UPSC CDS 2024 exam has been announced by the UPSC through the UPSC Calendar. Read the article to know about the (Combined Defence Services) CDS 2024 exam dates, vacancies, eligibility, and more.
CDS 2024
UPSC CDS 2024: The Combined Defence Services (CDS) Exam is a national-level entrance examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) twice a year. The exam is conducted to recruit officers for the Indian Armed Forces, which includes the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force. The CDS exam is conducted in two stages: a written test and an interview. The written test is conducted in an offline mode and comprises three papers: English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics. Each paper is of 2 hours duration and carries 100 marks. The interview is conducted by the Services Selection Board (SSB) and comprises a series of tests that assess a candidate's personality, intelligence, and leadership qualities.
Also Read:
CDS 2 2023 Result Live Updates
The CDS exam is a highly competitive exam, and candidates must prepare well to succeed. They can refer to previous years' question papers, study materials, and practice tests to prepare for the exam. Coaching classes are also available for candidates who require additional guidance and support.
On the other hand, the CDS 2 exam for the year 2023 was conducted on September 3, 2023, to recruit 349 candidates for the IMA, INA, AFA, and OTA. The result for the CDS 2 exam will be released anytime soon on the official website-upsc.gov.in.
CDS 2024 Highlights
Candidates selected through CDS join as commissioned officers. They undergo training in the respective defence academies. The table below provides some important exam highlights for CDS 2024.
| NDA Features | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam name |
Combined Defence Services Examination |
| Conducting institute |
Union Public Service Commission |
| Exam Level |
National |
| Maths, English and General Ability Test (GAT) |
|
| The written exam conducted in pen-and-paper mode |
|
| No. of test cities |
More than 70 |
| Exam frequency |
Twice a year |
| Exam fees |
INR 200 (SC/ST/Women candidates/Sons of JCOs/NCOs/ORs are exempted from fee payment) |
| Eligibility |
Passed graduation or are appearing in the same |
| Exam purpose |
Admission of candidates for Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Air Force Academy and Officers Training |
| Exam website |
upsc.gov.in |
UPSC CDS 1 2024 Exam Date
CDS 2024 dates have been announced by UPSC for the CDS written examination. The candidates must go through the CDS 1 2024 date and events tables to know the CDS 1 exam date and avoid the lack of information regarding the CDS 2024 exam.
| UPSC CDS 1 2024 Events |
CDS 1 2024 Dates |
|---|---|
| December 20, 2023 |
|
| December 20, 2023 |
|
| The last date to apply for the CDS 2024 application form |
January 9, 2024 |
| CDS 1 application form correction facility |
To be notified |
| CDS 1 2024 application withdrawal dates |
To be notified |
| To be notified |
|
| CDS exam date 2024 |
April 21, 2024 |
Also Read:
UPSC CDS 2 2024 Exam Date
| UPSC CDS 2 2024 Events |
CDS 2 2024 Dates |
|---|---|
| CDS 2 notification 2024 release date |
May 15, 2024 |
| CDS 2 application form 2024 date |
May 15, 2024 |
| The last date to apply for the CDS 2 application form |
June 04, 2024 |
| CDS 2 application form correction facility date |
To be notified |
| CDS 2 application withdrawal dates |
To be notified |
| CDS 2 admit card date |
To be notified |
| CDS 2 exam date 2024 |
September 1, 2024 |
Also Read: CDS Recruitment
CDS 2024 Admit Card Download Link
The candidates who will successfully submit their application form for the CDS 2024 exam will be able to download the CDS 2024 admit card. The direct link to download the CDS admit card 2024 is below in the article as soon as it is released on the official website. The direct link will redirect the candidates to the login page where the candidates can download the CDS admit card using their login credentials.
CDS 2024 Admit Card Direct Link: Yet to be Released
UPSC CDS 2024 Eligibility Criteria
UPSC prescribes CDS eligibility criteria in terms of nationality, age limit and educational qualification. To apply for the exam, candidates need to meet the eligibility parameters. CDS eligibility criteria are given below.
Nationality
The candidates who are willing to apply for the CDS 2024 exam must be
-
An Indian citizen, or
-
A Tibetan refugee, (before January 1962), or
-
A subject to Nepal or Bhutan, or
-
Migrants from Pakistan, Burma, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire and Ethiopia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and East African countries of Kenya, and Uganda, with the intention of permanently settling in India.
