UPSC IES/ISS (Economic / Statistical Service) Eligibility 2026
Who can apply for UPSC IES/ISS (Economic / Statistical Service) in 2026 — the age limit, educational qualification, nationality and attempt rules as specified by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Always confirm against the official notification before applying.
Indian Economic Service (IES) — eligibility
- Age
- 21 to 30 years on 1 August of the examination year. Standard relaxations: SC/ST +5 years, OBC (non-creamy layer) +3 years, PwBD +10 years, ex-servicemen and serving Defence personnel as per DoPT rules, J&K domicile (specified period) as per gazette notification.
- Education
- Post-graduate degree in Economics / Applied Economics / Business Economics / Econometrics from a recognised Indian university or a foreign university recognised by Association of Indian Universities. Candidates appearing in the final year of the Master's may apply provisionally — the degree must be produced at the time of Personality Test/document verification.
- Nationality
- Citizen of India, or subject of Nepal/Bhutan, or Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1 January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling, or person of Indian origin migrated from specified countries with the intention of permanently settling — as per the standard UPSC eligibility clause.
- Attempts
- No restriction on number of attempts up to the upper age limit (subject to category-wise age relaxation). Attempts are NOT capped the way they are in CSE.
Indian Statistical Service (ISS) — eligibility
- Age
- 21 to 30 years on 1 August of the examination year. Same category-wise relaxations as IES apply.
- Education
- Bachelor's degree with Statistics / Mathematical Statistics / Applied Statistics as ONE of the subjects, OR a Master's degree in Statistics / Mathematical Statistics / Applied Statistics from a recognised university. Note that a Bachelor's in Mathematics without a Statistics paper does NOT qualify — Statistics must appear as a subject on the transcript.
- Nationality
- Same as IES — Indian citizen or specified categories per gazette notification.
- Attempts
- No restriction on number of attempts up to the upper age limit. Final-year Bachelor's/Master's candidates may apply provisionally.
UPSC IES/ISS (Economic / Statistical Service) eligibility — common questions
What is the educational qualification for UPSC IES/ISS (Economic / Statistical Service)?
Post-graduate degree in Economics / Applied Economics / Business Economics / Econometrics from a recognised Indian university or a foreign university recognised by Association of Indian Universities. Candidates appearing in the final year of the Master's may apply provisionally — the degree must be produced at the time of Personality Test/document verification. That is for Indian Economic Service (IES) — eligibility; the other 1 post under this notification are listed in the table above.
What is the age limit for UPSC IES/ISS (Economic / Statistical Service)?
21 to 30 years on 1 August of the examination year. Standard relaxations: SC/ST +5 years, OBC (non-creamy layer) +3 years, PwBD +10 years, ex-servicemen and serving Defence personnel as per DoPT rules, J&K domicile (specified period) as per gazette notification.
Do I need to be an Indian citizen to apply for UPSC IES/ISS (Economic / Statistical Service)?
Citizen of India, or subject of Nepal/Bhutan, or Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1 January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling, or person of Indian origin migrated from specified countries with the intention of permanently settling — as per the standard UPSC eligibility clause.
Are there attempt limits or extra requirements for UPSC IES/ISS (Economic / Statistical Service)?
No restriction on number of attempts up to the upper age limit (subject to category-wise age relaxation). Attempts are NOT capped the way they are in CSE.
Where should I confirm my UPSC IES/ISS (Economic / Statistical Service) eligibility?
Always check against the official Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) notification — eligibility rules can change from one cycle to the next. The official links are at the bottom of this page.
Official sources
Every figure on this page traces back to the official notification. Rules change from cycle to cycle — confirm before you apply.
UPSC Official Portal (notifications, results, syllabus) · UPSC Online (application portal — OTR + Universal Registration) · Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI — ISS cadre, NSO, PLFS, HCES, ASI data products)
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