UPSC CDS 2Combined Defence Services Examination
- Test Level-: National Level
- Eligibility-: Graduation
- Duration-:4 Hours
- Stream-: Defence
- Medium-: Multiple
- Examination Mode-: Offline
- Total Questions-: 340
CDS 2 Exam: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) released the Combined Defence Services exam (CDSe) application form on May 15, 2024. The candidates willing to appear for the exam can register themselves from May 15, 2024, to June 4, 2024. The UPSC announced a total of 459 combined vacancies (IMA, INA, AFA, and OTA). The candidates who are going to appear for the CDS 2 exam for the first time (or any exam under UPSC) must register on the UPSC's OTR platform.
What is CDS Exam 2024?
The Combined Defence Services Examination, commonly known as CDS, is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for the recruitment of Commissioned Officers in the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. The exam is held twice a year, usually in February and September. Every year, a large number of candidates appear for the national-level defence entrance examination. The selection of candidates is based on the written exam followed by SSB Interview for intelligence and personality test. Shortlisted candidates are placed at the following academies based on their preferences and merit.
|
Academy |
State/City |
|
Indian Military Academy |
Dehradun |
|
Indian Naval Academy |
Ezhimala |
|
Air Force Academy |
Hyderabad |
|
Officers' Training Academy (SSC Men) |
Chennai |
|
Officers' Training Academy (SSC Women) |
Chennai |
CDS 1 & 2 Exam
CDS 1 exam is conducted for the courses commencing at Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, Air Force Academy, Hyderabad, Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala in January as well as Officers Training Academy, Chennai courses starting in April.
CDS 2 exam is conducted for the courses commencing at Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, Air Force Academy, Hyderabad, Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala in July, and Officers Training Academy, Chennai courses starting in October.
CDS 2024 Exam Highlights
Go through the highlights of the UPSC CDS 1 exam from the table below to know every bit of the examination. Male and female candidates seeking admission to the Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, and Officers' Training Academy can check out the recruitment process.
|
Parameters |
Details |
|
Name of exam |
Combined Defence Services Examination |
|
Conducted by |
|
|
Exam Level |
National |
|
Exam frequency |
Twice a year (April and September) |
|
Exam mode |
Offline |
|
Exam stages |
Written exam and SSB Interview |
|
Exam fees |
INR 200 for General and OBC male candidates Female, SC, and ST candidates are exempted from fee payment |
|
Exam timing |
The time allotted to each paper such as English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics is two hours |
|
Language of question paper |
English and Hindi |
|
No of questions |
Elementary Maths: 100 General English: 120 General Knowledge: 120 |
|
No.of papers |
Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA) and Air Force Academy (AFA): Three (English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics) Officers’ Training Academy (OTA): Two (English and General Knowledge) |
|
Exam Pattern |
Written Exam IMA, INA and AFA: 300 OTA: 200 SSB Interview IMA, INA and AFA: 300 OTA: 200 |
|
Marking scheme |
One mark for the correct answer One third mark is deducted for wrong answers |
|
Exam purpose |
To select candidates as Commissioned Officers in Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force |
|
Vacancies |
Total 341 vacancies announced for CDS I exam |
|
No of test cities |
More than 70 |
|
Official website |
|
|
Contact number |
011-23385271/011-23381125/011-23098543 |
Eligibility
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
|
Academy |
Age Limit |
|
IMA |
Born not before January 2, 2001 and not later than January 1, 2006 |
|
INA |
Born not before January 2, 2001 and not later than January 1, 2006 |
|
AFA |
Born 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 |
Please visit to official website for counselling
QP-CDSE-II-2023-EleMath-04092023.pdf|
Date of Notification |
15/05/2024 |
|
Application start date |
15/05/2024 |
|
Application last date |
04/06/2024 |
|
Correction date |
05/06/2024-11/06/2024 |
|
Exam Date |
1/09/2024 |
|
Download Notification |
|
Steps to Fill the UPSC CDS Application Form 2024
Candidates can check the steps to fill out the CDS online form mentioned below.
How 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 have 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 such as 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, CDS exam 2024 fees 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 in their UPSC CDS application form.
- After submission, a registration number will be generated. Candidates have to download it as a pdf file and take a printout for future reference.