Also Read: NDA 2023 Exam Updates
UPSC CDS Age Limit 2024
- CDS 2 2024 age limit for Indian Military Academy (IMA) is that unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 2000, and not later than January 1, 2005, are eligible to apply
- CDS 2 2024 age limit for Indian Naval Academy (IMA) is that unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 2000, and not later than January 1, 2005, are eligible to apply
- Candidates applying for Air Force Academy should be between 20 to 24 years as on January 1, 2024. They must have been born not earlier than January 2, 2000, and not later than January 1, 2004For Officers’ Training Academy (SSC Course for men), unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 1999, and not later than January 1, 2005, are eligible to apply
- For Officers’ Training Academy (SSC Women Non-Technical Course), candidates should be unmarried and born not earlier than January 2, 1999, and not later than January 1, 2005
Also Read: What is the Full Form of CDS exam?
UPSC CDS Qualification
- For IMA and Officers’ Training Academy, the required educational qualification is Graduation in any discipline from a recognised university
- For Indian Naval Academy, candidates must have a degree in Engineering from a recognised university
- For Air Force Academy, candidates must have a degree in Engineering from a recognised university. They must have studied Physics and Mathematics in Class 12
UPSC CDS Physical Standards 2024
The candidates who want to appear for the CDS exam must go through the CDS physical standards before applying for the CDS exam so that they can check that they are eligible to qualify for the eligibility criteria
CDS 2024 Male Height and Weight
The height and weight standards for the army and navy (male) have been given below for the CDS exam aspiring candidates. The candidates can refer to the table for the CDS age-wise weight and height below:
| Height/Age |
18 years |
20 years |
22 years |
24 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 152 |
44&*nbsp; |
46 |
47 |
48 |
| 155 |
46 |
48&**nbsp; |
49 |
50 |
| 157 |
47 |
49 |
50 |
51 |
| 160 |
48 |
50 |
51 |
52 |
| 162 |
50 |
52 |
51 |
54 |
| 165 |
52 |
53 |
55 |
56 |
| 168 |
53 |
55 |
57 |
58 |
| 170 |
55 |
57 |
58 |
59 |
| 173 |
57 |
59 |
60 |
61 |
| 175 |
59 |
61 |
62 |
62 |
| 178 |
61 |
62 |
63 |
64 |
| 180 |
63 |
64 |
65 |
66 |
| 183 |
65 |
67 |
67 |
68 |
| 185 |
67 |
69 |
70 |
71 |
| 188 |
70 |
71 |
72 |
74 |
| 190 |
72 |
73 |
74 |
76 |
| 193 |
74 |
76 |
77 |
78 |
| 195 |
77 |
78 |
79 |
81 |
Also Read: NDA 2024
CDS 2024 Female Height and Weight
The height and weight standards for the army and navy (female) have been given below for the CDS exam aspiring candidates. The candidates can refer to the table for the CDS age-wise weight and height below:
| Height/Age |
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 |
CDS Eyesight 2024
Candidates who want to appear in CDS 2024 must know about visual standards so that they can verify that they are eligible to appear for the CDS exam or not. The UPSC has divided visual standards into three parts – IMA & OTA, Naval Candidates, and Air Force. The details of the visual standards have been given below:
CDS 2024 Eyesight : IMA and OTA
- Uncorrected vision (max allowed) - 6/60 &6/60
- BCVA - Right 6/6 & Left 6/6
- Myopia -
- Hypermetropia -
- Lasik/equivalent surgery - Permitted
- Colour perception: CP II
CDS 2024 Eyesight: Navy
- Uncorrected without glasses: 6/12, 6/12
- Corrected with glasses: 6/6, 6/6
- Myopia Limit: -1.5D
- Hypermetropia Limit: +1.5D
- Binocular Vision: III
- Limits of Colour Perception: I
CDS 2024 Eyesight: Air Force
Candidates who wear spectacles regularly are not eligible for India Air Force. The visual standards for the Air Force have been given below:
- Hypermetropia Colour Vision CP-1
- Hypermetropia: +2.0 d Sph
- Manifest Myopia: Nil
- Retinoscopic Myopia- 0.5 in any meridian
- Astigmatism : +0.75 D Cyl (with + 2.0 D- Max)
Also Read: CDS Maths Syllabus
Maddox Rod Test
at 33 cms:
- Exo-16 prism D
- Eso-6 prism D
- Hyper-1 prism D
- Hypo-1 prism D
at 6 meters:
- Exo-6 prism D
- Eso-6 prism D
- Hyper-1 prism D
- Hypo-1prism D
CDS Vacancy 2024
The final UPSC CDS 2024 vacancy will be announced simultaneously with the release of the official notification on upsc.gov.in. The Union Public Service would release UPSC CDS vacancies in 2024 separately for both sessions. CDS 2024 openings for the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA), and Officers' Training Academy (OTA) Men & Women will be available here for each session.
