Eligibility for UPSC ESE or IES Exam

(I) Nationality for UPSC ESE or IES Exam:

A candidate must be either:

• (a) A citizen of India or
• (b) A subject of Nepal or A subject of Bhutan or
• (c) A Tibetan refugee who came over to Indian before the 1st January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India or
• (d) A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka or East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, and Ethiopia or from Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.

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

(II) Age Limits for UPSC ESE or IES Exam:

• A candidate for this examination must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 30 years on the 1st January, of the exam year.
• The upper age limit of 30 years will be relaxable up to 35 years in the case of Government servants of the following categories, if they are employed in a Department/Office under the control of any of the authorities mentioned in column 1 below and apply for admission to the examination for all or any of the Service(s)/Posts mentioned in column 2, for which they are otherwise eligible.
• The upper age-limit prescribed above will be further relaxable:
  • Up to a maximum of five years if a candidate belongs to a scheduled caste or a scheduled tribe.
  • Up to a maximum of three years in the case of candidates belonging to OBC category.
  • Up to a maximum of five years if a candidate had ordinarily been domiciled in the state of Jammu & Kashmir during the period from 1st January 1980 to the 31st day of December 1989.
  • Up to a maximum of three years in the case of defense service personnel disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area, and released as a consequence thereof.
  • 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 January, and have been released
    1. on completion of assignment (including those whose assignment is due to be completed within one year from 1st January) otherwise than by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency, or
    2. on account of physical disability attributable to Military Service or
    3. on invalided;
  • Up to a maximum of five years in the case of ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of five years of Military Services as on 1st January, 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.
  • Up to a maximum of 10 years in the case of blind, deaf-mute and Orthopaedically handicapped persons.

Minimum Educational Qualifications for UPSC ESE or IES Exam :

• Obtained a degree in Engineering from a university 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 universities under section-3 of the university grants commission act, 1956 or

• Passed Section A and B of the Institution Examinations of the Institution of Engineers (India) or

• Obtained a degree/diploma in Engineering from such foreign University/College/Institution and under such conditions as may be recognized by the Government for the purpose from time to time or

• Passed Graduate Membership Examination of the Institute of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers (India) or

• Passed Associate Membership Examination Parts II and III/Sections A and B of the Aeronautical Society of India or

• Passed Graduate Membership Examination of the Institution of Electronics and Radio Engineers, London held after November 1959

Provided that a candidate for the post of Indian Naval Armament Service (Electronics Engineering Posts and Engineer Group ‘A’ in Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing/Monitoring Organization) may possess any of the above qualifications or the qualification mentioned below namely: M.Sc. degree or its equivalent with Wireless Communication, Electronics, Radio Physics or Radio Engineering as a special subject.