RPSC RAS Eligibility 2026: Age Limit, Qualification and Relaxation

RPSC RAS eligibility decides whether you can sit for the Rajasthan State and Subordinate Services Combined Competitive Exam, conducted by the Rajasthan Public Service Commission. For the 2026 cycle, candidates need a bachelor's degree and must be 21 to 40 years old as on 1 January 2027, with relaxations for several categories. The application window closed on 3 July 2026, but your eligibility is checked again at the Mains, document verification and appointment stages.

This page explains each condition in plain language: qualification, age limit and relaxation, nationality, domicile, language, conduct rules and the most common reasons forms are rejected. Use it to confirm you are eligible for this cycle, or to plan for the next one if you are close to the age or degree cut-off.

Table of Contents

RPSC RAS Eligibility at a Glance

These conditions are taken from the 2026 notification as reported. Always confirm the final wording in the official advertisement on the RPSC advertisements page.

Educational Qualification

You need a bachelor's degree from a university established by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India, or from an institution recognised as a deemed university under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956. A qualification the Government has declared equivalent, in consultation with RPSC, is also accepted.

What Counts and What Does Not

• Any stream is accepted: Arts, science, commerce, engineering, law, management and other graduates can all apply. There is no subject restriction for RAS.

• No minimum percentage: A pass in the degree is enough. Your graduation marks do not affect selection.

• Distance and open degrees: Degrees through distance or open learning are generally valid if the university and programme are recognised by the competent authority. Keep proof of recognition ready.

• Diplomas alone do not qualify: A diploma without a bachelor's degree does not meet the requirement.

Final-Year Students

Candidates in the final year of graduation can usually apply for the Prelims. However, they must have passed the degree before they apply for the Mains, and they need to submit proof at that stage. If your result is delayed past the Mains application date, you may not be able to continue in this cycle. Confirm the exact condition in the notification for your cycle, because RPSC states it there.

RPSC RAS Age Limit 2026

For RAS 2026, you must be at least 21 and not more than 40 years old as on 1 January 2027. The reference date is set in the notification and can differ from cycle to cycle.

The date of birth window is our own calculation from the age limit and reference date. It is indicative only, so check it against the official notification.

How Age Is Verified

RPSC accepts the date of birth recorded in your Secondary (Class 10) certificate or an equivalent document. Make sure the date in your application matches it exactly, because a mismatch can lead to rejection at document verification.

Age Relaxation by Category

Upper age relaxation is given as per Rajasthan Government rules. Category-based relaxation is available only to bona fide residents of Rajasthan.

The first four rows are consistently reported from the 2026 notification. The rows for persons with disabilities, ex-servicemen and government employees are indicative, because secondary sources differ. Check these figures in the official advertisement before relying on them.

How Relaxations Combine

• Category and gender relaxations do not simply add up: For example, a reserved-category woman of Rajasthan gets 10 years in total, not 5 plus 5.

• Disability relaxation is usually in addition: State rules generally allow it on top of category relaxation, subject to an overall cap. Read the notification for the exact cap.

• Certificates must be valid: Category, Non-Creamy Layer and EWS certificates must be issued in the format and within the validity period the notification specifies.

Nationality and Domicile

A candidate must be a citizen of India. Rajasthan service rules also allow certain other categories, such as subjects of Nepal or Bhutan and specified persons of Indian origin, subject to an eligibility certificate from the State Government. Very few RAS candidates fall in these groups, so check the rules carefully if this applies to you.

Candidates From Other States

• You can apply: RAS is open to eligible candidates from any state.

• You apply as General category: Reservation, category fee concessions and category age relaxation are only for bona fide residents of Rajasthan. A candidate from another state who belongs to SC, ST or OBC there is treated as General for RAS.

• Language requirement still applies: You must have working knowledge of Hindi in Devanagari script and knowledge of Rajasthani culture.

Language and Other Conditions

Hindi and Rajasthani Culture

The rules require a working knowledge of Hindi written in Devanagari script and knowledge of Rajasthani culture. This is not a separate test, but it is reflected in the exam itself. Paper IV of the Mains tests General Hindi, and the interview often asks about Rajasthan's customs, festivals, dialects and heritage.

Character and Conduct

Candidates must have good character. Police verification and character certificates are checked before appointment. A candidate who has been convicted of certain offences, or debarred by RPSC or another commission, may not be eligible.

Marriage and Family-Related Conditions

Rajasthan service rules contain conditions related to marriage and dowry. As reported from these rules, a man with more than one living wife, or a woman married to a man who already has a living wife, may be ineligible unless exempted by the Government. Taking or giving dowry can also lead to disqualification. Read the "General Conditions" section of the notification for the exact wording.

Medical Fitness

There is no physical efficiency test for most RAS services. Selected candidates must pass a medical examination before appointment and must be in good mental and physical health. Some services, such as the Rajasthan Police Service, may have additional physical standards, so check the service-specific conditions.

Number of Attempts

RPSC does not set a limit on the number of attempts for RAS. You can appear in every cycle as long as you meet the age limit and other conditions. Because RAS cycles are not held at fixed intervals, plan your attempts around the age reference dates announced in each notification.

Who Is Not Eligible

These are the most common reasons a RAS candidature is rejected or cancelled:

• Age outside the limit on the reference date: Even one day over the limit makes a candidate ineligible.

• Degree not completed in time: Final-year candidates who cannot show a pass certificate before the Mains stage.

• Wrong category claim: Claiming reservation without being a bona fide resident of Rajasthan, or without a valid certificate.

• Mismatch in details: Name, date of birth or category in the application not matching documents.

• Debarment: Candidates debarred by RPSC or found using unfair means, including under the Rajasthan Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2022.

Eligibility Examples

These examples show how the rules apply in common situations. They use the 2026 reference date of 1 January 2027 and are for illustration only.

If your case is close to a limit, calculate your age exactly on the reference date and read the official notification. When in doubt, contact the RPSC helpdesk listed in the notification before you apply.

Documents You Will Need

Applications are submitted online through One Time Registration on the Rajasthan SSO portal. Keep scanned copies ready in the formats RPSC specifies.

Eligibility Checklist Before Each Stage

1. Before applying: Check your age against the reference date, your degree status and your category certificates.

2. Before the Prelims: Download the admit card and confirm your details are correct. Use the correction window if needed.

3. Before the Mains application: Final-year candidates must have their degree result. Keep all certificates up to date.

4. Before the interview: Originals of every document are checked, so arrange them in the order RPSC lists.

Eligibility is confirmed only after RPSC verifies your original documents. Until then, every candidature is provisional, even if you have cleared the Prelims or the Mains.