Finance
To provide ample opportunity for overaged aspirants to participate in various recruitment examinations, the Odisha Cabinet approved a significant amendment to the Odisha Civil Service (Fixation of Upper Age Limit) Rules, 1989 on Wednesday, after careful consideration, by raising the upper age limit for entry into government service from 32 to 42 years.
The move comes after multiple requests from various sources for an age reduction to allow more individuals to compete in upcoming recruitment efforts. The decision is likely to broaden the eligible pool and provide an equal opportunity to candidates who may have missed previous opportunities.
However, the new maximum age limit will not be ubiquitous. The enhancement will exclude:
Posts or services where a higher age limit is already prescribed,
Uniformed services such as Police, Fire Services, Forest, and Excise, or Positions where a Physical Efficiency Test (PET) is mandated under recruitment rules.
The Cabinet also clarified that the existing age relaxations for SC/ST, SEBC, women, ex-servicemen, and persons with disabilities will continue to apply as per government norms.
This decision marks a major policy shift and is expected to benefit thousands of aspirants across Odisha.
