Eligibility Conditions: IAS

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Nationality

If given that a candidate belonging to categories (b) (c) , (d) , and (e) shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been delivered by the Government of India.

given further that candidates belonging to categories (b) (c) , and (d) above will not be eligible for appointment to the Indian Foreign Service.

A candidate in whose case a certificate of eligibility is essential, may be admitted to the examination but the offer of appointment may be given only after the essential eligibility certificate has been delivered to him by the Government of India.

  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 needs to be:
    1. A citizen of India or
    2. A citizen of Nepal or
    3. A citizen of Bhutan or
    4. A Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January, 1962 with the view of permanently living in India or
    5. A person having Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Srilanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the firm view of permanently living in India.

Minimum Educational Qualifications

The candidate must have a degree of any of Universities administered by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as a University Under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, or possess an equivalent qualification.

  • Note I: Candidates who have appeared for the examination the passing of which would render them educationally qualified for the Commission՚s examination but have not been informed of the results as also the candidates who intend to appear at such a qualifying examination will also be eligible for admission to the Preliminary Examination. All candidates who are declared qualified by the Commission for taking the Civil Services (Main) Examination will be required to produce proof of passing the requisite examination with their application for the Main Examination failing which such candidates will not be allowed to the Main Examination.
  • Note II: In extra ordinary cases the Union Public Service Commission may consider a candidate who has not any of the foregoing qualifications as a qualified candidate given that he has passed examination conducted by the other Institutions, the standard of which in the opinion of the Commission justifies his admission to the examination.
  • Note III: Candidates possessing professional and technical qualifications, which are recognised by Government, as equivalent to professional and technical degree would also be eligible for admission to the examination.
  • Note IV: Candidates who have passed the final professional MBBS or any other Medical Examination but have not completed their internship by the time of submission of their applications for the Civil Services (Main) Examination, will be provisionally admitted to the Examination given they submit along with their application a copy of certificate from the concerned authority of the University/Institution that they had passed the requisite final professional medical examination. In such cases, the candidates will be required to produce at the time of their interview original Degree or a certificate from the concerned competent authority of the University or Institution that they had completed all requirements (comprising completion of internship) for the award of the Degree.

Age Limit

21 years must be completed on 1st August of the year, which a candidate is appearing. Maximum 30 for general category, 33 for OBCs and 35 for SCs/STs. Ex-servicemen will get 5 more years exemption from the relevant age limit.

(The date of birth accepted by the Commission is that entered in the Matriculation or Secondary School Leaving Certificate or in a certificate recognised by an Indian University as equivalent to Matriculation or in an extract from a Register of Matriculates maintained by a University, which must be recognised by the proper authority of the University or in the Higher Secondary or an equivalent examination certificate) .

Number of Attempts

Four attempts for the open category people and seven for the OBCs, However no limit is there for the SCs or STs. If a person appears in the Preliminary Examination or even one paper will be counted attempt.

Restrictions on Applying for the Examination

A candidate who will get admission in Indian Administrative Service or the Indian Foreign Service on the results of an earlier examination and continues to be a member of that service will not be eligible to give this examination.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)