Specification of photograph and signature to be uploaded
|
Document |
Specification |
|
Signature |
20 KB to 300 KB |
|
Photograph |
20 KB to 300 KB |
Specification about payment of CDS form fees
|
Payment Method |
Payment Gateways |
|
Offline |
Bank Challan |
|
Online |
Credit/Visa/RuPay/Master/Debit Card and net banking |
CDS Syllabus 2024
The Combined Defence Services (CDS) exam has two written papers for the OTA course and three written papers for other courses. The subjects from which the questions are asked in the CDS 2024 exam are Mathematics, English and General Knowledge.
English and General Knowledge questions are asked in both the CDS OTA and CDS IMA/ INA/ AFA courses. CDS IMA/ INA/ AFA course has one extra subject which is Mathematics. The questions asked in the CDS exam are of 10th and 12th standard.
CDS Syllabus 2024 - Written Exam
|
Subjects |
Topics |
|
CDS Maths syllabus |
|
|
CDS English syllabus |
The question paper will be asked to test the candidates’ understanding of English and workmanlike use of words. |
|
CDS General Knowledge syllabus |
General Knowledge including knowledge of current events and of such matters of everyday observation and experience in their scientific aspects as may be expected of an educated person who has not made a special study of any scientific subject. The paper will also include questions on the History of India and the Geography of nature which candidates should be able to answer without special study. |
CDS Exam Pattern 2024 - Prelims, Mains & SSB Interview
The UPSC CDS 2024 exam pattern is prescribed by the Union Public Service Commission in the official notification. According to the CDS exam pattern, the written exam will be objective type in nature i.e. in the form of MCQs. As per the CDS OTA syllabus , OTA exam has two papers whereas CDS IMA/ INA/ AFA have three papers. Along with the exam pattern, candidates must also check the CDS exam syllabus for better preparations. There is a negative marking for every wrong answer.
CDS OTA Exam Pattern 2024
|
Papers |
Subjects |
Marks |
Duration |
|
Paper 1 |
General Knowledge |
100 |
Two hrs |
|
Paper 2 |
English |
100 |
Two hrs |
CDS IMA/ INA/ AFA Exam Pattern 2024
|
Papers |
Subjects |
Marks |
Duration |
|
Paper 1 |
General Knowledge |
100 |
2 hrs |
|
Paper 2 |
English |
100 |
2 hrs |
|
Paper 3 |
Mathematics |
100 |
2 hrs |
CDS Exam Pattern for SSB Interview
The CDS SSB procedure consists of two stages - Stage 1 and Stage 3. Candidates who clear Stage 1 are eligible to appear for Stage 2. The personality of a candidate is assessed by three different assessors viz. The Interviewing Officer (IO), Group Testing Officer (GTO) and the Psychologist. There is no separate weightage for each test. The marks are allotted by assessors only after taking into consideration the performance of the candidate.
SSB Interview: Stage I comprises of Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests are Picture Perception & Description Test (PP & DT). The candidates will be shortlisted on the basis of the combination of performance in the OIR Test and PP & DT.
DownloadBest books for CDS
Compiled below are the section-wise CDS books that will help candidates to prepare for the exam:
CDS books for English Language
Questions in this subject of CDS are asked from topics such as Vocabulary, Grammar, Syntax, and its correct usage. The following books are recommended for this section:
- High School English Grammar & Composition Edition by Wren and Martin
- Objective General English by SP Bakshi
- Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
CDS books for GK
This is the section where candidates can perform well and secure good marks. Questions are asked about Economics, Current Affairs, Physics, Geography, Politics, Awards, Sports, Chemistry, etc. Candidates can refer to the following books for this section:
- General Awareness by Manohar Panday
- Manorama Yearbook
- Magazines such as Pratiyogita Darpan, Competition Success Review (CSR), and Yojana
- Newspapers
CDS books for Elementary Mathematics
Questions in this section are of Class 10 standards. Questions in Elementary Mathematics are asked from Arithmetic, Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Mensuration and Statistics. It is recommended to candidates that they should clear their basics and concepts. Candidates can check below CDS books for Elementary Mathematics:
- Mathematics for CDS by RS Aggarwal
- Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by RS Aggarwal
- Pathfinder for CDS by Arihant Publications
CDS Preparation Tips 2024
Lakhs of candidates appear for the CDS exam every year, therefore, the competition is high. Candidates need to prepare well to ace the exam. Here are a few tips and tricks on how candidates can prepare for the exam:
- Understand the exam pattern and syllabus
- Solve previous years' question papers to know the types of questions asked in the exam and difficulty level
- Lay emphasis on the important topics
- Make a proper timetable and follow that diligently
- Clear the basic concepts of Maths from the high school books
The CDS cut off will be determined based on a number of factors like the candidates performance in the written exam, the difficulty level of the exam and SSB interview. After the SSB Interview, a merit list will be prepared, and the result will be made available to candidates on the UPSC website.
