CDS IMPORTANT DATES

CDS 1 Dates 2024

Knowing the CDS 1 exam date 2024 will help candidates prepare for the different stages in advance. The important dates for CDS 1 2024 exam are as follows:

CDS Eligibility Criteria

1. Nationality: A candidate must be either
(i) A citizen of India, or
(ii) A subject of Nepal, or
(iii) A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Srilanka or East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire and Ethiopia or from Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.
Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (ii) and (iii) shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.

2. Age Limit:
(i) For IMA: Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 02-01-1998 and not later than 01-01-2003
(ii) For Indian Naval Academy: Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 02-01-1998 and not later than 01-01-2003.
(iii) For Air Force Academy: Unmarried male candidates age between 20 to 24 years as on 1st July, 2021 i.e. born not earlier than 02-07-1997 and not later than 01-07-2001 (Upper age limit for candidates holding valid and current Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA (India) is relaxable upto 26 yrs.i.e. born not earlier than 02-07-1995 and not later than 01-07-2001).
(iv) For Officers’ Training Academy (SSC Course for Men): Male candidates (unmarried) born not earlier than 02-07-1996 and not later than 01-07-2002.
(v) For Officers Training Academy (SSC Women Non-Technical Course): Unmarried women, issueless widows who have not remarried and issueless divorcees (in possession of divorce documents) who have not remarried are eligible. They should have been born not earlier than 02-01-1996 and not later than 01-01-2002.

Note: Male divorcee/widower candidates can not be treated as unmarried male for the purpose of their admission in IMA/INA/AFA/OTA, Chennai courses and accordingly they are not eligible for these courses.

3. Educational Qualification:

(i) For I.M.A. and Officers’ Training Academy: Degree of a recognized University or equivalent.
(ii) For Indian Naval Academy: Degree in Engineering from a recognized university/institution.
(iii) For Air Force Academy: Degree of a recognized University (with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level) or Bachelor of Engineering.

Note: Those candidates who are studying in the final years Degree course and have yet to pass the final year Degree examination are also eligible to apply.

Physical Standards: Candidates must be physically fit according to physical standards for admission to Combined Defence Services Examination (I) 2021.

CDS Application Form

The submission of the application form of UPSC CDS 1 Exam will start on 21 April 2024. The candidates are required to fill the correct details and submit it before the last date, once the registration process starts online on the official website.

How to apply for CDS Exam 2024 (I)?

Follow the steps below to apply online for the CDS Exam (I):

1. Eligible candidates can visit the official website: https://upsconline.nic.in/ to apply for CDS I exam.
2. Applicants should submit only a single application.
3. Under the heading “Part I” of the application form, fill in personal contact information.
4. Select the preference for the academies as per age & qualification.
5. The Registration ID would be generated after this. The candidates should then head to “Part I” of the application form.
6. Next step is to deposit the fee of Rs. 200/-.
7. Once fee payment is done, select the desired examination centre.
8. Upload a scanned copy of the photograph and signature as per the file size & dimensions specified in the official notification.
9. Click to “Submit”.
10. Print/ Download the application form for future use.

CDS Application Fee

The payment can be done via Net Banking, Mastercard/Debit Card or cash deposit in any branch of SBI Bank.

CDS Admit Card

• The CDS 1 2020 Admit Cards will be issued 2-3 weeks before the exam for those applicants who have successfully submitted the application form.
• The link to download the admit card will be activated on the official website.
• Applicants can download their CDS admit cards by logging in with their registration ID & password.
• Make sure that all the information mentioned on the admit card is correct. If there is any discrepancy, you might not be allowed to appear for the exam.
• All applicants are required to bring their Admit Card to the examination center.
• None of the candidates will be allowed to enter the examination hall without their admit cards.

CDS Syllabus and Exam Pattern

1. Written Exam:
i. Written Exam consists of Objective Type questions and time duration 02 hrs and maximum marks is 100 for each subject.
ii. For the candidates who are appearing for Indian Military Academy, Naval Academy, Air force Academy written test comprising of English, General Knowledge and Elementary mathematics subjects and for candidates who are appearing for officers training academy the written test comprising of English and General Knowledge.
iii. Candidates who are declared successful in the written exam will be detailed for intelligence and personality test at the Service Selection Board based on their preference, by the respective service HQ.

