Eligibility Criteria, Vacancies and Important Dates of Various Government Exams for 2025 Cycle

 Besides preparing for various government exams for the current year, an essential requirement is to familiarize yourself with necessary exam details without which you will be like a ship without a compass. Given below is a comprehensive understanding of the vacancies, eligibility criteria and important dates of various government exams.

Following tables provide a comparative analysis of the vacancies of different government exams between the 2024 and the expected vacancies in 2025:

Banking Exams Vacancies:

 SSC EXAM VACANCIES:

 National/State Civil Services Vacancies:

Railways Exam Vacancies:

Defense Exam Vacancies

Banking Exams

Important Dates

SBI PO Eligibility Criteria:

·        Candidates who have done their graduation from a recognized university or any other university recognized by the Central government

·        Candidates, who are in the final year of their graduation programme can also apply, given that they provide the proof of having completed their graduation during interview.

·        Candidates should ideally be between 21 and 30 years.

·        Candidates who are citizens of India, Nepal or Bhutan, Tibetan refugees who came in India before 1962, persons of Indian origin (PIO) who had migrated from Burma, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam or East African countries of Tanzania, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India are eligible to apply.

IBPS PO Eligibility Criteria: 

·        Candidates must have done their graduation from a recognized university with 55% aggregate.

·        The minimum age of a candidate must be 20 years while the maximum age should be 30 years.

·        Candidates who are from India, Bhutan or Nepal, a Tibetan refugee who has migrated over to India before 1^st January, 1962, or those who migrated to Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, Kenya, Uganda, Sri Lanka, East African countries, Ethiopia or Vietnam can also appear in the exam.

·        Candidates are expected to have basic working knowledge of computer operations and fluency in English language communications.

·        Candidates with disabilities can opt for scribes. Applications for the need to use the scribe must be mentioned. Requests for scribes on the day of the exam will not be entertained.

·        Candidates with intellectual disabilities like cerebral palsy autism etc. are entitled to get additional twenty minutes for the completion of the exam.

·        Candidates who are in the armed forces can claim exemption in services for additional three years in the maximum age limit.

·        The maximum age limit for ex-servicemen is 50 years but not for those who are exempted from employment higher than Group C and D

·        Ex-servicemen belonging to the SC/ST category are supposed to apply under “Disabled Ex-Servicemen” instead of PwD category.

·        Candidates must produce all the supporting documents as proof of their eligibility in the “Ex-Servicemen” category. 

 IBPS RRB Eligibility Criteria:

o    A Bachelor’s degree (graduation) in any discipline from a recognized university or its equivalent.

o    Proficiency in the local language of the state/UT is often required.

o    Minimum Age: 18 years

o    Maximum Age: 28 years

o    Relaxation in the upper age limit for reserved categories (e.g., SC/ST, OBC) as per government norms.

o    The candidate must be an Indian citizen.

o    A subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or a Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962, can also apply

o    Basic knowledge of computers is usually required as the job involves working on computers.

o    Candidates should be proficient in the local language of the state or UT they are applying to.

        IBPS RRB PO Eligibility Criteria:

         o    A Bachelor’s degree (graduation) in any discipline from a      recognized university or its equivalent.

o    Candidates must also have proficiency in the local language of the region they are applying for.

o    The minimum age for applying is 18 years while the maximum age is 30 years. 

o    Relaxation in the upper age limit for reserved categories (e.g., SC/ST, OBC) as per government norms.

o    The candidate must be an Indian citizen.

o    A subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or a Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962, can also apply.

o    A candidate should have a good understanding of basic computer knowledge and banking operations.

o    Candidates should be proficient in the local language of the state/UT they are applying to.

SSC Exams

 Important Dates

SSC CGL Eligibility Criteria:

·         Candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree (graduation) in any discipline from a recognized university or its equivalent. The specific educational qualifications may vary depending on the post applied for.

·        Generally, candidates must be between 18 and 32 years of age.

·        Relaxation in the upper age limit is provided for reserved categories (SC/ST, OBC, etc.) as per government norms.

·        The candidate must be an Indian citizen.

·        A subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or a Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962, can also apply.

·        Candidates must meet the physical and medical standards required for certain posts (e.g., Inspector roles).

·        For some posts, proficiency in typing or computer skills may be necessary.

