013 (2022-2023) Combined Defence Services (CDS)

                Career Guidance Cell informs that UPSC has released the official notification for CDS 1 2022 on 22nd December 2021, the exam will be conducted on 10th April 2022. Candidates who have been waiting for the CDS 1 notification 2022 can now check the important exam dates, steps to apply, application fee, selection process, eligibility, and other details of the Combined Defence Services Examination (CDS) exam in this post. The online application of CDS 1 2022 will also started from today. We will share the PDF of the official notification & direct link to apply for CDS 1 Exam 2022 below.

As per the UPSC notification, male & female candidates who have completed their graduation or equivalent can apply for the CDS 1 2022 exam. In this article, we will also discuss the CDS 1 2022 eligibility criteria, nationality, age limit, educational qualification, marital status, physical standards, height and weight, visual standards, etc.

CDS 1 2022 Notification: Important Dates

CDS Exam is conducted twice a year by the Union Public Service Commission for Selection in Indian Armed Forces namely the Indian Army, Indian Navy & Indian Air Force. Candidates can check the CDS official notification release date, last date to apply, exam date, etc in the following table. CDS 1 2022 exam is scheduled to be conducted on 10th April 2022.

Events	Details
CDS 1 2022 Notification Release Date	22 December 2021
Start Date of CDS Online Registration	22 December 2021
Last Date of CDS Online Registration	11th January 2022
CDS Admit Card Release	Three weeks before the exam
CDS Exam Date 2022	10th April 2022

 

Note* The e-Admit Card for the CDS exam will be released 3 weeks before the commencement of the CDS 1 2022 examination. Candidates can download e-admit card from the official UPSC website (upsconline.nic.in).

CDS 1 2022 Vacancies

UPSC has released a total of 342 vacancies for Male and Females in the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Airforce, Naval Academy, Officers Training Academy (Men & Women) for CDS 1 2022.

Department	Number of Vacancies
Indian Military Academy (IMA)	100
Indian Naval Academy (INA)	22
Air Force Academy (AFA)	32
Officer Training Academy - Men (OTA)	170
Officer Training Academy - Women (OTA)	17
Total	341

Steps to Apply Online for CDS 1 2022

1. Visit the official website of UPSC
2. Read the instructions carefully and click Yes
3. Fill Part 1 of the Online Application Form and Register yourself
4. Upload Your Photo and Signature
5. Submit the Fee (If applicable)

CDS 1 2022 Application Fees

General and OBC category candidates have to submit the application fees of Rs. 200 while Women, SC, and ST candidates are exempted from fee payment. The application fee can be paid both online and offline mode. 

Category	Fees
General/OBC	Rs. 100/-
SC/ST/Sons of JCOs, NCOs, ORs	Nil

Age Criteria Eligibility CDS 1 2022

According to the official notification of UPSC CDS only unmarried male and female aspirants aged between 19-25 years are eligible to apply. Candidates must not be born earlier than 2nd Jan 1997 and not later than 1st Jan 2003 to be eligible for the CDS 1 2022 exam. 

Academy	Age Limit	Born Between
For IMA	19 - 24	Born between 02 Jan 1999 to 01 Jan 2004
For INA	19 - 24	Born between 02 Jan 1999 to 01 Jan 2004
For AFA	20 - 24	Born between 02 Jan 1999 to 01 Jan 2004
For OTA	19 - 25	Born between 02 Jan 1998 to 01 Jan 2004

CDS 1 2022 Exam Eligibility: Marital Status

• Unmarried male & female candidates are eligible for the CDS 1 2022 examination
• Candidates who are applying for the CDS 1 2022 exam should not marry until the completion of training in the academy. 

Physical Standards & Medical Standards for CDS 1 2022

Physical fitness is an important criterion for male & female candidates to apply for the CDS 1 2022 exam. Candidates must be physically fit according to the standards of CDS.

Minimum Height for CDS 1 2022 exam

• According to the official notification, the minimum height for male candidates is 157cms(The minimum height requirement for the Flying Branch is 163 cm). 
• Certain exceptions are provided to the candidates in physical standards based on their region.

CDS 1 Selection Process 2022

CDS Exam is conducted by the UPSC and is considered one of the most challenging competitive exams in the country. Candidates have to clear multiple stages to assure their place in the IMA, AFA, INA & OTA. Following are the steps to clear the entire process of the CDS exam.

CDS Selection process.

