Odisha government removes limit on number of attempts for OCS exam

The Odisha government has taken a significant decision to remove the limit on the number of attempts prescribed for candidates appearing in the Odisha Civil Services (OCS) examination. According to an NDTV report, eligible candidates will now be able to take this examination as many times as they wish, provided they remain within the age limit.

This ambitious decision was taken during a state cabinet meeting held on November 9, 2026. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Mazie. According to the official press release, the cabinet has granted approval to amend the 'Odisha Civil Services (Combined Competitive Recruitment Examination) Rules, 1991'.

Under the new rules, candidates can now attempt the OCS examination as many times as they desire. However, despite this amendment, candidates must adhere to the prescribed age limit and fulfill all other eligibility criteria to sit for the exam. That is, the restriction on the number of attempts has been lifted, but the age limit remains unchanged.

According to previous rules, the number of attempts was fixed for candidates of various categories. For General category candidates, the maximum limit to take this exam was 6 attempts. For candidates belonging to Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC), this limit was higher, allowing them a maximum of 9 attempts.

With this recent decision, all these restrictions have been completely removed. This means that eligible candidates no longer need to worry about exhausting their attempts while preparing for the exam. This change will particularly benefit those candidates who require more time for preparation or those who were unable to pass the exam in previous attempts.

This government decision will provide OCS candidates with more flexibility, allowing them to continue their preparation without the pressure of fixed attempts. The primary objective of this amendment is to create broad and fair opportunities for merit-based selection, so that a maximum number of eligible youth get the chance to join the administrative services.

Candidates must take special note that the removal of the attempt limit does not mean the age limit has also been removed. To remain eligible for the exam, it is still mandatory for the candidate to be within the age range prescribed by the government. Through this amendment, candidates can now attempt to succeed by taking the exam repeatedly according to their capacity until the age limit is reached.