(A) For Admission to Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Air Force Academy:

(B) For Admission to Officers’ Training Academy:

The maximum marks allotted to the written examination and to the interviews will be equal for each course. i.e the maximum marks allotted to the written examination and to the interviews will be 300, 300, 300 and 200 each for admission to the Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Air Force Academy and Officers Training Academy respectively.

The papers in all the subjects will consists of objective type questions only. The question papers of General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics will be set bilingually in Hindi as well as English.

In the question papers, wherever necessary, questions involving the metric system of Weighs and Measures only will be set.

2. Intelligence & Personality Test: The candidates who are selected in written test are called for interview. The SSB procedure consists of two stage selection process-Stage I and Stage II. Only those candidates who clear the stage I are permitted to appear for Stage II.
a. Stage I comprises of Officers Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests are Picture Perception Description Test (PP&DT). The candidates will be shortlisted based on combination of performance in OIR Test and PP&DT.
b. Stage II comprises of Interview, Group Testing Officers Tasks, Psychology Tests and the conference. These testes are conducted over 4 days .
The personality of candidate is assessed by three different assessors viz. the interviewing Officer (IO), Group Testing Officer (GTO) and the Psychologist. There are no separate weightage for each test. The marks are allotted by assessors only after taking into consideration the performance of the candidate holistically in all the test.

CDS Syllabus

PAPER – 1: ENGLISH:
The question paper will be designed to test the candidates’ understanding of English and workmanlike use of words.

PAPER – 2: GENERAL KNOWLEDGE:
General Knowledge including knowledge of current events and of such matters of everyday observation and experience in their scientific aspects as may be expected of an educated person who has not made a special study of any scientific subject. The Paper will also include questions on History of India and Geography of a nature which Candidate should be able to answer without special study.

PAPER – 3: ELEMENTARY MATHEMATICS: 
Arithmetic: Number System-Natural numbers, Integers, Rational and Real numbers. Fundamental Operations addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, Square roots, Decimal fractions. Unitary method, time and distance, time and work, percentages, applications to simple and compound interest, profit and loss, ratio and proportion, variation.
Elementary Number Theory– Division algorithm. Prime and composite numbers. Tests of divisibility by 2, 3, 4, 5, 9 and 11. Multiples and factors. Factorization Theorem. H.C.F. and L.C.M. Euclidean algorithm, Logarithms to base 10, laws of logarithms, use of logarithmic tables.

ALGEBRA
Basic Operations, simple factors, Remainder Theorem, H.C.F., L.C.M. Theory of polynomials, Solutions of quadratic equations, relation between its roots and coefficients (Only real roots to be considered). Simultaneous linear equations in two unknowns-analytical and graphical solutions. Simultaneous linear in equations in two variables and their solutions. Practical problems leading to two simultaneous linear equations or in equations in two Variables or quadratic equations in one variable & their solutions. Set language and set notation, rational expressions and conditional identities, Laws of indices.

TRIGONOMETRY
Sine x, cosine x, Tangent x when 0 ≤x ≤90 Values of sin x, cos x and tan x, for x = 0, 30, 45, 60 and 90
Simple trigonometric identities.
Use of trigonometric tables.
Simple cases of heights and distances.

GEOMETRY
Lines and angles, Plane and plane figures, Theorems on (i) Properties of angles at a Point, (ii) Parallel lines, (iii) Sides and angles of a triangle, (iv) Congruency of triangles, (v) Similar triangles, (vi) Concurrence of medians and altitudes, (vii) Properties of angles, sides and diagonals of a parallelogram, rectangle and square (viii) Circles and its properties including tangents and normal, (ix) Loci.

MENSURATION
Areas of squares, rectangles, parallelograms, triangle and circle. Areas of figures which Can be split up into these figures (Field Book), Surface area and volume of cuboids, lateral surface and volume of right circular cones and cylinders, surface area and Volume of spheres.

STATISTICS
Collection and tabulation of statistical data, Graphical representation, frequency Polygons, histograms, bar charts, pie charts etc. Measures of central tendency.

