What is the required age to become an IAS or IPS officer? How many times can you take the UPSC exam?
UPSC Age Limit 2025: Do you know the age limit to become an IAS, IPS, or IFS officer and how many times you can take these exams? Learn the important things candidates should know.
UPSC Exam 2025: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam is considered one of the toughest exams in the country. Every year, millions of students prepare for the UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE) for prestigious positions like IAS, IPS, IFS, and IRS. Now, the Commission has made a significant announcement for candidates.
The UPSC has decided to release the provisional answer key immediately after the Civil Services Prelims exam. Previously, candidates had to wait a full year, but now this process will be significantly expedited.
Along with this announcement, UPSC Chairman Dr. Ajay Kumar recently held a live conversation with civil service candidates and shared his views on several important issues, most notably the age limit and number of attempts.
Are there any changes in the UPSC age limit?
The UPSC Chairman clarified that there are no plans to change the age limit at this time. According to current rules, a candidate must be at least 21 years old.
The maximum age must be less than 32 years old (for the general category). The category-wise maximum age limits are as follows:
- General Category: 32 years
- OBC: 35 years
- SC, ST: 37 years
Keeping the cut-off date at August 1st doesn't harm graduates who complete their degrees in May or June. If it were moved to January 1st, many students would lose a year of eligibility.
How many times can one appear for the UPSC exam?
There will be no change in the number of attempts to take the UPSC exam. Regarding the maximum number of attempts,
- General: 6 attempts
- OBC Category: 9 Attempts
- SC, ST category: Unlimited attempts
Before 2014, candidates only had four attempts, but this was later increased to six. No further changes are currently proposed.
Is coaching not necessary to crack UPSC?
According to the UPSC Chairman, coaching is not mandatory for success in the UPSC exam. Many students from smaller cities, such as Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, are passing without coaching.
He added that many students with engineering backgrounds are also succeeding in the Civil Services exam by taking humanities subjects.
Verification of candidates' certificates through DigiLocker
The Commission is working to verify candidates' certificates through DigiLocker. This will curb the spread of fraudulent documents.
Candidates found using fraudulent or forged certificates could not only be disqualified from the exam but also barred from appearing in any UPSC exam for three years.