the upcoming UPSC 2026 exam with the UPSC online coaching at Physics Wallah!UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2026 FAQs
Who is eligible for the UPSC CSE 2026 exam?
Candidates who are not less than 21 years of age and have completed graduation can apply if they are not more than 32 years of age. To apply for IAS, IFS, and IPS candidates must be Indian citizens.
Can any 12th-pass candidates apply for UPSC?
No, candidates must have completed a bachelor's degree equivalent to 10+2+3 or 10+2+4 system to apply for the UPSC exam.
Who cannot apply for the UPSC 2026 exam as per eligibility criteria?
Any candidate who is not eligible as per notification of UPSC 2026 or who is already appointed as an IAS/IFS officer cannot apply for UPSC 2026 exam.
What is the minimum age limit for the UPSC 2026 exam?
Candidates should not be less than 21 years of age as of August 1st, 2026 to apply for UPSC 2026 exam.
What are the 3 eligibility criteria for attempting UPSC exam?
Candidates should be between 21 and 32 years old, have completed graduation, and fulfil the nationality criteria as per official notification.
Are 3rd year students eligible for UPSC IAS?
Yes. If candidates are appearing for the final year exam, then they may take the UPSC IAS exam.
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