SSC CHSL Eligibility Criteria:

o    Candidates must have passed the 12th standard (higher secondary) or its equivalent from a recognized board.

o    Candidates must be between 18 and 27 years of age.

o    Relaxation in the upper age limit is provided for reserved categories (SC/ST, OBC, etc.) as per government norms.

o    The candidate must be an Indian citizen.

o    A subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or a Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962, can also apply.

o    Candidates must meet the typing or data entry skill standards, if applicable, for certain posts like LDC and DEO.

SSC MTS Eligibility Criteria:

o    Candidates must have passed the 10th standard (Matriculation) or its equivalent from a recognized board.

o    The Minimum age to apply for the exam is 18 years and the maximum age is 25 years

o    Relaxation in the upper age limit is provided for reserved categories (SC/ST, OBC, etc.) as per government norms.

o    The candidate must be an Indian citizen.

o    A subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or a Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962, can also apply.

o    Candidates must meet the physical standards if required for specific posts under MTS.

SSC CPO Eligibility Criteria:

o    Candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree (graduation) in any discipline from a recognized university or its equivalent.

o    The Minimum Age requirement is 20 years and the Maximum Age requirement is 25 years

o    Relaxation in the upper age limit is provided for reserved categories (SC/ST, OBC, etc.) as per government norms.

o    The candidate must be an Indian citizen.

o    A subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or a Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962, can also apply.

o    Physical standards (height, chest, and weight) are required for male and female candidates, especially for the post of Sub-Inspector in Delhi Police.

o    The candidate must meet the medical standards as prescribed by SSC for CPO posts.

SSC Stenographer Eligibility Criteria:

o    Candidates must have passed the 12th standard (higher secondary) or its equivalent from a recognized board.

o    Grade C: Minimum Age: 18 years, Maximum Age: 30 years.

o    Grade D: Minimum Age: 18 years, Maximum Age: 27 years.

o    Relaxation in the upper age limit is provided for reserved categories (SC/ST, OBC, etc.) as per government norms.

o    The candidate must be an Indian citizen.

o    A subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or a Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962, can also apply.

o    Candidates must be able to transcribe shorthand (Hindi/English) within the time limits prescribed by the SSC.

o    Physical and medical standards may be required depending on the post.

UPSC Exam Information

Important Dates:

UPSC Eligibility Criteria:

o   Candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university or its equivalent. Specific qualifications are required for certain exams (e.g., engineering degree for IES, forestry or science background for IFS).

o   Minimum Age: 21 years

o   Maximum Age: 32 years

o   Age relaxation is provided for reserved categories as per government norms

o   For most UPSC exams like the Civil Services Examination (CSE), candidates must be an Indian citizen.

o   For IFS (Indian Foreign Service), candidates may also be a subject of Nepal, Bhutan, or a Tibetan refugee under certain conditions.

o   Some posts, such as IPS (Indian Police Service), may have additional physical and medical fitness requirements.

AIS (All India Services) Eligibility Criteria

o   Candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university or     its equivalent. Specific qualifications may apply for IFS (e.g., forestry, science background).

o   Minimum Age: 21 years

o   Maximum Age: 32 years

o   Age relaxation for each social category will be according to the rules laid down by the government

o   For IAS (Indian Administrative Service), IPS (Indian Police Service), and IFS (Indian Foreign Service), candidates must be an Indian citizen.

o   For IFS, candidates may also be a subject of Bhutan, Nepal, or a Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962.

o   Candidates for IPS must meet specific physical and medical standards.

o   IFS candidates may need to have specific educational qualifications related to science, agriculture, or forestry for foreign postings.

MMPSC (Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission) Eligibility Criteria:

o    Candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university or its equivalent.

o    Some specific posts may require specialized qualifications (e.g., engineering, law, medical degrees, etc.).

o    Minimum Age: 21 years

o    Maximum Age: Generally, 40 years for general candidates (may vary depending on the post).

o    Age relaxations are provided for reserved categories (SC/ST, OBC, etc.) as per government norms.

o    Candidates must be domiciles of Madhya Pradesh for most posts. However, candidates from other states may apply for certain posts, but preference is often given to local candidates.

o    The candidate must be an Indian citizen.

