CDS Course Registration Form
What is CDS?
CDS stands for Combined Defence Services. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts a national-level examination twice a year to select candidates for admission to renowned military training institutions, including the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Air Force Academy (IAF), Indian Naval Academy (INA) and Officer Training Academy (OTA).
The CDS exam is open to unmarried graduates, and applications are invited in December and May, with examinations held in April and September. The selection process consists of two stages: a written test followed by an interview conducted by the Services Selection Board (SSB). Successful candidates are admitted into their respective academies after clearing both stages.
UPSC CDS Recruitment
UPSC CDS Notification is out with all the required details such as application date, eligibility criteria, exam date, exam pattern, application process etc. Candidates should check the UPSC CDS Notification carefully before applying for the CDS 2025. To get selected for the UPSC CDS 2025 Exam, candidates must go through the two-layer selection process i.e. Written Examination and Interview.
The Commission has also stated that candidates will attend the Services Selection Board (SSB) tests at their own risk and will not be eligible to claim any compensation or assistance from the Government for any injury sustained during or as a result of the tests, regardless of whether such injury is caused by negligence or any other reason. Candidates must sign a certificate acknowledging this on the form provided with the application.
| UPSC CDS (I) Notification 2025: | Key Highlights | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam Conducting Organization | Static General Knowledge (Indian History, Culture etc.) |
||
| Exam Name | Combined Defence Services Examination | ||
| Application Mode | Online | ||
| Examination Mode | Written Exam | ||
| Frequency of Exam | Twice in a Year | ||
| Job Location | India | ||
| Selection Process | • Written Exam • SSB Interview |
| Event | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Notification Release Date | 11 December 2024 | ||
| Application Start Date | 11 December 2024 | ||
| Last Date to Apply | 31 December 2024 | ||
| Correction Window | 1 to 7 January 2025 | ||
| Admit Card Release Date | Admit Card Release Date | ||
| Answer Key | To Be Announced | ||
| Result/Final Selection | To Be Announced |
| Official Website |
| UPSC CDS Notification PDF 2025 |
| UPSC CDS Apply Link |
| UPSC CDS (I) Admit Card 2025 (Inactive) |
| UPSC CDS 2025 Answer Key (Inactive) |
| UPSC CDS (I) Result 2025 (Inactive) |
UPSC CDS 2025 Vacancy
The UPSC CDS Vacancy 2025 has been announced through the UPSC CDS Notification 2025. The number of vacancies listed is provisional and may change at any time based on the requirements of the Services Headquarters. The Indian Army publishes separate vacancies for men and women across various entries, considering both current and future operational and administrative needs of the Force. The Combined Defence Services Examination (I) 2025 will be conducted for admission to the following courses:
| Course | Vacancy |
|---|---|
| Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun - 160th (DE) Course will commence in January 2026 | 100 (13 vacancies are reserved for candidates who hold an NCC 'C' (Army Wing) certificate) |
| Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala - Course will commence in January 2026 Executive Branch (General Service)/Hydro | 32 (6 vacancies are reserved for candidates who hold an NCC 'C' Certificate (Naval Wing).) |
| Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala - Course will commence in January 2026 Executive Branch (General Service)/Hydro | 32 (6 vacancies are reserved for candidates who hold an NCC 'C' Certificate (Naval Wing).) |
| Air Force Academy (AFA), Hyderabad - (Pre-Flying) Training Course will commence in January 2026 i.e. No. 219 F(P) Course. | 32 (3 vacancies are reserved for candidates who hold an NCC 'C' Certificate (Air Wing) through the NCC Special Entry.) |
| Officers’ Training Academy (OTA), Chennai (Madras) 123rd SSC (Men) (NT) (UPSC) Course Commencing in April, 2026. | 275 |
| Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai (Madras) 37th SSC Women (NT) (UPSC) Course commencing in April, 2026. | 18 |
| Total | 457 |
UPSC CDS Eligibility Criteria 2025
Applicants must ensure they meet all eligibility criteria before applying for the examination. Their admission at all stages of the examination is purely provisional and subject to satisfying the prescribed eligibility conditions. Verification of eligibility conditions with original documents will only be conducted after the candidate has qualified for the interview/Personality Test. Below, we outline the eligibility criteria for the UPSC CDS (II) Exam 2025 for your reference.
