Combined Defence Services exam in Feb

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will be conducting the Combined Defence Services (CDS) examination on February 17, 2013. Aspirants seeking admission to various academic programmes offered at Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Air Force Academy among others should take this exam.

Eligibility conditions:

Nationality - A candidate must either be:

• A Citizen of India, or
• A subject of Bhutan, or
• A subject of Nepal, or
• A Tibetan refugee who came over to India before the  January 1, 1962 with  the intention of permanently settling in India, or (v) 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
• Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (ii), (iii), (IV) and (v) above shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India
• Certificate of eligibility will, however, not be necessary in the case of candidates who are Gorkha subjects of Nepal
• A candidate in whose case a certificate of eligibility is necessary, may be admitted to the examination provisionally subject to the necessary certificate being given to him/ her by the Govt. before declaration of result by UPSC

Age Limits, Gender and Marital Status:

• For IMA-Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 1990 and not later than January 1, 1995 only are eligible
• For Indian Naval Academy-Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than  January 2, 1992 (January 2, 1990 in case of NCC Naval Wing ‘C’ Certificate holders) and not later than January 1, 1995 only are eligible
• For Air Force Academy-Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 1991 and not later than January 1, 1995 only are eligible
• For Officers' Training Academy- (SSC Course for Men) : Male candidates (married or unmarried) born not earlier than January 2, 1989 and not later than January 1, 1995 only 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  January 2, 1989 and not later than  January 1, 1995.

NOTE: Male divorcee/widower candidates cannot be treated as unmarried male for the purpose of their admission in IMA/INA/AFA courses and accordingly they are not eligible for these courses.

Educational Qualifications:

• For I.M.A. and Officers’ Training Academy-Degree of a recognised University or equivalent
• For Indian Naval Academy: Degree in Engineering
• For Air Force Academy: Degree of a recognised University (with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level) or Bachelor of Engineering
• Graduates with first choice as Army/Navy/Air Force are to submit proof of graduation provisional certificates on the date of commencement of the SSB Interview at the SSB
• Candidates who are studying in the final year Degree course and have yet to pass the final year degree examination can also apply but they will be required to submit proof of passing the degree examination to reach the Army HQ/Rtg. CDSE Entry, West Block III, R.K. Puram, New Delhi-110066 in case of IMA/SSC first choice candidates and Naval HQ “DMPR”, (OI & R Section) Room No. 204, ‘C’ Wing, Sena Bhawan, New Delhi- 110011Q in case of Navy first choice candidates and PO3(A)/Air Headquarters,‘J’ Block, Room No. 17, Opp. Vayu Bhawan, Motilal Nehru Marg, New Delhi-110011 in case of Air Force first choice candidates by the following dates failing which their candidature will stand cancelled :

1. For admission to IMA, Indian Naval Academy and Air Force Academy on or before November 13, 2013
2. For admission to Officer’s Training Academy, Chennai on or before February 1, 2014

• Candidates possessing professional and technical qualifications which are recognized by government as equivalent to professional and technical degrees would also be eligible for admission to the examination
• In exceptional cases the Commission may treat a candidate, who does not possess any of the qualifications prescribed in this rule as educationally qualified provided that he/she possesses qualifications, the standard of which in the opinion of the Commission, justifies his/her admission to the examination.

Courses and Vacancies:

Exam centres:

Important dates:

• The Online Applications can be filled upto December 10, 2012 till 11.59 PM
• Date of the Examination : February 17, 2013