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Formula
Eligible if 21 ≤ age on 1 August < 32 + relaxation, and attempts used < attempt limit
- age on 1 August
- completed years, months and days from the date of birth to 1 August of the exam year
- relaxation
- SC/ST 5 years, OBC 3, PwBD 10, ex-servicemen 5, disabled defence personnel 3; a caste relaxation adds to a PwBD or ex-servicemen relaxation
- attempt limit
- 6 for General and EWS, 9 for OBC and for PwBD (General, EWS or OBC), unlimited for SC/ST
What the UPSC age rule says
UPSC fixes the age rule for the Civil Services Examination (CSE) once a year in its notice. The 2026 notice puts it this way: 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, 2026”, which it converts to a birth-date window of 2 August 1994 to 1 August 2005. The upper limit is then raised for certain groups, and a separate rule limits how many times you can sit the exam.
This UPSC age calculator applies those rules to your date of birth for any exam year. It uses the same calendar arithmetic as our general age calculator, counting completed years, months and days to 1 August.
How to use the UPSC age calculator
- Enter your date of birth as printed on your Class 10 certificate.
- Type the exam year. Age is checked on 1 August of that year.
- Choose your category (General, EWS, OBC, SC or ST) and any disability or service relaxation.
- Enter how many attempts you have already used.
You get a yes/no verdict, your exact age on 1 August, the upper age limit that applies to you, the eligible birth dates for that year, the first and last exam years your age allows, and how many attempts and exams remain.
How to calculate your age for UPSC by hand
Take an OBC candidate born on 9 November 1997 who is planning for CSE 2028.
- Age on the cutoff. From 9 November 1997 to 9 July 2028 is 30 years 8 months; 9 July to 1 August adds 23 days. Age on 1 August 2028: 30 years, 8 months, 23 days.
- Upper limit. 32 + 3 years of OBC relaxation means the candidate must be under 35 on 1 August.
- Check. 30 is at least 21 and below 35, so the candidate is eligible for CSE 2028.
- Last year. The 35th birthday falls on 9 November 2032, after 1 August, so on 1 August 2032 the candidate is still 34. The last eligible exam is CSE 2032.
- Attempts. OBC candidates get nine. Five exams from 2028 to 2032 remain by age, so age, not attempts, is the binding limit for someone starting in 2028.
The birthday’s position relative to 1 August matters. Anyone born on 2 August or later in a year gets one more exam year than someone born on or before 1 August of that year.
UPSC age limits and attempts by category
The limits below come from the 2026 notice. The “born on or after” column applies them to CSE 2027 (the latest allowed birth date for everyone is 1 August 2006).
| Category | Must be under (on 1 August) | Born on or after (CSE 2027) | Attempts |
|---|---|---|---|
| General / EWS | 32 | 2 August 1995 | 6 |
| OBC | 35 | 2 August 1992 | 9 |
| SC / ST | 37 | 2 August 1990 | Unlimited |
| PwBD, General / EWS | 42 | 2 August 1985 | 9 |
| PwBD, OBC | 45 | 2 August 1982 | 9 |
| PwBD, SC / ST | 47 | 2 August 1980 | Unlimited |
| Ex-serviceman, General / EWS | 37 | 2 August 1990 | 6 |
Disabled defence services personnel get 3 years instead of 5. The notice is explicit that no other relaxations exist: “Save as provided … the age-limits prescribed can in no case be relaxed.”
Attempts: what counts
The notice treats an attempt at prelims as an attempt at the whole examination. If you actually sit any one paper of prelims, that year counts, even if your candidature is later cancelled. Applying and then not turning up does not count. Plan with the lower of two numbers: the attempts you have left and the exam years your age still allows.
Common mistakes
- Counting age on the prelims date. UPSC always uses 1 August, whatever the exam dates are.
- Reading “32” as “up to and including 32”. You must not have reached 32 on 1 August, so a 32nd birthday on or before that date ends General eligibility for that year.
- Expecting EWS relaxation. EWS candidates have the same age limit and attempts as General candidates.
- Using a different date of birth. Only the matriculation certificate counts, and UPSC won’t change it once you submit it.
- Assuming last year’s notice. Rules are set each year. The calculator flags years after 2026 as using the 2026 rules.
If you’re also considering a defence career, the NDA age calculator checks the National Defence Academy birth-date windows, which work quite differently.
Glossary
- CSE: the Civil Services Examination — prelims, mains and interview — for the IAS, IPS, IFS and other services.
- PwBD: Persons with Benchmark Disabilities, as defined in the notice.
- EWS: Economically Weaker Sections, a reservation category without age relaxation.
- Cutoff date: 1 August of the exam year, the date age is measured on.
Worked examples
General candidate for 2027
Born March 14, 1999, General category, two attempts already used, checking CSE 2027.
Inputs: Date of birth = 1999-03-14; Exam year = 2027; Category = General (unreserved); Disability or service relaxation = None; Attempts already used = 2
Age on 1 August 2027: 28 years, 4 months, 18 days Upper limit: 32 + 0 (General) = must be under 32 on 1 August Lower limit: at least 21 on 1 August → 28 ≥ 21 Upper check: 28 < 32 Last year: born Sunday, March 14, 1999, you turn 32 on or before 1 August of 2031 → last exam CSE 2030
Answer: UPSC CSE 2027: eligible (General). Age on 1 August 2027: 28 years, 4 months, 18 days. Age-eligible from CSE 2020 to CSE 2030; 4 attempts left of 6. Based on UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE (4 February 2026).