CDS 2024 Expected Cut-Off
|
CDS levels |
CDS 1 2024 Expected cutoff |
CDS 2 2024 Expected cutoff |
|
AFA |
132-135 |
130-135 |
|
IMA |
118-121 |
120-123 |
|
INA |
109-112 |
108-111 |
CDS OTA Cut-Off 2024 (Expected )
|
CDS levels |
CDS 1 2024 Expected cutoff |
CDS 2 2024 Expected cutoff |
|
OTA (female) |
81-84 |
80-83 |
|
OTA (male) |
81-84 |
82-85 |
CDS 2 2024 Cut-Off
The CDS 2 cut-off 2024 will be updated here in the table below after the official release.
|
Academy |
Written Exam |
Final Exam |
|
Aggregate marks of last qualified candidate* |
Marks of last recommended candidate |
|
|
IMA |
-- |
-- |
|
INA |
-- |
-- |
|
AFA |
-- |
-- |
|
OTA (Men) |
-- |
-- |
|
OTA (Women) |
-- |
-- |
CDS OTA cutoff 2024
Factors Affecting the CDS Cut off 2024
Several factors affect the UPSC CDS cut off 2024. Candidates can check the factors affecting the cut off CDS 2 exam 2024 mentioned below.
- Number of applicants
- Number of vacancies
- Difficulty level
- Previous year CDS Cutoff trends
How To Check CDS Cut off 2024?
Step 1: Visit the official website of UPSC - upsc.gov.in.
Step 2: Click on the examination tab and select cut off marks from the drop-down menu.
Step 3: Select CDS cut off 2024 from the list.
Step 4: Download the CDS 2024 cutoff PDF for future reference.
Stages of CDS Cutoff 2024
Union Public Service Commission will release the CDS 2 cut off in two stages - written exam and final cutoff. For more details regarding the CDS cut off, candidates can check the below mentioned stages.
CDS Cut off 2024 - Written Exam
The written exam is the first stage of the CDS exam. Candidates appearing for the exam must score equal to or more than the CDS 2 cut off marks to qualify for the next stage as well as the CDS exam. The minimum cut off mark for CDS 2024 is 20% in all three papers. The written exam of CDS 2 2024 comprises three papers while candidates appearing for OTA have to appear for only two papers.
CDS Cut off 2024 - Final Merit List
The final merit list of CDS 2024 will be released based on the performance of candidates in the CDS 2024 written exam, SSB interview, and medical examination. Candidates who clear the CDS written exam 2024 will be called for an SSB interview and medical examination. After qualifying in all these stages they will be recruited to the vacant posts as released by UPSC for the Combined Defense Services examination.
Previous Years' CDS Cut off
Candidates can check the CDS previous year's cut off mark to check the past year's trends. With the help of the previous year's CDS 2 cut off marks, candidates can check the expected cut off and safe scores to qualify for the exam. For more details of CDS total marks and cut off, refer to the table given below.
CDS 2 2023 cut off
|
Academy |
Written Exam |
Final Exam |
|
Aggregate marks of last qualified candidate* |
Marks of last recommended candidate |
|
|
IMA |
TBA |
TBA |
|
INA |
TBA |
TBA |
|
AFA |
TBA |
TBA |
|
OTA (Men) |
TBA |
TBA |
|
OTA(Women) |
TBA |
TB |
CDS 1 Vacancy 2024
The UPSC released the vacancy details of the CDS exam along with the notification on December 20, 2023. The candidates can check the CDS 1 2024 vacancy break up in the table below:
|
Institution |
Number of Vacancies |
|
Indian Military Academy (IMA) |
100 |
|
Indian Naval Academy (INA) |
32 |
|
Air Force Academy (AFA) |
32 |
|
Officer Training Academy - Men (OTA) |
275 |
|
Officer Training Academy - Women (OTA) |
18 |
|
Total |
457 |
CDS Selection Process 2024 - Stages
The CDS selection process has two stages. Applicants need to clear both to get recruited in the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. The two-stage of CDS selection process are:
- Written Exam
- SSB Interview
CDS Selection Process 2024 for Written Examination
The first stage of the CDS 2024 selection process is a written exam. As per exam pattern, the CDS written exam comprises three papers - English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics for admission in IMA, IFA and INA. For admission to Officers’ Training Academy (OTA), candidates just have to appear for two papers - English and General Knowledge. All the questions asked in the CDS written exam are multiple-choice questions. Candidates are given 2 hours time to attempt each paper. As per the CDS selection process 2024, candidates qualifying for the written examination are called for SSB Interview.
