Reserved categories get extra years over the General upper age limit — OBC +3, SC/ST +5, PwBD +10 (more when stacked) — while EWS gets a quota but no age relaxation. This guide explains the 2026 category-wise rules, how to claim relaxation in the form, and the certificate mistakes that get candidates rejected.
By Saurabh Kamal, Recruitment Policy Editor. Published 15 June 2026. Last verified 15 June 2026 against current SSC, UPSC, RRB and banking recruitment rules.
In short
- Reserved categories get extra years over the General upper age limit: OBC (non-creamy-layer) +3, SC/ST +5, PwBD +10 (more when stacked).
- EWS candidates get no extra years — they apply within the General age band, but get the 10% quota and often a fee concession.
- Ex-servicemen get their service period + 3 years; women and departmental candidates get scheme-specific relaxations.
- You must claim the relaxation in the application form and upload a valid, current certificate — it is never applied automatically.
If you are checking whether you are still eligible for a government exam, age relaxation is often what keeps the door open. Most central recruitments set a General upper age limit and then add a fixed number of years for reserved categories on top of it. This guide lays out the 2026 relaxation rules category by category, how to claim them, and the mistakes that get candidates rejected. You can also work out your exact eligible age with our age tool before you read on.
How much age relaxation does each category get?
The relaxation is added to the General upper age limit for the post. These are the standard central-government figures used by the SSC, UPSC, RRB and banking bodies; a few exams and most state recruitments tweak them, so the notification is always the final word.
| Category | Age relaxation (over General upper limit) |
|---|---|
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | +3 years |
| SC / ST | +5 years |
| PwBD — General | +10 years |
| PwBD — OBC | +13 years |
| PwBD — SC/ST | +15 years |
| Ex-servicemen | Service rendered + 3 years |
| EWS | No extra years (General age band) |
A simple way to read it: take the General upper limit in the notification, then add your category's figure. If a post is open to 18–27 for General, an SC/ST candidate is effectively eligible up to 32, and an OBC-NCL candidate up to 30.
Why EWS gets a quota but no age relaxation
This is the single most misunderstood rule. The Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category gives General-category candidates a 10% reservation and, in many exams, a fee concession — but it does not add any years to the upper age limit. An EWS candidate must fall within the same age band as a General candidate. If you are past the General upper limit, an EWS certificate will not extend your eligibility; only SC/ST/OBC/PwBD/ex-servicemen status does that. The EWS route has its own income and asset test, which we cover in our guide to getting an EWS certificate.
How to claim age relaxation correctly
Relaxation is never granted automatically from your date of birth — you have to claim it, and back it up.
- Select your correct category (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/PwBD/Ex-SM) in the application form.
- Keep a valid certificate in the prescribed central format ready to upload — an OBC certificate, for instance, must be non-creamy-layer and current.
- For OBC, the non-creamy-layer certificate usually has to be issued within the financial year the recruiter specifies; an expired one is rejected.
- For PwBD, you need a disability certificate showing the benchmark percentage the post requires.
- Cross-check the cut-off date for age in the notification — most exams reckon age "as on" a fixed date, not the day you apply.
Other relaxations people miss
Beyond the main categories, several recruiter-specific relaxations exist:
- Ex-servicemen get their length of military service plus three years, deducted from their actual age.
- Departmental / government-servant candidates often get up to five years for posts in the same department.
- Widows, divorced women and women judicially separated get an extended limit in some state and central posts.
- State-domicile candidates sometimes get extra years in that state's own recruitments (for example, Rajasthan and MP add years for state women and reserved categories).
Because these stack differently across recruiters, read the relaxation table in your specific notification rather than assuming the central figures apply everywhere. To see how an upper limit translates to a real date for you, a step-by-step look at calculating exam age walks through the maths, and you can browse live openings such as the central graduate-level recruitment to check the actual limits in a current notice.
Age Relaxation 2026: हिंदी सारांश
सरकारी नौकरियों में आयु में छूट सामान्य (General) वर्ग की अधिकतम आयु-सीमा के ऊपर दी जाती है — OBC (नॉन-क्रीमी लेयर) को +3 वर्ष, SC/ST को +5 वर्ष, तथा PwBD को +10 वर्ष (OBC-PwBD +13, SC/ST-PwBD +15)। EWS वर्ग को आयु में कोई अतिरिक्त छूट नहीं मिलती — आवेदन सामान्य आयु-सीमा में ही करना होता है, हालांकि 10% आरक्षण व कई परीक्षाओं में शुल्क में छूट मिलती है। भूतपूर्व सैनिकों को सेवा-अवधि + 3 वर्ष की छूट मिलती है। छूट स्वतः नहीं मिलती — फॉर्म में सही श्रेणी चुनकर वैध एवं वर्तमान प्रमाण-पत्र अपलोड करना आवश्यक है। सटीक आंकड़े परीक्षा व राज्य के अनुसार थोड़े भिन्न हो सकते हैं, इसलिए आधिकारिक अधिसूचना अवश्य देखें।