(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 must be either:
(a) a citizen of India, or (b) a subject of Nepal, or
(c) a subject of Bhutan, or
(d) a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
(e) a person of 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 intention of permanently settling in India.

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

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

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

(a) A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 30 years on 1st August of the year of exam.
(b) The upper age limit prescribed above is relaxable:
(i) up to a maximum of five years if a candidate belongs to a Scheduled
Caste or a Scheduled Tribe;
(ii) up to a maximum of three years in the case of candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes who are eligible to avail of reservation applicable to such candidates.

(iii) up to a maximum of five years if a candidate had ordinarily been domiciled in the State of Jammu and Kashmir during the period from the 1st January, 1980 to the 31st day of December, 1989. (iv) up to a maximum of three years in the case of Defence Services Personnel, disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area and released as a consequence thereof. (v) up to a maximum of five years in the case of ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least five years Military Service as on 1st August, of the year of examination and have been released (i) on completion of assignment (including those whose assignment is due to be completed within one year from 1st August, of the year of examination) otherwise than by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency, or (ii) on account of physical disability attributable to Military Service or (iii) on invalidment.

(vi) up to a maximum of five years in the case of ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of five years Military Service as oh 1st August of the year of examination, and whose assignment has been extended beyond five years and in whose case the Ministry of Defence issues a certificate that they can apply for civil employment and they will be released on three months notice on selection from the date of receipt of offer of appointment. (vii) up to a maximum of ten years in the case of blind deaf-mute and or thopaedically handicapped persons.

Note I: Candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes and the Other Backward Classes who are also covered under any other clauses of (ii) (Age Limits) mentioned above, viz. those coming under the category of ex-servicemen, persons domiciled in the state of J&K, blind, deaf-mute and orthopaedically handicapped etc. are eligible for grant of cumulative age-relaxation under both the categories.

Note II: The term ex-servicemen applies to the persons who are defined as ex-servicemen in the Ex-servicemen (Re-employment in Civil Services and Posts) Rules, 1979, as amended from time to time.

Note III:
The age concession under para (v) and (vi) of Age Limits mentioned above, will not be admissible to Ex-servicemen and Commissioned Officers including ECOs/SSCOs who are released on request.

Note IV:
Notwithstanding the provision of age relaxation under clause (vii) para (ii) (Age Limits) mentioned above, physically handicapped candidate is considered to be eligible for appointment only if he/she (after such physical examination as the Govt. or appointing authority, as the case may be, may prescribe) is found to satisfy the requirements of physical and medical standards for the concerned services/posts to be allocated to the physically handicapped candidates by the Government.

Save as provided above the age limits prescribed can in no case be relaxed. 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 extract must be certified by the proper authority of the University or in the Higher Secondary or an equivalent examination certificate. These certificates are required to be submitted only at the time of applying for the Civil Services (Main) Examination.

No other documents relating to age like horoscopes, affidavits, birth extracts from Municipal Corporation, Service records and the like are accepted. The expression Matriculation/Secondary Examination certificate in this part of the instruction includes the alternative certificates mentioned above.

Note 1:
Candidates should note that only the Date of Birth as recorded in the Matriculation/Secondary examination certificate or an equivalent certificate as on the date of submission of application is accepted by the Commission and no subsequent request for its change is considered or granted.

Note 2:
Candidates should also note that once a Date of birth has been claimed by them and entered in the records of the Commission for the purpose of admission to an examination, no change is allowed subsequently (or at any other examination of the Commission) on any ground whatsoever.

Note 3:
Trye candidate should exercise due care while entering their date of birth in Col. 8 of the application form for the preliminary examination. If on verification at any subsequent stage, any variation is found in their date of birth from the one entered in their Matriculation or equivalent exam certificate, disciplinary action is taken against them by the Commission, under the rules.

A candidate must hold a degree of any of the Universities incorporated 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 at an examination the passing of which would render them educationally qualified for the Commissions 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 applications for the Main Examination failing which such candidates will not be admitted to the Main Examination. Applications for the main examination will be called sometime in month of August.

Note II: In exceptional cases the Union Public Service Commission may treat a candidate who has not any of the foregoing qualifications as a qualified candidate provided that he has passed examinations conducted by 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 M.B.B.S. 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 provided they submit along with their applications 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/ Institution that they had completed all requirements (including completion of internship) for the award of the Degree.

Every candidate appearing at the Civil Services Examination, who is otherwise eligible, shall be permitted four attempts at the examination.

Provided that this restriction on the number of attempts will not apply in the case of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes candidates who are otherwise eligible.

Provided further that the number of attempts permissible to candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes, who are otherwise eligible, shall be seven.

Note: 1. An attempt at a Preliminary Examination shall be deemed to be an attempt at the examination.
2. If a candidate actually appears in any one paper in the Preliminary examination, he shall be deemed to have made an attempt at the examination.
3. Notwithstanding the disqualification/cancellation of candidature the fact of appearance of the candidate at the examination will count as an attempt.

(a) A candidate who is appointed to the 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 compete at this examination.

In case such a candidate is appointed to the IAS/IFS after the Preliminary Examination of Civil Service Examination, is over and he/she continues to be a member of that service, he/she shall not be eligible to appear in the Civil Services Main Examination notwithstanding h^/her having qualified in the Preliminary Examination.

Also provided that if such a candidate is appointed to IAS/IFS after the commencement of the Main Examination but before the results thereof and continues to be a member of that Service, he/she shall not be considered for appointment to any Service/Posts on the basis of the results of this Examination.

Physical Standards:
Candidates must be physically fit according to the prescribed physical standards.

