CDS Eligibility 2026: CDS 1 Age Limit, Qualification & Physical Standards for IMA, INA & AFA

CDS 2026 Eligibility: The Union Public Service Commission prescribes the eligibility for CDS exam in terms of nationality, age, educational qualification & physical standards. Candidates preparing for CDS 1 2026 need to fulfil the eligibility in order to be eligible for the exam. Continue reading to check CDS 2026 eligibility and Age Limit.

CDS Eligibility 2026

CDS Eligibility 2026: The UPSC released the CDS 1 notification on December 10 at upsconline.nic.in. Along with the notification PDF, the application process also started for the CDS 1 exam 2026. Candidates can fill out the CDS 1 application form until December 30. The CDS 1 exam will be conducted on April 12, 2026. On the other hand, the commission also released the dates for the CDS 2 exam. The CDS 2 notification will be announced on May 20 and the last date to apply is June 9. The CDS 2 exam will be held on September 13, 2026. It is important for the candidates to fulfil the eligibility before submitting the application form. 

CDS's full form is Combined Defence Services. The CDS exam is conducted twice a year to recruit candidates for the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Indian Military Academy (IMA), and Indian Air Force Academy (AFA). The selection process for the CDS exam comprises a written exam which is followed by an SSB interview. 

Candidates must go through the CDS syllabus and the CDS exam pattern to get a complete idea of the exam. The syllabus will help the candidate to make an exam strategy to secure good marks in the CDS exam.

Also Read:

• CDS 1 notification

CDS 1 2026 Eligibility

The CDS exam is conducted twice a year by UPSC to select candidates as Commissioned Officers in the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. Both male and female candidates can apply for the CDS vacancy. To be eligible for the exam, candidates need to fulfil the following conditions:

•  Candidates must be permanently settled in India
• Candidates must be a graduate or are in their final year of graduation
• The minimum age limit for the exam is 19 years
• Women candidates are eligible for OTA
• Divorced and issueless women can apply for the exam
• BTech graduates can apply for IMA, INA, AFA 
• Candidates need to meet the physical standards

Discussed below are the four eligibility conditions for CDS exam:

• CDS age limit, gender and marital status
• CDS educational qualification
• CDS Nationality
• CDS physical standards

CDS Eligibility Criteria 2026: Nationality

To be eligible for the CDS Exam 2026, candidates must fulfil the given criteria:

(i) A citizen of India, or

(ii) A subject of Bhutan, or

(iii) A subject of Nepal, or

(iv) A Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 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 (Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, and Ethiopia or Vietnam) with the intention of permanently settling in India

Provided candidates belonging to categories (ii), (iii), (iv), and (v) should be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Indian government.

A certificate of eligibility is also necessary for Gorkha candidates in Nepal.

Also Read: CDS Admit Card 

CDS Qualification 2026

Important Points:

• Graduates with the first choice as Army/Navy/Air Force are required to submit provisional certificates of graduation on the date of commencement of the SSB Interview at SSB centres
• Those who are in their final year of graduation can also apply

Can 12th Pass Apply for CDS?

No, to be eligible for CDS 2026 exam candidates must have cleared graduation from a recognised university. Go through the educational qualification criteria given below before applying for the CDS 1 2026 exam:

• For IMA and OTA, candidates must have a degree from a recognised University or equivalent
• For INA, candidates must have a degree in Engineering from a recognised University/Institution
• For AFA, candidates must have a degree from a recognised University (with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level) or a Bachelor of Engineering
• Aspirants who are in their final year of graduation can apply provisionally

Which Graduation is required for CDS?

The candidates must go through the points given below to know about the streams and subjects required to apply for the IMA, INA, AFA, and OTA:

• For AFB, candidates must have graduated with Physics and Mathematics in Class 12th or a Bachelor of Engineering.
• For Indian Military Academy (IMA) and Officers’ Training Academy (OTA), candidates must have passed a bachelor’s degree from a recognised university.
• For Indian Naval Academy (INA), candidates must have passed a Bachelor in Engineering from a recognised University. 

Also Read: CDS Dates

CDS Age Limit 2026 & Marital Status

Only unmarried candidates are eligible for the CDS exam. The age limit is given below for candidates who wish to apply for the exam:

CDS 1 2026 Age Limit 

• IMA: Candidates for IMA should be unmarried and must have been born not earlier than January 2, 2003, and not later than January 1, 2008.
• INA: Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 2003, and not later than January 1, 2008, can apply for INA.
• AFA: To apply for AFA, the age of candidates should be between 20 and 24 years as on 1st January, 2027. They must have been born not earlier than January 2, 2003, and not later than January 1, 2007. The upper age limit of candidates holding valid and current Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA (India) is relaxed up to 26 yrs (i,e born not earlier than January 2, 2001, and not later than January 1, 2007).
• OTA (SSC Course for men): To apply for the OTA course (SSC Men), candidates must be unmarried and must have been born not earlier than January 2, 2002, and not later than January 1, 2008.
• OTA (SSC Women Non-Technical Course): Unmarried women, issueless widows who have not remarried and issueless divorcees who have not remarried are eligible to apply. They must have been born not earlier than January 2, 2002, and not later than January 1, 2008.

NOTE: Male divorcee/widower candidates cannot be treated as unmarried males for their admission in IMA/INA/AFA/OTA, Chennai courses and accordingly they are not eligible for these courses.

Also Read: CDS Preparation Tips

CDS Age Limit for Females

Women candidates are now eligible to apply for the CDS OTA exam. The CDS age limit for Females should be 19 to 25 years.

