No revision in upper age limit for UPSC aspirants, confirms Jitendra Singh, MoS, PMO

NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 26: Days after NITI Aayog’s recommendation about reducing the upper age limit of general category candidates for taking UPSC Civil Services Exam in its report on Strategy for New India @75, Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (MoS) in Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has clarified that the upper age limit for general category candidates will not be revised. The minister was quoted saying to the media, “There is no move on the part of the government to alter the age criteria of eligibility to appear in Civil Services examination, therefore, all the reports and speculation should be put to rest.”

Thus, it’s clear from the official statement that the present age limit for appearing in Civil Services Examination will remain the same across all categories. For general category, the upper age limit remains 32 years. For candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST), the upper age limit remains 37 years while for OBC aspirants it will be 35 years.

Earlier NITI Aayog in its report, ‘Strategy for New India @75’, has recommended that the upper age limit of general category candidates for UPSC Civil Services examination should be reduced to 27 years in a phased manner by 2022-23, with an aim to put in place a reformed system of recruitment, training and performance evaluation of the Civil Services to ensure more effective and efficient delivery of public services to achieve the development goals envisaged in New India 2022. Further, the government think tank emphasised that the service conditions for employees of autonomous bodies need to be regulated and harmonized.

In the same report, NITI Aayog has also pitched for an integrated Civil Services exam. The Aayog has recommended that the number of Civil Services should be reduced to one. Currently, there are more than 60 separate Civil Services Exams at central and state level which need to be reduced through rationalisation and harmonisation of services. Recruitment should be placed in a central talent pool, which would then allocate candidates by matching their competencies and the job description of the post.

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Civil Services examination once in a year. The exam is conducted for recruitment of candidates to Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service, Indian Revenue Service (IRS). Lakhs of candidates apply every year to appear in the examination of UPSC Civil Services.