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Number of Attempts in IAS exam

There are very few who are lucky to qualify the Civil Services Exams in their first attempt. Even if they qualify they may not get the service of their choice and may like to attempt again to improve their ranking in the service allotment. So it is wiser to be mentally prepared for making several attempts for Civil Service exams.

How many attempts are allowed for UPSC Civil Services Exam?

No. of attempts for General Category: 6 attempts till 32 years of age.
No. of attempts for OBC: 9 attempts till 35 years of age.
No. of attempts for SC/ST: unlimited attempts till 37 years of age.

How to calculate number of attempts?

  1. An attempt at a Preliminary Examination shall be deemed to be an attempt at the Civil Services Examination.
  2. If a candidate actually appears in any one paper in the Preliminary Examination, he/she 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

Restrictions on applying for the examination :

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 Services Examination, 2018 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, 2018 notwithstanding his/her having qualified in the Preliminary Examination, 2016.

Also provided that if such a candidate is appointed to IAS/IFS after the commencement of the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2018 but before the result thereof and continues to be a member of that service, he/she shall not be considered for appointment to any service/post on the basis of the result of this examination viz. Civil Services Examination, 2018.

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