CDSE stands for combined defence services examination. Every year UPSC i.e. union public service commission conducts CDS examination twice a year for the recruitment of Commissioned officers in the Indian armed forces.
As the name suggests it is a combined defence Examination for joining Indian Army, Indian Navy & Indian Airforce as an officer by the courses carried out by 1. Indian Military Academy (IMA) 2. Indian Air Force Academy (AFA), 3. Indian naval Academy (INA) 4. officers training Academy (OTA). Unlike NDA both male and Female graduates are eligible to sit for the examination.
Examination details
| Vacancies |
1. Indian Military Academy - 100 |
|
2. Indian Naval Academy - 45 |
|
3. Air Force Academy - 32 |
|
4. Officers Training Academy (Men) - 175 |
|
5. Officers Training Academy (Women) - 12 |
| Availability of Forms |
July & November (may be changed) |
| Exam Schedule |
February & November (may be changed) |
| Age Limit, Gender & Marital Status |
20 to 24, Unmarried Male and Female |
| Educational |
IMA & OTA (Men & Women)-Graduation passed or appearing. |
| Qualification |
Indian Naval Academy (INA) - B.E. or B.Tech passed or appearing
Air Force Academy (AFA) - Graduation passed or appearing in a any stream.
|
| Selection Procedure |
Written Exam conducted by UPSC.
SSB Interview conducted by Army/Air Force/Navy.
|
| Paper |
Subject |
Questions |
|
|
Medical Examination |
|
Training |
IMA/INA/AFA 18 Months, OTA-11 Months. |
Exam Pattern for IMA / AFA / NA
| Paper |
Subject |
Questions |
Marks |
Time |
| Paper-I |
Maths |
100 |
100 |
2 H |
| Paper-II |
English |
120 |
100 |
2 H |
| Paper-III |
GK |
120 |
100 |
2 H |
for OTA
| Paper |
Subject |
Questions |
Marks |
Time |
| Paper-I |
English |
120 |
100 |
2 H |
| Paper-II |
GK |
120 |
100 |
2 H |
CDS Selection Procedure (Syllabus)
| Mode of exam |
Offline |
| Number of sections |
Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA) and Air Force Academy (AFA) -
Officers’ Training Academy (OTA)
|
| Total marks of the test |
IMA, INA and AFA - 300 OTA - 200 |
| Nature of questions |
Objective type |
| Language of question paper |
Hindi and English |
| Duration of the test |
2 hours for each section of test |
CDS Exam Syllabus
| . English . |
| Sections |
Topics |
| English |
• Spotting Errors Questions
• Sentence Arrangement Questions
• Synonyms & Antonyms
• Selecting Words
• Ordering of Sentence
|
• Comprehension Questions
• Ordering of words in a sentence
• Fill in the blanks questions
• Idioms and Phrases
|
The topic-wise questions distribution in English
| Synonym |
9-10 questions |
| Antonym |
8-10 questions |
| Spotting the errors |
20-25 questions |
| Sentence improvement |
20-24 questions |
| One word Substitution |
5-6 questions (may vary) |
| Selecting correct words |
5-6 questions (rarely asked) |
| Ordering of sentences |
15-20 questions |
| Ordering of words in sentences |
15-20 questions |
| Fill in the blanks (cloze comprehension) |
10-15 questions |
| Comprehension (passage) |
20-25 questions |
| Direct Indirect speech |
5 questions (asked only once till now) |
| Passive Active Voice |
5 questions (asked only once till now) |
| Synonym |
9-10 questions |
| Antonym |
8-10 questions |
| Spotting the errors |
20-25 questions |
| . General Awareness . |
| Topic |
Topic-wise Syllabus |
|
| General Awareness (GK) |
• Economics
• Physics
• Current Affairs
• Politics
• Chemistry
• Sociology
• History
• Defence related Award
|
• Geography
• Environment
• Sport
• Biology
• Cultural
• Book
• Statement
• true/false
|
The topic-wise questions distribution in General Awareness
| Indian Polity |
23-26 questions |
| Geography |
16-17 questions (Mapping & location oriented questions) |
| Economics |
13-14 questions |
| History |
14 questions |
| Physics |
10-11 questions |
| Chemistry |
11-12 questions |
| Biology |
10-11 questions |
| Current Affairs |
16-17 questions (some polity and geography oriented current affairs) |
| Defence related |
3-4 questions only |
| Sports, award, important days |
2-3 questions only |
| Environment related |
1-2 questions only |
| . Mathematics . |
| Topic |
Topic-wise Syllabus |
| Elementary Mathematics |
• Algebra
• Arithmetic
• Trigonometry
• Geometry
• Menstruation
• Statistics
|
|
|
The topic-wise questions distribution in Mathematics.
| Number System |
6 Questions |
Simple Trigonometry |
9 Questions |
| Average |
2 Questions |
Height and Distances |
2-3 Questions |
| Time, speed and Distance |
5 Questions |
Angle lines and triangles |
9 Questions |
| Time and Work |
5 Questions |
Circle and its properties |
7 Questions |
| Profit and Loss |
2 Questions |
Parallelogram, square and rectangle |
2 Questions |
| Simple Interest |
3 Questions |
Area of square/Rectangle/triangle |
1-2 Question |
| Percentage and Discount |
4 Questions |
Volume of cube and cuboid |
3 Questions |
| LCM and HCF |
1-2 Questions |
Volume of Cylinder |
2-3 Questions |
| Ratio and Proportion |
5 Questions |
Volume of cone |
2 Questions |
| Logarithm |
2 Questions |
Volume of Sphere |
1-2 Questions |
| Polynomial/ Linear Equation |
7 Questions |
Surface Area Questions |
2-3 Questions |
| Quadratic Equation |
7 Questions |
Statistics |
5 Questions |
| Sets and series |
1 Question |
|
|
CDS Written Programme
3 years Guaranteed Selections Progrmme
| Duration |
Course Name / Code |
Form Charge |
Course Fees |
Total |
| 3-Year |
Jaguar / IDA001 |
Rs.1000/- |
Rs. 1,35,000/- |
1,36,000/- |
CDS Target Batch
| Duration |
Course Name / Code |
Form Charge |
Course Fees |
Total |
| 1-Year |
Rudra / IDA02 |
Rs.1000/- |
Rs. 48000/- |
|
CDS Two Years Foundation Batch
| Duration |
Course Name / Code |
Form Charge |
Course Fees |
Total |
| 2-Years |
Officer / IDA123 |
Rs.1000/- |
Rs. 48,500/- |
Rs. 98,000/- |