CDS Age Limit for OBC

OBC candidates can also apply for the CDS 1 2026 exam. As we know, there is no caste-based reservation in the CDS exam. So, the CDS Age Limit for OBC is also the same as per the other castes, i.e., 19 to 25 years. 

CDS 1 Age Limit 2026

The age limit for the CDS 1 exam is given below:

• For Indian Military Academy (IMA), unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 2001, and not later than January 1, 2006, are eligible to apply
• For the Indian Naval Academy (IMA), unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 2001, and not later than January 1, 2006, are eligible to apply
• Candidates applying for the Air Force Academy should be between 20 to 24 years, as on January 1, 2025. They must have been born not earlier than January 2, 2001, and not later than January 1, 2005
• For Officers’ Training Academy (SSC Course for men), unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 2000 and not later than January 1, 2006, are eligible to apply
• For Officers’ Training Academy (SSC Women Non-Technical Course), candidates should be unmarried and born not earlier than January 2, 2000, and not later than January 1, 2006.

 The age limit for the CDS 1 exam have been given below for the candidates. The candidates must go through the table to know the age limit and other criteria to apply for the CDS 1 exam:

Also Read: CDS Syllabus 

CDS Eligibility 2026: Physical Standards For Male & Female Candidates

Candidates applying for CDS recruitment should be physically fit, as per the physical standard guidelines. Several candidates get rejected on medical grounds. Candidates are advised to get themselves medically examined before submitting their applications. Check below the physical standards for the CDS exam:

CDS Height & Weight Parameters for Males

The minimum acceptable height for male candidates is 157.5 cm (157 cm for Navy and 162.5 cm for Air Force). For Gorkhas and candidates belonging to North-Eastern regions, Garhwali and Kumaon, the minimum height will be 5 cm less. In the case of candidates from Lakshadweep, the minimum acceptable height can be reduced by 2 cm.

CDS Height & Weight Parameters for Females

For women candidates, the minimum height is 152 cm. The height and weight parameters for females are given below.

Weight Parameters

Visual Parameters

Vision Standards for Naval Candidates

Other Visual Standards

General Guidelines Related to CDS Medical Standards

Candidates can check below some general guidelines related to CDS medical standards for IMA, INA, AFA and OTA:

• Candidates should be free from any medical conditions
• There should be no proof of weak constitution, imperfect development of any system, any congenital deformities/ diseases/syndrome, or malformation
• There should be no swellings including tumours/cysts/swollen lymph node/s anywhere on the body 
• Candidates must not have sinus/fistula anywhere on the body 
• There should be no  hyper or hypopigmentation or any other disease/syndrome/disability of the skin
• No hernia anywhere on the body
• No scars which can impair functioning and cause significant disfigurement.
• No arterio-venous malformation anywhere in/on the body
• No malformation of the head and face including asymmetry, deformity from fracture or depression of the bones of the skull; or scars indicating old operative interference and malformation like sinuses and fistulae, etc. 
• No impairment of vision including colour perception and field of vision
• No hearing impairment, deformities/disabilities in-ears vestibule-cochlear system
• There should not be an impediment of speed due to aetiology
• No disease/disability/ congenital anomaly/syndrome of the bones or cartilages of the nose, palate, nasal polyps, or disease of the nasopharynx, uvula, and accessory sinuses. There should be no nasal deformity and no features of chronic tonsillitis
• No disease /syndrome/disability of the throat, palate tonsils or gums, or any disease or injury affecting the normal function of the either mandibular joint
• No disease /syndrome/disability of the heart and blood vessels including congenital, genetic, organic incl hypertension, and conduction disorders
• No evidence of pulmonary tuberculosis or previous history of this disease or any other disease /syndrome/disability chronic disease of the lungs and chest including allergies /immunological conditions, connective tissue disorders, musculoskeletal deformities of the chest
• No disease of the digestive system including any abnormality of the liver, or pancreas including endocrine, congenital, hereditary, or genetic diseases /syndromes and disabilities
• No diseases/syndrome/disability of any endocrine system, reticuloendothelial system
• No diseases/syndrome/disability of the genito-urinary system including malformations, atrophy/hypertrophy of any organ or gland
• No active, latent or congenital venereal disease
• No history or evidence of mental disease, epilepsy, incontinence of urine, or enuresis
• No disease/deformity/syndrome of the musculoskeletal system and joints, skull, spine, and limbs
• There is no congenital or hereditary disease/ syndrome/disability

CDS Eligibility Criteria 2026: Disqualification or Debarment 

The candidates appearing for the upcoming CDS 1 exam on April 12, 2026, must follow the instructions given by the UPSC CDS to take the exam or they will be disqualified or debarred for the exam. The actions that can lead the candidate to disqualification or debarment have been given below:

• The candidates must submit the correct details of their academics and identity as UPSC examines every aspect minutely. In case, any candidate is found presenting the wrong or illegal documents they can be led to debarment. 
• If a candidate is found to be guilty of any misconduct then they will be disqualified and legal action may be taken against him/her
• If a candidate is unable to meet the requirements of the CDS then he/she will be disqualified at any stage of the CDS exam

CDS Eligibility 2026: Important Points

Some of the important points related to CDS eligibility are given: 

• UPSC has the right to reject the candidature of the applicant at any stage of recruitment if he/she is not fulfilling the eligibility.
• Mere issue of the admission certificate does not imply that the candidature has been accepted by the examination authority.
• Document verification is conducted at the end of the recruitment process where the original documents are verified, if anyone does not meet the criteria of eligibility will be rejected.

Other Defence Exams Eligibility: