For all the candidates’ dream to become an IAS or IPS officer they must know about what UPSC is. Today in this article will discuss the eligibility criteria for the UPSC exam. UPSC also known as Union Public Service Commission is the premier body which conducts examinations for all group posts in Central Government and all India services. Before applying for the exam conducted by UPSC, it is important to know about the eligibility and age limit etc., hence in this blog we will know about UPSC Eligibility l and the age limit and attempt for the same.
What is UPSC ?
The recruitment examination for the post of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer is conducted every year by the Union Public Service Commission . UPSC recruits candidates into both civil services as well as defense services.
What is the Qualification for UPSC?
Before giving any exam, proper understanding about it takes the candidates ahead of others and makes it easier to achieve success. UPSC exam is considered to be the toughest in India, so before appearing in it, one should have complete knowledge about it. Before applying for the UPSC exam, it is necessary to have some important qualifications, hence UPSC Eligibility is explained in detail here.
What is the Educational Qualification for UPSC?
To become an IAS or IPS officer, one has to clear UPSC exam. The educational qualification in UPSC Eligibility is as follows:
- In the Civil Services Examination, appointments are made to a total of 19 services by UPSC.
- Citizenship of India is mandatory to appear in this examination, but in some other services except IAS, IPS and IFS, candidates from Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet etc. are also given conditional permission.
- Candidates should have Bachelor degree in any stream from any recognized college or university.
- Candidates who are giving last attempt and waiting for the result can also apply for Prelims Exam.
- Proof of passing Bachelor’s degree must be provided to appear for the Civil Services Main Examination.
- In some exceptional cases, UPSC may allow you to appear for the IAS exam even if you do not have a graduation certificate from the universities/institutions mentioned above, but you have passed your final year graduation examination from some other institution.
- If you have professional and technical qualifications recognized by the Government as equivalent to a degree, you may be eligible for this examination.
- If candidates have already passed the final examination of their MBBS course or any other medical course but have not yet completed their internship at the time of applying for UPSC Mains exam, you are still allowed to appear for it provisionally. Permission will be given.
- In such a case, you must present, at the time of your interview, your original degree or a certificate from your university certifying that you have completed all that is required for the award of the degree (including completing an internship).
UPSC Educational Qualification:-
| Educational Qualification | Details |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree from a recognized University | Candidates must have obtained a degree from a recognized university or possess an equivalent qualification. |
| Professional and Technical Qualifications | Candidates with professional and technical qualifications recognized by the Government are also eligible. |
| Final Year Students | Final year students of Bachelor’s degree who are awaiting results can also apply, subject to certain conditions. |
| Equivalent Qualifications | Degrees recognized as equivalent to Bachelor’s degree, like Chartered Accountancy, MBBS, etc., are also acceptable. |
What is the Age Limit for UPSC?
The age limit for UPSC exam is as follows:
- The age limits are different for General, OBC, EWS, SC and ST candidates.
- To participate in this exam, the minimum age of the candidates is 21 years and maximum age is 32 years (for general category candidates).
- In this age limit, SC and ST candidates are given 5 years relaxation, OBC category candidates are given 3 years relaxation and physically handicapped candidates are given 10 years relaxation.
- The maximum age limit for SC and ST category candidates is 37 years, for OBC category candidates it is 35 years and for physically handicapped candidates it is 42 years.
What is Physical Requirements for UPSC?
After clearing UPSC exam, physical fitness is necessary for IPS i.e. Indian Police Service. Here we will learn about physical efficiency for UPSC:
- Candidates should ensure that you are physically fit and capable to work like an IAS or IPS officer.
- Physical requirement is necessary for IPS. Male height should be 175 cm and chest should be 84 cm.
- The height for men belonging to SC, ST and OBC categories is 160 cm and for women for general quota, the height should be 150 cm, while for other categories it has been fixed at 145 cm.
- For IPS, the vision of healthy eyes must be 6/6 or 6/9, while the vision of weak eyes must be 6/12 or 6/9.
How many Exam Attempts are there for UPSC?
Along with knowing UPSC Eligibility , it is important to know how many times the exam can be given for UPSC and how many attempts for which category of people are given here:
| Category | Number of Attempts |
|---|---|
| General Category | 6 attempts |
| General Category (Economically Weaker Section – EWS) | 6 attempts |
| OBC Category | 9 attempts |
| OBC Category (EWS) | 9 attempts |
| SC/ST Category | Unlimited attempts |
| SC/ST Category (EWS) | Unlimited attempts |
| PWD (General) | 9 attempts |
| PWD (OBC) | 9 attempts |
| PWD (SC/ST) | Unlimited attempts |
| PWD (General – EWS) | 9 attempts |
| PWD (OBC – EWS) | 9 attempts |
| PWD (SC/ST – EWS) | Unlimited attempts |
What is the Exam Pattern of UPSC?
Along with the eligibility criteria that is also important to understand the exam pattern for the UPSC exam. UPSC is not a one day exam but a marathon that is conducted over the year. It includes three phases, that is prelims, mains, and interview candidates need to clear all these three phases successfully to be recruited in one of the UPSC services. We have discussed the pattern of all these three phases briefly below.
UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern
Below is the complete pattern of the UPSC prelims exam make sure to check out the original notification before start preparing.
| Exam Component | Number of Questions | Marks for Each Question | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-I: General Studies | 100 | 2 | 200 |
| Paper-II: CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test) | 80 (33% Qualifying Criteria) | 2.5 | 200 |
UPSC IAS Mains Exam Pattern
Below is the complete pattern of the UPSC mains exam.
| Paper | Subject | Duration | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-I | Essay Writing | 3 hours | 250 |
| Paper-II | General Studies I (Indian Heritage and Culture, History, and Geography of the World and Society) | 3 hours | 250 |
| Paper-III | General Studies II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations) | 3 hours | 250 |
| Paper-IV | General Studies III (Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management) | 3 hours | 250 |
| Paper-V | General Studies IV (Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude) | 3 hours | 250 |
| Paper-VI | Optional Subject Paper I (selected by the candidate) | 3 hours | 250 |
| Paper-VII | Optional Subject Paper II (selected by the candidate) | 3 hours | 250 |
UPSC Interview
The candidates who successfully cleared the cutoff of mains exam are called for the interview in the UPSC headquarters in Delhi. This page is also called the personal status which is the final phase in the selection process of UPSC exam. Candidates who successfully clear this page get their name in the merit list.
So this was all about the eligibility criteria of the UPSC civil services examination or popularly known as IAS exam. It is one of the hardest exam in the world and millions of 10 rates sit in this exam every year to get their dream jobs.