Competitive Exam Age Calculator
UPSC · SSC · Railway · Bank PO
Check your age eligibility for India's top government exams — category-wise limits for General, OBC, SC/ST, EWS and PwD candidates. Verified June 2026.
Select Your Exam
UPSC Civil Services
21 – 32 yrs(General / EWS)
OBC: 35 · SC/ST: 37 · PwD: 42
Cutoff: August 1
SSC Exams
18 – 32 yrs(CGL, General / EWS)
OBC: +3 · SC/ST: +5 · PwD: +10
Cutoff: varies per notification
Railway Recruitment
18 – 36 yrs(NTPC Grad, General / EWS)
OBC: +3 · SC/ST: +5 · Ex-SM: +3
Cutoff: Jan 1 (varies)
Bank PO / Clerk
20 – 30 yrs(IBPS PO, General / EWS)
OBC: +3 · SC/ST: +5 · PwD: +10
Cutoff: Jan 1 (varies)
State PSC
20 – 45 yrs(BPSC General Male (37), MPPSC General (40))
Up to 45 yrs with domicile relaxation
BPSC: Aug 1 · Others: Jan 1
NDA (Defence)
16.5 – 19.5 yrs(DOB window — not fixed age. No category relaxation)
NONE — same DOB window for all categories
DOB window per notification
📊 Age Limit Comparison Table — All Major Exams (2026)
Maximum age · General/EWS category shown unless specified · PwD = +10 years over General
| Exam | Min | Gen/EWS | OBC | SC/ST | PwD | Attempts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPSC CSE | 21 | 32 | 35 | 37 | 42 | 6 (General) |
| SSC CGL | 18 | 32 | 35 | 37 | 42 | No limit |
| SSC CHSL | 18 | 27 | 30 | 32 | 37 | No limit |
| SSC MTS | 18 | 25 | 28 | 30 | 35 | No limit |
| SSC GD | 18 | 23 | 26 | 28 | 33 | No limit |
| RRB NTPC (Grad) | 18 | 36 | 39 | 41 | 46 | No limit |
| Railway Group D | 18 | 33 | 36 | 38 | 43 | No limit |
| Railway ALP | 18 | 28 | 31 | 33 | 38 | No limit |
| IBPS PO | 20 | 30 | 33 | 35 | 40 | No limit |
| IBPS Clerk | 20 | 28 | 31 | 33 | 38 | No limit |
| SBI PO | 21 | 30 | 33 | 35 | 40 | No limit |
| RBI Grade B | 21 | 30 | 33 | 35 | 40 | No limit |
⚠️ Note: Age limits are for central government recruitment notifications. Cutoff dates and limits may vary per specific notification. Always verify at the official recruitment agency website before applying.
How to Check Your Eligibility
Choose Your Exam
Select from UPSC, SSC, Railway, or Bank PO using the cards above. Each exam has a dedicated calculator with the correct age limits, categories, and cutoff date.
Enter DOB + Select Category
Enter your date of birth (DD / MM / YYYY) and choose your category — General, EWS, OBC, SC/ST, or PwD. The calculator applies the correct relaxation automatically.
Get Verdict + Plan Ahead
Instantly see if you are Eligible or Not Eligible. For UPSC, see remaining attempts. Use the Year-wise Planner to check 2026–2029. Download your eligibility certificate as PDF.
Government Exam Age Eligibility 2026 — Complete Guide
Age eligibility is one of the most critical criteria in Indian government recruitment. Unlike educational qualifications — which can be improved over time — age is a fixed boundary. Once you exceed the maximum age limit for an exam, you cannot apply regardless of merit. This makes it essential to know your exact eligibility status well in advance and plan your attempts carefully.
Category-wise Age Relaxation — How It Works
The Government of India provides age relaxation to reserved categories to promote equitable access to government employment:
- ·General / UR: Base age limit (no relaxation)
- ·EWS: Same as General — no additional relaxation. 10% reservation in seats only.
