CDS Full Form with All Details

Note: CDS of the Indian Armed Forces stands for the Chief of Defence Staff who is the highest-ranking officer on active duty in the Indian Military. CDS of the Indian Armed Forces is the Chief Military Adviser to the Ministry of Defence. Candidates should not confuse the CDS Full Form of Combined Defence Services with the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

Candidates go through the CDS Selection Process which includes an online Written Test followed by SSB Interview. Candidates who are shortlisted basis their performance in the Written Test, SSB Interview, and Medical Tests are admitted to their respective academy. As per reports, approximately more than 10 lakh+ candidates apply and appear for the Combined Defence Services exam in a year.

CDS Full Form: Table of Contents  CDS Full Form Overview CDS 2023 Calendar CDS Eligibility Criteria CDS Selection Process CDS Salary

 

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CDS Full Form Overview

Check out the table below to get a complete idea regarding the CDS full form overview. 

Exam Name	UPSC CDS – Combined Defence Services Examination
Conducting Body	Union Public Service Commission
Exam Level	National
Frequency	Twice a year
Profiles	Officer in Indian Military Academy (IMA)  Officer in Indian Naval Academy (INA) Officer in Air Force Academy (AFA) Officer in Officers Training Academy (OTA)
Selection Process	Written Exam SSB Interview Medical Examination

CDS 2023 Calendar

Candidates preparing for the upcoming CDS 2023 exam can check out the important dates of the examination below. 

Events	Important Dates
CDS 1 2023 Notification	21st December 2022
CDS 1 2023 Application Form	21st December 2022 to 10th January 2023
CDS 1 2023 Exam Dates	16th April 2023
CDS 2 2023 Notification	17th May 2023
CDS 2 2023 Application Form	17th May 2023 to 6th July 2023
CDS 2 2023 Exam Dates	3rd September 2023

CDS Eligibility Criteria

Candidates applying for the CDS exam ensure that they meet the eligibility criteria such as nationality, age limit, marital status, educational qualifications, and physical standards as per the guidelines laid down by the Commission for admission to Combined Defence Services Examination. Verification of eligibility conditions with reference to original documents will be taken up only after the candidate has qualified for SSB Interview/Personality Test.

CDS Nationality

Candidate appearing for CDS exam must be Unmarried and must either be:

(i) a Citizen of India, or

(ii) a subject of Nepal, or

(iii) a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Sri Lanka, Burma, Pakistan, and East African countries of Uganda, Kenya, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Zaire, Malawi, and Ethiopia or Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.

Candidates in the category (ii) and (iii) shall be required to produce their certificate of eligibility as issued by the Government of India. Certificate of eligibility will, however, not be necessary in the case of candidates who are Gorkha subjects of Nepal.

CDS Age Limit

The CDS age limit along with the cut-off date for age is announced only on the official notification. Check out the table below to know about the school-wise age limit. 

CDS Schools	Age Limit	Marital Status
Indian Military Academy (IMA)	19 to 24 years	Unmarried male candidates
Air Force Academy (AFA)	20 to 24 years	Unmarried male candidates
Indian Naval Academy (INA)	19 to 24 years	Unmarried male candidates
Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) (Men & Women)	19 to 25 years	Unmarried male candidates    Unmarried women, issueless   widows who have not remarried and issueless divorcees (in possession of divorce documents) who have not remarried

CDS Educational Qualification

Academy	Educational Qualification
Indian Military Academy (IMA)	Degree from a recognized university
Air Force Academy (AFA)	Degree of a recognized University (with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level) or Bachelor of Engineering
Indian Naval Academy (INA)	Degree in Engineering from a recognized University/Institution
Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) (Men & Women)	Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university or equivalent

CDS Physical Standards

Candidates applying for the Combined Defence Services exam must be free from any disease/syndrome/disability to be deemed medically fit. Candidate should be able to showcase efficient performance during the military duties in any climate, terrain, season, routes including sea, air, remote areas, etc. Candidates should be free from use of any drugs or aid.

Below we have shared the minimum height and weight criteria for meeting CDS Physical Standards:

Army

(i) Body Mass Index should be below 25.

