The exam tests candidates for admission into various armed forces academies - Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, and Officers Training Academy. After the training period, the candidates are assigned to various armed forces jobs according to their preferences, caliber, and needs of the department. The candidates also get paid during their training period.
CDS Exam Highlights
Particulars |
Details |
Name of Examination |
CDS (Combined Defence Services) |
Conducting Authority |
UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) |
Exam Level |
National |
Mode of Exam |
Offline |
Medium of Exam |
Hindi and English |
Frequency |
Twice a year |
Exam Score Validity |
1 year |
CDS Job posts |
Indian Army, Navy, or Air Force |
CDS website |
Official Website |
What is CDS Exam?
The UPSC or Union Public Service Commission conducts the CDS examination twice every year (generally once in April and another in September). The exam's full form is Combined Defence Services and was first conducted in the year 1951.
Every year 10-12 lakh candidates appear for this CDS examination. The exam is conducted only for those who are in their final year of graduation or have already graduated. The UPSC also conducts interviews or personality test rounds for the candidates. The interview is conducted by the SSB (Service Selection Board).
Career & Job Opportunities
The CDS exam helps you get one of the most prestigious jobs in the country. It can be in the Indian Army, Indian Navy, or Indian Air Force. The candidate can be posted anywhere in the country. Initially, the candidates can get the post of Lieutenant/Sub-Lieutenant post in the armed forces.
The training period stipend is around INR 56,100 per month. The salary after the training period varies from INR 56,000 - 1,77,000 per month. The salary and job position are upgraded with time and years of experience in serving the armed forces.
CDS Examination Eligibility Criteria
The age limit criteria, marital status, educational qualification, etc criteria all are different for different military academies. Let’s discuss them one by one.
1). Indian Military Academy (IMA):
- Age Limit: 18-23 years of age are acceptable in IMA.
- Educational Qualifications: Any bachelor's degree from a valid and recognized university is acceptable.
- Marital Status: Only Unmarried candidates are eligible to sit in this examination.
2). Indian Naval Academy (INA):
- Age Limit: 18-23 years of age are eligible for INA post.
- Educational Qualifications: A valid BTech degree from a recognized university is required here.
- Marital Status: Only Unmarried candidates are allowed for this post.
3). Indian Air Force Academy:
- Age Limit: 20-24 years of age are age limit for the Air Force in India.
- Educational Qualifications: A valid BTech degree from a recognized university or have compulsory Physics and Mathematics in class 12th.
- Marital Status: Candidates of age below 25 should be unmarried. Married candidates with age 25 or above are also eligible to apply.
4). Officers Training Academy (OTA):
- Age Limit: 19-25 years old candidates are eligible to apply to this post.
- Educational Qualifications: A valid BTech degree from a recognized university or have compulsory Physics and Mathematics in class 12th.
- Marital Status: Only unmarried candidates are allowed to apply for this post.
NOTE: There is no limit on the number of attempts in the CDS examination.
How To Choose The Best CDS Coaching in Noida?
There are a lot of aspects in which you will be taught and trained by these coaching. So you should take care of the fact that you don’t fall into any fraud. We have mentioned below all the important factors that you should consider for the best selection.
- Batch Size: They will have batch sizes of around 30-40 students. And even if it has more batch strength then look if the coaching has proper arrangements and management.
- Experienced Faculty: Check if the coaching has experienced and qualified faculty members.
- Number of Teachers: The panel should have at least 2 or 3 teachers of the same subject.
- GTO Grounds & Other Equipment: The coaching should have all the resources to support CDS physical training including Grounds, Labs, Conference Rooms, Sports equipment, etc for students.
- Online Classes Facility: The coaching must have online live classes or recorded lectures facility for students.
- Regular Doubt Classes: There should be regular doubt classes in the coaching. And those class sizes should also be small.
CDS Coaching Fees In Noida
The average total fees of the CDS preparation courses in Noida is around INR 30k to 50k. You don’t have to pay any other fees in the future course of your CDS preparation. The coaching does provide you with all the resources in that amount. Like any other coaching, these also have installments and multiple session fee payment options.