- ·OBC (Non-Creamy Layer): +3 years over General limit in all central govt exams
- ·SC / ST: +5 years over General limit in all central govt exams
- ·PwD (Persons with Disabilities): +10 years for General/EWS · +13 for OBC · +15 for SC/ST
- ·Ex-Servicemen (Railway / SSC): +3 years after deducting military service period
UPSC vs SSC vs Railway vs Bank PO — Which Should You Target?
UPSC Civil Services has the most stringent age window — 21 to 32 years for General candidates — but offers the highest prestige (IAS, IPS, IFS). It also enforces an attempt limit (6 for General, 9 for OBC), making it essential to strategise when to take each attempt.
SSC exams have no attempt limit and cover a wide salary range (₹18,000 to ₹1,50,000 per month depending on the post). CGL offers Group B gazetted posts while MTS provides entry-level Central Secretariat positions.
Railway recruitment has the highest General category age ceiling among major central exams — 36 years for NTPC Graduate posts. Railways also hire in massive numbers (100,000+ vacancies in large cycles), making competition per vacancy lower than UPSC.
Banking exams (IBPS PO, SBI PO, RBI Grade B) have a narrower age window (20–30 years for most), but offer high salaries, career stability, and relatively faster promotions compared to other government services.
What Is the Cutoff Date for Age Calculation?
Every government exam specifies an "age reckoning date" — the reference date on which your age is calculated. You must be within the prescribed age limits as of that specific date. UPSC CSE uses August 1 of the examination year as a fixed cutoff. SSC typically specifies the cutoff in each individual notification (often August 1 for CGL, but varies). Railway and Banking exams generally use January 1 or the last date of online registration as the reference date.
This means that two candidates born just two days apart can have different eligibility outcomes. Our calculators account for this precisely — enter the exact notification cutoff date into the year selector for accurate results.
Planning Your Exam Strategy — The Year-wise Planner
Each calculator on this platform includes a Year-wise Eligibility Planner covering 2026 through 2029. This feature answers two important questions: (1) "Until which year can I apply?" and (2) "Which years should I prioritise for best preparation?" For UPSC, the planner also tracks remaining attempts, helping you decide whether to conserve attempts or give each one your best shot.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Age limits shown are based on official notifications and government guidelines verified as of June 2026. Cutoff dates, limits, and relaxation rules may change per individual recruitment notification. Always verify the exact age limits from the official recruitment notification at upsc.gov.in, ssc.gov.in, indianrailways.gov.in, or ibps.in before applying.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which government exam has the highest age limit?
Railway NTPC Graduate has the highest maximum age — 36 years for General/EWS. With SC/ST relaxation (+5), it goes up to 41 years. This makes Railway one of the most accessible central government exams for candidates in their early 30s.
Is EWS age limit the same as General category?
Yes. EWS (Economically Weaker Section) candidates receive the exact same age limit as General/UR candidates — no additional relaxation. EWS benefits are limited to seat reservation (10%). An income and asset certificate from a competent authority is required at verification.
What is the OBC age relaxation in central government exams?
OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) candidates receive 3 additional years of age relaxation over the General/EWS limit in all major central government exams — UPSC, SSC, Railway, and IBPS/SBI/RBI banking exams. So if the General limit is 32 years, OBC candidates can apply up to 35 years.
How is age calculated — what is the "cutoff date"?
Each exam specifies a reference date (called the cutoff date or age reckoning date). Your age on that specific date must fall within the prescribed limits. UPSC CSE uses August 1 of the exam year. SSC CGL typically uses August 1 as well, but this varies. Railway and Banking exams generally use January 1. Always verify the exact cutoff date in the official notification.
Can I check my eligibility for future exam years (2027, 2028, 2029)?
Yes. Every calculator on this platform includes a Year-wise Eligibility Planner. After entering your DOB and selecting your category, you can switch between 2026, 2027, 2028, and 2029 to see which years you remain eligible. This is especially useful for planning how many attempts you have left.
Is my Date of Birth stored or uploaded anywhere?
No. All calculations run entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your date of birth is never sent to any server — there are no API calls, no network requests for the calculation. EaseToolz is built on a privacy-first architecture: your data stays on your device, always.