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UPSC IAS Eligibility Criteria 2025 - Age, Qualification, Nationality, Medical Standards
Edited By Meghana Mohana Krishnan | Updated on Feb 18, 2025 10:35 AM IST | #UPSC CSE
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Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) released the IAS 2025 eligibility criteria in the official notification on January 22, 2025, at upsc.gov.in. The UPSC CSE eligibility criteria 2025 is based on nationality, age limit, educational qualification, number of attempts, and medical standards. As per the exam eligibility criteria, candidates between the age group of 21 to 32 years with a graduation degree are eligible to apply for the UPSC IAS exam. Interested applicants needed to check the UPSC IAS eligibility criteria thoroughly. Applicants belonging to the reserved category will be eligible for relaxation in the UPSC age limit criteria.
This Story also Contains
- UPSC IAS Eligibility Criteria 2025 - Overview
- IAS Eligibility Criteria 2025
- IAS Application Form 2025
UPSC IAS Eligibility Criteria 2025 - Overview
Aspirants can check the UPSC IAS eligibility and other details related to the exam in the below table.
UPSC IAS Exam Highlights
| Particulars | Details |
Exam Name | Union Public Service Commission Civil Services Examination |
Examination Body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
Exam Level | National |
UPSC Eligibility 2025 | Nationality - Indian Age limit - 21 years to 32 years Educational Qualification - Graduation |
Number of attempts | General/ EWS - 6 OBC/ General (PwD) - 9 SC/ ST - No limit (can apply till upper age limit is reached) |
IAS Eligibility Criteria 2025
The IAS eligibility criteria has multiple components which together determine the eligibility of candidates for the examination. The different components of IAS eligibility are mentioned below:
Nationality
IAS age limit
Educational Qualification
Attempt limit
Medical standards
UPSC IAS Eligibility Criteria - Nationality
According to the UPSC IAS eligibility, any candidate who is a citizen of India can apply for the exam. More details on the IAS 2025 eligibility on nationality are mentioned below.
Citizen of India or
A subject of Nepal/ Bhutan or
Tibetan refugee who came to India, to permanently settle here before January 1, 1962, or
People of Indian origin who migrated from Uganda, Burma, Pakistan, Zambia, the United Republic of Tanzania, Malawi, Sri Lanka, East African Countries of Kenya, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam to permanently settle in India.
UPSC CSE Preparation Strategy and Best Books
UPSC CSE preparation strategy along with best books for prelims as well as mains exam for sure success.
Download EBookNote: Applicants belonging to categories 2, 3 and 4 in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India are eligible to apply in the examination.
Other Quick Links: IAS exam dates 2025
IAS Eligibility Criteria 2025 - Age Limit
Union Public Service Commission prescribes the age limit in the official UPSC IAS notification 2025. As per the age limit eligibility criteria, those between 21 to 32 years as of August 1, 2025, can fill out the IAS application form 2025. Applicants belonging to the reserved category are eligible for age relaxation as per the rules set by UPSC. For more details on IAS exam age limit and age relaxation, check the tables below:
UPSC IAS age limit 2025 eligibility criteria
Category | IAS age limit |
General | 21 to 32 years |
IAS eligibility criteria 2025 - Age Relaxation
Categories | Age relaxation |
General | No age relaxation |
OBC | 3 years |
SC/ ST | 5 years |
Defense Services Personnel, who got disabled during operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area and released as a consequence | 3 years |
Ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers (CO) and ECOs/ SSCOs who will render at least five years Military Service as of August 1, 2021, and have been released | 5 years |
ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of five years of Military Service as of 1st August 2021 | 5 years |
In the following cases: blindness and low vision, deaf and hard of hearing, locomotor disability including acid attack, cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, victims and muscular dystrophy, intellectual disability, autism, specific learning disability and mental illness | 10 years |
Candidates ordinarily domiciled in the State of Jammu & Kashmir from January 1, 1981, to December 31, 1989. | 5 years |
Quick Links: UPSC IAS 2025 syllabus
UPSC IAS Eligibility Criteria 2025 - Educational Qualification
The educational qualifications that one must have to be eligible to apply for the Civil Services 2025 exam for all the posts are mentioned in the notification. They must hold a graduation degree in any discipline from a recognised university as laid down under the law. For more details on the IAS educational qualifications, check the table below:
IAS education qualification
IAS educational qualification | Bachelor's degree (BA, B.Com, B.Sc, BBA, BCA, B.Tech etc.) with at least one of the subjects namely Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics and Zoology or a Bachelor's degree in Agriculture, Forestry or in Engineering from recognized university. |
Note: Applicants awaiting their final graduation result can also apply for IAS exam. And there is no minimum UPSC qualification percentage required.
Other Links: How to prepare for IAS exam 2025
UPSC IAS Eligibility Criteria 2025 - UPSC attempts limit
The Commission also mentioned the number of UPSC attempt limits for every category of candidates. The minimum number of attempts is given to General/ EWS category applicants. For more information the UPSC attempt limit check the table below:
UPSC attempt and age limit
Category | UPSC Civil Services Age Limit | Number of Attempts |
General/ EWS | 32 | 6 |
OBC | 35 | 9 |
SC/ ST | 37 | No limit |
General Physically Disabled | 35 | 9 |
OBC Physically Disabled | 38 | 9 |
SC and ST Physically Disabled | 40 | No limit |
Disabled servicemen (General) | 35 | |
Disabled servicemen (OBC) | 38 | |
Disabled servicemen (SC and ST) | 40 |
Note: As per the UPSC rules, not withstanding the disqualification/ cancellation of candidature, the appearance of the applicant in the IAS exam will count as an attempt.
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IAS Eligibility Criteria 2025 - Medical Standard
Applicants appearing for the IAS exam must be physically fit and have a sound mind. After the CSE personality test, the selected applicants undergo several medical tests at the medical centre notified by the commission. Candidates must pass all the medical tests to get admitted to any of the services.
Note: For more details on the medical requirements for the CSE exam read the eligibility criteria in the official IAS notification 2025.
Who are not eligible to apply for Civil Services Exam
According to the IAS eligibility criteria 2025, applicants who are serving in the Indian Administrative Services (IAS)/ Indian Foreign Services (IFS)/ Indian Police Services (IPS) can not appear for the IAS exam 2025 unless and until they resign from their current deputation.
IAS Application Form 2025
The UPSC IAS application form 2025 will be closed today, February 18, 2025 (extended date). UPSC released the UPSC IAS 2025 application form on January 22, 2025 on the official website. The UPSC IAS application form correction window will be available from February 19 to 25, 2025. The IAS application form has two parts - One Time Registration (OTR) and filling application form. On successful completion of both parts of the IAS application process, applicants will receive a confirmation regarding the same.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the IAS exam age limit?
The UPSC age limit to apply for IAS 2025 exam is 21 to 32 years as on August 1, 2025.
2. What is the qualification for IAS in UPSC?
According to the IAS qualification, candidates must have a bachelor's degree in any discipline to apply for the IAS exam.
3. Are all the posts under UPSC CSE gazetted posts?
Yes, all the posts under Civil Services Exam gazetted posts.
4. Will UPSC reduce age limit in 2025?
Candidates are recommended to go through the UPSC CSE official notification to know the age limit. The UPSC CSE age limit likely not reduce in 2025.
5. Will the UPSC pattern change in 2025?
It is unlikely that the IAS 2025 exam pattern will change much in 2025.
6. How many attempts for UPSC 2025?
Candidates of general category have 6 attempts, while OBC candidates have 9 attempts. Candidates belonging to SC/ST category do not have a limit.
7. What is the IAS age limit for female?
Aspirants can check the IAS qualification and age limit for females from the above article.
8. Which degree is best for UPSC IAS 2025?
The best degree to become an IAS officer is a Bachelor of Arts (BA), as it covers many of the topics in the UPSC CSE 2025 syllabus.
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Have a question related to UPSC CSE ?
Hello!
IRAS (Indian Railway Accounts Service) officers can be posted in both cities and rural areas since Indian Railways has offices and operations nationwide. They typically work in divisional offices, zonal offices, workshops, and production units. Transfers do happen but are usually not very frequent and depend on government policies and organizational needs.
Hope this helps!
Kishan Bhakat 24 April,2025
To become an IAS officer, you must clear the Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), and then undergo training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA). While any bachelor's degree is acceptable, choosing a degree that aligns with the UPSC syllabus, particularly in humanities and social sciences, can be advantageous.
UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE):
This is the primary exam for becoming an IAS officer, involving three stages: Preliminary, Main, and Personality Test (Interview).
Any Bachelor's Degree:
A graduate degree from a recognized university is the basic requirement to be eligible for the CSE.
Beneficial Degrees:
Degrees in humanities and social sciences, such as Bachelor of Arts (BA), can be helpful due to the syllabus overlap with subjects like History, Political Science, Sociology, and Economics.
Optional Subject:
You can choose an optional subject in the Mains exam, and a BA degree can provide a wide range of options.
Hope it helps!!
sadafreen356 22 April,2025
Hello!!
That's a great goal—and your background as a research scholar can actually be a big asset in preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE), which is the path to becoming an IAS officer.
Step-by-Step Guide to Become an IAS Officer:
1. Understand the Exam Structure
The UPSC CSE has three stages:
Prelims: Objective (GS Paper + CSAT)
Mains: Descriptive (9 papers)
Interview: Personality Test
2. Check Eligibility
Age: 21 to 32 (for General category)
Degree: Any graduate degree (you already qualify)
3. Choose Your Optional Subject
Choose something you’re comfortable with (can be from your research field if it's available).
Popular optionals: Sociology, Geography, PSIR, Anthropology, etc.
4. Build a Study Plan
Since you're a research scholar, time management is key.
Daily 4–6 hours of focused study can work if you're consistent.
Focus on:
NCERTs (6th–12th)
Standard books (like Laxmikanth for Polity, Spectrum for History)
Current Affairs (The Hindu, Indian Express, or PIB + Monthly compilations)
5. Join a Test Series (Optional but Helpful)
For Prelims and Mains: to build speed, writing skills, and clarity.
6. Practice Answer Writing
Mains is all about articulation. Practice with previous year questions and mock tests.
7. Appear for the Exam
Notification comes out around February.
Prelims is in May/June, Mains in September, and Interview early next year.
How to Align This With Your Research Schedule:
Create a realistic time-table that includes 2–3 hours on weekdays, and more on weekends.
Use your research experience for deeper understanding and essay writing.
NITYAM MAHUR 12 April,2025
If your goal is to become an IAS officer, choose a degree that supports UPSC preparation and also provides a good backup:
BA in Political Science, History, Geography, or Economics is ideal for IAS.
BSc or BCom is fine too, but you'll need to study humanities separately for UPSC.
For backup, pick a subject with good job prospects like BBA or Computer Science.
KCET is required only if you're planning professional courses like Engineering or Agriculture. It's not needed for BA or general degrees.
Rubina Naseer 04 April,2025
Hello aspirant,
For becoming IAS , you have to first complete your graduation from any background from any recognised university or college. If you are in your final year, then also you are eligible. After that you have to give an entrance exam name UPSC . If you will clear this exam then according to your marks you may get the IAS position.
To know about UPSC entrance exam, kindly go through the given link:
https://competition.careers360.com/exams/upsc-cse
All the best!!
Sakshi Sharma 31 March,2025
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