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About CDS 2024

Union Public Service Commission will issue the CDS 1 2024 admit card soon on the official website. The UPSC CDS 1 exam is scheduled to be held on April 21, 2024. The CDS 1 2024 application form correction window was provided by the commission from January 10 to 16, 2024 at upsc.gov.in. The application form of CDS 1 exam 2024 was closed on January 9, 2024.

UPSC released the UPSC CDS 1 notification 2024 online on December 20, 2023. Along with the notification, the exam authorities also released the UPSC CDS 1 application form. Candidates who are between 20 to 24 years and fulfil other CDS exam eligibility criteria are eligible for CDS. The CDS exam 2024 is conducted for candidates who wish to pursue their careers as commissioned officers in the Navy, Air Force and Army after graduation or candidates appearing in their final year. There are two stages in the CDS exam 2024 written exam followed by the SSB interview. Candidates who qualify written CDS exam 2024 are eligible for the Services Selection Board (SSB) Interview which includes Personality cum Psychometric tests and Intelligence interviews.

Candidates who clear the UPSC CDS exam 2024 selection process will have to undergo training programmes as per their merit and preference for Army, Navy and Air Force jobs. The training of selected candidates will be done at Indian Military Academy (IMA Dehradun), Indian Naval Academy (INA Ezhimala), Air Force Academy (Hyderabad), and Officers’ Training Academy (OTA Chennai).

CDS 2024 Highlights

Full Exam NameCombined Defence Services Examination
Short Exam NameCDS
Conducting BodyUnion Public Service Commission
Frequency of Conduct2 times a year
Exam LevelIntermediate
LanguagesEnglish, Hindi
Mode of ApplicationOnline
Application Fee (General)200 Rs [Offline] +1 More
Mode of ExamOffline
Mode of CounsellingOffline
Exam Duration6 Hours
Number of Seats457 Seats

Download all details about CDS 2024

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CDS 2024 Important Dates

CDS (Session Apr 2024)

Upcoming Dates and Events

21 Apr, 2024

Exam | Mode: Offline

CDS (Session Sep 2024)

Upcoming Dates and Events

15 May, 2024

Advertisement | Mode: Online

15 May, 2024 - 04 Jun, 2024

Application | Mode: Online

01 Sep, 2024

Exam | Mode: Offline

Candidates must check the CDS exam eligibility criteria like age limit, educational qualification, marital status to be eligible for CDS exam 2024.

Nationality

Candidates applying for CDS exam 2024 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 or Vietnam Sri Lanka and East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, with the intention of permanently settling in India

Age

AcademyAge Limit
IMABorn not before January 2, 2001 and not later than January 1, 2006
INABorn not before January 2, 2001 and not later than January 1, 2006
AFABorn not before January 2, 2001 and not later than January 1, 2005
OTA (SSC Course for men)Born not before January 2, 2000 and not later than January 1, 2006
OTA (SSC Women Non-Technical Course)
Born not before January 2, 2000 and not later than January 1, 2006


Educational Qualification martial status as per courses

Courses

Marital Status

Qualification

Officers Training Academy (OTA - women, Non-Technical)

Unmarried and widow

Degree of a recognised university or equivalent

Officers Training Academy (OTA - men)

Unmarried

Degree of a recognised university or equivalent

Indian Naval Academy (NA)

Unmarried

Degree in Engineering from a recognised             university/institution

Indian Military Academy (IMA)

Unmarried

Degree of a recognised university or equivalent

Air Force Academy (AFA)

Unmarried (Candidates above 25 can be married)

Degree of a recognised university (with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level) or Bachelor of Engineering


Mode of Application : Online

Mode of Payment : Net Banking | Credit Card | Debit Card | Other

The commission provided the application form correction link for CDS 1 exam from January 10 to 16, 2024. The CDS 1 2024 application form was closed on January 9, 2024. UPSC released the CDS 1 exam application form on December 20, 2023.  Candidates have to complete the One-Time Registration and then proceed to apply for the UPSC CDS exam 2024.

Documents Required While Filling CDS Application Form

  • Active Email – ID
  • Matriculation certificate
  • Scanned signature
  • Scanned photograph
  • One photo identity proof like an Aadhar card/ Voter card/ PAN card/ Passport/ Driving license

Steps to Fill UPSC CDS Application Form

  • Open the UPSC official website - upsc.gov.in.

  • Click on the ‘Apply Online link’ available on the web page.

  • Online One-Time Registration (OTR)- If the applicants are not completed the One Time Registration, They have to complete it by providing some basic details such as personal and contact details.

  • Login by using valid login credentials Email ID and OTP/Password or Mobile number and  OTP/Password or OTR ID and OTP/Password.

  • Candidates have to fill out the UPSC CDS 2024 application form in two parts which include filling in other details, fee payment, uploading of scanned documents, signature, photo identity card document and selection of preferred exam centre.

  • Check all the details furnished in the UPSC CDS application form 2024 thoroughly and edit the details if needed.

  • Once submitted, Applicants will not be able to make changes to their UPSC CDS application form 2024.

  • After submission, a registration number will be generated. Candidates have to download it as a pdf file and take a printout for future reference.

CDS Application Fee

CategoryCDS Application Fee
General & OBCRs. 200
SC, ST & Female CandidatesNo Fee


Application Fees

CategoryQuotaModeGenderAmount
OBC, GeneralOnline, OfflineMale₹ 200
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English

General knowledge

Elementary mathematics+

Elementary mathematics: Unit 01
Arithmetic
Number system-natural numbers, integers, rational, and real numbers
Fundamental operations, addition, substraction, multiplication, division, square roots, decimal fractions
Unitary method, time and distance, time and work, percentages, applications to simple and compound interest, profit and loss, ratio and proportion, variation
Elementary number theory-division algorithm
Prime and composite numbers
Tests of divisibility by 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, and 11
Multiples and factors
Factorisation theorem
H.C.F. and L.C.M.
Euclidean algorithm
Logarithms to base 10, laws of logarithms, use of logarithmic tables
Elementary mathematics: Unit 02
Algebra
Basic operations, simple factors, remainder theorem, H.C.F., L.C.M., theory of polynomials, solutions of quadratic equations, relation between its roots and coefficients (only real roots to be considered)
Simultaneous linear equations in two unknowns-analytical and graphical solutions
Simultaneous linear inequations in two variables and their solutions
Practical problems leading to two simultaneous linear equations or inequations in two variables or quadratic equations in one variable and their solutions
Set language and set notation, rational expressions and conditional identities, laws of indices
Elementary mathematics: Unit 03
Trigonometry
Sine ×, cosine ×, Tangent × when 0° < × < 90° values of sin ×, cos × and tan ×, for × = 0°, 30°, 45°, 60° and 90°, simple trigonometric identities
Use of trigonometric tables
Simple cases of heights and distances
Elementary mathematics: Unit 04
Geometry
Lines and angles, plane and plane figures, theorems on (i) properties of angles at a point, (ii) parallel lines, (iii) sides and angles of a triangle, (iv) congruency of triangles, (v) similar triangles, (vi) concurrence of medians and altitudes
Theorems on (vii) properties of angles, sides and diagonals of a parallelogram, rectangle, and square, (viii) circles and its properties including tangents and normals, (ix) loci
Elementary mathematics: Unit 05
Mensuration
Areas of squares, rectangles, parallelograms, triangle, and circle
Areas of figures which can be split up into these figures (field book), surface area and volume of cuboids, lateral surface and volume of right circular cones and cylinders, surface area and volume of spheres
Elementary mathematics: Unit 06
Statistics
Collection and tabulation of statistical data, graphical representation frequency polygons, histograms, bar charts, pie charts etc.
Measures of central tendency

To score well in the written exam of CDS, candidates must know the preparation tips and strategies. Candidates must know the importance of solving the previous years’ question papers, timely revision, time management, etc. which are the key elements of preparation.

UPSC prescribes the CDS exam pattern in the official notification. There are two stages in the CDS exam 2024- written and SSB interviews. The written CDS exam 2024 is conducted in pen and paper mode. As per the CDS exam pattern, candidates who apply for Indian Naval Academy, Air Force Academy and Indian Military Academy courses have to appear for three subjects - English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics while candidates who have opted for Officers' Training Academy have to appear for two subjects – English and General Knowledge.

