Age Calculator for UPSC 2021: How to Calculate Age Limit for UPSC?

If you have dreamt big of reforming the nation by rocking your UPSC journey, then it’s high time you need to take the first step! Register for the exam. After the announcement of the dates, there will be the main exam and finally end with the grand, career deciding interview rounds.

Amongst many different criteria and deciding factors for the UPSC and IAS registration, age is one such key factor that needs primary attention. It is extremely necessary for candidates to abide by all the age rules mentioned in the age calculator for UPSC 2021. This article will help you with How to calculate the age limit for UPSC

The Union Public Service Commission views all IAS aspirants and learners with an equal eye and preference no matter what age bracket they fall into. However, age is a significant factor in accordance with the registration processes. Refer to the authentic method of UPSC age calculator for UPSC 2021 to get the correct details for knowing how to calculate the age limit for UPSC.

Age Criteria for UPSC & IAS 2020

UPSC has drafted well-defined age criteria for UPSC based examinations and their applicants. Candidates must ensure that they compulsorily fall into the necessary age criterion. Or else, despite qualifications in all other sectors and academic excellence, these candidates will not be given consideration for registration or even selection.

Any aspirant who qualifies the age of 21 years or more, is eligible to appear for the Civil Services Exams. These candidates are eligible to apply for the said examinations up to a maximum age of 32 years in the case of general category students.

However, this maximum age limit for UPSC undergoes certain relaxation. In case of OBC category, the age limit is 35 years, and for SC ST category, it’s 37 years. Similar to the general age limit, the category of Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) run parallel to the ones of the general category. The EWS category will have 6 attempts with zero relaxation. The number of seats reserved for the Economically Weaker Sections is over 10% than the ones vacant for the others.

The female age limit (for general, OBC, SC/ ST) is as follows –

Female age limit for General – 35 years

Female age limit for OBC – 38 years
Female age limit for SCs/STs – 40 years

How is Age Calculated in UPSC?

A candidate applying for UPSC must remember that the official birth date considered by the board will be the date mentioned in their High Secondary Certificate, also known as HSC. For aspirants wanting to apply in 2021 for UPSC and IAS must know that their age will be counted from the date of 1st July.

UPSC calculates the age of its candidates based on the range given by their standardized rules. This implies that the candidates applying in the year 2021 should not have been born before 2nd August 1989. Furthermore, the participants must not have been born post 1st August 2000. This range is predefined for all candidates except for the ones falling in the sections that are given advantages with relaxed age brackets.

Also Read : UPSC Exam Age Limit for OBC: Eligibility Criteria, Attempts and Age Relaxations for OBC Category

All about Age Relaxations!

The UPSC age calculator and guidelines help us get a clear idea of all the age criteria, age limitations, and age relaxations for the UPSC aspirants. Age relaxations are certain flexibilities granted to special sections of the society in terms of their restrictions and limitations in age rules.

The General Category

The age relaxations stretch differently for different sections based on the rules implied by the Government of India. The general age limit of the general category students does not get any age relaxation facilities as compared to the other privileged classes and hence their attempts are restricted to a standard 6 number. The female age limit in the general class does not see any extra relaxation advantage.

Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe Category

The SC / ST age limit gets a relaxation of a standard 5 years over their maximum age criterion. The SC-ST students enjoy unlimited relaxation in the number of attempts they make in the UPSC examination. It is obvious that the number of attempts will last only till they reach the maximum years of age allowed for attempting.

Other Backward Class Category

However, the Other Backward Class category holders or the OBC age limit do not enjoy the same amount of relaxation. Their age limit is relaxed to only up to 3 years. As a result, their number of attempts is relaxed up to 9 times.

Public Works Department Category

Personnel belonging from the Defence Services or the Armed forces or have been wounded or disabled in army operations due to war with foreign parties get a relaxation of 3 years on the maximum age limit. This relaxation also implies for the individuals stuck in a disturbed area or a refugee of a war consequence.

A 5-year relaxation grant is offered to the certificate holders of ex-service office men inclusive of the commissioned officers. It also comprises of various ECOs or SSCOs who have been of at least 5 years of service in the military service section as of August 1st, 2021 and have been released.

Also Read : IAS Exam Age Limit for Female: Understanding the UPSC Age Limits

Physically Disabled Candidates

A whopping 10-year relaxation is given to a certain high priority special section of candidates. These may include participants suffering from blindness or defective vision. Deaf candidates or even the ones who cannot hear properly or have an ailment fall under this bracket.

Aspirants suffering the disability of cerebral palsy and locomotor deficiency, dwarfism, leprosy patients, muscular dystrophy, and so on get the benefits of this relaxation. Even acid attack victims are a part of the special section. Other candidates suffering from illnesses such as autism, mental illness, intellectual disability, LD, and many more such mentally and physically handicapped age limit from different sectors comprise this special category relaxation who get the maximum years of leverage for UPSC.

These aspirants facing physical disabilities are given the benefit of applying unlimitedly in the UPSC examinations. They can apply multiple times without any limit till they reach their relaxed age limit of 45 years.

‘The Attempt Angle’

The official notification of the IAS well defines the meaning and significance of attempts in the UPSC examinations. Once the participant ‘sits’ for the examination of IAS prelims, it counts as his or her ‘attempt’ in the examination. The number of attempts is again a restriction that is often termed parallel to the age limitation and restrictions.

Due to these factors, candidates tend to skip examinations in the IAS prelims and turn in their status as absent. It is shocking to know that out of 100 candidates that enrolled, only 50 percent of individuals actually show up in the exam center and the others remain absent for the examination. The other half does so in order to keep their ‘number of attempts’ under their control.

Having considered this, it is not recommended by professionals that students postpone their attempts just because of relaxation provisions and facilities.

Especially candidates above 25 years of age are best advised not to resort to any kind of postponement in their attempts.

UPSC has also launched a withdrawal facility for the IAS applicants. This solves the issues and complexities caused by the deliberate absenteeism performed by the candidates.

Make sure to check the UPSC Guidelines

Don’t worry! Age will never be a factor of discrimination in the UPSC competitive world. But to get into the journey, you need to keep in mind the prescribed age limitations and relaxations.

The final quota table is available to all aspiring IAS and UPSC achievers on their online portals as well as offline sectors. Any student who wishes to access the UPSC age calculator can dig into the authentic and official sites of UPSC or affiliated programs who have been given the authentication certification. You can check the age limit for UPSC and your status in the league dynamically and get instant knowledge which could be easier for you in your future registration planning.

In addition, you get details and guidance about your special status too if you are a part of any. For more knowledge on the said matter, you can talk to your professional peers, professors, or even take reference from PDFs uploaded on the IAS UPSC portals.

Final Words

Refer to the site, again and again, to get a clear idea of all aspects of age criteria and leverages given to specific privileged sections of the society. Know your status well and get educated about your position in the UPSC registrations. Analyze your situation and follow a plan in accordance with your age status. If you fit the right way and in the right age bracket, then no one can stop you from achieving those bright UPSC goals you always had.

Understanding UPSC eligibility requirements can be a little bit complex sometimes, but if kept updated in an organised way regarding all the age and other eligibility requirements, one can attain his/her eligibility easily by following the UPSC instructions.

We bring you all the important updates and instructions from UPSC daily through our informative blogs. Our regular blogs will keep you updated regarding all the eligibility and exam related queries.