COMBINED DEFENCE SERVICE (CDS) I AND II EXAMINATION : UPSC

CDS  ( Combined Defence Service ) examination is a gateway for those who wants to serve the nation by joining in INDIAN DEFENCE FORCES .

Through CDS exam , Unmarried male candidates are invited to join as an Officer in PERMANENT COMMISSION (PC) and SHORT SERVICE COMMISSION (SSC) .

Officers will join in these academy :-

• INDIAN MILITARY ACADEMY (IMA)
• OFFICERS’ TRAINING ACADEMY (OTA)
• INDIAN NAVAL ACADEMY
• INDIAN AIR FORCE ACADEMY

Where as Unmarried Female are invited to join only for OTA under  SSC .

CDS exam is conducted by UPSC ( Union Public Service Commission ) .

The exam is conducting twice in a year as CDS – I & CDS – II .

Exam	Notification Date	Exam Date
CDS – I	30TH OCT	02TH FEB
CDS – II	05TH AUGUST	08TH NOV

The date given above are according to the UPSC Exam Calender . It may be changed .

What You get inside the Article

1. VACANCIES IN CDS – I & II
2. CDS EXAMINATION CENTERS
3. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR CDS
4. WRITTEN EXAMINATION PATTERN
5. SYLLABUS OF THE CDS EXAMINATION
6. ONLINE APPLY FOR CDS EXAMINATION
7. ADMIT CARD FOR WRITTEN EXAMINATION
8. SELECTION PROCEDURE OF CDS
9. MERIT LIST
10. TRAINING
11. CONCLUSION
12. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

VACANCIES IN CDS – I & II

NAME OF THE COURSE	VACANCIES
1. IMA , Dehradun [ Including 13 posts reserved for NCC `C’ Certificate ( Army Wing ) holders ]	100
2. Indian Naval Academy , Ezhimala [ Including 06 posts for NCC ‘C’ Certificate ( Naval Wing ) holders ]	45
3. Air Force Academy , Hyderabad ( Pre-Flying ) [ Includin 03 posts reserved for NCC `C’ Certificate ( Air Wing ) holders ]	32
4. OTA , Chennai [ 170 posts for SSC ( Men ) ( NON TECH. ) UPSC , 05 posts for JAG ( Men ) ( NON TECH. ) Non UPSC, 50 posts for NCC Special entry Non UPSC ].	225
5. OTA , Chennai [ SSC Women ( Non Tech. ) ]	16
TOTAL	418

Note :-

The number of vacancies given above is tentative .

It may be changed at any stage by Services Head Quarter .

CDS EXAMINATION CENTERS

• AGARTALA
• AHMEDABAD
• AIZAWL
• BENGALURU
• BAREILLY
• BHOPAL
• CHANDIGARH
• CHENNAI
• CUTTACK
• DEHRADUN
• DELHI
• DHARWAD
• DISPUR
• GANGTOK
• HYDERABAD
• IMPHAL
• ITANAGAR
• JAIPUR
• JAMMU
• JORHAT
• KOCHI
• KOHIMA
• KOLKATA
• LUCKNOW
• MADURAI
• MUMBAI
• NAGPUR
• PANAJI (GOA)
• PATNA
• PORT BLAIR
• PRAYAGRAJ (ALLAHABAD)
• RAIPUR
• RANCHI
• SAMBALPUR
• SHILLONG
• SHIMLA
• SRINAGAR
• THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
• TIRUPATI
• UDAIPUR
• VISAKHAPATNAM

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR CDS

Age Limit , Sex and Marital Status

Courses	Age Limit	Sex	Marital Status
IMA	19 to 24 years	Male	Unmarried
Indian Naval Academy	19 to 24 years	Male	Unmarried
Air Force Academy	20 to 24 years . ( Upper age limit for candidates holding valid and current Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA ( India ) is relaxable upto 26 yrs	Male	Candidate below 25 years of age must be Unmarried . Marriage is not permitted during training time . Married candidates above 25 years of age are eligible to apply for the post . But during training , neither they will get married facility nor they will allow to live with their family out of the premises .
OTA – ( SSC Course for Men )	19 to 25 years	Male	Unmarried
OTA – ( SSC Women Non-Tech. Course)	19 to 25 years	Female	Unmarried Women , Issueless widows who have not remarried, Issueless divorcees who have not remarried . ( Must provide the widow and divorce proof )

Educational Qualification

(i) For IMA and OTA :-

Must have passed Degree from a recognized University or equivalent.

