How Many Attempts For UPSC? General, OBC, SC/ST

The number of attempts for the UPSC exam varies by category. For general category candidates, the total number of attempts is limited to 6. You would be provided with an additional number of attempts as part of relaxation, if you belong to reserved categories such as OBC, SC, ST, & PwBD. Anyone who belongs to the OBC can take a maximum of 9 attempts, while SC/ST candidates can take the UPSC exam as many times as they want. Similarly, the upper age limit criteria for the UPSC exam range from 32 to 42, depending on the categories. This blog is a quick guide to the UPSC exam number of attempts. Dive in to discover how many attempts are there in UPSC for you, based on your age, category and more.

Overview of the UPSC Exam

UPSC stands for Union Public Service Commission. It is a constitutional body as per the Constitution of India. The commission conducts various examinations to make merit-based selections and recommendations of candidates for Group A and Group B jobs of the Indian Government. Among the other exams, the CSE (Civil Services Exam) is the most popular and the toughest exam in the country. The UPSC exam is conducted in three stages: Preliminary (objective-based), Mains (Written) and a Personality Test (Interview). The entire process takes around 10 to 12 months and is conducted every year. The exam is bilingual, and the applicant must be an Indian citizen. Check out the highlights of the UPSC exam:

UPSC Exam: Highlights at a Glance

How Many Attempts are there for UPSC?

As said earlier, UPSC conducts exams for various posts, and each has different criteria. For general category students who wish to appear for the UPSC exam, a total of 6 attempts are available. Depending upon the reserved category, the number of attempts will differ. The upper age limit for the UPSC is calculated on August 1, 2026, for prelims. This means that the applicant must not be over the age limit before the mentioned date. In some cases, like OBC/SC/ST, there is a relaxation of the age limit.

For instance, OBC ex-servicemen get 8 years of relaxation, so their upper age limit becomes 40 years. There’s another question that bothers aspirants. Whether applying for the UPSC count as an attempt? No, if you have only filled out the UPSC exam form, but did not appear in the preliminary exam, it won’t be counted as an attempt. Here is the detailed overview of UPSC exam attempts and age limit criteria, category-wise:

UPSC Number of Attempts For General, OBC, ST/ST

Can a 40 year old give an IAS exam?

Yes, a 40-year-old candidate belonging to the PwBD category can take the IAS exam. If you belong to the Person with Benchmark Disability category, the upper age limit for the UPSC exam is 42 years for general/OBC/SC/ST candidates. However, the upper age limits for general, OBC, SC/ST, and EWS candidates are 6, 9, unlimited, and 6, respectively. Therefore, if you are not from the PwBD category, you cannot take the IAS exam at the age of 40. 

Can I clear UPSC in 3 attempts?

Yes, many successful candidates have qualified for UPSC exams within 3-5 attempts. As the minimum number of UPSC exam attempts is 6 for different categories, you can clear the UPSC exam within 3 attempts by following the right strategy. It takes planning for preparation, consistency, determination, and a thorough understanding of the UPSC syllabus to clear the exam at the earliest. The UPSC exam is one of the toughest exams in India. Therefore, to clear it within 3 attempts, make sure you prepare for 2-3 years well before applying for your first preliminary attempt. 

List of Exams Conducted by UPSC

Every year, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts 14-15 exams for various posts. Among these, the Civil Services Exam (CSE) is the most popular UPSC exam that takes place in three stages: prelims, mains, and interview. Apart from this,  other popular UPSC exams include NDA, CDS, IFoS, and ESE, among others. Here are some of the most popular exams conducted by the Union Public Service Commission:

✅ CBI (DSP)

✅ CISF AC (EXE)

✅ Central Armed Police Forces Examination (CAPF - AC)

✅ Combined Defence Services Examination (CDS)

✅ Combined SO (Grade B) LDC Examination

✅ India Forest Service Examination (IFoS)

✅ Civil Services Examination (CSE)

✅ National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (NDA & NA)

✅ CISF AC (EXE)

✅ Indian Economic Service

✅ Combined Medical Services Examination

✅ Combined Geo-Scientist (Main) Examination

Summing Up

The number of attempts you get in the UPSC depends on the category. The minimum attempts you get are 6, provided you are not above 32 years of age for the general and EWS categories. To clear the confusion again, simply filling out the form does not count as an attempt if you did not appear in the preliminary exam. In this case, you still have all your attempts. Being one of the toughest exams, it is normal to take multiple attempts to crack it. You should not pressure yourself to clear it on one attempt. Stay motivated and determined to achieve your goal.

FAQs

Q1. How many times can UPSC be attempted?

For general category students, the number of attempts is 6 till 32 years of age, OBC category students have 9 attempts till 35 years of age, and SC/ST have unlimited attempts till 37 years of age. Moreover, PwBD candidates who belong to the General and OBC categories have 9 attempts, whereas SC/ST candidates have an unlimited number of attempts till the age of 42 years.

Q2. How many attempts are there for UPSC prelims?

Candidates from the general and EWS categories have a maximum of 6 attempts with up to 32 years of age limit, while the attempts for OBC and SC/ST candidates are limited to 9 (up to 35 years of age) and unlimited (up to 37 years of age), respectively. Note that no attempt would be counted in the UPSC preliminary exam if you have not appeared for at least one paper. 

Q3. How many attempts for UPSC for the OBC category?

An OBC category student can appear in the UPSC exam 9 times up to the age of 35 years.

Q4. Which subject is best for IAS?

The best subject for the UPSC exam for IAS posts depends on the availability of questions and the success rate of UPSC exam papers. This may include subjects like political science, geography, history, public administration, and sociology. Understanding of the concepts from these subjects helps with UPSC exam preparation.

Q5. What is the salary of IAS?

The basic salary of an IAS starts from INR 56,100 per month, which can increase up to INR 1,32,000 per month.