Central Government Recruitment: Eligibility and Age Relaxation
The rules every central recruiter applies, from UPSC and SSC to banks and public sector companies. Each organisation page covers what that body recruits for and how its selection works.
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How Eligibility Is Set
Eligibility for central recruitment is set post by post. Each notification lists the qualification, the minimum and maximum age and the date on which age is counted, and any experience, physical or language requirement. Read the eligibility for the exact post you want, not just the headline qualification of the recruitment.
Public sector companies and banks follow rules similar to central departments, but each states its own in the notice.
Age Relaxation in Central Recruitment
Central government notices add these relaxations to the upper age limit. States follow their own rules, which are often similar but not the same, so read the relaxation table in each notice.
| Category | Relaxation in upper age limit |
|---|---|
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| OBC (non-creamy layer) | 3 years |
| Persons with benchmark disabilities | 10 years (13 for OBC, 15 for SC/ST) |
| Ex-servicemen | Military service deducted from actual age, plus 3 years, for most Group C posts |
| EWS | No age relaxation |
Application fees are also commonly waived for women, SC, ST, persons with disabilities and ex-servicemen in SSC and UPSC exams, while the railways have refunded part of the fee to candidates who sit the first exam. Each notice states its own fee rules.
Documents Most Recruiters Ask For
- Class 10 certificate for date of birth, and all qualification certificates and mark sheets.
- Category certificate (SC, ST, OBC non-creamy layer or EWS) in the format the notice asks for.
- Domicile or residence certificate for state posts where you claim local reservation.
- Experience certificates, licences or registration certificates where the post requires them.
- A recent photograph and signature scanned to the size the portal asks for.
How the Online Application Usually Works
- Read the official notification, especially the post-wise eligibility.
- Register on the recruiting body's official portal and fill the application form carefully.
- Upload your photograph, signature and documents in the sizes required.
- Pay the fee where charged and submit before the closing date and time, then save the confirmation.
Mistakes That Get Applications Rejected
- A name or date of birth that does not match the Class 10 certificate.
- Applying for a post without the exact qualification it asks for, or without holding it by the cut-off date.
- A category certificate in the wrong format or issued after the date the notice sets.
- Photographs and signatures that are blurred or the wrong size.
- Paying the fee but not submitting the final form, or submitting after the closing time.