UPSC CDS 2025 Application Form, Exam Date, Syllabus, Eligibility, Pattern

The UPSC CDS 2024 notification is available on the official website. UPSC will conduct CDS 1 on Apr 21, 2024, while CDS 2  is scheduled for Sep 1, 2024. Aspiring students should stay informed about crucial events. Check the table below for the important dates for UPSC CDS 2024.

UPSC CDS 1 Exam Dates

UPSC CDS 2 Exam Dates

To be eligible for the exam, students must satisfy all the CDS eligibility criteria. Students need to fulfill the specified conditions in these areas to qualify for participation. Non-compliance with any of these criteria may lead to the student's rejection of the exam. The following are the four eligibility conditions for the CDS exam discussed below:

• CDS age limit
• CDS educational qualification
• CDS Nationality
• CDS physical standard

Nationality

To qualify for the CDS Exam 2024, students must meet the following criteria:

• Be a citizen of India.
• Be a subject of Bhutan.
• Be a subject of Nepal.
• Be a Tibetan refugee.
• Students falling under categories must possess a certificate of eligibility issued by the Indian government.
• Gorkha students in Nepal are also required to have a certificate of eligibility.

Physical Standard

Students applying for CDS must meet the prescribed physical fitness ideals set by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. The following points outline the physical standards required for the CDS exam:

• Students must adhere to the physical standards specified by UPSC and the relevant defense department.
• Applicants should be in sound mental and good physical health, free from any disease or disability that may hinder their duty performance.
• There should be no indication of bodily defects or excessive weight.
• For male applicants, the least height condition is 157.5 cm for the Army, 157 cm for the Navy, & 162.5 cm for the Air Force.
• Female students applying for OTA (non-technical) should have a minimum height of 152 cm.
• Students from Gorkhas, the hills of the North-Eastern region of India, Garhwali, and Kumaon are granted a 5 cm height relaxation.
• Students must have an adequate number of natural teeth.

Males:

• Corrected vision: Better eye 6/6, worse eye 6/12.
• Myopia is not more than -3.5 D.
• Manifest hypermetropia not more than +3.5 D, including Astigmatism.

Females:

• Corrected vision: Better eye 6/6, worse eye 6/12.
• Myopia not more than -5.5 D.
• Manifest hypermetropia not more than +3.5 D, including Astigmatism.

UPSC CDS Age Limit 2024

Students eligible to appear for the UPSC CDS  exam must meet the following criteria:

For Indian Military Academy:

• Male (Unmarried) students should be between 19 and 24 years old on 1 January /1 July of the year succeeding the year of the exam.

For Indian Naval Academy:

• Male (Unmarried) students should be between 19 and 22 years old on 1 January / 1 July of the year succeeding the year of the exam.

For Air Force Academy:

• Male (Unmarried) students should be between 20 and 24 years old on 1 January or 1 July of the year following the year of the exam.

For Officers Training Academy (Men):

• Male students (married or unmarried) should be between 19 and 25 years old on 1^st January or 1^st July.

Educational Qualification

CDS recruits individuals for various courses in the three Indian Defence Services—Army, Air Force, and Navy, each with distinct minimum educational qualification requirements. The table outlines the educational requirements for different CDS courses.

CDS Educational Qualification:

Indian Military Academy:

• Students must have a Bachelor's Degree (BA, B.Com, B.Sc., BBA, BCA, B.Tech, etc.) from a recognized University or equivalent institute.
• Indian Naval Academy:

Students must hold a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from a recognized University/College.

Air Force Academy:

• Students should have a Bachelor's Degree from a recognized University (with Maths and Physics at 10+2 level) or a Bachelor's degree in engineering.

OTA (Men):

• Students must possess a Bachelor's Degree from a recognized University or equivalent institute.

OTA (Women - Non-Technical):

• Students should have a Bachelor's Degree from a recognized University or equivalent institute.

UPSC released the CDS 1 2024 application form online. The link to the CDS 1 Exam form will be deactivated on January 9, 2024. The CDS 1 exam is scheduled for April 21, 2024. UPSC will then enable the CDS form edit facility for students who filled out the form within the stipulated time. Alongside CDS 1 registration, students must also familiarize themselves with the CDS 1 eligibility criteria to determine their eligibility.

Students are required to pay the UPSC CDS 2024 registration fee to submit their forms successfully. Applicants who submit their CDS online form will have the opportunity to download the UPSC CDS admit card 2024.