Nationality
A candidate must be unmarried and must either be:
(i) A Citizen of India, or
(ii) A subject of Nepal, or
(iii) A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka and East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire and Ethiopia or Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.
Age Limit and Marital Status
The age limit for the UPSC CDS (I) Exam 2024 has been specified in the UPSC CDS Notification 2024. Below is a table detailing the age limit for each academy:
| Course | Age Limit |
|---|---|
| Indian Military Academy | Only unmarried male candidates born between 2 January 2002 and 1 January 2007 (both dates inclusive) are eligible to apply. |
| Indian Naval Academy | Unmarried male candidates who are born on or after 2 January 2002 and on or before 1 January 2007 are eligible to apply. |
| Air Force Academy | Candidates must be between 20 to 24 years of age as of 1st January 2026, meaning they should have been born not earlier than 2 January 2002 and not later than 1 January 2006. |
| Officers’ Training Academy, (SSC Course for men) | Unmarried male candidates born on or after 2 January 2001 and on or before 1 January 2007 are eligible to apply. |
| Officers Training Academy, (SSC Women Non-Technical Course) | Unmarried women, issueless widows who have not remarried, and issueless divorcees (with divorce documents) who have not remarried are eligible to apply. They should have been born on or after 2 January 2001 and on or before 1 January 2007. |
The age limit for the UPSC CDS (I) Exam 2024 has been specified in the UPSC CDS Notification 2024. Below is a table detailing the age limit for each academy:
Educational Qualification
| Academy | Educational Qualification |
|---|---|
| I.M.A. and Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai | Graduation Degree from a recognized University or equivalent. |
| Indian Naval Academy | Degree in Engineering from a recognised University / Institution. |
| Air Force Academy | Degree of a recognised University (with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level) or Bachelor of Engineering. |
Note:- Candidates who are in their final year of college are also eligible to take the CDS Exam. An authentic graduation certificate must be presented to the board during the SSB interview.
Physical Standard:- To be eligible for admission to the Combined Defence Services Examination (I) 2025, a candidate must meet the physical fitness requirements as per the standards and guidelines established by the respective wings.
UPSC CDS Application Process
UPSC CDS (I) Application Window will be open till 31 December 2024. Candidates must complete the Online Application form, which consists of two stages, Part I and Part II. Follow the step-by-step instructions below to successfully apply for CDS 2:
- Firstly, visit the official online application portal of UPSC (link for the same is given above in the Important Links section).
- You need to enter your credentials in the "Part I" section of the application form.
- Following "Part I," a registration ID will be generated, and you can proceed to "Part II" of the CDS 2 application form.
- Upload all scanned documents and signatures in the format specified.
- Finally, pay the application fee and select the examination centre.
- Re-check all details entered by you, before clicking the "Submit" button.
- Re-check all details entered by you, before clicking the "Submit" button.
Application fee
| Category | Application Fee |
|---|---|
| General and OBC Candidates | INR 200/- |
| Female/SC/ST Candidates | Exempted from payment of fees |
Mode of Payment:
Fees can be paid in cash at any SBI branch, by Visa/Master/Rupay Credit/Debit Card/UPI Payment, or by using any bank’s internet banking facility.
Selection Process of UPSC CDS (I) 2025
The selection process comprises the following two stages:
Stage I - Written Examination
- The written exam for the Indian Naval Academy (INA), Indian Military Academy (IMA), and Air Force Academy (AFA) is divided into three sections: English, Maths, and General Knowledge (GK).
- The written exam for the Officers' Training Academy (OTA) has two sections: English and General Knowledge.
To advance to the next phase, the candidate must pass a written examination.
Stage II - Intelligence & Personality Test
The next stage to be cleared after the written examination is the SSB interview which includes the Personality test/Interview. SSB interview is divided into two phases. The first step is an intelligence and personality test, followed by a psychology test that includes an interview, group discussion, and conference round.
Note: Candidates who clear Stage - I are permitted to appear for Stage - II.
Candidates who pass both the interview and the document verification rounds are eligible for the medical exam.
