UPSC Civil Services 2026 Eligibility Criteria - Age Limit, Marks Required, No of Attempts, Important Factor

UPSC Civil Services Eligibility Criteria 2026

The UPSC Civil Services eligibility 2026 includes the conditions and specific requirements that applicants have to fulfil to become eligible for the exam. The conditions may include requirements related to academic qualification, age, and number of attempts. A candidate's eligibility will be cross-checked by the Commission through document verification once he/she has qualified for the Interview/ Personality Test.

A Civil Services aspirant can qualify for all the stages of the examination provided he/she meets the prescribed eligibility conditions of UPSC CSE 2026. The UPSC Civil Services exam consists of a Preliminary exam which is scheduled for May 24, 2026. This exam is followed by the Mains exam which is scheduled for August 21, 2026. Finally, an Interview-cum-Personality Test is conducted after the Mains exam. Candidates who qualify for the Preliminary exam become eligible for the Mains examination. The UPSC CSE Mains Exam is subjective and comprises General Studies, Essays, English, and optional subject papers. The final stage of the examination is the Interview-cum-Personality Test.

The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is a competitive examination that is conducted at the national level by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for recruiting candidates to various Civil offices under the Government of India. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has set eligibility criteria for candidates in terms of academic qualification, age limit, and other factors. Candidates appearing for the exam can check complete details about UPSC CSE 2026 eligibility criteria provided on this page.

UPSC Civil Services Eligibility 2026 Highlights

Check the major highlights of UPSC Civil Services eligibility criteria 2026 provided in the table below.

UPSC 2026 Eligibility Criteria for Educational Qualifications

To be eligible for UPSC Civil Services 2026 exam, candidates need to have the following educational requirements.

• Candidates must hold a degree from Government recognized Universities or possess an equivalent qualification.
• Candidates who are in their final year of graduation or awaiting results are also eligible to appear for UPSC 2026 preliminary examination. However, they must produce proof of having passed the said examination along with the application for the UPSC main exam 2025.
• Candidates having professional and technical qualifications recognized by the Government as equivalent to professional and technical degrees.
• Medical students who have completed the final year of MBBS, but are yet to do their internship are also eligible. However, they must submit a certificate of course completion (including internship) from the concerned authority of the University/Institution and the main examination application.

UPSC 2026 Eligibility Criteria for Age Limit

Applicant must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 32 years on the 1st August 2026 i.e., he/she must have been born not earlier than 2nd August 1988 and not later than 1st August 2000. Check the UPSC 2026 age limit for various categories provided in the table below.

UPSC 2026 Eligibility Criteria for Age Relaxation and No. of Attempts

Check the age relaxations and the number of attempts provided for candidates belonging to various categories in the table below.

UPSC 2026 Eligibility Criteria for Reservation

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the reservation norms for the candidates enrolling in UPSC Civil Services examination.

• According to the released norms, a 10% reservation will be provided to the candidates belonging to the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).

• The EWS category candidates must collect their EWS Certificate latest by 1st August 2026.

• It is important for the candidates to opt for the Reservation Quota as the same shall only be applied to the ones who successfully apply for it.

• Other reservations for the SC and ST candidates shall remain the same as per the norms prescribed by UPSC. 

• Up to a maximum of five years if a candidate had ordinarily been domiciled in the State of J&K during the period from the 1st January 1981 to the 31st day of December 1990;

• Up to a maximum of three years in the case of 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 five years in the case of ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least five years of Military Service as of 1st August 2020 and have been released;

• Up to a maximum of five years in the case of ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of five years of Military Service as on 1st August 2026 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 an offer of appointment.

• Up to a maximum of 10 years in the case of blind, Hearing Impaired, and Orthopaedically handicapped persons.

UPSC 2026 Eligibility Criteria for Nationality

Check the nationality for IAS and IPS posts offered through UPSC Civil Services 2026 exam:

• Candidate must be a citizen of India

Here are the nationality requirements for other services offered through the UPSC Civil Services 2026 exam:

• Candidate must be either:
  • A citizen of India, or
  • A subject of Nepal, or
  • A subject of Bhutan, or
  • A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1st January 1962 intending to settle in India permanently, or
  • A person of Indian origin (PIO) who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Ethiopia, Zaire, and Vietnam intending to settle in India permanently.
• The candidates belonging to categories (2), (3), (4), and (5) should furnish a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India. Such candidates may take the exam before getting the said certificate of eligibility, but he/she would get the offer of appointment only after the Government of India has issued the certificate.

Note: A person belonging to categories (2), (3), and (4) is not eligible for appointment to the Indian Foreign Service (IFS).