Combined Defence Services (CDS)

CDS Exam is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission twice a year for recruitment to office cadre of the Army, Navy and Air force. This exam enables candidates to get recruited into the:
â€¢Â Â Â Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun for permanent commission in the Indian Army
â€¢Â Â Â Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai for short-service commission in the Indian Army
â€¢Â Â Â Naval Academy Goa, for Commission in the General Services in the Indian Navy
â€¢Â Â Â Air Force Academy, Begumpet, Hyderabad for Commission in the Indian Air Force

Women candidates are eligible for OTA (Officers Training Academy, Chennai) only. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is entrusted with the responsibility to conduct the CDS exam at all India level. UPSC is the central agency of India authorized to conduct the CDS exam, among various other exams that it conducts.
The CDS Exam is conducted in three stages. In the first stage, a written exam is conducted, and after that, a Personal Interview and medical test for assessing the Physical fitness of the candidate are taken. After qualify the written test, a candidate is required to take the SSB interview.

CDS Exam Quick Overview
Name of the Exam	CDS (Combined Defense Services)
Conducting Authority	Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Official Website	www.upsc.gov.in
Exam Occurrence	Twice in a year (Feb and Nov)
Paper Language	Hindi and English
Mode of Exam	Online
Exam Type	National Level
Age Limit	Minimum Age- 20 Years Maximum Age- 25 Years

Educational Qualification

Educational qualifications for different academies of CDS are different.

Educational qualification for Air Force Academy â€“ A candidate should have done 12th with science with Physics and Mathematics or should have done Engineering from a recognised University or Institution.
Educational qualification for Naval Academy- A candidate should have done Engineering from a recognised University or Institution.
Educational qualification for Indian Military Academy â€“ A candidate should have obtained a degree from any recognised University or Institution.

All the candidates who are appearing for degree or equivalent examination are also eligible to take these exams. However, such candidates will be required to submit the proof of passing the requisite qualifying examination within a date as specified in the Commission's Notice for the Examination.

CDS Exam Date

The Notification for the examination is usually released in the months of October and June, and the examinations are conducted in February and November respectively. Only unmarried graduates are eligible to sit for the exam. Successful candidates are admitted into the respective Academies after an interview conducted by the Services Selection Board (SSB).