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The HCS exam (conducted by HPSC) recruits for Group-A (Haryana Civil Services – Executive Branch) and various Group-B allied state services. These Allied posts include the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Excise & Taxation Officer (ETO), District Food & Supplies Controller (DFSC), Assistant Registrar Cooperative Societies (ARCS), Assistant Excise & Taxation Officer (AETO), Block Development & Panchayat Officer (BDPO), Traffic Manager (TM), Assistant Employment Officer (AEO), District Food & Supplies Officer (DFSO), Naib Tehsildar (‘A’ Class), etc.. Below we outline the age and eligibility rules that apply to all HCS recruitments (regardless of year) in a clear, evergreen manner.

HCS Age Limit 2026 Overview

A normal HCS/Allied candidate must fall between 18 and 42, whereas a DSP applicant is capped at 27 (age as on Jan 1). If rules change, HPSC notifications typically state “as on January 1 (of the exam year)” for these ages.

• General Posts (most HCS/Allied services): Candidates must be at least 18 years old and not more than 42 years old as on the prescribed cut-off date. In practice, HPSC has set the cut-off as January 1 of the exam year, so e.g. a candidate must be 18–42 as on Jan 1 of that year.
• DSP Post (Police service): The DSP post has a lower upper age limit: maximum 27 years (minimum 18), using the same cut-off date.

How Age Limit is Calculated for HCS Exam 2026

HPSC fixes a cut-off date for age calculation – typically 1 January of the year of the exam. A candidate’s age on that date must meet the above limits. For example, the recent HCS recruitment used Jan 1 of the exam year to calculate age. Thus, if the exam year is 2025, one’s age as on 01-Jan-2025 must be between 18 and 42 (or 27 for DSP).

HCS Age Limit Haryana Civil Services Exam Category-Wise Age Relaxations

HPSC provides age relaxations to various reserved categories (Haryana domiciles) by extending the upper age limit. In almost all cases, the relaxation is an additional 5 years over the general upper limit (i.e. 47 instead of 42). In some cases (especially for Persons with Disabilities in reserved classes) it can be up to 10 years. Key relaxations include:

• General category (Haryana resident) candidates get no extra age. Haryana SC/ST, OBC (BC-A/BC-B) and EWS candidates each get 5 years added to their upper limit (so effectively up to 47). Special women categories – including widows or divorced women (not remarried), judicially separated women (separated ≥2 years), and unmarried women – also receive 5 years of relief. Similarly, wives of disabled military personnel (Haryana only) get +5.
• PwD (Persons with Disabilities): Any PwD candidate is allowed 5 years over the normal limit. In addition, if a PwD candidate belongs to SC, ST, OBC or EWS, they get an extra 5 years (for a total of +10, raising maximum to 52).
• Ex-Servicemen: Haryana ex-servicemen get relaxation equal to their service period plus 3 years (subject to conditions: e.g. minimum 6 months’ service and honorable discharge).

HCS Age Limit Haryana Domicile and Exceptions

Only Haryana domicile candidates can claim the above reservations and age relaxations. Applicants from other states – even if SC/OBC in their home state – are treated as General (Unreserved) for HCS. In practice, all relaxation benefits (SC/BC/EWS/PwD/ESM) apply only if the candidate holds a valid Haryana domicile certificate. Temporary or contract workers of Haryana Government often get relaxation equal to their service tenure (within a ceiling of 55 years), but this is specific and varies by notification.

HCS Age Limit Number of Attempts

There is no restriction on the number of times a candidate may attempt the HCS exam. Aspirants may appear multiple times so long as they meet the age (and other eligibility) criteria on the cut-off date. In short, attempts are unlimited until the candidate reaches the upper age limit (after applying any applicable relaxation)

HCS Age Limit 2026 FAQs

Q1. What is the HCS Age Limit for the 2026 exam?

The HCS Age Limit 2026 is 18 to 42 years for most Haryana Civil Services and Allied posts. However, for the DSP post, the upper age limit is 27 years as on January 1 of the exam year.

Q2. What is the HCS Age Limit for SC, ST, and OBC candidates in Haryana?

The HCS Age Limit for SC, ST, and OBC candidates of Haryana is extended by 5 years, making the maximum age 47 years instead of 42. This relaxation applies only to Haryana domiciles.

Q3. What is the HCS Age Limit for female candidates?

The HCS Age Limit for Haryana women (including widowed, divorced, separated, and unmarried women) is 18 to 47 years, as they get a relaxation of 5 years over the general limit.

Q4. What is the HCS Age Limit for Persons with Disabilities (PwD)?

The HCS Age Limit for PwD candidates is 18 to 47 years for general PwD applicants. Those belonging to SC, ST, OBC, or EWS categories receive an additional 5 years’ relaxation, raising the upper limit to 52 years.

Q5. How is the HCS Age Limit calculated by HPSC?

The HCS Age Limit is calculated as on January 1 of the exam year. A candidate’s age on that date must fall within the prescribed range (18–42 for general posts, 18–27 for DSP) after applying any category-based relaxation.