The Combined Defense Services Examination is conducted biannually by the Union Public Service Commission to recruit candidates in the Indian Military Academy, Officers Training Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Indian Air Force Academy.
Officer Training Academy (CDS OTA) is conducted in offline mode (pen-paper based) test consisting of objective type questions to test a candidate’s English and General Awareness. The only major difference between CDS-OTA paper and CDS Exam for NDA, IMA and IAF is that the former does not have a Mathematics section while all the latter do.
The CDS Written Examination is conducted by UPSC twice every year for graduates to fill the vacancies of the following institutions of the Indian Armed Forces.
• Indian Military Academy (IMA) ; Dehradun
• Indian Naval Academy; Ezhimala
HOW TO APPLY FOR CDS/OTA EXAMINATION ?
The Notification for the CDS written exam is issued in the months of November and July. UPSC holds the exam in the months of Feb and October. Students can apply for the CDS and OTA written examination online only on UPSC website.
Educational ; Graduates – qualified or appearing (final year) are eligible to sit for CDS written exam. For Air Force and Navy candidates must have engineering /physics and mathematics subjects. For details check the notification. For OTA, Graduates and final year students can to apply.
Sex : Only male candidates can sit for the CDS written exam. Both ladies and men can apply for OTA exam.
| Tentative Vacancies Per Course | 300 (Twice a year) or As notified from time to time Army – 195 Air Force – 66 Navy – 39 |
| Notification in Employment News/ leading daily news Paper/ UPSC website | Jun and Dec as Notified by UPSC |
| ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA | |
| Age | Between 16 ½ to 19 ½ yrs as of first day of the month in which course is due to commence. |
| Qualification | 12th Class of 10+2 System of Education. Maths and Physics are compulsory for Air force and Navy. Commerce and Arts students can apply for army. |
| Sex | Male candidates only. Women cannot apply for NDA. |
| Marital Status | Un Married |
| Likely SSB Date | Sep to Oct and Jan to Apr |
| Date Commencement of Training | Jan and Jul |
| Training Academy | NDA , Khadakwasla, Pune |
| Duration of Training | 3 Yrs at NDA and 1 Yrs at IMA(For Army cadets)/ 3 Yrs at NDA and 1 Yrs at Naval Academy( for Naval cadets)/ 3 Yrs at NDA and 1 & ½ Yrs at AFA Hyderabad (For AF cadets) |