A Comprehensive Guide to the UPSC CDS Examination

Comprehensive Guide to UPSC CDS Exam Details

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination twice a year to recruit candidates for various prestigious posts in the Indian Armed Forces. The UPSC CDS exam is a gateway for young men and women who aspire to serve their country by becoming officers in the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

The UPSC CDS exam aims to select candidates for officer-level positions in the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA), and Officers' Training Academy (OTA). The exam is conducted in April and September. Only unmarried graduates are eligible to sit for the exam. Any candidate can take this exam after graduation.

UPSC CDS: How to Apply?

Candidates are required to apply online using the website upsconline.nic.in.
It is essential for the applicants to register themselves first on the One Time Registration (OTR) platform, available on the Commission’s website, and then proceed with filling out the online application for the examination.
OTR has to be registered only once in life. This can be done anytime throughout the year.
If the applicants have already registered, they can immediately begin filling out the online application for the examination.
After registering on the OTR platform, the applicant can only make changes to their OTR profile once in their lifetime.
After submitting their applications, the applicants cannot withdraw them.
Applicants should have details of one Photo ID Card viz. Aadhaar Card/Voter Card/PAN Card/Passport/Driving Licence/Any other Photo ID Card issued by the State/Central Government.

UPSC CDS Exam Pattern

Three stages comprise the CDS examination: an objective written exam, a Service Selection Board (SSB) interview, and a medical examination.

The CDS SSB procedure consists of two stages of selection: stage I and stage II. Candidates who pass stage I can only proceed to stage II. The details are –

Stage I includes the Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and the Picture Perception Description Test (PP&DT). Based on their performance in the OIR Test and PP&DT, we shortlisted the candidates.
Stage II consists of interviews, group testing officer tasks, psychology tests, and a conference. These tests are conducted over 4 days.

The maximum marks allotted to the written examination and to the interviews are equal for each course, i.e., the maximum marks allotted to the written examination and to the interviews will be 300, 300, 300, and 200 each for admission to the Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, and Officers’ Training Academy, respectively. The papers in all subjects contain only objective-type questions.

For incorrect answers marked by a candidate in the objective-type question papers, there is a penalty (negative marking). A candidate forfeits one-third (0.33) of the marks assigned to a question when they provide an incorrect answer.

A candidate recommended by the Services Selection Board (SSB) undergoes a medical examination by the Special Medical Board and a Board of Service Medical Officers. The Academy admits only those candidates whom the Medical Board declares fit.

UPSC CDS Eligibility

A candidate must be single and must either be

a citizen of India, or
a subject of Nepal, or
a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, and the East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, or Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.

Age Limit

For IMA—Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 2nd January, 2001 and not later than 1st January, 2006, are eligible.
For the Indian Naval Academy—Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 2nd January, 2001 and not later than 1st January, 2006, are eligible.
For the Air Force Academy - 20 to 24 years as on 1st January, 2025.
For the Officers' Training Academy—(SSC Course for Men), only unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 2nd January, 2000 and not later than 1st January, 2006, are eligible.
For Officers' Training Academy—(SSC Women Non-Technical Course) Unmarried women, issueless widows who have not remarried, and issueless divorcees (in possession of divorce documents) who have not remarried are eligible. They should have been born not earlier than 2nd January, 2000 and not later than 1st January, 2006.

Educational Qualifications

For the IMA and Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai, — Degree of a recognised University or equivalent.
For the Indian Naval Academy— Degree in Engineering from a recognised University/Institution.
For Air Force Academy—Degree of a recognised University (with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level) or Bachelor of Engineering.

UPSC CDS Exam Syllabus

The subjects of the written examination, the time allotted, and the maximum marks allocated to each subject are as follows

For Admission to Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Air Force Academy

Subject	Duration	Maximum Marks
English	2 Hours	100
General Knowledge	2 Hours	100
Elementary Mathematics (Arithmetic, Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Mensuration, Statistics)	2 Hours	100

For Admission to Officers’ Training Academy

Subject	Duration	Maximum Marks
English	2 Hours	100
General Knowledge	2 Hours	100

UPSC CDS Exam Fee

The applicants must pay the prescribed application fee during the online application process. Payment can be made through online or offline modes. The UPSC's application notice contains details about the fee.

Conclusion

The Combined Defence Services Examination is a crucial and prestigious pathway for individuals aspiring to join the Indian Armed Forces as officers. Successfully clearing the CDS exam provides an opportunity for candidates to train at esteemed institutions like the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA), and Officers' Training Academy (OTA).

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