CDS Selection Process 2024 for SSB Interview
Candidates qualifying the stage 1 of the CDS selection process 2024 are called for the SSB interview stage. This stage of the CDS selection process is conducted over a period of 5 days to test applicants intelligence, personality, physical strength and more. The following table provides the day-wise breakup of the SSB interview round.
CDS SSB Interview selection process stage
|
Days |
Events |
|
SSB Day 1 |
Reporting, Filling of forms, Picture Perception and Description Test |
|
SSB Day 2 |
Thematic Apperception Test, Self Description Test, Situation Reaction Test, Word Association Test |
|
SSB Day 3 |
Group Testing Officers’ Tasks - Group Discussion, Group Planning Exercise, Half Group Task, Progressive Group Task & Individual Obstacle Task |
|
SSB Day 4 |
Individual Obstacle Task, Command Task, Final Group Task, Personal Interview & Individual Lecturette |
|
SSB Day 5 |
Conference & Document Verification |
CDS Selection Process 2024 - Medical Exam & Document Verification
After clearing the CDS SSB interview, applicants have to go through a medical CDS examination conducted by a Special Medical Board. A medical examination may last up to 4 to 6 days. While appearing for the medical exam, candidates are advised to keep all their documents ready. In case an applicant fails to produce the required documents, will be disqualified from the CDS selection process.
CDS Salary 2024 - Rank Wise
|
Rank |
Level |
Pay Scale |
|
Lieutenant |
Level 10 |
Rs 56,100 – Rs 1,77,500 |
|
Captain |
Level 10 B |
Rs 61,300 -Rs 1,93,900 |
|
Major |
Level 11 |
Rs 6,94,00 – Rs 2,07,200 |
|
Lieutenant Colonel |
Level 12A |
Rs 1,21,200 – Rs 2,12400 |
|
Colonel |
Level 13 |
Rs 1,30,600 - Rs 2, 15,900 |
|
Brigadier |
Level 13A |
Rs 1,39,600 - Rs 2,17,600 |
|
Major General |
Level 14 |
Rs 1,44,200 - Rs 2,18,200 |
|
Lieutenant General HAG Scale |
Level 15 |
Rs 1,82, 200 - Rs 2,24,100 |
|
HAG+Scale |
Level 16 |
Rs 2,05,400 – Rs 2,24,400 |
|
VCOAS/Army Cdr/ Lieutenant General (NFSG) |
Level 17 |
Rs 2,25,000/-(fixed) |
|
COAS |
Level 18 |
Rs 2,50,000/-(fixed) |
How to Download CDS Admit Card?
The admit card for the CDS 2 exam 2024 exam will be released in the month of Sep 2024. UPSC CDS admit card is an important document without which candidates were not given entry to the exam hall. CDS admit card comprises details such as the candidate's name, roll number, date of birth, scanned photograph, signature, details regarding the exam centre, etc. The CDS exam was conducted by UPSC for the recruitment of Commissioned Officers in the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force.
The steps to download the admit card of CDS are given below:
- Step 1: Visit the official website-upsc.gov.in
- Step 2: Go to the 'What's New Section and Click on the 'E-Admit Card CDS Exam 2024' link
- Step 3: A new page will open with the download link
- Step 4: Read all the instructions carefully before downloading the admit card
- Step 5: After reading the instruction, click on the 'Yes' button to proceed towards downloading the admit card
- Step 6: Enter the following details on the login page:
- Registration Number and date of birth, Or
- Roll Number and Date of Birth, Or
- Name, Father’s Name, and Date of Birth
- Step 7: After filling in the details, click on the ‘Submit’ tab
- Step 8: CDS 2024 admit card appears on the screen
- Step 9: Download the admit card and take its printout
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