Combined Defense Services (CDS) is a national level entrance exam conducted by UPSC twice a year for recruiting motivated candidates for defense services like Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Air Force Academy and Officers Training Academy.
Before filling the application form, candidates will be required to make sure they satisfy the CDS eligibility criteria 2023, failing which they will be disqualified at any stage of the process. UPSC will release a notification regarding the application form; we’ll notify our readers about that once the announcement is made. In this Article, Readers will get to know the CDS Eligibility Criteria 2023 as stated by UPSC, therefore they are advised to read the complete article to get to the core of it.
CDS Eligibility Criteria 2023 – Major Highlights
Candidates are suggested to check the important highlights of CDS eligibility criteria 2023 as given below-
Nationality
According to the rule laid by UPSC, applying candidate must either be
- A citizen of India
Or
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- A subject of Bhutan
Or
- A subject of Nepal
Or
- A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1 July 1962 to permanently settle in India
Or
- PIO who has migrated from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Burma and East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, and Ethiopia or Vietnam to permanently settle in India.
Note:
- Candidate belonging to any of these categories 2, 3, 4, and 5, must produce the eligibility certificate issued by the Government of India.
- Gorkha candidates from Nepal need not produce the eligibility certificate.
Age Limits, Sex, and Marital Status
| Course | Sex | Marital Status | Age Limit |
| IMA | Male | Unmarried | CDS 1- candidates born not earlier than 2nd January 1997 and not later than 1st January 2002 are eligible.
CDS 2- candidates born not earlier than 2nd July 2000 and not later than 1st July 2005 are eligible. |
| Indian Naval Academy | Male | Unmarried | CDS 1- candidates born not earlier than 2nd January 1997 and not later than 1st January 2002 are eligible.
CDS 2- candidates born not earlier than 2nd July 2000 and not later than 1st July 2005 are eligible. |
| Air Force Academy | Male/Female | Unmarried | CDS 1- Candidates born not earlier than 2nd January 2000 (1998 for those with Commercial Pilot License issued by DGCA) and not later than 1st January 2004 are eligible.
CDS 2- Candidates born not earlier than 2nd July 2000 (1998 for those with Commercial Pilot License issued by DGCA) and not later than 1st July 2004 are eligible. |
| Officer’s Training Academy(Men) | Male | Married/Unmarried | CDS 1- candidates born not earlier than 2nd January 1999 and not later than 1st January 2005 are eligible.
CDS 2- candidates born not earlier than 2nd July 1999 and not later than 1st July 2005 are eligible. |
| Officers’ Training Academy(Women) | Female | Unmarried/Issueless divorcee | CDS 1- Unmarried women, issueless widows and issueless divorcees (in possession of divorce documents) who have not remarried & born not earlier than 2nd January 1999 and not later than 1st January 2005.
CDS 2- Unmarried women, issueless widows and issueless divorcees (in possession of divorce documents) who have not remarried & born not earlier than 2nd July 1999 and not later than 1st July 2005. |
Note 1: The Date of Birth should be as mentioned in high school/secondary school certificates. Applicants will have to submit their birth certificate once the result of written exam is declared.
Note 2:
- Candidates less than 25 years of age must be unmarried.
- Marriage is not allowed during training.
- Married aspirants who are above 25 years of age are eligible to apply, but during training period they will neither be provided married accommodation nor can they live with family out of the premises.
Academic Qualification
| For I.M.A. and Officers’ Training Academy | Candidate should have done graduation in any discipline from a recognized university or equivalent. |
|
For Indian Naval Academy |
Candidates should hold a degree in Engineering from an Institution/University recognized by the central government. |
| For Air Force Academy | Candidate need to have done graduation from any recognized university (with physics and mathematics compulsory at 10+2 level) or Bachelor of Engineering. |
|
For Officers Training Academy |
Graduation Degree in any disciplines recognized university or equivalent. |
| For Officers Training Academy (SSC Women Non-Technical Course) | Degree from a recognized university or equivalent. |
Note:
- Candidates who are appearing in the final year degree course can apply for the exam given that they will have to submit proof of passing the exam at the time of SSB test.
- Candidates having professional and technical qualifications are eligible for the exam.
General Physical & Mental Standards
- Candidates should note that they must be in sound health both physically as well as mentally.
- They should not have any history of mental breakdown or fits.
- There should be no defect in body or under weight and overweight issues with it.
- The minimum rage of expansion after full inspiration must be 5cms.
- There should be no disease whatsoever.
Height & Weight Standards
- Candidates must note that the acceptable height for male aspirants is 157.5 cms(157 for Navy & 162.5 for Air Force)
- For females, Gorkha and candidate from the North East Region, it is 152cms.
- For candidates from Lakshadweep, height can be reduced by 2 cms.
- For candidates with heavy bones and broad build/thin build, this limit may be relaxed to some extent.
Candidates are recommended to refer the weight & height chart issued by UPSC for the exact details.
