Age
For CSE 2026, candidates must be at least 21 and below 32 years on 1 August 2026: the standard eligible birth-date range is 2 August 1994 to 1 August 2005, inclusive. Category-specific and other prescribed age relaxations may apply.
UPSC CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION
UPSC CSE Eligibility
A practical overview of age, education, attempts and notification-based eligibility checks.
THE UPSC BLUEPRINT
Check eligibility before planning
Rules can differ by category, service, nationality, educational status and examination year.
Education
A graduate degree from a recognised university, or a qualification accepted under the notification, is required. Specific conditions apply to candidates awaiting qualifying results and certain professional degrees.
Attempts
For CSE 2026: General/EWS — 6; OBC — 9; SC/ST — unlimited (subject to eligibility). PwBD — 9 for General/EWS/OBC, unlimited for SC/ST. Additional restrictions in the 2026 Rules may apply. Appearance in either Prelims paper counts as an attempt.
Official information takes precedence. Eligibility, dates, attempts, vacancies, paper instructions and any rule changes must be checked against the applicable UPSC notification at upsc.gov.in.
THE UPSC BLUEPRINT
Before applying
Use the current official notification as your checklist.
- Verify nationality and service-specific eligibility.
- Check date-of-birth cutoff and age relaxation provisions.
- Confirm education, attempts and category documentation.
- Read medical, physical and service-specific requirements where relevant.
- Verify application deadlines and the official registration process.
Official 2026 source: These figures refer specifically to Civil Services Examination 2026. Read the UPSC CSE 2026 revised notification (PDF), especially the eligibility and attempts provisions. Subsequent amendments, category certificates, service-specific restrictions and future examination years must be checked separately.