Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Civil Services Examination (CSE) annually. The exam has three stages with their own peculiarities. The last stage – Interview, hosts a few thousand candidates who have cleared the first two stages – Prelims and Mains. These aspirants have to undergo a medical test procedure which is a mandatory process of the IAS Exam. This article will introduce you to the medical test procedures for UPSC.
| Candidates can strengthen their preparation for the UPSC Exams by taking the CSAT Mock Test now!!
To complement your preparation for the upcoming exam, check the following links: |
Is there any Medical Test for IAS?
“Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity” – John F. Kennedy
The Civil Services Examination is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) have three stages – Preliminary, Main and Personality test or interview. After the interview candidates, are supposed to appear for their physical test. UPSC will allow each candidate a date and hospital. On that specified date, candidates are advised to go tote hospital for their medical examination.
Medical Examination
The candidate, who after such medical examination as the Central Government or the Appointing Authority, by and large, may endorse, is found not to fulfil these prerequisites, won’t be selected. All candidates who are called for the Personality Test/interview by the Union Public Service Commission may be required to appear for medical examination and this is mandatory. Thus Medical examination is one of the most important factors for allocation of service and therefore completion of medical examination expeditiously is essential for timely and smooth service allocation.
The candidate will be intimated to present themselves before the Central Standing Medical Board (CSMB) constituted for the purpose of conducting a medical examination for determination of a candidate’s mental and physical status and on the basis of this determination a candidate will be recommended as fit or unfit for all services are temporarily unfit or unfit for technical services
Categories of Services
There are two categories of services- Technical and Non-technical Services. Technical Services requiring special medical status in terms of vision, height, chest, chest expansion etc.
Technical services:
- Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS)
- Indian Police Service (IPS)
- Delhi Andaman and Nicobar Police Service (DANIPS)
- Pondicherry Police Service (PONDIPS)
- Railway Protection Force (RPF)
Non-technical services:
- Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
- Indian Foreign Service (IFS)
- Indian Audit & Accounts Service ( IA&AS)
- Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise)
- Indian Civil Accounts Service
- Indian Railway Accounts Service
- Indian Railway Personnel Service
- Indian Defense Accounts Service
- Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax)
- Indian Ordinance Factories Services
- Indian Postal Service
- Indian Defense Estates Service
- Indian Postal & Telegraph Accounts and Finance Service
- Indian Corporate Law Services
- Indian Information Service
- Indian Trade Service
- DANICS
- PONDICS
- Armed Forces Headquarters (AFHQ) Civil Service
Given below are a few posts which candidates can visit for detailed information-
For UPSC Posts aspirants can visit the linked page.
Designated Hospitals to Conduct Medical Test
Medical examination of candidates would be conducted in seven designated hospitals in Delhi. They are:
- Safdarjung Hospital
- Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital
- Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital
- Succheta Kriplani Hospital
- Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital
- Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital
- BR Ambedkar Hospital.
Candidate belonging to the Physical Handicapped (PH) Category as per their application for Civil Services Preliminary Examination would be examined in five hospitals namely,
- Safdarjung Hospital
- Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital
- LHMC
- Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital
- Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital.
Lady candidates would be examined in all the above mentioned seven hospitals. A Lady Doctor will be co-opted as a member of the Medical Board whenever a woman candidate is to be examined.
Advice for candidates
The candidate should come fasting for 10 hours or more on the day of the Medical Examination. They shouldn’t come without taking any medicine upon the arrival of the Medical Examination. If the candidates are using spectacles, Hearing Aid should bring the same with the prescription for the same. In the event that the applicant is utilizing Contact Lenses, they are encouraged to quit utilizing them no less than 48 hours before the medical examination. The Candidate ought to bring along with records of any surgical procedure he/she has experienced before.
The candidate who belongs to the Physical Handicapped (PH) category is advised to bring along the appliances being used by him/her and should bring along the ‘Disability Certificate’, if any, issued to him/her by any Disability Medical Board in the past.
All candidates with pregnancy will be fit for all types of services, except-the services which require/physical training. Those requiring or physical training will be declared ‘Fit’ after confinement.
Prepare for Medical Examination
Before approaching the Central Standing Medical Board for medical examination, the candidates are expected to prepare themselves well in advance to avoid any adverse and unfriendly outcomes. It is encouraged to begin working out a few weeks or months before the calendar of the medical examination, especially if you are opting for IPS. Don’t get ready at the last minute. Step by step, fabricate your stamina and wellness level and give enough planning time to lose any overabundance weight.
IAS Physical Test
At hospital
When you enter your hospital you are supposed to fill up a form giving details of your earlier appearance before any medical board, earlier vaccinations you have been given, details of any surgery you have undergone, details of health conditions of your family.