(ii) For Indian Naval Academy :-

Must have passed Degree in Engg. from a recognized University .

(iii) For Air Force Academy :-

Must have passed Degree from a recognized University with Physics and  Math at 12th level) or Bachelor of Engg. .

Note :-

Those who are studying in the final year / semester in Degree course and are yet to pass the final year can also apply for this exam .

WRITTEN EXAMINATION PATTERN

(i) For Admission to IMA , Indian Naval Academy and Air Force Academy

Subject	Duration	Max. Marks
English	2 Hours	100
GK	2 Hours	100
Elementary Math	2 Hours	100

(ii) For Admission to OTA

Subject	Duration	Max. Marks
English	2 Hours	100
GK	2 Hours	100

SYLLABUS OF THE CDS EXAMINATION

English (Code No. 01)

The aim of the question paper is to test the candidates’ understanding of English and use of words .

General Knowledge (Code No. 02)

General Knowledge including knowledge of current events and of such matters of everyday observation and experience in their scientific aspects .

It may be expected of an educated person who has not made a special study of any scientific subject.

The paper will also include questions on History of India and Geography of a nature which candidate should be able to answer without special study.

Elementary Math (Code No. 03)

ARITHMETIC

• Number System –
  1. Natural numbers,
  2. Integers,
  3. Rational and Real numbers Fundamental operations,
  4. Addition,
  5. Subtraction,
  6. Multiplication,
  7. Division,
  8. Square roots,
  9. Decimal fractions .
  10. Unitary method,
  11. Time and Distance,
  12. Time and Work,
  13. Percentages,
  14. Applications to simple and compound interest,
  15. Profit and Loss,
  16. Ratio and Proportion,
  17. Variation .
• Elementary Number Theory –
  1. Division algorithm,
  2. Prime and composite numbers,
  3. Tests of divisibility by 2, 3, 4, 5, 9 and 11 .
  4. Multiples and factors,
  5. Factorisation Theorem,
  6. H.C.F. and L.C.M. ,
  7. Euclidean algorithm,
  8. Logarithms to base 10,
  9. Laws of logarithms,
  10. Use of logarithmic tables.

ALGEBRA

• Basic Operations, simple factors,
• Remainder Theorem,
• H.C.F., L.C.M.,
• Theory of polynomials,
• Solutions of quadratic equations,
• Relation between its roots and coefficients (Only real roots to be considered).
• Simultaneous linear equations in two unknowns—analytical and graphical solutions,
• Simultaneous linear in-equations in two variables and their solutions.
• Practical problems leading to two simultaneous linear equations or inequations in two variables or quadratic equations in one variable & their solutions.
• Set language and set notation,
• Rational expressions and conditional identities,
• Laws of indices.

TRIGONOMETRY

• Sin ×, cosine ×, Tangent × when 0° < × < 90° Values of sin ×, cos × and tan ×, for × = 0°, 30°, 45°, 60° and 90° .
• Simple trigonometric identities,
• Use of trigonometric tables,
• Simple cases of heights and distances .

GEOMETRY

Lines and angles, Plane and plane figures, Theorems on :-

• Properties of angles at a point,
• Parallel lines,
• Sides and angles of a triangle,
• Congruency of triangles,
• Similar triangles,
• Concurrence of medians and altitudes,
• Properties of angles, sides and diagonals of a parallelogram, rectangle and square,
• Circles and its properties including tangents and normals,
• Loci.

MENSURATION

• Areas of squares,
• Rectangles,
• Parallelograms,
• Triangle and circle,
• Areas of figures which can be split up into these figures (Field Book),
• Surface area and volume of cuboids,
• Lateral surface and volume of right circular cones and cylinders,
• Surface area and volume of spheres .

STATISTICS

• Collection and tabulation of statistical data,
• Graphical representation frequency polygons, histograms, bar charts, pie charts etc.
• Measures of central tendency.

ONLINE APPLY FOR CDS EXAMINATION

Eligible candidates are required to apply online using UPSC Official Website .

Candidate must have the details of one Photo ID Card .

Accepted IDs are –

• Aadhaar Card,
• Voter Card,
• PAN Card,
• Passport,
• Driving Licence,
• Any other Photo ID Card issued by the State / Central Govt .