Documents Required For CDS 2024 Application Form

Before filling out the CDS application form, students need to have the following documents:

• Choose any one of the following as proof of photo ID: Aadhar Card, Voter Card, PAN Card, Passport, or Driving License.
• Ensure you have your enrolment and degree certificates.
• Have your Debit/Credit Card/Internet banking details ready for CDS Apply online form 2024.

How To Fill CDS 2024 Application Form

Follow the steps below to complete the application form:

1. Visit the official application website.
2. Log in to your registered account or initiate the registration process for the OTR (find the steps for UPSC OTR registration below in the article).
3. Access the CDS exam link.
4. Provide the required details.
5. Upload the photograph, signature, and Photo Identity card.
6. Pay the application fee for the CDS exam.
7. Select the preferred CDS exam centre.
8. Finally, submit the application form.

UPSC CDS 2024 Application Fee

Students have the option to pay the exam fee through cash or card. The fee structure is as follows.

• General and OBC male students: Rs. 200
• Female / SC / ST students: Nil

While preparing for the CDS exam 2024, students can enhance their preparation by seeing the exam pattern. Checking the CDS exam syllabus 2024 is also important. This exam aims to recruit Commissioned Officers in the Indian Military Academy, Officers Training Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Indian Air Force Academy. It is important to refer to the detailed CDS 1 exam pattern 2024 to gain an understanding of the CDS exam.

The CDS 2024 exam comprises two phases:

• Written Exam
• Interview for intelligence and personality test

UPSC CDS 2024 Marking Scheme

The CDS marking scheme is as follows:

• Apprentices will get one mark for each precise answer.
• Incorrect answers result in a deduction of 1/3 marks.
• Questions left unanswered don't have negative markings.

UPSC CDS 2024 Syllabus

The UPSC CDS syllabus includes three subjects: Elementary Mathematics, English Language, and General Knowledge. Students should be aware that Elementary Mathematics is applicable only to those who have applied for IMA, INA, and AFA. By reviewing the CDS syllabus, students can discern the topics and chapters they need to cover for the exam.

General Knowledge

English

Maths

SSB Interview

• Students who qualify for the CDS written exam undergo an SSB interview. The SSB interview spans four days and consists of two stages.
• In Stage I, students undergo Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and participate in the Picture Perception & Description Test (PP&DT).
• Stage II involves Interviews, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests, and a Conference.

All UPSC CDS exam students who have successfully applied for the exam can download the CDS 1 2024 admit card online. It is crucial to note that the UPSC CDS 1 admit card 2024 will not be provided through any other means, such as by post, etc.

How To Download UPSC CDS 2024 Admit Card

To download the UPSC CDS admit card 2024, students should follow the steps provided below:

1. Visit the official UPSC website.
2. Click on the 'Admit Card' tab located on the homepage.
3. On the subsequent page, select the link 'E-Admit Cards for various Exams of UPSC.'
4. Open a new page and click on the download link for the CDS 2024 admit card.
5. Click on the link labeled 'Click here.'
6. Review the important instructions displayed on the screen. Students must read them carefully and take a printout for reference.
7. Choose either the registration number or roll number for the subsequent procedure.
8. Input the registration number or roll number, date of birth, and verification text.
9. After successfully downloading the CDS 2024 admit card, carefully verify all the details. Print a copy and bring it to the exam hall on the day of the exam.

Details On CDS Admit Card

The CDS admit card contains the following details about the students:

The Union Public Services Commission will publish the CDS result 2024 on the official website. Students can download the CDS result 2024 in the form of a PDF online.

How To Download  UPSC CDS Results 2024

To check the result, students should follow the steps below:

1. Visit the authorized UPSC website.
2. Find the 'UPSC CDS result 2024' link on the homepage.
3. Open the result PDF on a new page.
4. Students can check their roll numbers using CTRL.
5. The result PDF will display the roll numbers of qualified students.
6. Download and save the CDS result PDF.

Details On CDS Scorecard

The CDS result 2024 scorecard will include:

• The name of the Academy (IMA, INA, AFA, OTA)
• The roll numbers of the shortlisted students

Details On CDS Final Scorecard

The final CDS result 2024 2024 will include:

• The name of the student
• The name of the Academy (IMA, INA, AFA, OTA)
• The roll number of the shortlisted students