Best Tips for Women to Crack CDS 2025 Exam: Subject-wise Tips, Eligibility Criteria
Combined Defence Services Exam 2025 ( CDS )
Registration - 10 Dec '25 - 30 Dec '25
The best tips to crack the upcoming CDS 1 2025 exam for women have been discussed in the article. The CDS 1 2025 exam will be conducted on April 13, 2025. Check the eligibility criteria for women candidates for the Combined Defence Services Exam (CDS) 2025 in the article.
CDS Women Eligibility and Best Tips to Crack CDS
The Indian Government allowed women to appear in the CDS exam since 1992. However, the women were only allowed to apply for non-technical branches which are Medical Corps and Dental Corps. The table turned for women in 2008 when they were allowed to apply for other branches as well through the CDS OTA exam. This article discusses about the eligibility and tips to crack the CDS exam for women.
CDSE stands for Combined Defence Services Exam and is conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) twice a year to recruit candidates for Indian Naval Academy (INA), Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Air Force Academy (IAFA), Officers’ Training Academy (OTA). After undergoing training in these armed forces academies, the candidates come out as commissioned officers for the armed forces.
No, candidates can't apply for the CDS 2026 exam offline. The authority will activate the CDS application link on the official website. It is important for a candidate to first complete the One-Time Registration (OTR) on the website of UPSC before proceeding with the CDS application form.
Yes, final-year candidates are eligible to apply for the CDS exam. But they need to produce the degree certificate when called upon, mainly during the SSB (Services Selection Board) phase.
Women who are aspiring to become commissioned officers in the Indian Armed Forces through CDS must go through the eligibility first to ensure they are fit to apply for the CDS exam. The eligibility criteria for the CDS exam for women have been discussed below in the article.
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- CDS Eligibility for Women
- Best tips to crack the CDS exam for Women
- CDS Preparation 2025 FAQs
CDS Eligibility for Women
The CDS eligibility for Women has been divided into five sections to understand the eligibility criteria better. The five sections for the CDS eligibility for women are:
- Age Limit Criteria
- Educational Qualification Criteria
- Marital Status
- Medical Eligibility
- Physical Eligibility
Also Read: CDS Eligibility 2025
CDS Eligibility for Women: Age Limit Criteria
The age limit criteria for the women have been given below for the candidates:
- The CDS lower age limit for women candidates is 18 years. The age calculation date for applying for the CDS exam is released with the CDS notification, the candidates are advised to go through the CDS notification before applying for the CDS exam.
- On the other hand, the CDS upper age limit for women is 24 years. The age calculation date for applying for the CDS exam is released with the notification, the candidates are advised to go through the CDS notification before applying for the CDS exam.
The Commission will release the CDS 1 2026 notification on December 10, 2025 at upsconline.nic.in. The online application link will be available from Dec 10 to Dec 30, 2025. Candidates can download notification via direct link provided below.
The minimum age limit for applying CDS exam is 19 years. Candidates must be graduate or appearing in the final year. B.Tech and BE candidates can apply for IMA, INA and AFA. The age limit criteria for CDS 1 exam have been given below for the candidates:
Indian Naval Academy: 19 to 24 years
Air Force Academy: 20 years to 24 years
Indian Military Academy: 19 to 24 years
Officers Training Academy (SSC Women Non Technical Course): 19 to 25 years
Officers Training Academy (SSC Course for Men): 19 to 25 years
The candidates must note that if they don't fulfill the age limit and educational qualification criteria will not be able to appear in the CDS exam.
CDS Eligibility for Women: Education Qualification
The educational qualification for the CDS exam varies for different academies. The educational qualification for different academies has been given below:
- Educational Qualification for OTA: Degree from a recognized university or equivalent
CDS Eligibility for Women: Marital Status
The women's and men's marital status is considered while recruiting the candidates in the IMA, INA, AFA, and OTA. The CDS women marital status criteria have been discussed below for women:
- The women candidates must be unmarried to apply for the CDS OTA exam. However, the candidates who are divorcees or widows and not remarried can apply for the CDS exam, If they fulfil the other eligibility criteria.
Also Read: CDS Answer Key 2025
CDS Eligibility for Women: Medical Fitness
The women who are willing to apply for the CDS OTA exam must be in a well mental and medical state to perform their duties without in hinder. The CDS medical fitness are assessed on the basis of the points enlisted below:
- Condition of Overweight/Underweight
- Under Sized Chest
- Piles
- Wax (Ears)
- Deviated Nasal Septum
- Tonsillitis
- Gynaecomastia
- Varicocele
- Hydrocele / Phimosis
CDS Eligibility for Women: Physical Eligibility
Physical eligibility is considered one of the most hindered points for the candidates. The candidates must go through the physical fitness eligibility criteria before applying for the CDS exam. The physical fitness eligibility has been discussed below for the women candidates:
Height and Weight Standards for Women
| Height and Weight Standards (Females) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Height in Centimetres (Without shoes) |
Weight in Kgs. |
||
|
|
20 years |
25 years |
30 years |
| 148 |
39 |
41 |
43 |
| 150 |
40 |
42 |
43.5 |
| 153 |
42 |
43.5 |
45 |
| 155 |
43 |
44 |
46 |
| 158 |
45 |
46 |
48 |
| 160 |
46 |
47 |
49 |
| 163 |
47 |
49 |
51 |
| 165 |
49 |
51 |
53 |
| 168 |
50 |
52 |
54 |
Visual Parameters for Female Candidates
The women applying for the CDS OTA exam must go through the visual parameters before applying for the CDs exam. The visual parameters have been discussed below for the candidates:
Visual Parameters
Vision Standards for the women candidates have been discussed below:
| Uncorrected without glasses |
6/12, 6/12 |
| Corrected with glasses |
6/6, 6/6 |
| Limits of Myopia |
-1.5D |
| Limits of Hypermetropia |
1.5D |
| Binocular Vision |
III |
| Limits of Colour Perception |
I |
If the women candidates fulfil the eligibility criteria for the CSD exam, then they must start preparing for the CDS exam and the best to tips crack the CDS OTA exam have been given below for the women candidates in the article.
