Age Eligibility Checker — Your Age on the Date That Actually Counts
Almost nobody is rejected for being the wrong age. They are rejected because they calculated their age from the wrong date.
Age is reckoned on a reference date set in the notification — usually months before you apply, and different for every recruitment. Enter your date of birth below and see your real age on each one.
| Recruitment | Age band | Reference date | Your age then | Eligible |
|---|
Why the reference date matters so much
Take SSC CHSL 2026. The band is 18 to 27, reckoned as on 1 August 2026. A candidate who turned 28 in July 2026 is out. A candidate who turns 28 in September 2026 is still in, even though they are 28 by the time they sit the exam.
Now compare it with UPESSC Assistant Teacher, where the reference date is 1 July 2026, and BPSC TRE 4.0, where it is 1 August. Three recruitments, three different dates, and your age is different on each.
Relaxation depends on the certificate, not on you. It is granted against a valid category certificate held on the reference date, in the exact format the notification prescribes. An expired OBC certificate, or a state-format one where the central format was required, is treated as no certificate at all — and you are then assessed at the unreserved age limit. Check the issue date before you check the age table.
What this tool does not cover
- Post-specific bands. SSC CPO is 20 to 25 for most posts but 18 to 30 for Sub-Inspector (Fire) in CISF. Always read the post row, not the headline.
- Ex-servicemen relaxation, which is service rendered plus three years and cannot be computed generically.
- State-specific relaxations, which differ by state and sometimes by department.
- Departmental candidates, who often have their own bands.
Treat the result as a first filter. The notification is the authority.
Questions
Is age calculated from the date I apply?
No. It is calculated from a reference date stated in the notification, typically 1 July or 1 August of the exam year. That is the single most misread rule in government recruitment.
Do I need my certificate before applying?
You need it valid as on the reference date and in the prescribed format. Applying first and arranging the certificate later frequently fails at verification.
Why does the same recruitment show different bands?
Because bands are set per post. A single notification can carry several.
Source. Age bands and reference dates taken from the notification for each recruitment listed, as covered elsewhere on this site. Relaxation figures follow standard central government rules.
A recruitment missing or a band wrong? Tell us.