The UPSC has announced the CDS Eligibility 2024 exam in its official notification. To apply for the CDS exam, candidates must meet specific requirements related to nationality, education, age, marital status and physical fitness. As per the criteria, only unmarried men and women between the ages of 19 and 24 can appear for the CDS 2024 exam.
CDS Eligibility for IMA, INA, AFA & OTA
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Combined Defence Services (CDS) exam twice a year, in April and September. This exam is used for recruitment into the Officers Training Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Indian Military Academy, and Indian Air Force Academy. To join the Indian Armed Forces through the CDS exam, candidates must pass both a written test and an interview.
Those who successfully pass the CDS selection process are assigned to the respective academies based on their merit and preferences. The UPSC has set specific eligibility criteria for the CDS Exam 2024. Candidates interested in this exam should review the details to understand the age limits and other requirements. This article provides information on 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
In this article, Defense Adda 247 has provided you the age limit for CDS 2 2024 exam which is according to the recruitment of 2024. Candidates preparing for CDS 2025 will be duly informed after the notification is released. Must read the complete 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 preparing for CDS exam can opt for OTA (Officer Training Academy) only for non-technical posts. It is important for the candidates to fulfill all the specified requirements as any discrepancy in eligibility will make them ineligible to apply for CDS exam. This information is based on CDS 2024. Candidates preparing for CDS 2025 will be duly informed after the notification is released. Do read the complete notification provided by UPSC.
| 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
In addition to meeting the CDS eligibility requirements, candidates interested in the exam must be in good medical health to qualify for the Indian Army. It is important to understand some of the medical conditions that can 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)
As per the CDS eligibility criteria, candidates must have good health and mental fitness. They will have to undergo a detailed medical examination to demonstrate their health status before proceeding with the CDS recruitment process.
| Related Links | |
| CDS Selection Process 2024 | CDS Application Form 2024 |
| CDS Previous Year Papers | CDS Salary |
Indian Army TGC Eligibility Criteria, Ch...