OBC relaxation makes the difference
Born January 20, 1994 (33 on the cutoff), OBC, six attempts used.
Inputs: Date of birth = 1994-01-20; Exam year = 2027; Category = OBC (non-creamy layer); Disability or service relaxation = None; Attempts already used = 6
Age on 1 August 2027: 33 years, 6 months, 12 days Upper limit: 32 + 3 (OBC) = must be under 35 on 1 August Lower limit: at least 21 on 1 August → 33 ≥ 21 Upper check: 33 < 35 Last year: born Thursday, January 20, 1994, you turn 35 on or before 1 August of 2029 → last exam CSE 2028
Answer: UPSC CSE 2027: eligible (OBC). Age on 1 August 2027: 33 years, 6 months, 12 days. Age-eligible from CSE 2015 to CSE 2028; 3 attempts left of 9. Based on UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE (4 February 2026).
Over the General age limit
Born July 10, 1994, General category, checking CSE 2027.
Inputs: Date of birth = 1994-07-10; Exam year = 2027; Category = General (unreserved); Disability or service relaxation = None; Attempts already used = 4
Age on 1 August 2027: 33 years, 0 months, 22 days Upper limit: 32 + 0 (General) = must be under 32 on 1 August Lower limit: at least 21 on 1 August → 33 ≥ 21 Upper check: 33 ≥ 32 Last year: born Sunday, July 10, 1994, you turn 32 on or before 1 August of 2026 → last exam CSE 2025
Answer: UPSC CSE 2027: not eligible (General). Age on 1 August 2027: 33 years, 0 months, 22 days. Age-eligible from CSE 2015 to CSE 2025; 2 attempts left of 6. Based on UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE (4 February 2026).
Edge case: turning 21 on the cutoff day
Born August 1, 2007, SC category, checking CSE 2028 — the 21st birthday falls exactly on 1 August.
Inputs: Date of birth = 2007-08-01; Exam year = 2028; Category = SC; Disability or service relaxation = None; Attempts already used = 0
Age on 1 August 2028: 21 years, 0 months, 0 days Upper limit: 32 + 5 (SC) = must be under 37 on 1 August Lower limit: at least 21 on 1 August → 21 ≥ 21 Upper check: 21 < 37 Last year: born Wednesday, August 1, 2007, you turn 37 on or before 1 August of 2044 → last exam CSE 2043
Answer: UPSC CSE 2028: eligible (SC). Age on 1 August 2028: 21 years, 0 months, 0 days. Age-eligible from CSE 2028 to CSE 2043; unlimited attempts within the age limit. Based on UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE (4 February 2026).
Assumptions and limitations
- Rules are copied from UPSC's Civil Services Examination 2026 notice, Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 4 February 2026, paragraph 3(II) on age limits and 3(IV) on attempts. For later exam years the calculator assumes the same rules until a new notice changes them.
- A candidate must have attained 21 and must not have attained 32 (plus any relaxation) on 1 August of the exam year. For 2026 that meant born not earlier than 2 August 1994 and not later than 1 August 2005.
- The ex-servicemen relaxation applies only to those with at least five years of military service released on the terms the notice describes; the disabled defence personnel relaxation applies only to personnel disabled in operations and released as a result. EWS candidates get no age relaxation.
- The calculator assumes one Civil Services Exam a year and counts an attempt for every year you appeared in at least one prelims paper, as the notice defines.
- It checks age and attempts only. Nationality, educational qualification and the service-specific restrictions in the notice also apply. UPSC accepts only the date of birth on your matriculation or equivalent certificate.
Frequently asked questions
On which date does UPSC calculate age?
On 1 August of the exam year. For the Civil Services Exam 2027 your age is counted on 1 August 2027, even though prelims are usually held a couple of months earlier.
What is the UPSC age limit for General, OBC and SC/ST candidates?
General and EWS candidates must be 21 and under 32 on 1 August. OBC candidates get 3 extra years (under 35) and SC/ST candidates 5 (under 37). Persons with Benchmark Disabilities get a further 10 years on top of their category limit.
How many attempts are allowed in UPSC?
Six for General and EWS candidates, nine for OBC candidates and for PwBD candidates in the General, EWS or OBC categories, and unlimited for SC/ST candidates up to their age limit. Sitting even one prelims paper counts as an attempt.
If I turn 32 on 1 August, am I still eligible?
No, not as a General candidate. The rule says you must not have attained 32 on 1 August, so someone who turns 32 that day is out. Someone whose 32nd birthday is on 2 August is still eligible that year, which is why the 2026 notice starts at 2 August 1994.
Can I combine OBC and PwBD age relaxation?
Yes. The notice says SC, ST and OBC candidates who are also ex-servicemen or PwBD get the relaxations cumulatively, so an OBC candidate with a benchmark disability can apply until just before turning 45.
Has the UPSC age limit been increased to 35?
Not for General candidates in the 2026 notice — the upper limit is still under 32 on 1 August. Under 35 is the limit for OBC candidates after their 3-year relaxation. If a future notice changes the rule, this calculator will be updated.
Sources
- Civil Services Examination, 2026 — Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE — Union Public Service Commission. Checked October 10, 2026.
- Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2026 — examination page — Union Public Service Commission. Checked October 10, 2026.