CDS Exam Pattern – Written Exam

Structure of CDS exam pattern for admission to Indian Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, and Indian Military Academy.

Subject

Maximum Marks

Duration

Elementary Mathematics

100

2 hours

English

100

2 hours

General Knowledge

100

2 hours


Structure of exam pattern for admission to Officers’ Training Academy

Subject

Maximum Marks

Duration

General Knowledge1002 hours

English

100

2 hours


CDS Exam Pattern – SSB Interview

Stages

Tests

Stage-I

Screening Test

Verbal and non-verbal tests.

PPDT

Stage-II

Psychological Test

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

Word Association Test (WAT)

Situation Reaction Test (SRT)

Self Description Test (SD)

Group Testing Officers Test

GD

GPE

PGT

HGT

IOT

Command Task

Snake race/ Group Obstacle Race

Individual lecture

FGT

Personal Interview


Conference

Union Public Service Commission will issue the UPSC CDS 1 exam 2024 admit card in online mode 7 days before the commencement of the exam. The CDS 1 admit card 2024 will be available for download at upsc.gov.in. Candidates will be able to download the CDS exam admit card till the date of examination. In order to download the CDS admit card 2024, candidates can either log in through roll number or registration number. The admit card of the CDS exam is available for candidates who have successfully filled and submitted the application form.

Details on CDS Admit Card

  • Candidate’s name
  • Scanned signature and colour photograph
  • Registration number
  • Candidate’s category
  • Examination date
  • Reporting time
  • Address of examination centre
  • Examination timing

CDS 2024 Exam Centers

StateCity
TripuraAgartala
GujaratAhmedabad
MizoramAizawl
Uttar PradeshAllahabad
Bareilly
Lucknow
KarnatakaBangalore
Dharwad
Madhya PradeshBhopal
PunjabChandigarh
Tamil NaduChennai
Madurai
OdishaCuttack
Sambalpur
UttarakhandDehradun
DelhiDelhi
SikkimGangtok
TelanganaHyderabad
ManipurImphal
RajasthanJaipur
Udaipur
Jammu and KashmirJammu
Srinagar
AssamJorhat
KeralaKochi
Thiruvananthapuram
NagalandKohima
West BengalKolkata
MaharashtraMumbai
Nagpur
GoaPanaji
BiharPatna
Andaman and Nicobar IslandsPort Blair
ChhattisgarhRaipur
JharkhandRanchi
MeghalayaShillong
Himachal PradeshShimla
Andhra PradeshTirupati
Visakhapatnam
Arunachal PradeshItanagar

Documents Required at Exam

  • Admit card
  • Aadhar card
  • Voter card
  • PAN card
  • Passport
  • Driving license
  • Any other photo ID card issued by the state/central government

UPSC releases the official answer key of CDS 1 exam. CDS 1 answer key is available subject wise for all test booklets. Candidates can check the number of correct and incorrect answers marked by them with the help of answer key. There are some coaching institutes who release the unofficial answer key after the completion of the CDS exam 2024 on the same day.

Union Public Service Commission will declare the result of CDS 1 exam in PDF format on the official website. Candidates have to secure qualifying marks as prescribed by UPSC to qualify the written exam. Candidates who qualify for the written CDS exam are eligible to appear for an SSB interview. The CDS 1 exam result for the CDS written exam and final CDS result are declared separately. The final result of CDS is calculated by adding the marks secured by candidates in written as well as SSB Interview.

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will release the cut off of CDS exam 2024 separately for the written exam and final. Candidates who score equal or more than cutoff released by UPSC for written exam are eligible SSB Interview. The CDS cut off marks of written test for is calculated out of the total score of 300 for INA, IFA  and IMA, and 200 for OTA (Men & Women). The final cut off will be released in by UPSC later.

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The selection process of CDS exam 2024 is of two stages - written exam and SSB interview. In the first stage - CDS written exam, candidates are required to appear in three papers for admission in the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force and two papers for admission in Officers’ Training Academy.

Documents Required at Counselling

  • Call letter
  • Matriculation/secondary school examination certificate or equivalent
  • Degree/provisional degree certificate/marks sheet

General Information

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Question:How to check CDS marks?

Answer:

The CDS marks can be checked from the official website. The CDS marks are released after declaration of final result.

