CDS Exam 2022- UPSC CDS Notification PDF, Selection Process, and Qualification

Aditya Mishra | Updated: May 18, 2022 18:14 IST

UPSC CDS Exam notification is out on 18th May 2022. UPSC CDS Exam is for recruitment in the Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Officers Training Academy, and Indian Air Force Academy. The Commission conducts the CDS Exam twice a year- CDS I and CDS II. This year 339 vacancies are released under CDS 2 notification. Exam for the same will be conducted after the application process is over.

  • The UPSC CDS Admit card and exam date will be announced soon.
  • The selection process for UPSC CDS Exam includes a written exam, an SSB Interview/Personality test, Document Verification, and a Medical Examination.
  • Candidates who get selected are paid a stipend of Rs. 21,000 per during the training period.
  • Graduation is an essential educational requirement to be eligible for UPSC CDS Recruitment 2022.
Exam Conducting BodyUnion Public Service Commission
Official websiteUPSC
Exam NameCombined Defence Services (CDS Exam)
Mode of examOnline
Training Conducting BodyIndian Military Academy Indian Naval Academy Officers Training Academy Indian Air Force Academy

Download PDF for CDS 2 Notification 2022

CDS Recruitment Vacancy 2022

Application process for CDS II took place from 18th May 2022 to 7th June 2022. There were 339 vacancies released in total. Given below are the details of vacancies for the first CDS Exam.

CDS AcademyVacancy
Indian Military Academy, Dehradun100
Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala22
Indian Air Force Academy, Hyderabad32
Officers Training Academy, Chennai (Men)169
Officers Training Academy, Chennai (Women)16
Total339

How to Apply for CDS Exam?

The first exam for CDS Recruitment has already been conducted. However, the Commission will be conducting CDS II. Candidates can submit their applications on the official website of UPSC. The steps given below will help you fill out the forms.

Step 1: Visit the official website of UPSC.

Step 2: Click on the link “Online Application for Various Examinations’

Step 3: Look for the link to apply for CDS Exam.

Step 4: Enter your details in both the parts of the application form.

Step 5: Upload all the necessary documents.

Step 6: Make the payment of the application fee and select the examination center.

Application Fee

Without the payment of the application fee the form will not be processed. The payment in online mode has to be done via net banking/credit card/debit card. For offline payment, candidates have to visit any branch of the State Bank of India. Here are the details.

CategoryApplication Fee
SC/ST/FemalesNo fee
OtherRs. 200/-

CDS Recruitment Selection Process

UPSC CDS Recruitment is a multiple-stage process. Each stage is a test of the candidate’s mental and physical abilities. Candidates have to go through the following stages of the selection process.

  • Written Examination
  • SSB Interview/Personality Test
  • Document Verification
  • Medical Examination

Read about UPSC Assistant Engineer Exam here

CDS Recruitment Eligibility Criteria

The Commission has set criteria for eligibility for the candidates. It is the candidates’ responsibility to make sure that they fit the criteria before applying for the exam. Eligibility is defined in terms of age limit, educational qualification, marital status, nationality, and Physical & Medical standards. We will discuss them one by one.

Age Limit

Candidates applying for UPSC CDS Recruitment are required to satisfy the age eligibility. Documents like Aadhar cards can be uploaded as proof of age. Given below are the details for the same.

CDS AcademyAge Limit
Indian Military AcademyBorn between 1st July 1998 to 1st January 2003
Indian Naval AcademyBorn between 2nd July 1998 to 1st January 2003
Indian Air Force AcademyBorn between 2nd July 1999 to 1st July 2002
Officers Training AcademyBorn between 2nd July 1997 to 1st July 2003
Officers Training Academy (SSC Women Non-Technical Course)Born between 2nd July 1997 to 1st July 2003

Educational Qualification

A minimum educational qualification is necessary to apply for UPSC CDS II Exam 2022. Candidates have to submit documents regarding their educational qualifications while filling out the forms. The academy-wise details are as follows.

AcademyMinimum Educational Qualification
Indian Military AcademyA degree from a well-reputed Univesity or Institute
Indian Naval AcademyEngineering degree from a well-reputed Univesity or Institute
Indian Air Force AcademyEngineering degree with Physics and Maths in their 12th standard from a recognized Univesity Or, Bachelor of Engineering
Officers Training AcademyA Graduation degree from a well-reputed Univesity or Institute

Marital Status

The Commission specifies the required marital status to get the candidature for CDS Exam. Candidates are required to make sure that they satisfy these requirements. In order to be eligible, candidates must be unmarried regardless of their gender.

AcademyMarital Status
Indian Military AcademyUnmarried Male
Indian Naval AcademyUnmarried Male
Indian Air Force AcademyUnmarried
Officers Training Academy (SSC Women Non-Technical Course)Unmarried Women
Officers Training Academy (SSC Course for men)Unmarried Male

Nationality Criteria

Nationality is another important factor for eligibility. Candidates must fit one of the following criteria to get the candidature.

