UPSC CSE 2025 Eligibility Criteria | News & Notifications: UPSC PDF Download

If you are taking the UPSC CSE 2023 exam, you must be aware of the eligibility criteria before registering. The exact eligibility criteria for the 2023 session will be outlined in the information brochure, available on the UPSC.nic.in  website. If any of these requirements are not met, you will not be permitted to take give the exam.

The UPSC notification for 2023 was released on 1st February 2023 by the commission. The Prelims 2023 is scheduled to take place on May 28, 2023. The candidates can check and download the official notification PDF from here. 

UPSC CSE Eligibility Criteria 2023 : Overview

UPSC CSE eligibility criteria is important for you to know as it determines if you can appear for the exam or not and helps to ensure a level playing field for all aspirants. It considers factors like age, nationality, educational qualifications and more. Adhering to the criteria ensures that only qualified aspirants take the exam, making the selection process fair and credible.

You can also read  UPSC CSE handbook available on EduRev.

UPSC CSE Age Limit : Age Limit (Minimum and Maximum Age)

The Union Public Service Commission prescribes the age limit in the official UPSC CSE notification 2023. As per the IAS age limit eligibility criteria, those between 21 to 32 years as on August 1, 2023, can fill the UPSC IAS application form. Applicants belonging to the reserved category are eligible for age relaxation as per the rules set by UPSC. For more details on UPSC CSE 2023 age limit and age relaxation, check the tables below:

Civil Services Age Limit is an essential factor in the eligibility criteria. Therefore, before applying for UPSC CSE Exam you  should check what is the age for UPSC CSE exam.

UPSC CSE Eligibility 2023 : Age Relaxation & Number of Attempts

Age relaxation refers to an extension of the age limit for applicants in the UPSC Civil Services Examination, aimed at providing equal opportunities to all sections of society, particularly those who may have missed the chance to take the exam earlier.

Number of attempts in UPSC Civil Services Examination refers to the maximum number of times a candidate is allowed to take the exam. This limit is set by the government to ensure a level playing field and fairness in the selection process.

For different category the age relaxation is different . Following table shows the Age Relaxation and number of attempts for different categories .

It is very important to know that these are the Eligibility Criteria for UPSC CSE 2023, and UPSC can change it accordingly , if required. 

UPSC CSE Eligibility 2023 : Educational Qualification

Education qualification is considered as one of the most important eligibility criteria for the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) as it plays a crucial role in determining the suitability of a candidate for the examination. 

The various academic requirements as per the UPSC CSE Eligibility Criteria are given below:

• Minimum qualification for UPSC CSE exam: The aspirant must hold a degree from Government recognised Universities or possess an equivalent qualification.
• Aspirants who are in their final year or awaiting results are also eligible to appear for UPSC preliminary Examination. All such aspirants who are likely to appear for UPSC CSE exam must produce proof of having passed the said examination along with the application for the main UPSC CSE examination.
• Aspirants having professional and technical qualifications recognised by the Government as equivalent to professional and technical degrees.
• Medical students who have passed the final year of MBBS, but are yet to complete their internship also have eligibility for IAS. Although, along with the Main Examination application, a certificate of course completion (including internship) from the concerned authority of the University/Institution has to be submitted.

UPSC CSE Eligibility 2023: Nationality

Nationality is an important eligibility criteria for the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2023 as it determines the eligibility of a candidate to appear for the examination and hold a government position in India.

Following are the important points that you need to keep in mind for nationality : 

1. For the Indian Administrative Service and the Indian Police Service, a candidate must be a citizen of India.
2. For other services, a candidate must be either:
   • a citizen of India, or
   • a subject of Nepal, or
   • a subject of Bhutan, or
   • a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
   • a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.
   • Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (b), (c), (d) and (e) shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.
   • Provided further that candidates belonging to categories (b), (c) and (d) above will not be eligible for appointment to the Indian Foreign Service.

Note: A candidate in whose case a certificate of eligibility is necessary, may be admitted to the examination but the offer of appointment may be given only after the necessary eligibility certificate has been issued to him/her by the Government of India.

UPSC CSE Eligibility Criteria 2023: Medical Standard

• Medical standards are very important in UPSC CSE exam as aspirants appearing for the UPSC CSE exam must be physically fit and have a sound mind. 
• After the UPSC CSE personality test selected aspirants undergo several medical tests at the medical centre notified by the UPSC. 
• Aspirants must pass all the medical tests to get admitted to any of the services.

Who are not eligible to apply for UPSC Civil Services 2023? 

According to the UPSC CSE eligibility criteria 2023, aspirants who are serving in the Indian Administrative Services (IAS)/ Indian Foreign Services (IFS)/ Indian Police Services (IPS) can not appear for the UPSC CSE 2023 exam unless and until they resign from their current deputation.

Along with this, following aspirants are also not eligible for UPSC CSE exam .

•  Non-Indian citizens: Only Indian citizens are eligible to appear for the examination.
• Individuals less than 21 years of age: Candidates must be at least 21 years of age on 1st August of the examination year.
• Individuals who have appeared for the examination more than the permissible number of attempts: The number of attempts allowed is restricted to six for general category candidates and nine for OBC candidates.
• Individuals who have been debarred by the UPSC: Candidates who have been debarred by the UPSC for a specified period are not eligible to apply for the examination.
• Individuals who do not meet the minimum educational qualification criteria: Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree from a recognized university to be eligible for the examination.

In conclusion, candidates who do not meet the eligibility criteria as mentioned above are not eligible to apply for the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2023.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to UPSC Eligibility 2023

Can class 12th pass apply for the UPSC IAS exam?

No, class 12th pass students are not eligible for the UPSC IAS exam.

Are all the posts under UPSC CSE gazetted posts?

Yes, all the posts under UPSC Civil Services Exam gazetted posts.

How many attempts are there for the IAS exam?

A general category/EWS category candidate has 6 attempts in the UPSC IAS exam. OBC candidates have 9 attempts; SC/ST candidates have no bar on the number of attempts (they can take the exam until they reach the upper age limit). EWS category with benchmark disability have 9 attempts, general and OBC physically disabled candidates have 9 attempts. SC/ST physically disabled candidates have no bar on the number of attempts.

What is the IAS age limit for general category candidates?

The age limit for IAS exam for general category as specified in the official notification is
(i) Minimum Age for IAS Exam – 21 years
(ii) Maximum Age for UPSC Exam – 32 years
(iii) One must also remember that there are no relaxations for civil service age limit for general category.

Can a candidate who has exhausted his/her number of attempts but is eligible based on the UPSC IAS Exam age limit, apply for the civil services exam?

No, one must fulfil both the criteria of number of attempts and cut off age for IAS exams.