Question:What are passing marks for CDS exam?

Answer:

The written exam of CDS is conducted for 300 marks and candidates must score a minimum of 20% of the total marks i.e. 60. Candidates need to qualify in all three papers of the CDS exam.

Question:What is the salary offered to candidates selected through CDS exam?

Answer:

The cadets are paid Rs. 56,100 per month. During training, they get a stipend of Rs. 6000 OTA while Rs 12,000 per month in IMA, INA and Air Force academy.

Question:Can girls apply for CDS exam?

Answer:

Yes, girls too can apply for CDS exam. Girls are considered for OTA and allotted Short Service Commission in non-Technical cadre.

Question:What is the educational qulification required for the CDS exam?

Answer:

Bachelors degree is must to apply for the CDS examination.

Question:What is the age limit to apply for the CDS exam?

Answer:

Candidates between the age group of 20 years to 24 years can apply for the CDS exam.

Question:When will the CDS 01/2024 application be released?

Answer:

UPSC released the CDS 1 exam application form online on December 20, 2023.

Question:What is the CDS 1 exam date?

Answer:

CDS 1 written exam will be conducted by UPSC on April 21, 2024.

Questions related to CDS

1 Million+ Questions answered |Get answers within 24 hours Ask Now
Showing 899 out of 899 Questions
10 Views

I birthdate is 28/1/2002. I wanted to konw how many Attemps i have left for CDS , AFCAT

Shivanshu 21st Feb, 2024

Dear aspirant !

Hope you are doing good !

Candidates between 19 to 25 years of age are eligible to apply for CDS recruitment 2024. Before filling up the application form, aspirants must check UPSC CDS eligibility criteria carefully. CDS exam 2024 for both sessions will be conducted on April 21, 2024 and September 1, 2024.

From now you will get 4-5 attempts of both so don't worry about attempt.give your best in preparation only .

Hope it helps you !!

Thanking you


14 Views

if i am doing btch in dairy technology then i can apply for cds exam

shivamtrivedi0005 13th Feb, 2024

Hii There,

Certainly. If you're in your third year of engineering, you're eligible to appear for the CDS examination. However, if you qualify the written exam, you won't be able to attend the SSB (Service Selection Board) interview because you must be in the final year of your engineering studies to do so.


Thanks

6 Views

i chose pcm in class 11......i wanted to do phycology or law and i am also an cds and afcat aspirant......can i write my cds or afcat exam though am not going to choose any stream related to engineering in my college

Tanya Gupta 10th Feb, 2024

Hello,

No, You do not necessarily need to choose an engineering stream in college to be eligible for CDS or AFCAT exams. As long as you meet the eligibility criteria specified by the exams, you can pursue your desired field of study in college and still appear for these exams. So go ahead and prepare for CDS and AFCAT with your chosen stream.

Hope this helps you,

Thank you

https://www.google.com/amp/s/competition.careers360.com/exams/cds/amp


13 Views

My dob is 02/01/2005 completing my graduation in June 2026 .. how many attempt i have for cds exam . and am i eligible for 2025 cds 2 ima entry ??

Sajal Trivedi 28th Jan, 2024

Hello aspirant,

You will be roughly 21 years old by 2026. Based on your age, you can enrol in any of the CDS 2026 courses, including the IMA course. Aside from that, you can enrol in CDS 2029 for IMA, since there is a 24-year-old maximum age limit.

Thank you

Hope this information helps you.

7 Views

present i was in 5th sem in btech when should I start preparing for CDS exam

Shivanshu 27th Jan, 2024

Dear aspirant !

Hope you are doing well !

From my point of view you should start preparing from now ,also you are late ,you must start your preparation in the 2nd year but you didn't,cds takes time and it's not an easy task to do . Now you have to prepare for your placement also . If you want job from college then it will be hard for you to manage both ,choose only one and stick with that and prepare very hard for the dream . Don't late now .

For more information about cds ,visit the link ;

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://competition.careers360.com/articles/upsc-cds-2024&ved=2ahUKEwjFuavokv6DAxUQh1YBHU5HBV0QFnoECBEQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2shraRCYnu6OD1PRhwP5jz .

Hope it helps you !!

Thank you

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