1. Written Examination
2. SSB Interview/ Personality Test
3. Medical Test
4. Merit List/ Final Selection

CDS 1 Exam Pattern 2022

There are three papers in the CDS exam which are conducted in three shifts. Two hours are given for each paper. In the following table we are sharing all the details.

Details	Paper  1	Paper 2	Paper 3
Paper	English	General Knowledge	Elementary Mathematics
Questions	120	120	100
Marks	100	100	100
Time	2 hrs	2 hrs	2 hrs

Note: There will be a negative marking of 1/3 of the marks that are assigned to the question will be deducted for an incorrect response.

CDS Eligibility includes parameters like educational qualification, nationality, marital status, CDS age limit, etc, which must be satisfied by the candidates to be eligible for the exam. No candidate will be allowed to appear for the exam if they are found to be ineligible. Therefore, those who want to appear for the exam must check the latest CDS eligibility criteria 2023 and see if they qualify for the same.

The CDS age limit 2023 depends on the branch for which the aspirant has applied, for example, for the Indian Air Force Academy, candidates must be between 20-24 years as of 1st July 2023. Check complete details on the UPSC CDS eligibility for male and female candidates here for different branches such as OTA, IAFA, IMA, and INA.

CDS Eligibility 2023

The Union Public Service Commission releases the CDS eligibility criteria along with the official recruitment notification. Interested candidates must check the eligibility criteria for the Combined Defence Services Exam (CDS) before filling out the application form, as those who fail to meet the eligibility parameters will be debarred from the examination. To ensure final selection, candidates must fulfil all the CDS eligibility criteria including,

• Nationality
• CDS Age Limit
• Educational Qualification
• Martial Status
• Medical Conditions
• Physical Standards

To help you figure out if you are eligible to apply for the exam, we have explained all the parameters for CDS eligibility 2023 below.

CDS Age Limit

It is of prime importance for the candidates to fit the designated criteria of CDS age limit 2023 as it determines whether or not will they be allowed to take the exam. They must ensure that they are fulfilling each criterion before filling out the application form. Before kickstarting the preparations, ensure that you are fulfilling the CDS eligibility for females or males, whatever applies to you. We've entailed the detailed CDS age limit criteria below for different posts:

Branch	CDS Age Limit 2023
IMA & INA (Indian Military Academy & Indian Naval Academy)	The candidate applying for IMA & INA should not have been born later than 1st July 2004 and not earlier than 2nd July 2000.
IAFA (Indian Air Force Academy)	The candidate must be between 20-24 years as of 1st July 2023. The candidate should not have been born later than 1st July 2004 and not earlier than 2nd July 2000).
OTA (Officer’s Training Academy)	The candidate should not have been born later than 1st July 2004 and not earlier than 2nd July 1999.

CDS Age Relaxation

In the CDS exam, certain candidates can get benefit from age relaxation norms which are a part of CDS eligibility criteria 2023. Candidates who hold a valid and current commercial pilot license issued by DGCA (India) are entitled to relaxation in the upper age limit up to 26 years. Note that age relaxation in the exam is exclusive and only provided to limited candidates.

CDS Eligibility for Female

In the OTA domain, interested females who satisfy the CDS eligibility can kickstart the preparations to accomplish their dreams. Female applicants must fit the criteria in order to be considered eligible for the exam. Here are the details about the CDS eligibility for female candidates: 

• Any female candidate applying for the exam should not have been born later than 1st January 2005 and not earlier than 2nd January 1999.
• According to the CDS physical eligibility for female candidates, the minimum required height is 152 cm.
• Other related eligibility parameters for female candidates remain the same as for male candidates.

CDS Eligibility: Nationality

As per the CDS eligibility 2023, the applicants must fulfil the nationality criteria. If a candidate doesn’t fit into the criteria, he/she will not be allowed to apply for the exam. The nationality requirements for every candidate are given below. The candidate applying must be:

(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 01/01/1962, for settling in India permanently, or

(v) An Indian-origin person who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, and East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, and Ethiopia or Vietnam for settling in India permanently.

Note: Candidates in categories 2, 3, 4, and 5 must present to the recruiting authority a valid certificate issued by the Indian government. The CDS eligibility certificate is not required for Gorkhas subjected to Nepal.

