Two rules decide how long you can keep taking the UPSC Civil Services exam: the age limit and the attempt limit. You must satisfy both.
Age limit
General candidates must be at least 21 and not older than 32 on 1 August of the exam year. OBC candidates get 3 extra years, SC/ST get 5, and PwBD candidates up to 10, with EWS getting none.
Attempts
- General and EWS: 6 attempts.
- OBC: 9 attempts.
- SC/ST: unlimited, until the age limit.
- PwBD (General, EWS, OBC): 9 attempts.
Rules can change with each notification, so confirm in the current one. To see your exact eligibility, use the UPSC age limit calculator, and prepare your photo with the UPSC photo resizer.
How the two limits work together
Both limits apply at the same time. A General category candidate can stop being eligible by reaching the upper age limit before using six attempts, or by using six attempts before reaching the age limit. An SC or ST candidate has no fixed attempt limit but is still bound by the age limit.
Example
A General candidate who starts at 21 has six attempts, and the age limit of 32 would allow up to 12 years, so the attempt limit is what ends eligibility. An OBC candidate gets three extra years of age and nine attempts. A candidate who starts late, say at 28, may run out of age before attempts.
What counts as an attempt
Notifications generally treat an attempt as having appeared in one or more papers of the Preliminary Examination. Rules on this point are detailed in the UPSC notice, so read that section before relying on any summary.
Frequently asked questions
Which date is used for the age check?
UPSC counts age as on 1 August of the exam year.
Does the minimum age matter?
Yes. You must have attained 21 years on that date.
Are these limits fixed forever?
No. They can change with a notification, so confirm with the current one.