UP okays one-time age relief in police hiring for 32,679 posts — after ‘nudge from its MLAs’

For women candidates in the general category, the age limit is 18-28 from the earlier 18-25. For SC/ST and OBC women candidates, it was earlier 18 to 30, which now will be 18-33 years.

The last date to apply is January 30.

The decisions came following sustained demands, including from two MLAs — BJP’s Shalabh Mani Tripathi from UP’s Deoria Sadar constituency and its ally NISHAD Party’s Anil Kumar Tripathi from Mehdawal in Sant Kabir Nagar district — who highlighted how the delay in recruitment for the past seven years has affected “a large number of youth from the general category, who have been preparing for these recruitments for years”.

A large number of candidates who were earlier excluded from the recruitment process due to age constraints will now get an opportunity, said the government in a statement.

According to the government order, candidates of all categories participating in the recruitment process for the posts of Constable Civil Police (Male/Female); Constable PAC/Armed Police (Male); Constable Special Security Force (Male); Female Constable for Women Battalion; Constable Mounted Police (Male); and Jail Warder (Male and Female) will be granted this age relaxation as a one-time measure.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said in a post on X, “The welfare of the youth of the state is our topmost priority. In this regard, a decision has been taken to provide a relaxation of 03 years in the prescribed maximum age limit for candidates of all categories under the direct recruitment-2025 for a total of 32,679 posts of Constable Civil Police and equivalent posts in @Uppolice. This decision is a symbol of respect for the aspirations and hard work of lakhs of youth in Uttar Pradesh. @UPGovt stands with full commitment and faith alongside the dreams of its hardworking youth.”

To be sure, the move also comes shortly after a dinner meeting in Lucknow attended by 40 BJP MLAs and MLCs, many from the Brahmin community, last month. While MLAs had described the gathering as a “routine informal meeting,” sources claimed discussions reportedly included issues of representation within the party.

MLAs Shalabh Tripathi and Anil Tripathi said they had written letters to the CM, demanding a three-year age limit relaxation for general candidates.

Anil Tripathi told The Indian Express he was the “first one” to raise the issue of relaxation in the age limit to general category candidates though a letter he sent on January 1.

In his letter, he wrote: “You had assured the candidates that a relaxation of 3 years would be given in this recruitment. However, no such relaxation has been provided in the official notification,” Anil Tripathi stated in the letter.

Speaking to The Indian Express, MLA Shalabh Tripathi said he had written a letter to the CM requesting to increase the age limit for general category candidates. Considering the request, the CM has ordered for the relaxation today, he added.

According to the government order, the “decision has been taken in light of Rule 3 of the Uttar Pradesh Public Service (Relaxation of Age Limit for Recruitment) Rules, 1992. This decision has been implemented through a government order issued on January 5, 2026, in continuation of the recruitment advertisement issued on December 31, 2025, inviting online applications from candidates for direct recruitment in Uttar Pradesh Police for the posts of Civil Police Constable and equivalent positions under Recruitment-2025”.

Reacting to the move, meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav wrote on X, “In the face of public outrage over the UP Police recruitment, the BJP government had to bow down, and our collective efforts in support of all the struggling candidates have succeeded. The insensitive BJP government does not undertake any work in the public interest without pressure. This is a victory of unity!”

What did the MLAs say

In his letter dated December 31, Shalabh Tripathi, addressing the CM, had written: “I would like to draw your attention to the fact that recruitment for constables in the Uttar Pradesh Police, PAC, Fire Department, and equivalent posts has recently been announced. A large number of youth from the general category, who have been preparing for these recruitments for years with hard work and dedication, are now being deprived of the opportunity solely due to the upper age limit. Due to the delay in recruitment, their age has now exceeded the prescribed limit. The upper age limit has not been relaxed, which has resulted in these candidates being disqualified despite their readiness and capability.”

“Considering the seriousness of the matter and the sentiments of the youth, I request you to kindly grant a relaxation of at least three years in the upper age limit for candidates belonging to the general category in these recruitments,” he stated in the letter.

Anil Tripathi, in his letter addressed to the CM, stated, “Recruitment for the posts of PAC and Jail Warder in Uttar Pradesh Police was announced in 2018, which is now scheduled for December 2025. The age limit has been set without any relaxation. For the general category, the age limit is 18 to 22 years. The last recruitment for these posts was on 16 November 2018. Due to no recruitment for these posts in the last 7 years, thousands of youth in the state have now crossed the age limit.”

“In this regard, during the ‘Janata Darbar’ in Gorakhpur on November 18 last year and in Lucknow on December 15, 2025, you had assured the candidates that a relaxation of 3 years would be given in this recruitment. However, no such relaxation has been provided in the official notification,” Anil Tripathi stated in the letter.

“Therefore, I request you to kindly consider this matter and issue necessary orders to provide age relaxation in this recruitment,” it added. He had forwarded a copy of the letter to the chief secretary and the principal secretary to the CM as well.