  • A Citizen of India
  • A subject of Nepal
  • A Tibetan refugee who came to India before the 1st of 1962, with the intention of settling permanently in India, or Indian origins who migrated to India from Burma, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Malawi, Zaire, Zambia, and Ethiopia, or Vietnamese origins who migrated to India with the aim of settling permanently in India.
  • A subject of Bhutan

Physical & Medical standards

Candidates should know about the Physical and Medical Standards required for the UPSC CDS Recruitment. Some of the defects that will result in disqualification are:

  • Overweight / Underweight
  • Deviated Nasal Septum
  • Under Sized Chest
  • Piles
  • Wax (Ears)
  • Gynaecomastia
  • Varicocele
  • Tonsillitis
  • The Body Mass Index of the aspiring candidates should be below 25.
  • Hydrocele / Phimosis
  • Male candidates should have a well-developed chest. After complete inspiration, the minimum range of expansion should be 5 cms.
  • Male candidates must be at least 157.5 centimeters tall (157 cm for Navy and 162.5 cm for Air Force). The minimum height requirement for female candidates is 152 cm. After all kinds of waivers/dispensations, the minimum height for all entries is 148 cm.

Check the height and weight standards here.

  • Female candidates must have a minimum height of 152 cm.
  • Male candidates must have a minimum height of 157.5 cm. (The Navy’s is 157 cms, while the Air Force’s is 162.5 cms).
  • Gorkhas and people from the hills of India’s north-eastern region, such as Garhwali and Kumaon, will be allowed to be 5 cm shorter.
  • The minimum permissible height for candidates from Lakshadweep can be lowered by 2 cm. After all kinds of waivers/dispensations, the minimum height for all entries is 148 cm. If not, the candidate will be labeled a dwarf.

CDS Exam Pattern

Examination Pattern is the layout of the question paper. For CDS Recruitment, the first stage of selection is a written exam. Candidates must be aware of the pattern of exams and should prepare accordingly. Here are the details.

CDS Exam Pattern for Indian Naval Academy, Indian Military Academy, and Indian Airforce Academy

  • The question paper is for a maximum of 300 marks.
  • The time allotted to attempt the exam is 2 hours for each paper.
  • Objective type of questions are asked.
  • A negative marking of 0.33 marks will be done for every incorrect answer.
SubjectMaximum MarksDuration
English100
General Knowledge100
Elementary Mathematics100
Total3002 hours each

CDS Exam Pattern for Officer Training Academy

  • The question paper is for a maximum of 200 marks.
  • The time allotted to attempt the exam is 2 hours for each paper.
  • Objective type of questions are asked.
  • A negative marking of 0.33 marks will be done for every incorrect answer.
SubjectMaximum MarksDuration
English100
General Knowledge100
Total2002 hours each

CDS Interview

The interview round will consist of two stages.

  • Stage 1 will include Officer Intelligence Rating, Picture Perception, and Description Test
  • Stage 2 will consist of Interview, Group Testing Officer Task, Psychology Test, and Conference

CDS Salary

Candidates who clear all the rounds will finally be selected. During the training days, they will receive a stipend of Rs. 21,000 per month. Given below are the pay scale and pay matrix for different ranks.

RankPay ScalePay Matrix
LieutenantRs. 56,100 – 1,77,500/Level 10
CaptainRs. 61,300 – 1,93,900Level 10B
MajorRs. 69,400 – 2,07,200Level 11
Lieutenant ColonelRs. 1,21,200 – 2,12,400Level 12A
ColonelRs. 1,30,600 – 2,15,900Level 13
BrigadierRs. 1,39,600 – 2,17,600Level 13A
Major GeneralRs. 1,44,200 – 2,18,200Level 14
Lieutenant GeneralRs. 1,82,200 – 2,24,100Level 15
HAG + ScaleRs. 2,05,400 – 2,24,400Level 16
VCOASRs. 2,25,000 (Fixed)Level 17
COASRs. 2,25,000 (Fixed)Level 18

We hope reading this article was helpful. You can also read our article on UPSC CMS Exam 2022 here.

CDS Exam FAQs

When was the first CDS 2 Exam conduct?

CDS 2 will conduct after the application form process is over.

What is the selection process for UPSC CDS Recruitment?

The selection process involves a Written-test, an interview, a document verification, and a medical examination.

What is the marital status required for CDS Recruitment?

Candidates must be unmarried to apply for CDS Recruitment?

How many vacancies were released for the CDS 2 exam?

There were 339 vacancies released for the CDS 2 exam.

What is the educational qualification required to appear for the CDS Exam?

Candidates must have a graduation degree to apply for the CDS Exam.

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