At least 15 applicants for the Civil Service exam have written individual letters to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna, challenging the current age eligibility rule.

They contend that the regulation, which establishes August 1 as the deadline for determining the maximum age limit, is unfair and goes against the equal opportunity principle, India Today reports.

As per the current regulations, candidates in the general category must not be older than 32 by August 1 of the exam year. Applicants who turn 32 on July 31 are not eligible to apply for the Civil Services Preliminary exam, which is normally held in May.

However, candidates who turn 32 after August 1 are eligible to apply, even though they are of the same age.

The applicants have claimed that this policy creates an unfair system. They argue that candidates born just days or months apart are treated differently because of this cut-off, which undervalues their merit and preparation.

In their letter, one of the aspirants requested that the deadline be delayed to January 1, similar to other government recruiting processes, to guarantee fairness.

Other letters contend that the policy breaches Article 21 of the Constitution, which ensures the right to life and personal liberty. Some also allege a violation of Article 16, which offers equal opportunity in public service.

To recall, a similar appeal was dismissed by the Supreme Court in October 2024.