CDS Selection Procedure

1. Written Exam
2. Interview/ Intelligence Test/ Personality Test
3. Document Verification
4. Medical Examination

1. Written Exam: 

i. Written Exam consists of Objective Type questions and time duration 2 hrs and maximum marks is 100 for each subject.
ii. For the candidates who are appearing for Indian Military Academy, Naval Academy, Air force Academy written test comprising of English, General Knowledge and Elementary mathematics subjects and for candidates who are appearing for officers training academy the written test comprising of English and General Knowledge.
iii. Candidates who are declared successful in the written exam will be detailed for intelligence and personality test at the Service Selection Board based on their preference, by the respective service HQ.

2. Interview/ Personality Test: The candidates who are selected in written test are called for interview. The SSB procedure consists of two stage selection process-Stage I and Stage II. Only those candidates who clear the stage I are permitted to appear for Stage II.
a. Stage I comprises of Officers Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests are Picture Perception Description Test (PP&DT). The candidates will be shortlisted based on combination of performance in OIR Test and PP&DT.
b. Stage II comprises of Interview, Group Testing Officers Tasks, Psychology Tests and the conference. These testes are conducted over 4 days .
The personality of candidate is assessed by three different assessors viz. the interviewing Officer (IO), Group Testing Officer (GTO) and the Psychologist. There are no separate weightage for each test. The marks are allotted by assessors only after taking into consideration the performance of the candidate holistically in all the test.

3. Document Verification: Document Verification will be conducted only after the candidate has qualified for Interview/Personality Test.

4. Medical Examination: A Candidate recommended by the Services Selection Board will undergo a medical examination by a Board of Service Medical Officers. Women candidates will undergo Medical Examination by a Medical Board comprising male/ female doctors/ specialists/ Gynaecologist. There will be a Lady Medical Officer as member of Board. Only those candidates will be admitted to the Academy who are declared fit by the Medical Board.

CDS Previous Questions Papers

For hassle-free preparation, proper practice of the UPSC CDS previous year question papers is a must. Applicants who are aware of the syllabus and exam pattern of CDS I will easily understand the type of questions that are asked in the exam.

The level of questions and the topics covered in previous exams also helps one understand the approach to solve the question paper of the upcoming CDS exam. Candidates should keep attempting the previous year papers along with the regular preparation of CDS exam. This practice will come in handy while solving the question paper of CDS I exam.

CDS Answer key

Candidates can check the UPSC CDS 1 2024 answer key from the official website (ww.upsc.gov.in). The detailed analysis of the CDS I examination can be done through the questions asked in paper and CDS answer keys. With the answer key of CDS, you will get an idea of how many marks you might expect to score in the respective exam.

How to Check the Answer Keys on Official Website?

Follow the under-mentioned steps to check the answer key of CDS I Exam:

• Follow the official link: http://www.upsc.gov.in/examinations/answer-keys
• Here, you will find a list of the year-wise Answer Keys of CDS for the different exams.
• Corresponding to the ‘Name of Exam” column, you can check the Answer Key PDF.
• Click on the PDF link to open/ download it.

CDS Examination Centre

CDS exam centres are allocated to the candidates to attend the prelims & mains exam. The candidates who have applied for UPSC CDS 1 2020 exam need to choose an appropriate examination centre for the CDS paper as per their feasibility. Check the list of state-wise examination centres/cities below:

CDS Cut off

CDS 2024 Cut Off will be officially released along with the declaration of the final result. Candidates appearing for the CDS 2024 exam must check out the previous year’s cut-off to determine the number of good attempts.

CDS 1 Cut Off Marks for IMA/INA/AFA/OTA

CDS Result Date

The CDS (1) 2024 Result Date will be updated here once it is released on the official site of UPSC. The CDS I exam is scheduled to take place on 2nd Week of May 2024. Candidates should keep a check on the result date of CDS exam. The organization will activate the link for the result where the candidates can check their result status by entering the required details.

How to Check CDS 1 2024 Result Online?

In order to check the result of CDS I exam, follow the steps mentioned below:

• Log in to the official website of Union Public Service Commission (www.upsc.gov.in)
• Under the navigation section, click on “Results” link.
• Now check for the “UPSC CDS 1 2024 Result” Link and click on it.
• Fill the required details such as Registration Number & Date of Birth.
• Click on the “Submit” button.
• Check your Result status corresponding to your Roll number & Name.