Exam age calculator
Your exact age on an exam's cutoff date, and whether you fit the age limit for your category.
An exam age calculator checks your age on an exam's cutoff date against its age limits, plus any relaxation for your category. For UPSC CSE 2026 (21 to under 32 as on 1 August 2026), General candidates born from 2 August 1994 to 1 August 2005 fit.
Your result for the cutoff 1 Aug 2026
Eligible
Age on the cutoff: 31 years 11 months 30 days
- Eligible if born
- 2 Aug 1994 to 1 Aug 2005
- Age limit
- 21 to under 32 years
31 years is within 21 to under 32 years.
Ex-servicemen, defence and Group C special cases are not counted. The notice decides. Nothing you type is stored.
Need your exact age on today's date, or your next birthday? Use the age calculator.
How to use this exam age calculator
- Tap a preset, UPSC CSE 2026 or SSC CGL 2026. For SSC, pick the age band for your post. The cutoff date and age limit fill in.
- Type your date of birth as day, month and year, as it appears on your certificate.
- Pick your category. Its years are added to the upper limit.
- Read the card. It says "Eligible" or "Not eligible", your exact age on the cutoff, and the birth dates that fit.
For any other exam or job, skip the presets. Type the "age as on" date and the two limits from your own notice.
How eligibility is worked out
Eligible if: lowest age ≤ your age on the cutoff < upper limit + relaxation
- Your age
- Completed years on the cutoff date. Your birthday counts: on the day you turn 21, you have reached 21.
- Lowest age
- The age you "must have attained". You must be born on or before the cutoff minus that many years.
- Upper limit
- The age you "must not have attained". Someone who turns 32 on the cutoff date itself is out.
- Relaxation
- Years added to the upper limit for your category. The lowest age does not change.
The exact age uses calendar months, the same way as our age calculator. A 29 February birthday counts on 28 February in other years.
Worked example: UPSC CSE 2026
The UPSC preset uses 21 to "not attained 32" as on 1 August 2026. Take three birth dates:
- Born 2 August 1994, General: on 1 August 2026 you are 31 years 11 months 30 days. That is under 32, so you are eligible.
- Born 1 August 1994, General: you turn exactly 32 on the cutoff date. You have attained 32, so you are not eligible.
- Born 1 August 1994, OBC: the upper limit becomes 32 + 3 = 35. At 32 you are eligible.
- Cutoff
- 1 Aug 2026
- General: born
- 2 Aug 1994 to 1 Aug 2005
- OBC: oldest date of birth
- 2 Aug 1991
Exam presets with relaxation
Both presets count age as on 1 August 2026. With an upper limit of 32, these are the oldest dates of birth that still fit. For UPSC, the youngest is 1 August 2005 (age 21). For the SSC 18–32 band, it is 1 August 2008 (age 18).
| Category | Upper limit | Born on or after |
|---|---|---|
| General | Under 32 | 2 Aug 1994 |
| OBC | Under 35 | 2 Aug 1991 |
| SC/ST | Under 37 | 2 Aug 1989 |
| PwBD | Under 42 | 2 Aug 1984 |
| PwBD + OBC (SSC) | Under 45 | 2 Aug 1981 |
| PwBD + SC/ST (SSC) | Under 47 | 2 Aug 1979 |
SSC CGL bands depend on the post: 18–27, 20–30, 18–30 or 18–32. Pick yours in the preset and the card works out the dates.
Rules and limits
- UPSC Civil Services Exam 2026: age 21 to not attained 32 on 1 August 2026. Upper limit relaxed by 5 years for SC/ST, 3 for OBC and 10 for PwBD. Some relaxations can be combined; the notice says which. Source: UPSC Notice 05/2026-CSE (PDF).
- SSC CGL: age as on 1 August 2026, in bands that depend on the post. Relaxation: SC/ST 5 years, OBC 3, PwBD 10, PwBD with OBC 13, PwBD with SC/ST 15. Source: SSC CGL notice (PDF).
- Not counted here: ex-servicemen and disabled defence personnel (UPSC), ex-servicemen and Group C special cases (SSC). Read those rules in the notice.
Exam age calculator FAQs
What is the UPSC age cutoff date for 2026?
For the Civil Services Exam 2026, age is counted as on 1 August 2026. A General candidate must be 21 and must not have attained 32 on that date. That means born from 2 August 1994 to 1 August 2005.
What is the age limit by category?
The lowest age stays the same. The upper limit goes up by 3 years for OBC, 5 for SC/ST and 10 for PwBD. SSC also lists 13 years for PwBD with OBC and 15 for PwBD with SC/ST. Pick your category and the card shows your dates.
Is the cutoff date itself counted?
Yes. If your birthday falls on the cutoff date, you have reached that age on it. Born 1 August 1994, you are exactly 32 on 1 August 2026, so "not attained 32" rules you out. Born a day later, you are still 31 and fit.
What is the SSC CGL age cutoff date?
The SSC preset uses age as on 1 August 2026. The age band depends on the post, so pick 18–27, 20–30, 18–30 or 18–32 from the notice.
Does "not attained 32" mean I can apply at 32?
No. "Not attained 32" means you must still be 31 on the cutoff date, even if only by one day. A limit written as "32 years" in a notice may be worded differently, so read yours and type the limit it gives.
I am an ex-serviceman. Why is my relaxation missing?
Ex-servicemen and some other groups have rules that depend on service length or the post. This calculator does not add them. Use the official notice to work out your limit, then type it in the "must not have reached" box.
Is my date of birth saved?
No. Everything is worked out in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to us or stored. Your dates go only into a link you choose to copy or share.
For general information only, not legal advice. The official notice and your birth certificate decide your eligibility.