CDS Application Form 2024
UPSC will release the CDS application along with the notification on the official website. The candidates can apply for the CDS exam application form by following the steps that have been provided in the article below.
How to register for the CDS application form?
The steps to fill out the application form are given below:
- Go to the official website for application- upsconline.nic.in
- Log in to your registered account or register for the OTR (the steps to register for UPSC OTR has been given below in the article)
- Click on the CDS 2 exam link
- Fill out the details asked
- Upload the photograph, signature, and Photo Identity card
- Make the application fee for the CDS 2 exam
- Choose the CDS 2 exam centre
- Finally, submit the application form
- A confirmation message will be sent to the candidate's registered mobile number and email id
CDS Exam Pattern 2024
Candidates can check the CDS 2024 exam pattern in the table below:
| Parameters | Details |
|---|---|
| Mode of exam |
Offline |
| Number of sections |
Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA) and Air Force Academy (AFA)-Three Officers’ Training Academy (OTA)-Two |
| Total marks of the test |
IMA, INA, and AFA-300 OTA-200 |
| Nature of questions |
Objective type |
| Language of question paper |
Hindi and English |
| Duration of the test |
Two hours for each section of the test |
CDS Negative Marking Scheme
- For the incorrect answer, 1/3 mark is deducted
- Candidates marking more than one option are treated as incorrect
- If a question is left unanswered, there will be no negative marking
Section Wise Marking Scheme
The section-wise marking scheme of the CDS exam has been given below for the candidates. The section-wise marking scheme will help the aspirants to understand the complex structure of the marking scheme:
| Specifications | English | GK | Mathematics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum marks | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Marks for the correct answer | +1 mark for each correct option | +1 mark for each correct option | +1 mark for each correct option |
| Negative marking | -0.33 marks for each wrong answer | -0.33 marks for each wrong answer | -0.33 marks for each wrong answer |
CDS Exam Pattern 2024 for SSB Interview
The SSB Interview for IMA, INA, and AFA is for 300 marks each while for OTA, it is 200. The SSB Interview procedure consists of two stages: I and II. Only those candidates who qualify the stage I are permitted to appear in stage II. The details of both stages are given below:
- Stage I comprises Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and Picture Perception Description Test (PP&DT)
- Stage II comprises an Interview round, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests and Conferences. These tests are conducted over days
UPSC CDS Cut Off 2024
The CDS cut-off for 2024 will be released by the UPSC for the written exam and interview soon on the official website. The candidates who will secure more than or equal to the cut off marks will be considered as CDS qualified. The candidates check the CDS 1 cut-off marks for the year 2023 below in the table:
| Category |
Written Exam Cut-Off |
Final Exam Cut Off |
|---|---|---|
| Aggregate marks of last qualified candidates |
Marks of last recommended candidates |
|
| IMA |
136 |
258 |
| INA |
128 |
256 |
| 147 |
269 |
|
| OTA (Men) |
100 |
181 |
| OTA (Women) |
100 |
184 |
CDS Syllabus 2024
UPSC prescribes the syllabus for the CDS exam and the Commission will release the syllabus for the CDS exam along with the release of the notification. The candidates can check the syllabus below:
| Academy | Subject | Topics |
|---|---|---|
| INA, AFA, IMA and INA | Maths |
|
| English |
|
|
| General Awareness | Economics Political History World Affairs Award Defence Books Current Affairs Sports Physics Chemistry |
CDS Career Growth
The candidates who will join the Indian defence as commissioned officers will be promoted according to the norms and time period of the service. The candidates can check the rank-wise post list below:
- Captain - Two years of commissioned service
- Major - Six years of commissioned service
- Lieutenant Colonel - Thirteen years of commissioned service
- Colonel - Fifteen years of commissioned service
- Colonel (TS) - Twenty-six years of commissioned service
- Major General - Twenty-five years of commissioned service
- Brigadier - Twenty-three years of commissioned service
- Lieutenant General - Twenty-eight years of commissioned service
- General - No restrictions
- Lieutenant - Promotion only after completion of training
CDS 2024 Exam Centres
The candidates can check the exam cities in which the CDS 2024 exam will be conducted in the table below:
| State | Examination Centre |
|---|---|
| Tripura | Agartala |
| Gujarat | Ahmedabad |
| Mizoram | Aizawl |
