How Many Times Can You Attempt the UPSC Civil Services Exam?

The Civil Service Exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is highly sought after by Indian graduates looking for job opportunities. It paves the way for numerous bureaucratic services such as IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS, among others. However, the most common questions asked by aspirants in the country are about the number of attempts available for the UPSC exam and the upper age limit relaxations for students from different categories.

Indeed, the number of attempts and age limit depend on the category of the candidate. For example, the attempt limit for the general category is set to 6 attempts, while OBC candidates are given 9 attempts, and for SC/ST aspirants, the attempts are unlimited. Read on as Vajirao and Reddy IAS Institute describe in detail the number of attempts and age limit for candidates appearing for the UPSC exam in India. Ace the UPSC exam syllabus with a strategic approach and the right resources for CSE 2025 success.

UPSC Attempt Limit: What You Need to Know

With the intent of maintaining the integrity of the examination while ensuring fair competition attempts are within reasonable boundaries, age limit caps are meant to encourage equal opportunities under the civil services examination. These, in turn, make sure that resources are not strained due to overutilisation and aid in building competition, one based on merit, aimed at strengthening the civil services exams in India.

An attempt is counted when a candidate sits for the Preliminary Examination, irrespective of sitting for the Mains. Simply applying for the examination does not count. Additionally, candidates who do not qualify for the Prelims are considered to have utilised an attempt, and therefore, distinct attempts require calculated planning to maximise success within the set limits.

How many Attempts at UPSC?

In the latest notification from the UPSC, the number of attempts for the Civil Services Examination is as follows per category:

1. General Category: 6 attempts till 32 years.
2. OBC Candidates: 9 attempts till the age of 35.
3. SC/ST Candidates: No limit on attempts until 37 years of age.
4. Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) have the following limits:
5. General/OBC: 9 attempts until the age of 42.
6. SC/ST: No limit on attempts until age 42.
7. Economically Weaker Sections (EWS): 6 attempts until age 32.

UPSC Attempts for General Category

1. For the general category, the maximum number of attempts allowed is 6 with an age cap of 32 years. Attending the Prelims, irrespective of qualifying for Mains, is deemed an attempt.

1. Strategic planning is needed since a general category candidate only has 6 attempts capped by an upper age limit. Moreover, a well-thought-out strategy is required for effective attempt management, which is central to avoiding wasted attempts and limited opportunities.

UPSC Attempts for OBC Category

1. OBC hopefuls have 9 attempts at the Civil Services Examination, with the upper age limit set at 35. Every attempt counts when one sits for the Prelims. This limit gives more opportunities, but careful planning remains essential to using the limited attempts optimally.

1. More attempts and a relaxed age limit benefit the reserved category candidates by offering more chances to fine-tune their preparation, learn from past performances, and enhance their chances of success. It guarantees healthy competition while balancing socio-economic realities and enabling candidates to manage jobs, studies, and other personal commitments along with preparing for the UPSC examination.

UPSC Attempts for SC/ST

SC or Scheduled castes and ST or Scheduled Tribes always have more reservations about Government-related jobs. The same goes for UPSC. The UPSC attempts for SC/ST candidates are unlimited with an upper age limit of 37 years. The educational qualifications and other eligibility criteria remain the same.

UPSC Attempts for EWS Category

1. In the Civil Services Examination conducted by the UPSC, the EWS (Economically Weaker Section) candidates are allowed 6 attempts at the examination, the same as the General category, plus a maximum age limit of 32 years. Furthermore, they face severe financial restraints and therefore compete under the 10% reservation quota, which makes it necessary to devise a solid plan to achieve the most within the limited attempts and age confines.

1. EWS is not permitted extra attempts, and just like for the rest of the General category aspirants, there is a 6-attempt limit. The age cap is also 32 years. Some conditions could allow these candidates to get the advantages of extra age limits or additional attempts if they belong to PwBD, as per the rules of UPSC.

UPSC Attempts for PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities) Category

UPSC CSE attempt limit for PwBD applicants based on sub-category:

1. General/OBC PwBD: 9 attempts
2. SC/ST PwBD: Unlimited attempts

Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) have specific considerations made for them about the Civil Service Examination conducted by the UPSC. According to the policy of the Government, the PwBD candidates should have a minimum of 40% disability concerning the factors of blindness and low vision, physical disability of deafness, locomotor disability, mental disability, or multiple disabilities. General and OBC PwBD candidates have an upper age cap of 42 years and are allowed 9 attempts, while SC and ST PwBD candidates have no limit to the number of attempts until they reach 42 years. They are also provided with accommodations such as scribes, additional time, tailored medical guidelines for certain services, and lower medical standards, which promote equal opportunities for these individuals in the selection process.

Conclusion

Candidates have to think of every attempt as an opportunity that they must plan for to achieve their goals. If necessary, aspirants can opt for Online Coaching for IAS at Vajirao and Reddy IAS Institute for better results. Seeing each attempt as a chance to learn and enhance one’s knowledge can have differing and profound impacts on performance. Analysing past years' question papers and preparing a strategic study plan always guarantees improved performance.