Why has Andhra Pradesh raised the age limit for govt. jobs, and who is still left out? | Explained
Age relief rekindles hopes of job aspirants a year before the relaxation lapses; uniform-service candidates seek a wider window
The Andhra Pradesh government has raised the upper age limit for direct recruitment to non-uniform services from 42 to 44 years, extending the relaxation up to September 30, 2027. This decision, made through G.O. Ms. No. 187, was prompted by repeated representations from job aspirants through the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) seeking relief due to prolonged gaps in recruitment.
The move comes just weeks before APPSC is scheduled to open applications for 892 posts, including 163 Group-I posts, on October 6, 2026.
The government's decision has sparked hope among aspirants like Gaddam Venu Madhav, a 43-and-a-half-year-old Group-II job aspirant from Guntur, who had been unsuccessful in securing a Group-II post over the past decade. Mr. Venu Madhav, now hopeful, said, "This is my only chance to realize my dream of securing a government job. I'll give it my best shot."
Conversely, Regalla Srinivasa Rao, a 47-year-old aspirant from Guntur, feels the relaxation has come too late. His 15-year-long pursuit of a government job has been thwarted by the current age limit. He expressed disappointment, stating, "An increase of the upper age limit by another five years would have brought me within the eligibility bracket."
The coalition government's job calendar, announced on March 19, 2026, proposed 41 recruitment notifications covering 10,060 posts. However, job seekers argued that the benefits could be fully realized only with corresponding age concessions. APPSC member Parige Sudheer pointed out that the government has periodically relaxed the upper age limit due to delays and gaps in recruitment, citing several Government Orders since 2016.
The irregular recruitment cycles and gaps are evident from the frequency of APPSC notifications for various services. For instance, Group-I notifications were issued in 2016, 2018, 2022, and 2023, while Group-II notifications were released in 2016, 2018, and 2023. These irregularities have left many aspirants without adequate opportunities to secure government jobs.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
