NRA CET Graduates Eligibility: Age, Qualification and Attempts Explained

NRA CET graduates eligibility has not been published in full. The National Recruitment Agency (NRA) has said the Common Eligibility Test (CET) will have a separate graduate-level paper, with no limit on attempts subject to an upper age limit. The exact degree rules, age limit figures and the date on which age is counted have not been announced in the official sources we could check as of 29 October 2026.

This page lists what is confirmed, what is not, and how to check your own position using the rules of the recruiting agencies the CET is meant to serve. It does not guess age limits or fees.

NRA CET Graduates Eligibility

What Is Confirmed and What Is Not

Confirmed in official releases

• Levels: Separate CETs for graduate, higher secondary and matriculate candidates.

• Attempts and age: No cap on attempts, subject to the upper age limit, with relaxation for SC, ST, OBC and other categories under extant government policy.

• Score rules: Each score is valid for three years from the declaration of the result, and the best valid score is considered.

Not confirmed

• Degree rules: Which degrees count, whether final-year students can sit the test and by what date the degree must be completed.

• Age numbers: The upper age limit, the date on which age is counted and the number of years of relaxation for each category.

• Other conditions: Nationality rules, medical or physical standards and fee concessions for the CET itself.

The Government sources are the Press Information Bureau release on the Cabinet decision, https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1646946, and the factsheet, https://www.pib.gov.in/FactsheetDetails.aspx?Id=148567

Educational Qualification

The graduate-level CET is aimed at candidates who hold, or are about to complete, a bachelor's degree. The NRA has not said whether any discipline is accepted, whether a minimum percentage applies or whether final-year students can appear.

What to expect from the agencies

Existing graduate-level exams of the Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) and the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) usually ask for a bachelor's degree from a recognised university or equivalent. Many allow candidates awaiting their final result to apply, provided they submit proof by a stated date. Some posts ask for a specific discipline, such as commerce, statistics or mathematics, for certain roles.

This is a guide to the usual practice, not a CET rule. Until the NRA notifies the CET conditions, use the notification of the exam you plan to apply for as the deciding document.

Points to verify when the rules are out

• Recognition: Your university or institution should be recognised by the competent authority.

• Result deadline: Check the date by which you must hold your degree certificate.

• Percentage or grade conversion: If CGPA is used, check how the conversion is done.

• Discipline conditions: Check whether any post asks for a specific subject.

Age Limit and Relaxation

The Government has confirmed that the CET has an upper age limit and that age relaxation applies to reserved categories under existing policy. The number has not been published. Do not rely on a figure shown on a website unless it points to an NRA document.

The table lists categories commonly covered by central government age relaxation. The actual relaxation for the CET will be fixed by the NRA and may differ from what individual recruiting agencies use for their own exams.

Why age rules matter beyond the CET

Even after you clear the CET, the recruiting agency applies its own age limit for each post. A candidate who is within the CET age limit may still be above the age limit of a particular post. Check both when you plan your attempts.

Number of Attempts

There is no limit on the number of attempts, subject to the upper age limit. This is one of the few firm rules, and it changes how you can plan.

• Improve a weak score: You can retake the test if your first score is lower than you hoped, and the best valid score is used.

• Use the three-year window: A score stays valid for three years, so one good attempt can serve several recruitment cycles, provided the agency accepts it.

• Do not rush an unprepared attempt: Because attempts are not capped, it is better to sit a well-prepared test than several unprepared ones, since each attempt may carry a fee once fees are announced.

CET Eligibility Versus Post Eligibility

These are two separate checks. The CET decides whether you pass the first screening stage. The recruiting agency then decides whether you meet its conditions for a given post.

A strong CET score does not override a post condition you do not meet. So read both documents before you decide which exams to target.

How to Check Your Own Eligibility

Use this checklist today, so you are ready when the NRA publishes its notification.

1. Note your date of birth and category: Keep your category certificate valid and up to date.

2. Open the latest notification of your target exam: Choose a graduate-level exam from SSC, an RRB or IBPS.

3. Compare your degree and its result date: Check the discipline and the result deadline.

4. Calculate your age on the stated date: Agencies count age on a fixed reference date, not on the day you apply.

5. Check relaxation and other conditions: Include medical standards or language conditions for the post.

6. Revisit when the NRA publishes the CET rules: Update your checklist and note any change.

What to Do Now, by Candidate Type

Your next step depends on where you stand. The table gives a practical starting point; it is advice, not an official rule.

Documents to Keep Ready

The CET document list has not been published. Candidates for central government exams are usually asked for the following, so having them ready saves time.

• Identity proof: A valid photo identity document, with your name matching your educational records.

• Educational certificates: Degree certificate or provisional certificate and mark sheets.

• Date of birth proof: Secondary school certificate or equivalent.

• Category certificate: SC, ST, OBC (non-creamy layer) or other certificates in the correct format and validity.

• Photograph and signature: Recent scanned images in the size the portal asks for.

Common Reasons Candidates Are Rejected

• Name mismatch: The name on the application differs from the certificates.

• Degree not complete by the deadline: Proof of passing is not available by the stated date.

• Wrong category claim: The certificate is expired, in the wrong format or not valid for the claim.

• Age miscalculation: Counting age on the wrong date.

• Unclear uploads: Photographs or signatures that do not meet the size or format rules.

Staying Safe From Fake Eligibility Claims

Because no graduate-level CET notification has been found in the official sources checked, any page that gives a firm age limit, a fee or a registration link should be treated with caution. Do not pay anyone to "confirm your eligibility" or to register early.