Candidates planning to apply for the OPSC OCS Preliminary Examination 2026 must carefully check the eligibility criteria before filling out the application form. The basic requirement is that the applicant must be a Graduate from a recognised university in India.
The Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) conducts the Odisha Civil Services (OCS) Examination every year to recruit eligible candidates for Group A and Group B posts in various state government departments of Odisha. Since this is a highly competitive and prestigious examination, meeting all eligibility conditions is mandatory.
OPSC OCS 2026 Overview
OPSC has released the official notification for the Odisha Civil Services Examination 2026, inviting applications from eligible candidates for administrative positions. Aspirants are advised to read the complete notification carefully to understand all eligibility requirements, including age limit, educational qualification, language proficiency, and nationality.
The OCS exam recruits candidates for the following services:
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Odisha Administrative Service (OAS)
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Odisha Police Service (OPS)
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Odisha Revenue Service
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Odisha Taxation & Accounts Service
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Odisha Labour Service
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Odisha Excise Service
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Odisha Cooperative Service
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Odisha Skill Development & Employment Service
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Odisha Welfare Service
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Odisha Transport Service
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Odisha Tourism Service
OPSC OCS Age Limit 2026
To be eligible for the OPSC OCS Examination 2026, a candidate must:
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Have attained 21 years of age
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Not be above 42 years of age
The age is calculated as on 1st January 2025.
This means the candidate must not have been born earlier than 2nd January 1983 and not later than 1st January 2004.
OPSC OCS Age Relaxation
Relaxation in the upper age limit is provided to reserved category candidates as per government rules.
| Category | Age Relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC / ST / SEBC | 5 years |
| Women | 5 years |
| Ex-Servicemen | 5 years (based on service period) |
| Persons with Disabilities (PwBD) | 10 years |
| PwBD (SC / ST / SEBC) | 15 years (combined) |
OPSC OCS Educational Qualification
According to the official notification, candidates must possess a Bachelor’s Degree from:
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Any University established by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India, or
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An Educational Institution established by an Act of Parliament, or
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A University deemed under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, or
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A Foreign University approved by the Central Government
Candidates appearing in the final year of their degree may apply, provided they produce proof of qualification at the time of document verification.
Odia Language Proficiency
Knowledge of the Odia language is mandatory. Candidates must be able to read, write, and speak Odia and must have fulfilled at least one of the following conditions:
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Passed the Middle School Examination with Odia as a language subject, or
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Passed High School Certificate or equivalent examination with Odia as the medium of instruction in non-language subjects, or
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Passed Odia as a language subject in Class VII final examination from a recognised school, or
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Passed a Middle English School standard Odia test conducted by the School & Mass Education Department of the Government of Odisha
OPSC OCS Nationality
To be eligible for the OPSC OCS Examination 2026:
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The candidate must be a citizen of India
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Foreign nationals are not eligible to apply