BPSC (Bihar Public Service Commission) Eligibility Criteria:

o    Candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university or its equivalent.

o    For certain specialized posts, additional educational qualifications may be required (e.g., knowledge of Hindi for some administrative positions).

o    Minimum Age: 21 years

o    Maximum Age: Typically, 37 years for general candidates (may vary depending on the post).

o    Age relaxation is provided for reserved categories (SC/ST, OBC, etc.) according to Bihar government norms.

o    Candidates must be domiciles of Bihar for most posts, although candidates from other states may also apply for some vacancies.

o    The candidate must be an Indian citizen.

UPPSC (Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission) Eligibility Criteria:

o    Candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university or its equivalent.

o    Some specific posts may require specialized qualifications (e.g., knowledge of Hindi for certain posts).

o    Minimum Age: 21 years

o    Maximum Age: Generally, 40 years for general candidates (may vary depending on the post).

o    Age relaxation for reserved categories (SC/ST, OBC, etc.) is provided as per Uttar Pradesh government norms.

o    Candidates must be domiciles of Uttar Pradesh for most posts. However, candidates from outside the state may also apply for certain posts depending on specific conditions.

o    The candidate must be an Indian citizen.

RRB Exams Information:

Important Dates

                   RRB NTPC

Railway Exams Eligibility Criteria:

RRB NTPC

Graduate Level Eligibility Criteria:

o    Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree (Graduation) in any discipline from a recognized university or its equivalent.

o    Minimum Age: 18 years

o    Maximum Age: 33 years (for general category)

o    Age limit for other social categories are as follows:

§  SC- 33 years

§  ST- 38 years

§  OBC- 36 years

§  PwD- 43 years

o   Age relaxations are provided for SC/ST/OBC/PwD according to rules and regulations laid down by the government.

o    The candidate must be an Indian citizen.

o    Candidates from Nepal, Bhutan, or Tibetan refugees (who came to India before January 1, 1962) can also apply.

o    Basic knowledge of computers is essential, as the roles might involve working with computer systems.

 Undergraduate Level Eligibility Criteria:

o    Candidates must have passed the 12th standard (Higher Secondary) or its equivalent from a recognized board.

o    For some specific posts, a Diploma in a relevant field might also be acceptable

o    Minimum Age: 18 years

o    Maximum Age: 30 years (for general category)

o    Age limit for other social categories is as follows:

·        SC- 35 years

·        ST-35 years

·        OBC- 33 years

o    Age relaxations are provided for reserved categories as per the regulations laid down by the government

o    The candidate must be an Indian citizen.

o    Candidates from Nepal, Bhutan, or Tibetan refugees (who came to India before January 1, 1962) can also apply.

o    Basic knowledge of computers may be required for some posts.

RRB Group D level eligibility criteria:

• Candidates must have passed 10th standard (Matriculation) or its equivalent from a recognized board.
• Alternatively, candidates should have an ITI (Industrial Training Institute) certificate from a recognized institution, or possess a diploma in a relevant field.

• Minimum Age: 18 years
• Maximum Age: 33 years
• Relaxation in the upper age limit is provided for candidates belonging to specific categories:
• SC/ST: 5 years relaxation.
• OBC: 3 years relaxation.
• PwD: 10 years relaxation (15 years for SC/ST, 13 years for OBC).
• Ex-Servicemen: Relaxation is provided as per government norms (typically up to 10 years depending on the service duration).
• Jammu & Kashmir Domicile (1980-1989): 5 years relaxation.

• The candidate must be an Indian citizen.
• Citizens of Nepal, Bhutan, or Tibetan refugees (who came to India before January 1, 1962) are also eligible to apply

• Candidates must meet the physical fitness standards set by RRB, which includes specific height, weight, and vision criteria depending on the post.

• Knowledge of basic computer skills may be required for certain posts.
• Candidates must be able to read, write, and speak in the Hindi/English language (or as specified by the RRB for the concerned region).

Army and Air Force Exam Information:

Important Dates

Defence Exams Eligibility Criteria

NDA exam: 

·       Only unmarried males/females born not earlier than 2^nd July, 2006 and not later than 1^st July, 2009 are eligible.

·       The educational qualification for the Army Wing of NDA is the passing certificate in the 10+2 exam.

·       Candidates must have completed their class XIIth with Chemistry, Physics and Maths to apply for the Air Force and Naval force.

·       Candidates are required to pass class XIIth with Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics to qualify 10+2 Cadet Scheme at the Naval Academy.