Best tips to crack the CDS exam for Women
Women aspirants who want to become commissioned officers must start preparing for the CDS exam and the best tips to qualify for the CDS exam have been given below for women:
- Go through the syllabus for the CDS exam: Before start preparing for the CDS exam, the candidates must go through the CDS syllabus to know the topics and areas to prepare. The CDS OTA syllabus comprises topics from General Awareness and English. The women candidates must keep track of the current events in defence to put less effort later in the preparation.
- Know the CDS Exam Pattern: The exam pattern plays a vital role while preparing for the CDS exam as it helps the candidates to know about the various sections of the question paper, weightage given to the topics and sections
- Solve CDS Previous Years’ Question Papers: The candidates must solve the previous years’ question papers to check their preparation’s depth and the repetition of questions that can be asked in the exam again
- Focus on CDS English: The women candidates must focus on the English section to qualify for the CDS OTA exam. To upgrade the level of English for the CDS exam the candidates are advised to read the reputed English newspapers, magazines, books, etc.
- Focus on CDS General Awareness: Keep track of current events related to defence, world economic affairs, Geo-Politics, etc. These topics will help you to secure maximum marks in the CDS exam.
These are the best tips to crack the CDS exam for women. Following the best tips, women candidates can enhance their level of preparation for the CDS exam. We hope that it might help in your preparation. Best of Luck!
Read More: CDS Application 2025
CDS Preparation 2025 FAQs
Q: When will the CDS 1 2025 exam be conducted?
A: The CDS 1 2025 exam will be conducted on April 13, 2025. The CDS 1 2025 registration process was closed on January 1, 2025. The CDS 1 application form 2025 was released on December 11, 2024, on the official website.
Q: When should I start preparing for CDS exam?
A: The candidates who want to qualify for the CDS exam must start preparing from the twelfth standard. The CDS exam is one of the toughest exams in India. The candidates must start revising the syllabus for CDS exam 6 months before the exam to qualify for the CDS exam.
Q: How many CDS mock tests should I solve?
A: Candidates must solve atleast two CDS mock tests daily after completion of the syllabus. The mock test will give idea of the exam pattern, sections and repeated questions in the CDS exam. However, the candidates must solve the previous year's question papers along with the CDS mock tests.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 2 weeks ago
Here are the list of some of the books which can help candidates in their preparation.
- High School English Grammar & Composition Edition by Wren and Martin
- Objective General English by SP Bakshi
- Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
- English Grammar & Composition by S.C Gupta
J
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 weeks ago
The authority released a total of 453 vacancies for the CDS 2 exam 2025 for admission to the Indian Air Force, Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Officers’ Training Academy for courses.
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 weeks ago
It is recommended to the candidates to reach the CDS exam centre at least one hour prior to the reporting time. The CDS exam centre allotment is done on a first-apply-first-allot basis.
C
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 weeks ago
Yes, the English section of the CDS exam is scorable if it is prepared properly. Usually the difficulty level of the exam is moderate.
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 weeks ago
Candidates can check the cut off marks for the CDS exam by visiting the official website at upsc.gov.in. The UPSC will release the cutoff according to the academy or course.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
The steps to check the CDS cut off marks is provided below:
- Visit at upsc.gov.in
- Click on the :Examination" tab
- Go to the "Cut Off Marks" dropdown menu.
- Click on the download link and save it for future reference
I
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
Yes. In the CDS exam there is a negative marking. One-third mark will be deducted for an incorrect answer. No mark will be deducted for unanswered questions.
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
The CDS exam is conducted in an offline mode that is in a pen-paper mode. The exam consists of objective type questions and need to mark their answers in an OMR sheet.
J
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 months ago
Yes, the CDS 2 application last date to apply was extended to June 20 from June 17, 2025. A one-time extension was provided by the commission. The application correction window was opened from July 7 to July 9, 2025.
S
Contributor-Level 6
No. The commission released the notification for the CDS 2 exam 2025 on May 28, 2025. Candidates can apply for the designated exam centres across India as mentioned in the notification. The list of exam centers has been mentioned in the notification. Exam centres are allotted on a first-apply-first-allot basis to the candidates. Also, some centres have a limited capacity and, once filled, are no longer available for selection.