CDS Qualification

Similar to the CDS age limit, the UPSC has also established a minimum educational qualification for candidates interested in the exam. Every candidate must meet the CDS qualification requirements to be considered for the posts. To learn about the educational requirements as per the CDS eligibility criteria, refer to the information provided below:

• Candidates who select Army, Navy, or Air Force as their first choice must bring their graduation certificate to the SSB interview.
• Applicants in their last year of graduation may apply if they do not have any outstanding debts; nevertheless, such candidates must produce a valid degree certificate at the time of course start.

The following table lists the specific CDS qualification requirements. Have a look at the table to understand the educational degree required for different posts.

Branch	CDS Qualification
IMA (Indian Military Academy) & OTA (Officers’ Training Academy)	Degree from a recognized university or equivalent.
INA (Indian Naval Academy)	Degree in Engineering from a recognized university/institute.
IAFA (Indian Air Force Academy)	Bachelor of Engineering or Degree from a recognized university (with Maths & Physics at 10+2).

UPSC CDS Eligibility - Marital Status

The candidates applying for CDS must fit into the marital status eligibility. We have provided the details for the marital status covered in the CDS eligibility for candidates applying to different branches. Aspiring candidates can check their marital status required for the same. To check the marital criteria of male candidates, refer to the table provided below:

CDS Eligibility For Male - Marital Status
Branch	Marital Status
IMA & INA	Unmarried
IAFA	Candidates who are below the age limit of 25 years must be unmarried. Candidates won’t be allowed to get married during the training period. As the IAFA provides age relaxation for certain candidates, Candidates who are above the age of 25 years and are married can apply but during training, no accommodation for a spouse would be provided nor will the candidates be allowed to live with family outside the premises.
OTA	Unmarried

CDS Eligibility for Female - Marital Status

As female candidates are now allowed to participate in the recruitment, the CDS eligibility for female candidates is also specified. To get the details about the same, check out the given table:

CDS Eligibility for Female - Marital Status
Branch	Marital Status
OTA	Unmarried females, Widows who have not remarried, and Divorcees who have not remarried and possess divorce documents are eligible

CDS Medical Eligibility

Candidates who are interested in the exam should be medically fit to be considered eligible for the job. To fulfil the CDS medical eligibility criteria, every candidate should know about the medical conditions that can hinder their journey. Given below are the specifics of the medical conditions that would not allow you to apply for the exam:

• Condition of Overweight/Underweight
• Under Sized Chest
• Piles
• Wax (Ears)
• Deviated Nasal Septum
• Tonsillitis
• Gynaecomastia
• Varicocele
• Hydrocele / Phimosis

According to the CDS eligibility, candidates must be in the best medical and mental condition. A detailed medical examination report would be required to prove their medical condition before they are allowed to participate further in the recruitment process.

CDS Physical Eligibility

Candidates who are interested in knowing all about CDS physical eligibility can read below. 

• They must be in good physical and mental health and free from any disease/disability which can interfere with the performance of duties.
• There should be no evidence of weak constitution, bodily defects, or underweight. The candidate should not be overweight or obese.
• Candidates should have no past history of mental breakdown or fits.
• The minimum CDS height required for male candidates is 157.5 cms (157 cms for the Navy and 162.5 cms for Air Force). For women candidates, the minimum CDS height required is 152 cm. However, the minimum height for all entries is 148 cm after all types of waivers/dispensations.
• For Male Candidates, the chest should be well developed. 
• The Body Mass Index of the candidates should be below 25.

CDS Syllabus

CDS Syllabus: The CDS exam is conducted by UPSC twice a year for recruitment in the Indian Defence Services such as the Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Air Force Academy and Officers’ Training Academy. The CDS 1 2023 syllabus is released by UPSC along with the notification PDF on its official website which will be released on December 21, 2022.

CDS Syllabus 2023 consists mainly of English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics for the admission to  Indian Naval Academy, Indian Military Academy and Air Force Academy while for admission to the Officers’ Training Academy, only English and General Knowledge subjects are included. For detailed topic-wise coverage, refer to the following article.

CDS Syllabus 2023 PDF

CDS Syllabus 2023 PDF: A thorough understanding of the CDS syllabus 2023 will help the candidates create a vision and action plan that will be successful in preparing them to take the examination. The SSB Interview stage is only accessible to those who pass the written test. This article will help the applicants fully understand the curriculum and move them one step closer to realising their goals. Download the CDS Syllabus PDF format for subjects including General Knowledge, English, and Mathematics.