| Uttar Pradesh | Allahabad |
| Karnataka | Bengaluru |
| Uttar Pradesh | Bareilly |
| Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal |
| Punjab | Chandigarh |
| Tamil Nadu | Chennai |
| Tamil Nadu | Cuttack |
| Uttarakhand | Dehradun |
| Delhi | Delhi |
| Karnataka | Dharwad |
| Assam | Dispur |
| Sikkim | Gangtok |
| Andhra Pradesh | Hyderabad |
| Manipur | Imphal |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar |
| Rajasthan | Jaipur |
| Jammu and Kashmir | Jammu |
| Assam | Jorhat |
| Kerala | Kochi |
| Nagaland | Kohima |
| West Bengal | Kolkata |
| Uttar Pradesh | Lucknow |
| Tamil Nadu | Madurai |
| Maharashtra | Mumbai |
| Maharashtra | Nagpur |
| Goa | Panaji |
| Bihar | Patna |
| Andaman and Nicobar | Port Blair |
| Chhattisgarh | Raipur |
| Jharkhand | Ranchi |
| Odisha | Sambalpur |
| Meghalaya | Shillong |
| Himachal Pradesh | Shimla |
| Jammu and Kashmir | Srinagar |
| Kerala | Thiruvananthapuram |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Tirupati |
| Rajasthan | Udaipur |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Visakhapatnam |
Read More: CDS 2023 Exam
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
CDS Salary of Officers during the training period is INR 56,100 per month for Army, Navy, and Air Force. The rank-wise salary is given below:
| Rank | Level | Salary (In INR) |
|---|---|---|
Lieutenant | Level 10 | 56,100 -1,77,500 |
Captain | Level 10 B | 61,300- 1,93,900 |
Major | Level 11 | 69,400 – 2,07,200 |
Lieutenant Colonel | Level 12A | 1,21,200 – 2,12,400 |
Colonel | Level 13 | 1,30,600-2, 15,900 |
Brigadier | Level 13A | 1,39,600-2,17,600 |
Major General | Level 14 | 1,44,200-2,18,200 |
Lieutenant General HAG Scale | Level 15 | 1, 82, 200-2,24,100 |
HAG+Scale | Level 16 | 2,05,400 – 2,24,400 |
VCOAS/Army Cdr/ Lieutenant General (NFSG) | Level 17 | 2,25,000 (fixed) |
COAS | Level 18 | 2,50,000 (fixed) |
D
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will release the Combined Defence Services II (CDS 2) result anytime soon in the month of September 2023. The result/merit list will be released in the form of a PDF that will comprise the details like roll number and name of the candidate. The candidates w
D
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 5 days ago
Yes there will be some change in the result but the change will be in 5 marks up or down.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 weeks ago
The last date to apply for the CDS 2 2023 was June 6, 2023 and theapplication correction window for the CDS 2 2023 was closed on June 13, 2023. However, the candidaets will be able to fill out the application form for the year 2024 from December 20, 2023 to January 9, 2023. The application corre
D
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
The CDS 2 maths exam was condcuted for the candidates who want to enroll for the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy, and Air Force Academy at 3:00 pm t0 5:00 pm on September 3, 2023 by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The maths section was modrately difficult in terms of
D
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
The CDS 2 2023 exam for English and General Knowledge was conducted at 9:00 to 11:00 pm and 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm respectively by the Union Public Service Commission on September 3, 2023. The difficulty level of the CDS 2 English paper was easy. The questions were asked from synonyms & antonyms, jumbl
D
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
The CDS 2 answer key will be released on September 3, 2023, within a few hours after the exam get concluded. The candidates will be able to check their scores by comparing the answer key with the responses they have marked against the questions asked in the CDS exam. However, the answer keys that w
D
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 weeks ago
If there is any error in CDS admit card, the candidates should immediately contact the concerned department/authority to make corrections in the admit card. The concerned department will guide
G
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
The chances of becoming General after becoming a CDS officer is very less as in duration of service in the Defence forces play a vital role in getting promotions. The candidates commissioned as officers after NDA serves for more duration in the Army as compared to CDS. Therfore, the chances of becom
D
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
Different instutes have different rules on the marital status for the CDS exam. The criteria for the marital status for various defence institutes have been given below for the candidates:
- For Indian Military Academy: Unmarried
- For Indian Naval Academy: Unmarried
- For Indian Air Force: Married and Unm
D
Contributor-Level 10
What is the Salary of CDS Commissioned Officers?