(ii) Minimum height required for male candidates is 157 cm.

(iii) Minimum height required for male candidates is 152 cm.

Navy

(i) Body Mass Index should not be more than 25

(ii) Waist to Hip Ratio should be less than 0.9

(iii) The minimum height requirement is 147 cm

Air Force

(i) Minimum height for Flying Branch is 162.5 cm

(ii) Minimum height for Ground Duty branches is 157.5 cm

(iii) Minimum and Maximum measurements of sitting height, leg length, and thigh length for induction in the Aircrew is as below:

Criteria	Minimum	Maximum
Sitting Height	81.5 cm	96 cm
Leg Length	99 cm	120 cm
Thigh Length	-	64 cm

(iv) Body Mass Index should be below 27.

(v) Waist to Hip ratio should be below 0.9 (Males) and 0.8 (Females).

(vi) Waist circumference should be less than 94 cm (Males) and 89 cm (Females).

CDS Selection Process

Candidates go through the CDS Selection Process which includes an online Written Test followed by SSB Interview. Candidates who qualify for both rounds will be considered for the final merit list.

CDS Written Exam

For Admission to Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA) and Air Force Academy (AFA)

Subjects	Maximum Marks	Duration
General Knowledge	100	2 Hours
English Language	100	2 Hours
Elementary Mathematics	100	2 Hours
Total	300	6 hours

For Admission to Officers’ Training Academy (OTA)

Subjects	Maximum Marks	Duration
General Knowledge	100	2 Hours
English Language	100	2 Hours
Total	200	2 hours

CDS SSB Interview

The candidates who qualify for the CDS written exam will be called to appear in the SSB interview round. The CDS SSB Interview will comprise a two-stage process and only candidates who qualify in the Stage 1 shall be called for Stage 2.

Stage 1

There will be Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests which are Picture Perception* Description Test (PP&DT). Performance in both the OIR and PP&DT tests will be considered for shortlisting for Stage 2.

Stage 2

There will be Interview, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests, and the Conference, usually over a period of 4 days.

CDS Salary Structure

The candidates post qualifying for the examination will be eligible to draw CDS salary as per the rules of the 7th pay commission. The initial pay scale for the candidates is going to be in level 10 of the pay scale of Rs 56,100 -1,77,500.

Rank	Level	Salary (In INR)
Lieutenant	Level 10	56,100 -1,77,500
Captain	Level 10 B	61,300- 1,93,900
Major	Level 11	69,400-2,07,200
Lieutenant Colonel	Level 12A	1,21,200-2,12,400
Colonel	Level 13	1,30,600-2, 15,900
Brigadier	Level 13A	1,39,600-2,17,600
Major General	Level 14	1,44,200-2,18,200
Lieutenant General HAG Scale	Level 15	1, 82, 200-2,24,100
HAG+Scale	Level 16	2,05,400 – 2,24,400
VCOAS/Army Cdr/ Lieutenant General (NFSG)	Level 17	2,25,000 (fixed)
COAS	Level 18	2,50,000 (fixed)

CDS is a very competitive examination and therefore the candidates have to resort to the preparation tips suggested by experts. Here are some of the popular preparation hacks followed by students. 

1. Go through the syllabus suggested by the UPSC for the concerned post. The commission has listed different subjects and exam pattern for various military schools. The candidates are advised to stick to the official exam pattern as prescribed by the commission. 
2. Always resort to the UPSC CDS books that help in clearing the basics for the examination. These books are helpful to strengthen the foundational basics before the examination. 
3. Prepare a study plan that complements the preparation for the UPSC CDS examination. It should be such that helps in preparing for the examination in the best way. 
4. Be very vigilant when it comes to physical fitness. The CDS offers officers profiles in the Indian Airforce, Indian Army and Navy. Hence, one is advised to do light exercises to be physically fit before the examinatio.
5. Attempt the UPSC CDS examination regularly. It helps in testing the overall preparation level from time to time. Make a habit of writing at least two to three mock tests regularly to be ready for the examination.