Tests conducted
- Blood test and the urine test
- Blood pressure: Blood pressure is measured and noted in your medical examination. The Candidate should try not to get overstressed otherwise the doctor may ask more questions and may conduct further tests. The doctor usually asks you to jump a specific number of times before he will conduct any tests.
- Diabetes Mellitus: All candidates should be subjected to fasting Blood Sugar and HbA1C after 8-10 hours or overnight fasting to rule out the presence of Diabetes Mellitus.
- Hearing ability: – The candidate’s hearing in each ear should be good and there should be no sign of disease of the ear. In case it is defective the candidate should be examined by a specialist. If the defect in hearing is remediable by operation or by the use of a hearing aid, then the candidate cannot be declared unfit on that account provided he/she has no progressive disease in the ear.
- Lungs and heart rate are checked with a stethoscope. The doctor may ask you to breathe normally or at a faster rate.
- X-ray: There is a chest X-ray and separate tests are also conducted to check for a hernia. Bone density is also measured by various tests.
- Separate tests are also conducted to check for a hernia.
- Standard height and weight: The candidate will also be weighed and his weight recorded in kilograms. Fractions of half a kilogram should be rounded into zero and more than half a kilogram should be rounded into one. The height and chest of the candidates should be measured twice before coming to a final decision.
| S.No | Service | Gender | Height | Chest | Chest Expansion |
| 1 |
Indian Railway Traffic Service |
Men | 152 cm* | 84 cm | 5cm |
| Women | 150 cm* | 79 cm | 5 cm | ||
| 2. | Indian Police Service,
Group ‘A’ post in Railway Protection Force and other Central Police Services Group ‘A’ & Group ‘B’ |
Men | 165 cm [For ST (except SC/ OBC) – 160 cm] | 84 cm | 5cm |
| Women | 150 cm[For ST (except SC/ OBC)- 145 cm] | 79 cm | 5 cm |
* The following relaxed minimum height is prescribed in the case of candidates belonging to Scheduled Tribes and to races such as Gorkhas, Garhwalis, Assamese, Kumaonis, and Nagaland Tribal etc. whose average height is distinctly lower.
- Ophthalmic Test
- Normal vision: The candidates have to identify letters at a distance.
Standards for distant & near vision for Class of Service
| Technical Services | Non- Technical Services | |||
| Better eye (corrected vision) | Worse eye | Better eye (corrected vision) | Worse eye | |
| Distant vision | 6/6 or 6/9 | 6/12 or 6/9 | 6/6 or 6/9 | 6/18 to Nil or 6/12 |
| Near vision | J1** | J2** | J1**
J2 |
J3 to Nil** J2 |
| Types of corrections permitted | Spectacles, CL and Refractive Surgery* like Lasik, ICL, IOL etc. | Spectacles, CL and Refractive Surgery like
Lasik, ICL, IOL etc.
|
||
| Limits of refractive permitted | +4.00 D (including cylinder)-Non- Pathological Myopia +4.00 D (including cylinder) (Hypermetropia)
|
None but without
|
||
| Color vision requirements | High Grade
|
Low grade
|
||
| Binocular vision needed | Yes
|
No
|
||
* To be referred to a Special Board of Ophthalmologists.
** Near vision for Railways Service viz., IRTS, IRAS, IRPS and RPF is JI in better eye and JII in the worse eye.
Color Vision: The candidates have to identify the character correctly, and there will be some mazes also where you have to trace the path according to the colour correctly.
The color perception should be graded into higher and lower grade depending upon the size of the aperture in the lantern as described in the table below:-
| Grade | Higher Grade Color Perception |
Lower Grade Color Perception |
|
| 1 | Distance between the lamp and the candidate | 16 ft | 16 ft |
| 2 | Size of aperture | 1.3 mm. | 13 mm. |
| 3 | Time of exposure | 5 second | 5 second |
- High-grade Color Vision is required for IPS, Other Police Services, 1RTS and RPF.
- Low-Grade Color Vision is acceptable for the rest of the services under
There is also a provision for appealing a decision of the medical board if you think an adverse report has been given. Another board in another government hospital will be instituted for the same.
Candidates aspiring to appear for teh upcoming UPSC Exam can check the following to boost their preparation-
Aspirants can read the related articles below:
| India Year Book – 5 Things to Know | UPSC Calendar 2023 |
| Documents Required for UPSC Exam | Language Papers in UPSC – Tips to Study |
| UPSC Admit Card | IAS Eligibility Criteria |
Can a person with pictus excavatum become a ias please answer
Hi
Yes, the Commission assigns a UPSC category code for different disabilities to sit for the exam. Check the list of services that are open for candidates belonging to the physically handicapped category.
Wish you all the best.
