On May 15, 2024, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) announced the UPSC CDS 2 2024 application and notification. Until June 4, 2024, candidates may apply to take the CDS 2 exam.
UPSC CDS 2024: On May 15, 2024, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) made the application form available for the CDS 2 exam. Until June 4, 2024, candidates may apply online for the CDS exam. September 1, 2024 is the date of the UPSC CSD 2 exam.
The CDS 1 2024 test was previously administered by the UPSC on April 21, 2024. The post contains an exam analysis and a video of the students’ post-examination reactions for those who took the exam. The article has published the UPSC CDS 1 solution key.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) administers the Combined Defence Services (CDS) Exam twice a year as a nationwide entrance exam. The Indian Armed Forces, which comprise the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force, recruit officers through this exam. There are two components to the CDS exam: a written exam and an interview. The written exam consists of three papers: elementary mathematics, general knowledge, and English. It is administered offline. Each paper has a two-hour time limit and 100 possible points. The Services Selection Board (SSB) conducts the interview, which consists of a battery of tests meant to evaluate a candidate’s intelligence, leadership potential, and personality. UPSC CDS 2024: Application (Out), Alert, Time, Schedule, Qualifications, Courses, and Up-to-Date Information.
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.
| CDS 2024 Exam Highlights | |
|---|---|
| Exam name | Combined Defence Services Examination |
| Conducting institute | Union Public Service Commission |
| Exam Level | National |
| CDS syllabus | Maths, English and General Ability Test (GAT) |
| CDS pattern | 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 Result 2024
The UPSC released the UPSC CDS result in the form of a PDF that comprises the roll numbers of the qualified candidates. The candidates can download the CDS 1 result by following the steps given below:
- Go to the official website
- Click on the CDS 1 result link
- The CDS 1 Result PDF link will appear on the screen
- Click on the CDS 1 result PDF link
- The UPSC CDS result PDF will appear on the screen
- Download the UPSC CDS result and save it for later use
Direct Link for CDS 1 Result PDF: Click Here
UPSC CDS Expected Cut Off 2024
The candidates can check the expected cut off for the UPSC CDS 2024 exam in the table below. The CDS expected cut off 2024 is based on the difficulty level of the CDS exam and more. The candidates can check the UPSC CDS 1 written exam expected cut off below in the table. The expected cut-off for the CDS written exam has been given based on the difficulty level and other UPSC CDS cut-off deciding factors:
| CDS Written Exam Expected Cut Off 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| CDS 1 Expected Cutoff 2024 | CDS 1 Written Exam | CDS 1 Final Cutoff |
| CDS Cut off AFA | 135-142 | 260-270 |
| CDS Cut off IMA | 110-125 | 245-255 |
| CDS Cut off INA | 108-115 | 230-244 |
| CDS Cut off OTA (female) | 90-95 | 158-165 |
| CDS Cut off OTA (male) | 90-94 | 160-170 |
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 |
|---|---|
| CDS 1 2024 notification | December 20, 2023 |
| CDS 1 2024 application form | December 20, 2023 |
| The last date to apply for the CDS 2024 application form | January 9, 2024 |
| CDS 1 application form correction facility | 10-Jan-2024 to 16-Jan-2024 |
| CDS 1 2024 application withdrawal dates | Withdrawal Not Allowed |
| CDS exam date 2024 | April 21, 2024 |
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 | Withdrawal Not Allowed |
| CDS 2 admit card date | To be notified |
| CDS 2 exam date 2024 | September 1, 2024 |
CDS 1 2024 Exam Analysis & Students Reaction
The candidates can check the exam analysis and students’ reaction video below:
CDS 1 Exam Analysis for GK and English
Shiksha team visited one of the exam centres in Delhi. Check the student reaction after the exam below:
- Yash Tomar Said, ” The CDS exam for OTA was moderate in nature. However, the GK paper was moderate to difficult. The questions were asked from economics in General Awareness. The English paper was easy and dowable in nature.”
- Adhirat Deshwal, “The exam pattern was a bit different in English from the previous year’s exam i. No questions were asked from modern history. The English paper was moderate to difficult and the question, synonyms, and antonyms were dominant in the English question Paper.”
CDS 1 Maths Exam Analysis & Students’ Reaction
UPSC CDS 1 Admit Card 2024
The UPSC released the CDS 1 admit card on April 12, 2024. The candidates will be able to download their CDS 1 hall ticket by following the steps given below:
- Go to the official website-upsc.gov.in
- Click on the UPSC CDS 1 2024 Admit Card link
- The login page will appear on the screen
- Fill out the details required- application/registration number and date of birth
- Fill out the captcha available on the screen
- Click on the submit button
- The UPSC CDS 1 admit card will appear on the screen
- Download the CDS 1 admit card and save it for later use
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.