UPSC CDS (I) 2025 Exam Pattern
The UPSC CDS Exam pattern differs for each military academy. The number of sections in the exam for the Officers’ Training Academy varies slightly. However, the questions in both papers will be of the objective variety. The questions, except for the English language, will be bilingual. The details of the sections of exa are as follows
A. WRITTEN EXAMINATION
| Subject | Code | Maximum Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 11 | 100 | 2 Hours |
| General Knowledge | 12 | 100 | 2 Hours |
| Elementary Mathematics | 13 | 100 | 2 Hours |
| English | 11 | 100 | 2 Hours |
| General Knowledge | 12 | 100 | 2 Hours |
Note: The papers in all subjects will only contain objective type questions. General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics question papers (Test Booklets) will be set bilingually in Hindi and English.
There will be a negative marking of ⅓ marks for each wrong answer.
B. SSB INTERVIEW (INTELLIGENCE & PERSONALITY TEST)
The CDS SSB Interview, as previously stated, is divided into two stages, each of which includes an intelligence and personality test:
(a) Stage I: Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests are Picture Perception & Description Test (PP&DT). The candidates will be shortlisted based on a combination of performance in the OIR Test and PP&DT.
(b) Stage II: Interviews, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests and the Conference. These tests are conducted over a period of 4 days.
Syllabus for CDS (I) Exam 2025
Understanding the CDS syllabus will assist you in developing a well-structured study plan with an appropriate strategy. It will also save you time because you will not have to study for topics that are irrelevant to this exam. This article contains a comprehensive CDS exam 2025 syllabus that will assist you in the future.
| Subject | Topics |
|---|---|
| English | • Reading Compregension • Idioms & Phrases • Synonyms & Antonyms • Cloze test • Error Spotting • Basic Grammar Usage • Sentence Improvement |
| General Knowledge | • General Knowledge (Static information) • Current Events (National & International) • Everyday science • Indian History • India and world Geography |
| Elementary Mathematics | • Arithmetic (Number system & elementary Number Theory) • Algebra • Trigonometry • Mensuration • Geometry • Statistics |
UPSC CDS Exam Centres 2025
The CDS 2 exam will be held at multiple locations across India. The UPSC announces the CDS 2025 Exam Centres officially through a notification. Below is a table containing the list of all the examination centres for the 2024 exam:
| UPSC CDS Exam Centre 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Agartala | Ghaziabad | Navi Mumbai |
| Agra | Gorakhpur | Panaji (Goa) |
| Ajmer | Gurgaon | Patna |
| Aizawl | Hyderabad | Prayagraj (Allahabad) |
| Aligarh | Imphal | Puducherry |
| Almora (Uttarakhand) | Indore | Pune |
| Anantpur (Andhra Pradesh) | Itanagar | Raipur |
| Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad) (Maharashtra) | Jabalpur | Rajkot |
| Bengaluru | Jaipur | Ranchi |
| Bareilly | Jammu | Sambalpur |
| Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh) | Jorhat | Shimla |
| Chandigarh | Kargil | Siligudi |
| Chennai | Kochi | Srinagar |
| Coimbatore | Kohima | Srinagar (Uttarakhand) |
| Cuttack | Kolkata | Thane |
| Dehradun | Kozhikode (Calicut) | Thiruvananthapuram |
| Delhi | Leh | Tiruchirapalli |
| Dharamshala | Lucknow | Tirupati |
| Dharwad | Ludhiana | Udaipur |
| Dispur | Madurai | Varanasi |
| Faridabad | Mandi | Vellore |
| Gangtok | Mumbai | Vijayawada |
| Gaya | Mysore | Vishakhapatnam |
| Gautam Buddh Nagar | Nagpur | Hanumakonda (Warangal Urban) |
UPSC CDS (I) Admit Card 2025
The admit card is a vital document that candidates must bring with them to the examination centre. It is proof of their eligibility and allows them to enter the exam hall.
The UPSC issues CDS admit cards one or two weeks before the exam. Candidates can view and download their CDS II Admit Card 2025 from the UPSC website.
