UP APO Eligibility Criteria 2025: Age Limit, Qualification, Nationality

Overview: Before filling out the UP APO application form, the very first thing every aspirant must do is carefully check the UP APO Eligibility Criteria 2025. In this blog, we’ll break down the eligibility requirements one by one—covering nationality, domicile, educational qualification, age limit with relaxations, marital status, and preferential qualifications.

Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) is strict about eligibility, and even a small mistake can lead to disqualification at any stage of the recruitment process. By the end, you’ll have complete clarity on whether you are eligible to apply.

UP APO Eligibility Criteria 2025

Here is the quick guide on UP APO Eligibility Requirements

Criteria	Requirement
Nationality	Must be an Indian citizen OR meet conditions for Nepal, Bhutan, Tibetan refugee, or Indian origin migrants
Domicile	UP domicile required for reservation; outside candidates treated as UR
Educational Qualification	Law degree (LLB) from a recognised university
Age Limit	21–40 years (as on 1st July 2025)
Age Relaxations	SC/ST/OBC +5 yrs, PwD +15 yrs, DFF +5 yrs, Women +5 yrs, Ex-servicemen as per rules
Marital Status	Not eligible if multiple marriages (unless exempted by Governor)
Fitness	Must be medically fit
Preferential Qualifications	NCC “B” Certificate or 2 years in Territorial Army

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Nationality Requirement for UP APO 2025

The first condition is nationality. To apply for the UP APO Exam 2025, a candidate must be:

1. A citizen of India, OR
2. A subject of Nepal or Bhutan, OR
3. A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1st January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling here, OR
4. A person of Indian origin who has migrated from countries such as Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and East African nations like Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania with the intention of permanently settling in India.

Candidates who are migrated and setteled in India must produce an eligibility certificate from the Government of India at the time of document verification.

Domicile Requirement

The UP APO Eligibility Criteria 2025 also specifies domicile rules, which are extremely important for claiming reservation benefits.

• Reservation benefits (SC, ST, OBC, EWS, Women, PwD, Ex-servicemen, DFF) are available only to candidates who are original residents of Uttar Pradesh.
• Candidates from outside UP, even if they belong to SC/ST/OBC/EWS categories in their own states, will be treated under the Unreserved (UR) category in UPPSC exams.

Proof Required: A valid domicile certificate of Uttar Pradesh issued by a competent authority.

Check out - Total Number of vacancies Announced for UP APO By UPPSC

Educational Qualification for UP APO 2025

The UP APO qualification is simple but nonnegotiable:

• A candidate must hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB) from a recognised university in India.
• The degree must be recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Bar Council of India (BCI).
• Only candidates who have completed their law degree before the last date of application are eligible. Those awaiting results are not considered.

 Without a valid LLB degree, you cannot apply for the exam, regardless of any other qualifications.

Age Limit for UP APO Exam 2025

Another key part of the UP APO Eligibility Criteria 2025 is the age requirement.

• Minimum Age: 21 years (as on 1st July 2025)
• Maximum Age: 40 years (as on 1st July 2025)

That means candidates must have been born not earlier than 2nd July 1985 and not later than 1st July 2004.

Age Relaxations

The UPPSC provides certain relaxations in the upper age limit for specific categories:

Category	Relaxation	Maximum Permissible Age
SC / ST / OBC (of UP only)	+5 years	45 years
Persons with Disabilities (PwD)	+15 years	55 years
Ex-servicemen	Service years added to age	As per UPPSC rules
Dependents of Freedom Fighters (DFF)	+5 years	45 years
Women candidates (domicile of UP)	+5 years	45 years

📌 Note: These relaxations apply only to UP domiciles. For candidates from outside UP, no relaxation is given.

Check out - Revised UP APO Syllabus for 2025

Marital Status Rules

Interestingly, the UP APO Eligibility Criteria 2025 also lays down rules regarding marital status:

1. Male candidates who have more than one living wife are not eligible.
2. Female candidates married to a man who already has a living wife are also not eligible.
3. However, in special cases, the Governor of Uttar Pradesh may grant an exemption and consider the candidate eligible.

This condition is included to ensure fairness and compliance with personal law norms.

Physical & Mental Fitness 

Candidates must be in good physical and mental health.

UPPSC may require candidates to submit a medical fitness certificate before final appointment.

Any condition that affects the candidate’s ability to perform duties as an APO may lead to disqualification

Preferential Qualifications

While not mandatory, certain additional qualifications will give candidates an edge during selection:

1. Service in the Territorial Army for at least 2 years.
2. Possession of an NCC “B” Certificate.

Candidates with these qualifications are given preference when marks are equal or during tiebreaking situations

Why It is Important to Check Eligibility Criteria Before Applying For UP APO Exam

Many aspirants rush to fill the application form without carefully checking the UP APO Eligibility Criteria 2025. This can be a big mistake because: UPPSC strictly verifies documents at multiple stages.

Even if you clear Prelims and Mains, your candidature can be cancelled if eligibility isn’t met.

Having the right documents (caste, domicile, medical, NCC certificate, etc.) is as important as preparing for the exam itself.

Conclusion

The UP APO Eligibility Criteria 2025 clearly lays out the conditions every aspirant must meet from nationality and domicile to age, marital status, and qualifications. The most important requirement is having a valid law degree (LLB) and falling within the prescribed age bracket of 21–40 years (with relaxations for certain categories).

Before starting your UP APO registration, take a few minutes to doublecheck that you fulfil every condition and have the necessary documents ready. Meeting the eligibility criteria is your first step towards becoming an Assistant Prosecution Officer in Uttar Pradesh—a role that not only carries prestige but also gives you the chance to serve in the state’s justice system.