Understanding the UPSC Age Limit for 2024: Key Details and Relaxations
Author: Aman Raj
Published On: 15 November, 2024
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination (CSE) is one of India’s most prestigious exams, attracting thousands of aspirants each year.
Understanding the age limit for different categories, such as General, OBC, EWS, SC, and ST, is essential for anyone considering this path.
Here, we’ll explore the age criteria for each category to help you plan your UPSC journey effectively.
The age criteria set by the UPSC for the Civil Services Examination vary depending on the candidate’s category.
Each category receives different age relaxations, offering more flexibility to candidates from reserved groups.
Below, we dive into the age limits, relaxations, and eligibility conditions for General, OBC, EWS, SC, and ST categories.
Minimum Age: 21 years as of 1st August 2024.
Maximum Age: 32 years as of 1st August 2024.
This means candidates born between 2nd August 1992 and 1st August 2003 are eligible for the UPSC 2024 examination. General category candidates receive no relaxation in the maximum age limit.
Number of Attempts: General category candidates can attempt the exam a maximum of 6 times.
Candidates from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) benefit from age relaxation:
Minimum Age: 21 years as of 1st August 2024.
Maximum Age: 35 years as of 1st August 2024.
This means OBC candidates born between 2nd August 1989 and 1st August 2003 are eligible to appear for UPSC 2024.
Age Relaxation: OBC candidates receive a 3-year relaxation in the upper age limit.
Number of Attempts: OBC category candidates can make up to 9 attempts.
The Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category follows the same age limit as the General category:
Minimum Age: 21 years as of 1st August 2024.
Maximum Age: 32 years as of 1st August 2024.
Like the General category, EWS candidates born between 2nd August 1992 and 1st August 2003 are eligible.
Age Relaxation: The EWS category does not receive any relaxation in the upper age limit.
Number of Attempts: EWS category candidates also have a maximum of 6 attempts, similar to the General category.
For candidates belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) categories, the age limit is more relaxed:
Minimum Age: 21 years as of 1st August 2024.
Maximum Age: 37 years as of 1st August 2024.
This means SC and ST candidates born between 2nd August 1987 and 1st August 2003 are eligible for UPSC 2024.
Age Relaxation: SC and ST candidates receive a 5-year relaxation in the upper age limit.
Number of Attempts: There is no restriction on the number of attempts for SC/ST candidates, providing a great advantage for aspirants from these categories.