A pass in graduation/post graduation in any discipline from a recognized educational institution located any where in India. Candidates who are appearing for their final year exams in their qualifying degree or those who have appeared for the final exams can also apply.

However, these people have to submit proof of passing their qualifying degree at the time of submitting application for Civil Services Main Exam.

21 to 32 years. However Defence Personnel (Ex Services Persons), SC/ST/OBC candidates get age relaxation as per the existing norms

A candidate must be either :-   (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, Srilanka, 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. 

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

 A candidate in whose case a certificate of eligibility is necessary, may be admitted to the examination but the offer of appointment may be given only after the necessary eligibility certificate has been issued to him/her by the Government of India.  

The upper age limit prescribed above will be relaxable:-  

(i)  upto a maximum of five years if a candidate belongs to a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe.

(ii) upto a maximum of three years in the case of candidates belonging to Other Backward  Classes who are eligible to avail of reservation applicable to such candidates.  

(iii) upto a maximum of three years in the case of Defence Services personnel disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area and released as a consequence thereof:  (iv) upto 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 August, 2023 and have been released;  (i) on completion of assignment (including those whose assignment is due to be completed within one year from 1st August, 2023) 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.  (v)  upto a maximum of five years in the case of ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of five years of Military Service as on 1st August, 2023 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 that they will be released on three month's notice on selection from the date of receipt of offer of appointment.  (vi) up to a maximum of 10 years in the case of Persons with Benchmark Disabilities viz. (a) low vision; (b) Partially deaf; (c) locomotor disability (Sub-category : leprosy cured and acid attack victims only).

NOTE I : Candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes and the Other Backward Classes who are also covered under any other clauses of para 3(ii)(b) above, viz. those coming under the category of Ex-servicemen, Low Vision, Hearing Impaired (Partially deaf) and Locomotor disability (sub-category : Leprosy cured and Acid attack victims) person etc. will be eligible for grant of cumulative age relaxation under both the categories.

NOTE II : In regard to Functional Classification and Physical Requirements of PwBD candidates, the same procedure as has been followed till the previous examination may be followed by the Government (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change).

NOTE III : The term Ex-servicemen will apply to the persons who are defined as exservicemen in the Ex-servicemen (Re-employment in Civil Services and Posts) rules, 1979 as amended from time to time.

NOTE IV : The age concession under para 3(ii)(b)(iv) and (v) will be admissible to ExServicemen i.e. a person who has served in any rank whether as combatant or noncombatant in the Regular Army, Navy and Air Force of the Indian Union and who either has been retired or relieved or discharged from such service whether at his own request or being relieved by the employer after earning his or her pension.

NOTE V : Notwithstanding the provision of age relaxation under para 3(ii)(b)(vi) above a person with benchmark disability candidate will be considered to be eligible for appointment only if he/she (after such physical examination as the Government or appointing authority, as the case may be, may prescribe) is found to satisfy the requirements of physical and medical standards for the concerned Services/Posts to be allocated to the person with benchmark disability candidates by the Government.