Eligibility Criteria

1- A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 30 years on 1st August, 2009, i.e. he must have been born not earlier than 2nd August, 1979 and not later than 1st August, 1988.
2-The candidate must hold a degree of any of Universities incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as a University Under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, or possess an equivalent qualification.

Note I : Candidates who have appeared at an examination the passing of which would render them educationally qualified for the Commission’s examination but have not been informed of the results as also the candidates who intend to appear at such a qualifying examination will also be eligible for admission to the Preliminary Examination. All candidates who are declared qualified by the Commission for taking the Civil Services (Main) Examination will be required to produce proof of passing the requisite examination with their application for the Main Examination failing which such candidates will not be admitted to the Main Examination. The applications for the main examination will be called sometime in the month of July/August, 2009.

3- Every candidate appearing at the Civil Services Examination, who is otherwise eligible, shall be permitted four attempts at the examination.
SC/ST will have as much as attempts, they desire.
OBC candidates will have seven attempts.