The UPSC has released the eligibility criteria for CDS 2 2024 in the official notification on their website. Candidates must fulfill certain requirements to apply for the CDS Exam, which include nationality, educational qualifications, age, marital status, and physical fitness standards. According to the CDS 2024 eligibility criteria, only unmarried men and women aged 19 to 24 are eligible to take the CDS 2024 exam.
CDS Eligibility for IMA, INA, AFA & OTA
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) holds the Combined Defence Services (CDS) examination twice a year, in April and September. This exam is a pathway for recruitment into the Officers Training Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Indian Military Academy, and Indian Air Force Academy. Candidates must pass a written test and an interview to be selected for the Indian Armed Forces through the CDS exam.
Those who pass the CDS selection process will be assigned to the respective academies based on their merit and preferences. The UPSC has outlined specific eligibility criteria for the CDS Exam 2024. Interested candidates should review the entire article to understand the age limits and other requirements set by the UPSC for the CDS Exam. This article covers all essential information related to CDS Eligibility 2024, including nationality, educational qualifications, age, marital status, and physical standards.
CDS Eligibility Criteria 2024 Highlights
The CDS Exam 2024 is highly desired because it allows candidates to join any of the three branches of the Indian armed forces. Candidates must meet all CDS eligibility requirements to be considered for the exam.
| CDS Eligibility Criteria 2024 Overview | |
| Name of Exam | Combined Defence Services |
| Conducting Organization | Union Public Service Commission |
| Frequency of Exam | Twice a year |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Number of Attempts | Unlimited; Till Age Allows |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Age Limit | Between 19 to 25 years |
| Educational Qualification | Graduation in any discipline from recognized university |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Examination Mode | Offline |
CDS Eligibility Criteria 2024: Nationality
To be eligible for CDS Exam 2024, a candidate must be unmarried and must either be:
- a Citizen of India, or
- a Subject of Bhutan, or
- a Subject of Nepal, or
- a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before the 1st January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
- a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka and the East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire and Ethiopia or Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.
CDS Eligibility 2024: Educational Qualifications
Candidates should be aware about the education qualifications before applying for the examination. Here we have provided the complete details of the educational qualifications required for the CDS 2 2024 Examination.
| ACADEMY | EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION |
|---|---|
| INDIAN MILITARY ACADEMY | Graduation Degree |
| INDIAN NAVAL ACADEMY | B.E/B.Tech (10+2 with Physics & Maths) |
| AIR FORCE ACADEMY | Graduation, B.E/B.Tech (10+2 with Physics & Maths) |
| OFFICERS’ TRAINING ACADEMY (MEN) | Graduation Degree |
| OFFICERS’ TRAINING ACADEMY (WOMEN) | Graduation Degree |
Candidates who are studying in the final year/semester Degree course and have yet to pass the final year degree examination can also apply provided the candidate should not have any present backlog up to the last semester/year for which results have been declared up to the time of submission of application and they will be required to submit proof of passing the degree examination at the time of commencement of the course. Candidates possessing professional and technical qualifications which are recognized by the government as equivalent to professional and technical degrees would also be eligible for admission to the examination.
CDS Eligibility Criteria 2024: Age Limits
Here we have provided you with the age limit for the CDS 2 2024 Exam. So before applying to try to go through the full notification provided by UPSC.
| Academy | Gender Inclusivity | Age Limit |
| IMA | Only Males | Candidates born between 2 July, 2001, and 1 July, 2006. |
| INA | Only Males | Candidates born between 2 July, 2001, and 1 July, 2006. |
| AFA | Only Males | Candidaes aged btw 20 to 24 years old as of 1 July 2025. |
| AFA | Only Males | Candidates with a valid Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA (India) can be up to 26 years old |
| OTA | Both Men and Women | Candidates born between 2 July, 2000, and 1 July, 2006. |
NOTE: Male divorcee/widower candidates cannot be treated as unmarried males for the purpose of their admission in IMA/INA/AFA/OTA, Chennai courses, and accordingly they are not eligible for these courses.
CDS Eligibility Criteria For Women
Female candidates applying for the CDS exam can only choose the OTA (Officers Training Academy) for non-technical posts. It’s important for candidates to fulfill all the specified requirements because any discrepancy in eligibility will make them ineligible to apply for the CDS Exam. Let’s discuss some key factors about CDS Eligibility 2024 for female candidates.
| Eligibility Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Age Limit | Female candidates must be born after 1st July 2006 and before 2nd July 2000. |
| Educational Qualification | Must hold a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university. |
| Nationality | Indian citizen, subject of Bhutan or Nepal, or Tibetan refugee who arrived in India before 1 January 1962. |
| Marital Status | Only unmarried females, widows who haven’t remarried, and divorcees who haven’t remarried with valid divorce documents are eligible for OTA. |
| Only unmarried male candidates are eligible for IMA, INA, AFA. | |
| Physical Standards | Minimum acceptable height for female candidates is 152 cm. |
Physical Requirements for CDS: Height and Weight Standards
Candidates must meet specific physical standards to ensure they are fit for duty without health issues or disabilities that could affect performance. They should not have weak physical condition, bodily defects, or be underweight, overweight, or obese. Below are the height and weight requirements for different categories in CDS.
| Gender | Minimum Height |
|---|---|
| Male | 157.5 cm |
| 152 cm for Navy | |
| 162.5 cm for Air Force Flying Branch | |
| 157.5 cm for Air Force Ground Duty | |
| 152 cm for Gorkhas, Assamese, Garhwalis, etc. | |
| 5 cm shorter for people from the hills of India’s north-eastern region such as Garhwali and Kumaon | |
| Female | 152 cm |
| 147 cm for Gorkhas, Assamese, Garhwalis, etc. | |
| 5 cm shorter for people from the hills of India’s north-eastern region such as Garhwali and Kumaon | |
| 2 cm shorter for candidates from Lakshadweep | |
| All | 148 cm |
CDS Eligibility Criteria Medical Standards
Besides meeting the CDS eligibility requirements, candidates interested in the exam must be in good medical health to qualify for the Indian Army. It’s important to understand certain medical conditions that could affect eligibility for the CDS Exam:
- Being overweight or underweight
- Having an undersized chest
- Piles (hemorrhoids)
- Wax buildup in the ears
- Deviated nasal septum
- Tonsillitis
- Gynecomastia (enlarged breasts in males)
- Varicocele (enlarged veins within the scrotum)
- Hydrocele or phimosis (conditions affecting the testicles or foreskin)
According to the CDS eligibility criteria, candidates need to be in good medical and mental condition. They will need to undergo a detailed medical examination to demonstrate their health status before proceeding further in the CDS recruitment process.
Good luck with the upcoming CDS 2024 exam.
| Related Links | |
| CDS Selection Process 2024 | CDS Application Form 2024 |
| CDS Previous Year Papers | CDS Salary |