Candidates can download the UPSC CDS 2 admit card 2025 by following the steps outlined below:
- Visit the UPSC's Official Website
- On the homepage, click the Admit Cards tab.
- Click on the E-Admit card for the CDS (I) Examination link.
- Enter Your User ID And Password To Download The Hall Ticket.
- Enter the captcha that has been provided on the screen.
- Then click 'Login' to download your CDS admit card.
Candidates should check the UPSC official website on a regular basis to stay up to date on the admit card release date.
UPSC CDS Answer Key 2025
The UPSC CDS (I) 2025 Answer Key will be made available by the UPSC after the successful completion of the exam. Candidates can download the UPSC CDS (II) 2025 Answer Key and submit objections once it is uploaded. Below, you will find the direct link to download the UPSC CDS Answer Key 2025, once it becomes available:
UPSC CDS Answer Key 2025 Link (inactive)
UPSC CDS Result 2025
The CDS 2 Examination Result 2025 will be released one month after the written examination, which is scheduled for 13 April 2025. The commission publishes the results of each stage, namely the written exam and the SSB interview, on its official website. Following the steps below, candidates can access their UPSC CDS Results.
Step 1: Navigate to the UPS website at upsc.gov.in.
Step 2: On the homepage, click the Written Result CDS (I) Examination 2025 link.
Step 3: The Result PDF will be shown on the screen.
Step 4: Examine the result PDF and use the Ctrl+F key to find your roll number.
Step 5: Save a copy of the UPSC result PDF for future reference.
UPSC CDS 2025 Exam Cut-off
The UPSC CDS (I) Exam Cut-off Marks will be released after the successful completion of the exam. Candidates need to achieve scores higher than the cut-off marks to secure their positions. Once the UPSC declares the cut-off marks, we will provide the direct link to download the UPSC CDS 2025 Exam Cut-off Marks:
UPSC CDS (I) 2025 Exam Cut-off Marks Link (Inactive)
UPSC CDS (I) 2025 Salary
- Gentlemen or Lady Cadets will get a Stipend of Rs 56,100/-p.m during the entire duration of training in Service academies i.e. during training period at IMA and OTA.
- On successful commissioning, the pay in the Pay Matrix of the Officer commissioned shall be fixed in the first Cell of Level 10 and the period of training shall not be treated as commissioned service.
| Rank | Level | Pay scale/ salary |
|---|---|---|
| Lieutenant | 10 | INR 56,100-1,77,500 |
| Captain | 10B | INR 61,300-1,93,900 |
| Major | 11 | INR 69,400-2,07,200 |
| Lieutenant colonel | 12A | INR 1,21,200-2,12,400 |
| colonel | 13 | INR 1,30,600-2,15,900 |
| brigadier | 13A | INR 1,39,600- 2,17,600 |
| Major general | 14 | INR 1,44,200-2,18,200 |
| Lieutenant general HAG scale | 15 | INR 1,82,200-2,24,100 |
| HAG + scale | 16 | INR 2,05,400-2,24,400 |
| VCOAS/ Lieutenant General (NFSG)/ Army Cdr | 17 | INR 2,25,000(FIXED) |
| COAS | 18 | INR 2,25,000 ( FIXED) |
training shall not be treated as commissioned service
MSP to the officer is as follows:-
| Military Service Pay(MSP) to the officers from the rank of Lieutenant to Brigadier | Rs 15,500 p.m. fixed |
Frequently Asked Question
- Candidates must be Indian citizens.
- For the Indian Military Academy (IMA) and Air Force Academy (AFA), candidates must have a bachelor’s degree.
- For the Naval Academy, candidates need an engineering degree.
- For the Officers’ Training Academy (OTA), a bachelor’s degree is required.
- Age limits vary: IMA (19-24 years), AFA (19-24 years), NA (19-22 years), OTA (19-25 years).
The CDS exam is conducted twice a year by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
The selection process includes a written exam, followed by an SSB (Services Selection Board) interview and medical examination.
Yes, there is a negative marking of 1/3rd of the marks for each incorrect answer in the written exam.
Yes, women can apply for the Officers’ Training Academy (OTA). They are eligible for the Short Service Commission (Non-Technical) course.
CDS Course Registration Form
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