IAS Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit, Qualification
Do you wish to enter the world of bureaucracy and become an IAS officer? For that, you need to check and get a good understanding of the UPSC Exam Eligibility criteria before applying for the IAS exam. UPSC Exam Eligibility comprises numerous factors like nationality, educational qualification, age limit, and physical standards that you should qualify for this exam. Several other factors such as UPSC age limit, number of attempts, academic background are also important. In this article, we have discussed the complete UPSC eligibility criteria, so let’s look.
Number of Attempts for UPSC Examination
An attempt is counted when you will appear in the prelims exam or mains exam. It has been seen that only about half of the aspirants who have filled the exam form appear for the exam. If you fill the exam form and do not appear for the exam, then your attempt will not be counted.
For the general category, the number of attempts is 6 till 32 years of age. For OBC number of attempts is 9 till 35 years of age, and for SC/ST category, there are unlimited attempts till 37 years of age. So the attempts of the UPSC exam are limited, especially for the general category students. Try to clear the exam on the first attempt. You can also join the best coaching for IAS because they have expert faculty and can help you in your preparation.
| Category | Total Number of IAS Attempts |
| General | 6 Attempts |
| Other Backward Castes (OBC) | 9 Attempts |
| Economically Weaker Section (EWS) | 6 Attempts |
| SC/ST | Until the age limit |
| Physically Disabled Candidates | General and OBC aspirants: 9 Attempts SC/ST Aspirants: Unlimited times until the age limit |
IAS Eligibility Criteria: Educational Qualification
- The candidate must have a degree from a recognized university.
- Candidates who are in their final year of graduation can also appear for UPSC prelims exams. But these aspirants will have to provide their degree along with the application for the IAS mains exam.
- Candidates from a medical background are also eligible for the IAS exam. But the aspirant will have to submit a copy of the degree from the concerned authority of the university and the application for the IAS exam.
IAS Eligibility Criteria: Nationality
When there is recruitment for All-India Services such as IAS, IPS, or IFS, an aspirant should be a citizen of India. For all other services, the aspirant must be any one of the following:
- A citizen of India, Nepal, Bhutan.
- A refugee from Tibet arrived in India to settle permanently before January 01, 1962.
- A person of Indian origin who has relocated from Kenya, Uganda, Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, and Vietnam to permanently settle in India and also the aspirants who are from Nepal, Bhutan, Tibetan refuge and other Indian origin candidates from countries mentioned above will be given a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India.
IAS Eligibility: Physical Standards
Candidates who want to get recruited for the posts of All India Services will have to appear for and clear a physical test which the commission manages. The Government of India lays down specific rules and regulations.
- An aspirant needs to be physically fit for doing all the duties and services.
- Along with being physically fit, an aspirant should also be mentally fit.
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Final Word
If you are a UPSC aspirant, you have to consider all the points mentioned above before starting the preparation. UPSC is a tough nut to crack. You need the proper guidance and mentorship to crack UPSC in the first attempt. Prepare a one year study timetable for IAS to crack IAS in first attempt. Hope this article helped you. Good luck for the future.
