CDS 2020: Application Form (Out), Exam Date, Eligibility Criteria

What is CDS Exam?

Combined Defence Services Examination commonly known as CDS is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for the recruitment of Commissioned Officers in India Army, Navy, and Air Force. The exam is held twice a year usually in February and September. Lakhs of candidates appear for the national level defense entrance examination.

Latest updates:

CDS 1 2020 notification has been released by UPSC. A total of 418 vacancies will be filled through this recruitment exam.
CDS 1 2020 notification will be released on Oct 30. The last date to apply is November 19.
CDS 2 2019 result for written exam is likely to be announced in November

CDS Eligibility Criteria 2020

To be eligible for the CDS 2020 exam, candidates need to fulfill the following eligibility criteria.

Age Limits, Sex and Marital Status

For Indian Military Academy (IMA), unmarried candidates born not earlier than January 2, 1997, and not later than January 1, 2002, can only apply.

For Indian Naval Academy (IMA), unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 1997, and not later than January 1, 2002, are eligible.

Candidates applying for Air Force Academy should be between 20 to 24 years as on January 1, 2021 (born not earlier than January 2, 1997, and not later than January 1, 2001).

For Officers’ Training Academy (SSC Course for men), unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 1996, and not later than January 1, 2002, are eligible for the exam.

For Officers’ Training Academy (SSC Women Non-Technical Course), candidates should be unmarried and born not earlier than January 2, 1996, and not later than January 1, 2002.

Educational Qualification

For IMA and Officers’ Training Academy, candidates must be a graduate.

For Indian Naval Academy, candidates must have a degree in Engineering from a recognized university.

For Air Force Academy, a degree with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level) or Bachelor of Engineering is necessary.

Physical Fitness

Candidates must be physically fit according to physical standards for admission to the CDS exam.

Read more on CDS Eligibility Criteria 2020

CDS 2020 Dates

UPSC has announced the CDS 2020 exam dates. As per UPSC 2020 calendar, CDS 1 exam will be conducted on February 2, 2020, while CDS 2 will be held on November 8, 2020. The table below provides CDS exam dates

CDS 2020 Selection Process

The selection process of CDS recruitment includes two stages –

Written Exam – This is the first stage of the CDS selection process. Candidates who register successfully for the exam are required to appear in the written exam. According to the CDS exam pattern, the written exam for IMA, INA, and Air Force comprises three sections - English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics. The total mark of the test is 300. The written exam for Officers’ Training Academy consists of two sections – English and General Knowledge. The total mark of the test is 200. Candidates qualifying the written exam will be called for SSB Interview for intelligence and personality test.

SSB Interview – There are two stages in SSB Interview - Psychological Aptitude Test and Intelligence Test. Candidates qualifying the stage one will be called for the second stage.

Final selection of candidates is done based on their performance in written exam and SSB Interview. Selected candidates will have to undergo training at Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, Air Force Academy, Hyderabad, Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai.

CDS Exam Centres 2020

The exam centers of CDS provide details of the cities where the written exam is conducted. Candidates are required to select the exam centers while filling the application form. CDS exam centers are allotted to candidates on first-apply-first allot basis. Once a particular exam center is filled, the same will be frozen. Candidates are required to choose from the remaining ones.

Agartala	Ahmedabad
Aizawl	Allahabad
Bengaluru	Bareilly
Bhopal	Chandigarh

Check the complete list of CDS exam centers 2020

CDS Exam Day Guidelines 2020

Candidates should carry CDS admit card 2020 along with photo identity proof to the exam center.
No candidate will be allowed to appear for the exam with the admit card.
Candidates are allowed to carry a clipboard or hardboard, black ball pen to the exam center.
Sheet for doing rough work will be provided by the invigilator.
Candidates should not bring books, notes, loose sheets, electronic or any other type of calculators, mathematical and drawing instruments, log tables, stencils, slide rules, test booklets, and rough sheets.
Mobiles, phones, Bluetooth, pagers or any other communication devices are not allowed inside the premises of the exam center.

Events	Related Dates
Events	For CDS I	For CDS II
Online application form release	30th October 2019	5th August 2020
Last date to submit the application	19th November 2019	25th August 2020
Issue of admit cards	January 2020, 3^rd week	October 2020, last week
Date of exam	2nd February 2020	8th November 2020
Result announcement	May 2020	December 2020
Availability of interview call letter	August 2020, 4^th week (for IMA) November 2020, 4^th week (for OTA)	To be announced
Final result declaration	To be announced	To be announced