CDS Syllabus 2023 for English

CDS Syllabus English: To score better in this section, candidates should read newspapers daily and point out the difficult words at a place and find their meaning which will help to improve their vocabulary and understanding of the comprehension passages with ease. The purpose of this paper is to assess the applicants’ command of the English language and their ability to use words in a professional manner.

CDS 2023 Syllabus for English

·         Reading Comprehension Questions. ·         Spotting the Errors Questions. ·         Fill in the Blanks Questions. ·         Synonyms & Antonyms Questions. ·         Idioms and Phrases Questions. ·         Sentence Arrangement or Jumbled Questions. ·         Ordering of words in Sentence Questions. ·         Sentence Improvement or Sentence Correction Questions.

CDS Syllabus 2023 for General Knowledge

CDS Syllabus General Knowledge: General knowledge includes awareness of current affairs and everyday observations and experiences that include a scientific component, as might be anticipated of an educated person who has not specifically studied any scientific field. Additionally, there will be geography and Indian history questions on the examination that any qualified candidate should be able to respond to without additional study.

CDS 2023 Syllabus for General Knowledge

·         Indian History ·         Political Science ·         Economics ·         Geography ·         Environment ·         General Science – Physics, Chemistry, Biology ·         Current Affairs – National & International Awards, Summits, Sports, Conference; Books & Authors etc. ·         Defence Related Questions – Army, Navy, Air Force

CDS Syllabus 2023 for Mathematics

CDS Syllabus for Mathematics: Arithmetic, trigonometry, geometry, measurements, statistics, and other related topics comprise the syllabus of CDS Elementary Mathematics. To improve the preparation and the results, this paper needs constant practice and committed efforts. To answer these questions within the allotted time and provide the necessary outcomes, the applicants must retain accuracy and speed. For the complete syllabus of individual topics of mathematics, follow the given below table for the mathematics syllabus of the CDS 1 2023 exam.

CDS Syllabus for Mathematics
Arithmetic	Number System ·         Natural numbers, Integers, Rational and Real numbers. ·         Fundamental operations, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, Square roots, Decimal fractions. ·         Unitary method, time and work, time and distance, percentages. ·         Applications of profit and loss, simple and compound interest, 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, use of logarithmic tables, laws of logarithms.
Algebra	Basic operations and Simple factors, ·         Remainder Theorem. ·         H.C.F. and L.C.M. ·         Theory of polynomials, relation between its roots and coefficients (Only real roots to be considered), solutions of quadratic equations. ·         Simultaneous linear equations in two unknowns — analytical & graphical solutions. ·         Simultaneous linear inequations in two variables & their solutions. ·         Practical issues with solutions that result in two simultaneous linear equations, inequalities in two variables, or quadratic equations in one variable. ·         Set notion and set language. ·         Rational expressions and conditional identities. ·         Laws of indices.
Trigonometry	·         Sine x, cosine x, Tan x when 0° < x < 90° , Values of sin x, cos x & tan x, for x = 0°, 30°, 45°, 60° & 90°. ·         Simple trigonometric identities. ·         Use of trigonometric tables. ·         Simple cases of heights and distances.
Geometry	Plane and plane figures, Lines and angles, Theorems on: ·         Properties of angles at a point ·         Parallel lines ·         Sides and angles of a triangle ·         Congruency of triangles ·         Similar triangles ·         Concurrence of medians and altitudes ·         Properties of sides, angles and diagonals of a rectangle, parallelogram and square ·         Circles and their properties including tangents and normals ·         Loci
Mensuration	·         Areas of parallelograms, squares, rectangles, triangles and circles. ·         Areas of figures can be split up into these figures (Field Book), lateral surface and volume of right circular cones and cylinders, Surface area and volume of cuboids, and surface area and volume of spheres.
Statistics	·         Collection and tabulation of statistical data. ·         Graphical representation of frequency polygons, bar charts, histograms, pie charts etc. ·         Measures of central tendency.

CDS Syllabus 2023 OTA

The CDS 2023 exam syllabus covers subjects such as General Knowledge, English, and Elementary Mathematics. But those candidates who are going to appear for CDS OTA 2023 do not have to give the Mathematics paper because for CDS 2023 OTA, only English and General Knowledge subjects are included in their syllabus. English and General Knowledge syllabi for both (OTA and IMA, INA, AFA) are the same.

Please click the link below for detailed notification

CDS Detailed Notification