Civil Services Exam is one of the toughest competitive exams in the world. If you are planning to appear for the Civil Services Preliminary exam, check out the requisite eligibility criteria first. Candidates must meet all the necessary eligibility criteria before applying. The commission has full right to reject a candidature on account of insufficient supporting documents. Listed below are the Civil Services Exam 2015 eligibility criteria:
Nationality
1. A candidate must be a citizen of India, to apply for Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS)
2. Candidates applying for other services, the following nationality criteria must be fulfilled
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, Sri Lanka, 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.
f) Candidates belonging to either (b), (c), (d) and (e) should be able to produce a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India.
g) Candidates falling under (b), (c) and (d) above will not be eligible for appointment to the Indian Foreign Service.
h) Candidates failing to submit necessary identity and other necessary documents will lose their candidacy even when they have cleared all the rounds.
Age criteria
1. A candidate must have at least attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 32 years on the 1st of August, 2015 which means the candidate must have been born not earlier than 2nd August, 1983 and not later than 1st August, 1994.
2. Age Relaxation:
a) Up to 5 years for Scheduled Caste (SC) or a Scheduled Tribe (ST)
b) Up to 3 years for Other Backward Classes (OBC) for candidates who are eligible to avail the reservation
c) Up to 5 years, if a candidate had ordinarily been domiciled in the State of Jammu & Kashmir during 1st January, 1980 – 31st December, 1989.
d) Up to 3 years, if a candidate is Defence Services personnel disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area and released as a consequence thereof.
e) Up to 5 years, if a candidate is an ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least 5 years Military Service as on 1st August, 2015 and have been released
(i) On completion of assignment (including those whose assignment is due to be completed within one year from 1st August, 2015) 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
f) Up to 5 years, in the case of ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of 5 years Military Service as on 1st August, 2015 and whose assignment has been extended beyond 5 years and in whose case the Ministry of Defence issues a certificate that they can apply for civil employment and that they will be released on three months’ notice on selection from the date of receipt of offer of appointment.
g) Up to 10 years, in case a candidate is blind, deaf-mute and orthopedically handicapped.
h) Notwithstanding anything contained in this rule, any candidate who appeared in the Civil Services Examination, 2011 but is otherwise ineligible for Civil Services Examination, 2015 due to attainment of maximum age limit on the set date for examination prescribed under this rule, shall be permitted an additional attempt in the Civil Services Examination, 2015.
Educational qualifications
1. A candidate must be a graduate from any recognized University incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India or an equivalent qualification.
2. Candidates who meet all the requisite eligibility criteria and are in the final semester of their degree exam are also eligible to appear for the exam. However, one must be able to produce the requisite exam passing proofs as and when required.
Number of attempts
1. GN category candidates can appear the exam up to 6 times
2. OBC candidates will can try up to 9 attempts
3. There is no limit for SC and ST candidates
4. GN Physically challenged candidates will get up to 9 attempts
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