UPSC IES ISS Eligibility 2026, Check Age Limit, Qualification & Relaxation Details

IES ISS candidates must meet the eligibility criteria as per Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) 2026 guidelines. The commission has set certain eligibility criteria that candidates must have, which include nationality, age Limit (as per category) with age relaxation for reserved categories, educational qualifications focusing on Economics and Statistical subjects, and the number of attempts. Before filling IES ISS online application form, candidates must read each eligibility condition carefully.

IES ISS Nationality Criteria 2026

Candidates applying for IES ISS exam should be:

1. A citizen of India; or
2. A subject of Nepal; or
3. A subject of Bhutan; or
4. A Tibetan refugee who came over to India, before the 1st January, 1962, with the intention of permanently settling in India; or
5. A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, and Ethiopia or Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.

Provided that a candidate belonging to categories 2, 3, 4, and 5 above 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.

IES ISS Age Limit 2026

Candidates must be within the age limit of 21 to 30 years of age, as of August 1, 2026. This means the candidate must have been born not earlier than August 2, 1995, and not later than August 1, 2004.

Age Relaxation:

IES ISS Educational Qualification 2026

As per UPSC rules, candidates must have:

• For Indian Economic Service (IES):

Candidate must hold a Postgraduate degree in Economics, Applied Economics, Business Economics, or Econometrics. The degree must be from a Central or State University, an Institution established by an Act of Parliament,

a Deemed University under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, or A Foreign University recognized by the Central Government.

• For Indian Statistical Service (ISS):

Candidate must hold either a bachelor’s degree with Statistics/Mathematical Statistics/Applied Statistics as one of the main subjects, or a master’s degree in Statistics/Mathematical Statistics/Applied Statistics. The degree must be from a recognized Indian or foreign university.

IES ISS Number of Attempts 2026

Candidates from the general/unreserved category can take 6 attempts in IES ISS exam, and OBC candidates can take 9 attempts. But Candidates from SC/ST have unlimited attempts to take this exam, provided they are within the age limit.

After understanding IES/ISS eligibility criteria, candidates should carefully plan their attempts, especially if they are from the General/EWS category. Accordingly, they should focus on a preparation strategy by analysing the exam pattern, syllabus, and previous papers.