The details of this Photo ID Card will have to be provided by the candidate while filling up the online form.

The candidates will have to upload a scanned copy of the Photo ID whose details have been provided in the online form by him / her.

This Photo ID Card will be used for all future process .

The candidate must carry this Photo ID Card while appearing for Written Exam or Personality Test or SSB .

Candidates are required to pay a fee of Rs. 200/- ( Rupees Two Hundred Only ) .

Payment will be done offline by depositing the money in any Branch of SBI in cash .

It can also be paid by using net banking facility of SBI or by using visa / master / rupay credit card / debit card.

All female and SC / ST are not required to pay any Fee for the exam .

A male candidate is required to mention his choice of academy clearly so that he can put as per their choice when making appointment .

So a Male is advised to select as many choices as he wishes to .

But Women are allowed only for OTA . So they should give OTA as their first and only choice .

ADMIT CARD FOR WRITTEN EXAMINATION

The eligible candidates shall be issued an Admit Card three weeks before the exam .

The Admit Card will be available on the UPSC website for downloading by the candidates .

No Admit Card will be sent by post to the candidate .

SELECTION PROCEDURE OF CDS

Announcement Of Results (Written Examination)

The UPSC shall prepare a list of candidates who obtain the min. qualifying marks in the written exam which is fixed by the Commission in their discretion.

Candidates who passed in the written exam will be detailed for SSB Interview based on their preference by the respective service HQ.

SSB Interview

Candidates are requested to report for SSB interview on the date given to them in the call up letter for interview.

Two stage selection process based on Psychological Aptitude Test and intelligence Test has been introduced at Service Selection Boards.

All the candidates will be put to stage one test on first day of reporting at Selection Centers .

Only those who qualify at stage one will be allowed to appear for the second stage / remaining tests .

And all those who fail to pass stage one , will be returned on the first day .

Medical Exam

Candidate recommended by SSB will go through a medical test .

The medical test is conducted by a board of service medical officers .

For Girl , Medical test will be done by a Girl Medical Officer.

There will be a Girl attendant present at the time of medical test for Girl in case the Medical Officer happens to be Male .

Lastly Those declared medical fit will wait for the MERIT LIST .

MERIT LIST

The candidates will be placed in the order of merit on the basis of the total marks .

The total marks includes both from the written exam and SSB tests .

Higher studies , Previous marks etc. have no role to play in the seletion in Merit list .

Those placed in the merit list will allow for training .

TRAINING

 (i) For OTA , Chennai

Selected candidates will be enrolled as Gentle Man / Lady Cadets and will put through a course of training at the OTA for an approx. period of 49 Weeks .

On success of training , Gentle Man / Lady Cadets are granted SSC in the rank of Lieutenant from the date of completion of training .

(ii) For Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala

• Naval Orientation Course for 44 weeks at INA , Ezhimala .
• Officers Sea Training at Training Ship for 06 months .
• Sub-Lieutenant Afloat training for 06 months .
• Sub-Lieutenant ( Technical course ) training for 33 weeks .
• Full Naval watch-keeping Certificate for 06 to 09 months .

The cadets shall be placed in the rank of Sub-Lieutenant after success of approx. 18 months of training .

(iii) For Air Force Academy, Hyderabad

The approx. time period of training for Flying Branch ( Pilots ) at the AFA will be 74 weeks.

After success of training , the trainees will put in the rank of Flying Officer .

(iv) For IMA , Dehradun

At the IMA , Army Cadets known as Gentle Men are given tough Military training for a time period of 18 months . The main aim of the training is to turning out a common man into officers capable of leading infantry subunits.

On success of training , Gentle Men Cadets are granted Permanent Commission in the rank of Lieutenant .

CONCLUSION

In summary , From the above article You understand how to apply , exam process , process of selection and training after joining .

CDS known as Combined Defence Service is probably the best option for the Indian youth who are with the dream of doing something for his/her motherland with the uniforms of PRIDE & DIGNITY .

ALSO CHECK :-

• HOW TO JOIN AS OFFICER INDIAN NAVY THROUGH INET .
• 4 WAYS FOR GIRL TO JOIN IN INDIAN ARMY AS OFFICER .
• CENTAL ARMED POLICE FORCE ASSISTANT COMMANDANT EXAM (CAPF-AC) OFFICER ENTRY .

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS