What is the crucial cutoff date for UPSC Civil Services Examination?

As per official UPSC guidelines, a candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 32 years on the 1st of August of the examination year.

How many attempts are permitted for UPSC CSE by category?

General and EWS candidates are permitted 6 attempts up to 32 years of age. OBC candidates receive 9 attempts up to 35 years. SC and ST candidates have unlimited attempts up to 37 years.

What is the age relaxation for OBC and SC/ST candidates in SSC CGL?

OBC candidates receive a 3-year age relaxation (up to 35 years for most posts). SC/ST candidates receive a 5-year relaxation (up to 37 years). PwD candidates receive 10 to 15 years of relaxation depending on category.

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Reference Guide

Official Exam Age Limits & Attempts Matrix

Standard criteria as per latest Union Public Service Commission and Staff Selection Commission recruitment gazettes.

Exam Name	General / EWS	OBC (Non-Creamy)	SC / ST	PwD Benchmark
UPSC Civil Services (IAS/IPS/IFS)	21 – 32 yrs (6 attempts)	21 – 35 yrs (9 attempts)	21 – 37 yrs (Unlimited)	21 – 42 yrs (9 attempts for Gen)
SSC CGL (Tier 1 & 2)	18 – 32 yrs (Varies by post)	18 – 35 yrs (+3 yrs relaxation)	18 – 37 yrs (+5 yrs relaxation)	18 – 42 yrs (+10 yrs relaxation)
Banking PO (SBI / IBPS PO)	20 – 30 yrs (4 attempts for SBI Gen)	20 – 33 yrs (7 attempts for SBI OBC)	20 – 35 yrs (Unlimited)	20 – 40 yrs (Relaxation as per norms)
Railways (RRB NTPC Graduate)	18 – 33 yrs	18 – 36 yrs	18 – 38 yrs	18 – 43 yrs

Frequently Asked Eligibility Questions

What is the crucial cutoff date for calculating age in UPSC CSE?

The cutoff benchmark date for UPSC Civil Services is strictly August 1st of the examination year. A candidate must have turned 21 on or before August 1 and must not have turned 32 on or before that date.

Does appearing in the Preliminary Exam count as an official attempt in UPSC?

Yes. An attempt at a Preliminary Examination is deemed to be an attempt at the Civil Services Examination. If a candidate actually appears in any one paper (Paper-I or Paper-II CSAT), he/she is deemed to have made an attempt. Merely applying without appearing at the exam hall does not count.

Are EWS candidates eligible for age relaxation?

Currently, EWS (Economically Weaker Section) candidates receive income and asset reservation benefits but do not receive age relaxation or extra attempts in central government examinations such as UPSC CSE and SSC CGL.

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