Fee:
A candidate seeking admission to examination must pay to the Commission a fee of Rs. 50 (Rupees Fifty only) through single Central Recruitment Fee Stamp. Central Recruitment Fee Stamps of requisite denomination (NOT postage stamps) may be obtained from the post office and affixed on the application form in the space provided therein. The stamp may be got cancelled from the issuing Post Office with the date stamp of the post office in such a manner that the impression of the cancellation mark partially overflows on the application form itself But within the space provided on the form. The impression of the cancellation mark should be clear and distinct to facilitate the identification of date and the Post Office of issue.

Candidates residing abroad should deposit the prescribed fee in the office of Indias High Commissioner, Ambassador or Representative abroad as the case may be for credit to account head 051-Public Service Commission -Examination Fees and attach the receipt with the application.

Candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes are not required to pay any fee. No fee Exemption is, however, available to OBC candidate and they are required to pay the prescribed fee.
Physically handicapped persons are exempted from the payment of fee provided they are otherwise eligible for appointment to the Services/posts to be filled on the results of this examination on the basis of the standards of medical fitness for these Services/posts (including, any concessions specifically extended to the physically handicapped). A physically handicapped candidate claiming fee concession will be required by the Commission to submit along with their detailed application form, a certified copy of the certificate from a Government hospital/Medical Board in support of his claim for being physically handicapped.

Note:
Notwithstanding the aforesaid provision for fee exemption, a physically handicapped candidate will be considered to be eligible for appointment only if he (after such physical examination as the Government or the appointing authority, as the case may be, may prescribe) is found to satisfy the requirements of physical and medical standards for the concerned Services/ Posts to be allocated to Physically Handicapped candidates by the Government.

Postage Stamps will in no case be accepted in lieu of Central Recruitment Fee Stamps.
Candidates should note that the fee sent through Indian Postal Orders, Bank Draft, Money order, Crossed cheque, Currency notes or Treasury Challan etc. will not be accepted by the Commission and such applications will be treated as without fee and will be summarily rejected.

Note I: Applications not accompanied by the prescribed fee (Unless remission of fee is claimed) shall be summarily rejected.

Note II: Fee once paid shall not be refunded under any circumstances nor can the fee be held in reserve for any other examination or selection.

Note III: If any candidate who took the Civil Services Examination held in previous year wishes to apply for admission to this examination, he must submit his application so as to reach the Commissions Office by the prescribed date without waiting for the results or an offer of appointment.

Note IV: Candidates admitted to the Main Examination are required to pay a further fee of Rs. 100/- (Rs. one hundred only).

The UPSC have developed an application form common for all their examinations which is processed on computerised machines. This application form along with an information brochure containing general instructions for filling up the form, an acknowledgement card and an envelope for sending the application, is obtainable from the designated Head Post Offices/Post Offices throughout the country as listed on page no. 186 against payment of Rs.20/- (Rupees twenty only). Form should be purchased from the designated Post Offices only and not from any other agency. This form can be used only once and for only one examination (See further details in this regard on page no. 187). Candidates must fill in the application form as per detailed instructions given by the Commission.

(a) A candidate seeking admission to the Preliminary Examination must apply to the Secretary, Union Public Service Commission, Dholpur House, New Delhi 110069, through the prescribed applications form. A candidate should also write name of examination Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination……….. (mention year of Examination) on the envelope.

(b) All candidates, whether already in Government Service, or in Government owned industrial undertakings or other similar organisations or in private employment, should submit their applications direct to the Commission. If any candidate forwards his application through his employer and it reaches the Union Public Service Commission late, the application, even if submitted to the employer before the closing date, will not be considered.

Persons already in Govt. service whether in a permanent or temporary capacity or as work charged employees other than casual or daily rated employees or those serving under Public Enterprises are however, required to submit an undertaking that they have informed in writing their Head of Office/Department that they have applied for the Examination. Candidates should note that in case a communication is received from their employer by the Commission withholding permission to the candidates applying for/appearing at the examination, their applications shall be rejected/candidature shall be cancelled.

Note I: While filling in his/her application Form, the candidate should carefully decide about his/her choice for the centre and optional subject for the examination. More than one application from a candidate giving different centres and/or optional subjects will not be accepted in any case. Even if a candidate sends more than one completed application, the Commission will accept only one application at their discretion and the Commissions decision in the matter shall be final.

Any candidate who appears at a centre/optional subject other than the one indicated by the Commission in his admission certificate, the papers of such a candidate will not be valued and his candidature will be cancelled.

Note II: Since these application forms are to be processed in a computerised system, due care should be taken by the candidates to fill up their application form correctly. No column of the application should be left blank. Incomplete or defective applications shall be summarily rejected. No representation or correspondence regarding such rejection shall be entertained under any circumstances.

Candidates are not required to submit along with their applications any certificate in support of their claims regarding Age, Educational Qualifications, Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes/Other Backward Classes and Physically Handicapped etc. which will be verified at the time of the Main examination only. The candidates applying for the examination should ensure that they fulfil all the eligibility conditions for admission to the examination. Their admission at all the stages of examination for which they are admitted by the Commission viz. Preliminary Examination, Main (Written) Examination and Interview Test will be purely provisional, subject to their satisfying the prescribed eligibility conditions. If on verification at any time before or after the Preliminary Examination, Main (Written) examination and Interview Test, it is found that they do not fulfil any of the eligibility conditions, their candidature for the examination will be cancelled by the Commission.

If any of their claims is found to be incorrect, they may render themselves liable to disciplinary action by the Commission.

In case of any guidance/clarification/information regarding their applications, candidature etc., candtidates can contact UPSCs facilitation counter near C gate of its campus, in person or over Telephone: No. 011-23385271/011-23381125/011-23098543 on working days between 10-00 hrs. to 17-00 hrs.