PCS 2024 Exam: Educational Qualifications

• The candidate appearing in PCS Exam 2024 should possess a bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognized university or institution; Provided that the candidate may be permitted to take a preliminary examination while studying for the qualifying degree. However, the candidate shall be required to produce proof of qualifying for the degree course to be eligible to take the Main Competitive Examination (As per Punjab State Civil Services (Appointment by Combined Competitive Examination) Rules, 2009) during that year.
• No candidate appearing in PCS Exam 2024 shall be eligible for appearing in the Preliminary Competitive Examination unless he/she has passed the Matriculation Examination with Punjabi as one of the compulsory or elective subjects or any other equivalent examination in the Punjabi language, which may be specified by the Government from time to time.
• For eligibility for PSCSCCE-2024, the expression "recognized university" or "institution" shall have the same meaning, as assigned to it in the Punjab Civil Services (General and Common Conditions of Service) Rules, 1994.

PCS 2024 Exam: Age Limit

As mandated by Punjab State Civil Services (Appointment by Combined Competitive Examination) Rules, 2009 read with Punjab Civil Services (Executive Branch) Rules 1976, and Govt. instructions issued from time to time, the candidate appearing in PCS Exam 2024 should have attained the minimum age of 21 years and should not have attained the age of 37 years on the first day of January of the year in which the last day falls for submission of application to the Commission.  In other words, the candidate appearing in PCS Exam 2024 should have attained the age of 21 years but should not be older than 37 years on 1st January 2024.

• Provided that in the case of the post of  Deputy Superintendent Police and Deputy Superintendent Jail)/ District Probation Officer (Grade-II) in Punjab Prisons State Service, a candidate should have attained the minimum age of 21 years and should not have attained the age of 28 years on the first day of the year, as referred to above.
• The upper age limit for a Punjab Government, Other State Governments, or the Government of India, including Board/Corporations/Public Sector Undertaking employees appearing in the PCS Exam 2024 may be relaxed up to 45 years. However, no age relaxation is permissible for Punjab Police Service.
• The Upper age limit may be relaxed up to 33 years for Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes of Punjab only in the case of the Punjab Police Service and Punjab Prisons Service.
• The Upper age limit may be relaxed up to 42 years for Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes of Punjab only in case of other services except for Punjab Police Service and Punjab Prisons Service.
• Ex-servicemen of Punjab Domicile shall be allowed to deduct the period of their service in the Armed Forces of Union from their actual age and if the resultant age does not exceed the maximum age limit prescribed for direct appointment to such a vacancy in the Service Rules concerned by more than three years, he shall be deemed to satisfy the condition regarding age limit.
• The upper age limit may be relaxed up to 42 years for Widows, Divorced women appearing in PCS Exam 2024, and certain other Categories of women. However, no age relaxation is permissible for women in case of Punjab Police Services and Punjab Prisons Service.
• The upper age limit may be relaxed up to 47 years for the Physically Handicapped of Punjab only. However, no age relaxation is permissible in the case of the Punjab Police Service and Punjab Prisons Service.

Note: Regarding drawing the pay of the appointed candidate, as per Notification No. 7/204/2012-4FP1/66, Dated 15/01/2015 Govt. of Punjab, Department of Finance (Finance Personnel-I Branch) Chandigarh, and Notification No. 1/62016-4P.P.1/834680/1 dated 07/09/2016 Govt. of Punjab, Department of Personnel PP-I Branch Chandigarh, fixed emolument equal to Minimum of the Pay Band without any Grade Pay or any allowance will be paid during the probation period of 3 years. It is also clear that an Annual increment or any other allowance except a traveling allowance will not be paid during the probation period of 3 years. However, this issue is under litigation. So, there may be some change in rules in due course, but so far the Rules stand.

Summary of Age Limits

Nationality

A candidate appearing in PCS Exam 2024 shall be a:

1. Citizen of India; or
2. Citizen of Nepal; or
3. The subject of Bhutan; or
4. A Tibetan refugee who came over to India before the Ist January. 1962, to permanently settle in India; or
5. A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, and East African countries of Kenya, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania (formerly Tanganyika and Zanzibar) Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, and Vietnam intending to permanently settle in India;

Provided that a candidate appearing in PCS Exam 2024 other than the candidates possessing Indian nationality shall be a person in whose favor a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Competent Authority as notified Punjab Civil Services (General and Common Conditions of Service) Rules, 1994.

Conditions that may render a candidate ineligible

The following conditions, among others, shall render the candidates appearing in PCS Exam 2024 ineligible for the Preliminary Competitive Examination:

• Insufficient examination fee;
• Examination fees are deposited by means other than Bank Challan in any branch of the State Bank of Patiala.
• Wrong/incomplete information given in the application form;
• Candidates debarred by the PPSC/other Public Service Commissions;
• Non-fulfillment of any of the eligibility conditions, including those of age and educational qualifications.