·       Candidates must be citizens of India, Bhutan or Tibetan refugees who came in India before 1962, persons of Indian origin (PIO) who had migrated from Burma, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam or East African countries of Tanzania, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India are eligible to apply.

·       The minimum age to become eligible is 16.5 years and the maximum age is 19.5 years

·       Candidates must meet the physical and medical requirements relate to height, weight, vision and overall fitness. For further details, candidates are requested to check the official website of NDA.

·       Candidates must note that only males are allowed to sit for the NDA I exam whereas females will be allowed to sit for NDA II exam.

CPAF Eligibility Criteria:

·         Candidates must have passed at least the 10th standard (Matriculation) or 12th standard (Higher Secondary) from a recognized board.

·         For certain posts, higher educational qualifications (e.g., a Bachelor’s degree) may be required.

·         Minimum Age: 18 years

·         Maximum Age: 23 years

·         Age relaxations are provided for candidates belonging to specific categories:

§  SC/ST: 5 years relaxation in the upper age limit.

§  OBC (Other Backward Classes): 3 years relaxation in the upper age limit.

§  Ex-Servicemen: Age relaxation as per government norms (usually up to 5 years).

§  PwD (Persons with Disabilities): 10 years relaxation in the upper age limit (additional relaxation based on category).

·         Candidates must be an Indian citizen.

·         Citizens of Nepal, Bhutan, Tibetan refugees (who came to India before January 1, 1962), and those of Indian origin who have migrated from certain countries (like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, etc.) may also be eligible under certain conditions.

·         Candidates must meet the physical fitness criteria as set by the recruitment authority. This typically includes height, weight, chest measurement, and eyesight standards, which can vary depending on the post and gender.

·         For many CPAF recruitment exams, unmarried candidates are typically preferred, especially for posts in the armed forces.

6. Medical Standards:

·         Candidates must meet the medical fitness standards as per the Central Police Armed Forces' requirements. This includes health conditions such as vision standards, hearing ability, and overall physical health.

CDS Exam Eligibility Criteria:

1. Educational Qualification:

·         For Indian Military Academy (IMA):

o    Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognized university.

·         For Indian Naval Academy (INA):

o    Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree in Engineering from a recognized university or equivalent.

·         For Air Force Academy (AFA):

o    Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree (with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level) or Engineering degree from a recognized university or equivalent.

·         For Officers' Training Academy (OTA):

o    Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognized university.

2. Age Limit (as of 1st January of the year of examination):

·         For Indian Military Academy (IMA):

o    Minimum Age: 19 years

o    Maximum Age: 24 years

·         For Indian Naval Academy (INA):

o    Minimum Age: 19 years

o    Maximum Age: 22 years

·         For Air Force Academy (AFA):

o    Minimum Age: 20 years

o    Maximum Age: 24 years

·         For Officers' Training Academy (OTA):

o    Minimum Age: 19 years

o    Maximum Age: 25 years

Note: The candidate must not have reached the maximum age on the 1st of January of the year in which the examination is being conducted.

·         IMA, INA, and AFA: Only unmarried male candidates are eligible to apply.

·         OTA: Both married and unmarried male candidates are eligible.

4. Nationality:

·         The candidate must be:

o    An Indian citizen, or

o    A subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or

o    A Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962, or

o    A person of Indian origin who has migrated from countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma, etc., with the intention of permanently settling in India.

·         Candidates must meet the medical standards and physical fitness criteria set by the respective academies. This typically includes height, weight, vision standards, and overall physical health. Specific requirements may differ slightly for each academy.

AFCAT Eligibility Criteria

·       Educational Qualification:

o   Flying Branch: Minimum 50% each in physics and mathematics at 10+2 level or a three-year graduation degree or a B.E./B.Tech. degree with a minimum 60% from a recognized university.

o   Ground Duty (Technical)- Minimum 60% in physics and mathematics at 10+2 level or a postgraduate/graduate degree in the field of engineering and technology from a recognized university

·       Age limit:

o   Flying Branch: Minimum age is 20 years; Maximum age is 24 years

Note: There is an upper limit age relaxation of candidates holding valid and current Commercial Pilot License by DGCA i.e. 26 years

o   Ground Duty: The minimum age is 20 years and the maximum age is 26 years.

Note: Candidates below the age of 25 must be unmarried at the time of commencement of course. Widow/Widowers and divorcees are not eligible for this exam.

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