Can a color blinded person become an IAS
Hi
Color Vision is tested by the two tests – Edridge Green’s Lantern Technique and Ishihara’s Plates. Special Ophthalmic Board (SOB) to the one to check the degenerative changes in the retina. Following this, they decide if the candidate is fit for the service or not.
sir, I am fully deaf. I have a hearing disability certificate from Ram Manohar Lohia hospital. Sir, Can u pls tell me that can I give CSE, I appeared/ apply for IAS.
Hi
Yes, UPSC has assigned various category codes for different disabilities. Code FD belongs to candidates who have a hearing disability (Fully deaf.) You can apply for CSE if you meet other eligibility criteria.
Hi is any person who have vitiligo, can he appear for this upsc?
Yes, he/she can appear for the IAS Exam.
I have myopia. Am i eligible for IAS
Hi Jyotsna
As per the UPSC rules, those who have myopia with macular degenerative changes will be declared unfit for service in the IAS.
Can a person with hepatitis b become an IAS
Yes Abhishek
He can, however only after successful medical tests that UPSC conducts during the interview stage.
I have both hydrocele and Vericocele, so after the surgery will i be medically fit for both IPS and IAS.
The medical examination of the candidates selected will only confirm if they are physically fit for the services. Central Standing Medical Board (CSMB) is constituted for the purpose of conducting a medical examination for determination of a candidate’s mental and physical status and on the basis of this determination a candidate will be recommended as fit or unfit for all services are temporarily unfit or unfit for technical services.
Hi there, I am sumit and I am suffering from a skin that’s known as vitiligo also known as white spots. Will I be able to qualify because rest assured I am healthy and I have no other conditions just have this problem. Should prepare for it or just leave my dream?
The medical examination conducted by the medical board after the personality test confirms the eligibility of the candidate. As the UPSC notification doesn’t mention about Vitiligo as a barrier to a service, you may write the exam.
Can a person with a 6cm knee gap( Knock knee) apply for IAS?
You can apply for UPSC CSE. At the interview stage, a medical board examines the candidates and only after they notify you as a fit candidate for respective services, you may join IAS. So far, knock knee is not mentioned as an obstacle to the selection procedure.
Sir , i have hemorrhoids. Am i eligible for irs?
Hi Varun
A candidate is deemed temporarily unfit for the conditions that can be cured. Once cured, you will have to undergo a re-examination and once the medical board authorised by UPSC deems you fit, you can proceed with the services you are selected for. Please note that there are no specific guidelines in UPSC notification. For any query, you can contact UPSC through the contact details given on its official website.
Knock knee and bow legs can also lead to unfit remark in thr medical examination?
Though there is no specific guideline from UPSC pertaining to knock knees and bow legs, it is often considered to be a misfit for IPS. However, the decision of the medical board authorized by UPSC is final and the candidates who pass all the stages, have to undergo a medical examination only after which they are deemed to be fit or unfit for the civil services.
Can a diabetic person become an IAS officer??
Yes, one can. However, the candidate goes through a medical test procedure and the final decision w.r.t the fitness of the candidate rests with the competent medical authority.
Sir ,my height is one hundred sixty four point five cm am I eligible for ias ips
For IAS, there is no specific height requirement but for IPS the height required is to be 165 cm for males. In both IAS and IPS, a candidate has to go through a medical test procedure and the decision of the competent authority is final. Read about IPS Physical Requirement here.
Sir, I have one eyed vision am I eligible for IAS
Hi
A person has an amblyopic eye, he/she is sent to a medical board who examines the candidate. In most of the cases, they are deemed fit if the other eye has full field vision, 6/6 distant vision (with/without correction) and normal color vision,
Sir,,, is a person with hyperthyroidism can be an IAS? Is it fit?
Hi Anu
Please read the physical eligibility criteria for IAS in the linked article. For further clarification, you may reach out to UPSC query portal, details of which are mentioned on its official website.
Is a person with highblood pressure eligible for upsc posts
Hi.
As per UPSC, as a general rule any systolic pressure over 140 mmHg. and diastolic over 90 mmHg. should be regarded as suspicious and the candidate should be hospitalized by the Board before giving their final opinion regarding the candidate’s fitness or otherwise.
Sir, i have underwent two surgeries of my left foot at the time of my birth . my left leg is thinner than my right leg.
i can walk easily but face some minor problems while running .. am i eligible for upsc cse or i will be considered unfit for all services provided by upsc .. ( if i am eligible then please tell which are those services) . please reply sir .
Hi
UPSC only mentions, ‘The feet, hands and limbs are well-formed and there should be no restriction on joint movements.’ Since you have no such issue, you are declared fit for IAS. For further clarity, you may reach out to +919243500460.
Can HIV positive student become IAS? Do they check for HIV Test? Please guide.
Hi,
For detailed eligibility queries, you may contact +9243500460.
Sir ips requirement height for OBC candidates how much exactly?