Union Public Service Commission · Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Air Force Academy and Officers’ Training Academy
UPSC CDS: Syllabus, Exam Pattern, Eligibility, Age Limit & Mock Tests
The Combined Defence Services Examination selects graduates for officer training at the Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Air Force Academy (Permanent Commission) and the Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai (Short Service Commission). UPSC holds the written exam twice a year.
UPSC CDS latest updates
New UPSC CDS notifications, admit cards, answer keys and results appear here as soon as they are posted. Browse Govt Jobs →
Important dates
Dates for the next UPSC CDS cycle (notification, last date, admit card, exam and result) appear here when they are announced. See the exam calendar →
Check your eligibility
- ✓Indian Military Academy (men)Age 19–24
- ✓Indian Naval Academy (men)Age 19–24
- ✓Air Force AcademyAge 20–24
- ✓Officers’ Training Academy, SSC (men)Age 19–25
- ✓Officers’ Training Academy, SSC Women (Non-Technical)Age 19–25
UPSC CDS vacancies
Total, category-wise and post-wise vacancies appear here when the UPSC CDS notification is released.
Eligibility and age limit
| Posts | Qualification | Age |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Military Academy (men) | Degree from a recognised university | 19–24 |
| Indian Naval Academy (men) | Engineering degree, or B.Sc with Physics (Physics and Maths in 12th) | 19–24 |
| Air Force Academy | Degree with Physics and Maths in 12th, or Bachelor of Engineering | 20–24 |
| Officers’ Training Academy, SSC (men) | Degree from a recognised university | 19–25 |
| Officers’ Training Academy, SSC Women (Non-Technical) | Degree from a recognised university | 19–25 |
| Category | Age relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC / ST / OBC / EWS | None: the same birth-date window applies to everyone |
| Commercial Pilot Licence holders (Air Force Academy) | Upper age 26 instead of 24 |
Age is counted as on the birth-date window of each academy in the notice.
CDS (II) 2026 windows: IMA and INA born 1 July 2003 – 1 July 2008; AFA 20–24 on 1 July 2027 (born 1 July 2003 – 1 July 2007); OTA born 1 July 2002 – 1 July 2008.
Women are considered only for the Short Service Commission course at OTA. Unmarried women and issueless widows or divorcees who have not remarried can apply.
IMA, INA and OTA need unmarried men; male divorcees and widowers are not eligible. For AFA, candidates below 25 must be unmarried.
AFA upper age is 26 for holders of a valid DGCA Commercial Pilot Licence.
Final-year students can apply and must show the degree by the date in the notice. There is no category-wise age relaxation.
Application fee
Selection process
- 1Written examThree papers for IMA, INA and AFA; two for OTA
- 2SSB interviewIntelligence and personality test · marks equal to the written total
- 3Medical examArmed Forces medical standards
- 4Merit listWritten + SSB marks, by academy and preference
UPSC CDS exam pattern
IMA, INA and Air Force Academy Objective · −1/3 of the marks of a question per wrong answer · SSB 300 marks
| Paper | Duration | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| English (code 11) | 2 hours | 100 |
| General Knowledge (code 12) | 2 hours | 100 |
| Elementary Mathematics (code 13) | 2 hours | 100 |
| Written total | 300 |
Officers’ Training Academy Objective · −1/3 per wrong answer · SSB 200 marks
| Paper | Duration | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| English (code 11) | 2 hours | 100 |
| General Knowledge (code 12) | 2 hours | 100 |
| Written total | 200 |
Elementary Mathematics is of matriculation standard; the other papers are of graduate standard. General Knowledge and Mathematics are set in Hindi and English. Stage I: Officer Intelligence Rating tests and Picture Perception & Description Test. Stage II (4 days): interview, group testing tasks, psychology tests and conference.
UPSC CDS syllabus
Subject by subject. The number on a topic is how many practice questions we have for it.
English
All academies · 100 marksGeneral Knowledge
All academies · 100 marksElementary Mathematics
IMA, INA, AFA only · 100 marksUPSC CDS cut-offs
Year-wise official cut-offs for every category appear here once they are published.
UPSC CDS salary by post
| Level / group | Posts | Pay scale |
|---|---|---|
| Level 10 | Lieutenant (and equivalent): IMA, INA, AFA and OTA entries on commission | ₹56,100 – ₹1,77,500 + MSP ₹15,500 a month |
Pay level and Military Service Pay (MSP) as printed in the notice. MSP of ₹15,500 a month is fixed from Lieutenant to Brigadier (and equivalent). Allowances depend on branch and posting. Officer cadets get a fixed stipend of ₹56,100 a month during training at IMA, INA, AFA and OTA. Short Service Commission in the Army is for 10 years, extendable by 4.
UPSC CDS mock tests and previous year papers
Exams with a similar syllabus
Your CDS preparation already covers most of these exams.
UPSC CDS articles
Preparation strategy, syllabus breakdowns and cut-off analysis for UPSC CDS are on the way. Read the blog →
UPSC CDS frequently asked questions
Can women apply for CDS?
Yes, but only for the Short Service Commission (Non-Technical) course at the Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai. CDS (II) 2026 had 18 such vacancies. Unmarried women and issueless widows or divorcees who have not remarried are eligible.
What is the age limit for CDS?
It depends on the academy. In CDS (II) 2026: IMA and INA 19–24, Air Force Academy 20–24 (26 with a Commercial Pilot Licence), OTA 19–25. There is no category-wise relaxation.
Can final-year students apply for CDS?
Yes. They must submit proof of the degree by the date in the notice: 1 July 2027 for IMA and INA, 13 May 2027 for AFA and 1 October 2027 for OTA in CDS (II) 2026.
Is there negative marking in CDS?
Yes. One third of the marks of a question are deducted for each wrong answer. A blank question has no penalty.
Is Mathematics compulsory in CDS?
Only for IMA, INA and AFA. Candidates applying only for OTA take English and General Knowledge.
When is the next CDS exam?
CDS (II) 2026 was held on 13 September 2026; its written result is likely in October 2026. UPSC’s 2027 calendar lists the CDS (I) 2027 notice for 2 December 2026, applications till 22 December 2026 and the exam on 11 April 2027.
What is the salary after CDS?
On commission as Lieutenant or equivalent the pay is Level 10, ₹56,100 – ₹1,77,500, plus Military Service Pay of ₹15,500 a month. During training cadets get a fixed stipend of ₹56,100 a month.
Sources: UPSC CDS (II) 2026 notice, 11/2026-CDS-II (20-05-2026) · UPSC programme of examinations 2027 (as on 20-05-2026) (checked 14 Sept 2026). Always confirm in the official notice before applying.