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UPSC CDS Eligibility Criteria 2024 should be satisfied by all the candidates in order to apply for UPSC CDS 1 2024 exam. Candidates with a graduation degree can apply for IMA and OTA Positions. For INA, the candidate must have an engineering degree and for AFA, both class 12 pass and engineering degree holders can apply.
UPSC CDS is conducted in two stages for the post office cadre in the Indian Army or Indian Air Force or Indian Navy or Officer’s Training Academy (OTA).
Also Read: UPSC CDS 1 Application Form 2024
UPSC CDS Eligibility Criteria Overview
To be eligible to apply for UPSC CDS 1 exam the willing candidates should fulfil the below-given criteria:
| Category | Age | Gender | Marital Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Military Academy (IMA) | 19 – 24 Years | Male | Unmarried |
| Indian Naval Academy (INA) | 19- 22 Years | Male | Unmarried |
| Air Force Academy | 19- 23 Years | Male | 25 years married or not |
| Officers’ Training Academy (SSC Course for Men) | 19- 25 Years | Male | Married or Unmarried |
| Officers’ Training Academy (SSC Women Non-Technical Course) | 19- 25 Years | Female | Unmarried Women, issueless widows who have not remarried and issueless divorcees (in possession of divorce documents) who have not remarried are eligible |
The candidates who fulfill the above-mentioned criteria are eligible to apply for UPSC CDS 1 Exam and after applying the candidate can start preparing for the Exam. The candidate can refer to UPSC CDS 1 Syllabus to learn for the Exam.
CDS Exam Eligibility - Based on Nationality
A candidate must be any of the following:
- A citizen of India.
- A subject of Bhutan.
- A subject of Nepal.
- A Tibetan refugee who came over to India before the 1st January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India.
- A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, and East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire and Ethiopia, and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.
Note: Provided that a candidate belonging to Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet, and other places mentioned above shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India. A certificate of CDS exam eligibility will not, however, be necessary in the case of candidates who are Gorkha subjects of Nepal.
UPSC CDS 2024 Eligibility - Based on Educational Qualifications
Following are the educational qualifications required to apply for UPSC CDS 1 2024.
IMA /OTA: A degree from a recognized University or equivalent.
Indian Naval Academy: Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.)
Air Force Academy: Degree of a recognized University (with Physics and Mathematics at 10 +2 level) or Bachelor of Engineering.
UPSC CDS 2024 Eligibility - Based on Age
Candidates who meet the below-mentioned criteria are eligible to appear for UPSC CDS 1 exam:
For Indian Military Academy
CDS age limit for Male (Unmarried) candidates between 19-24 years on 1st January or 1st July of the year succeeding the year of examination.
For Indian Naval Academy
CDS age limit for Male (Unmarried) candidates between 19-22 years on 1st January or 1st July of the year succeeding; the year of examination.
For Air Force Academy
CDS age limit for Male (Unmarried) candidates between 20-24 years on 1st January or 1st July of the year succeeding the year of examination.
For Officers Training Academy (SSC Course for Men)
CDS age limit for Male candidates (married or unmarried) between 19-25 years on 1st January or 1st July of the year succeeding the year of examination.
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 2nd January 1994 and not later than 1st January 2000.
Physical Standards
Candidates must be physically fit according to physical standards for admission to Combined Defence Services Examination, 2017 as per the guidelines.
- Applicants must be physically fit as per the prescribed physical standard of UPSC and the relevant defence department
- Applicants must be in good physical and sound mental health and free from any disease/ disability that can interfere in the performance of their duties
- There should be no evidence of bodily defects or overweight
- The minimum height requirement for male applicants is 157.5 cm. for Army, 157 cm for Navy and 162.5 cm for Air Force
- The minimum height of female candidates should be 152 cm for OTA (non-technical).
- For candidates belonging to Gorkhas and hills of the North-Eastern region of India, Garhwali and Kumaon, 5 cm height relaxation is provided in the minimum acceptable height. In the case of applicants from Lakshadweep, 2cm relaxation is provided
- Applicants should have a sufficient number of natural teeth. A minimum of 14 dental points will be acceptable for CDS 1 recruitment. If all 32 teeth are present, the total dental points are 22.
- Check the vision standard for all the defence services in the tables below:
CDS Visual Standard for Air Force
The standards for UPSC CDS 1 Air Force are mentioned below in the table:
| Male | Female |
| Vision (corrected) better eye 6/6 and worse eye 6/12 | Vision (corrected) better eye 6/6, worse eye 6/12 |
| Myopia of not more than minus 3.5 D | Myopia of not more than minus 5.5 D |
| Manifest hypermetropia of not more than plus 3.5 D including Astigmatism | Manifest hypermetropia of not more than plus 3.5 D including Astigmatism. |
Note: Information Regarding Marriage
Male divorcee/widower candidates cannot be considered as unmarried male candidates for their admission in IMA/INA/AFA courses and they are not eligible for these courses. Candidates below 25 years of age must be unmarried. Marriage is not permitted during training. Those candidates who are above 25 years of age and are married are eligible to apply but during the training period they will neither be provided married accommodation nor can they live with family out of the premises.