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 old as of 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
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 |
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)
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 released the CDS application along with the notification on the official website on December 20, 2023. The candidates can apply for the CDS exam till January 9, 2024 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
Direct Link to Apply for the CDS 1 2024 exam: Closed
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)-ThreeOfficers’ Training Academy (OTA)-Two |
| Total marks of the test | IMA, INA, and AFA-300OTA-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 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 Career Growth in INA & IMA
Candidates who want to join the Indian Naval Academy or Indian Military Academy must check their CDS 2024 career growth in the table below:
| Ranks | Time Duration |
|---|---|
| Lieutenant | After completing training |
| Captain | 2 years of Commissioned Service |
| Major | 6 years of Commissioned Service |
| Lieutenant Colonel | 13 years of Commissioned Service |
| Colonel (TS) | 26 years of Commissioned Service |
| Colonel | 15 years of Commissioned Service |
| Brigadier | 23 years of Commissioned Service |
| Major General | 25 years of Commissioned Service |
| Lieutenant General | 28 years of Commissioned Service |
| General | No restrictions |
CDS 2024 Career Growth in AFA
The candidates who are willing to join the Air Force Academy can check the career growth in the AFA in the table below:
| CDS Rank – AFA | Time Duration |
|---|---|
| Flying Officer | On Commission |
| Flight Lieutenant | 2 Years of commissioned service |
| Squadron Leader | 6 years of commissioned service |
| Wing Commander | 13 years of commissioned service |
| Group Captain | 26 years of commissioned service |
| Air Commodore | – |
| Air Vice Marshal | – |
| Air Chief Marshal HAG Scale | – |
| Air Chief Marshal Apex Scale | – |
| Air Chief Marshal | – |
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 |
Comparison Between Similar Defence Exams
The candidates preparing for the Defence exams can check the similar exams to CDS. The comparison between CDS (Combined Defense Services), AFCAT (Air Force Common Admission Test), and NDA (National Defense Academy) is given below in the table:
| Criteria | CDS | AFCAT | NDA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Form | Combined Defense Services | Air Force Common Admission Test | National Defense Academy |
| Conducting Authority | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) | Indian Air Force | UPSC (Written Exam) and Services Selection Board (SSB) for Interviews |
| Level | Graduate Level | Graduate Level | 10+2 (12th Grade) Level |
| Branches | Army, Navy, Air Force | Indian Air Force | Army, Navy, Air Force |
| Age Limit | 19-25 years | 20-26 years | 16.5-19.5 years (10+2 level) |
| Eligibility | Graduation in any discipline | Graduation in any discipline | 10+2 (12th Grade) pass |
| Exam Pattern | Written Exam (English, GK, Maths) + SSB Interview | Written Exam (Verbal Ability, Numerical Ability, Reasoning, GK) + EKT (for technical branches) + SSB Interview | Written Exam (Maths, General Ability) + SSB Interview |
| Selection Process | Written Exam, SSB Interview, and Medical Examination | Written Exam, EKT (for technical branches), SSB Interview, and Medical Examination | Written Exam, SSB Interview, and Medical Examination |
| Training Academy | Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA), Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) | Air Force Academy (AFA) | National Defense Academy (NDA) |
| Commission Offered | Permanent Commission (PC) for men and Short Service Commission (SSC) for women | Short Service Commission (SSC) | Permanent Commission (PC) |
CDS 2 202
CDS 2 2024 FAQs
4 FAQs
Q1. When will the CDS1 2024 admit card be released?
The CDS 1 admit card will be released by the end of March 2024. The candidates will be able to download the CDS admit card by following the steps given below:
- Go to the official website
- Click on the CDS 1 admit card link
- The UPSC CDS login page will appear on the screen
- Fill out the login credentials
- Fill out the captcha available on screen
- Click on the submit button
- The CDS 1 admit card will appear on the screen
- Download the CDS admit card and save it for later use
Q2: What is the CDS 1 exam date?
The UPSC CDS 1 exam will be conducted on April 21, 2024. The exam will be conducted for AFA (Air Force Academy), IMA (Indian Military Academy), INA (Indian Naval Academy), OTA (Officers’ Training Academy) in a single day. However, the OTA exam will be conducted for for 4 hours whereas, the AFA, IMA, and INA for 6 hours.
Q3: What is the CDS exam shift timing?
The shift timing for the CDS exam are given below in the table:
| Paper | Exam Timings |
|---|---|
| English | 9.00 am to 11.00 am |
| GK | 12.00 pm to 2.00 pm |
| Elementary Mathematics | 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm |
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