UPSC has invited applications from eligible Indian citizens’ to fill the vacant 345 positions across different defence sectors. The Combined Defence Services (CDS) examination is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) twice a year. Through this recruitment drive, UPSC selects candidates for Indian Military Academy (IMA), Officers’ Training Academy (OTA), Indian Naval Academy, and Indian Airforce Academy. Unmarried men and women candidates are eligible for this recruitment. Women candidates can apply for OTA positions only. The selection process of Combined Defence Service (CDS) 2021 comprises of single stage written examination followed by the SSB interview and medical examination. Here we are discussing the 2021 UPSC CDS 1 notification, exam pattern, eligibility, syllabus, etc.
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UPSC CDS-1 2021
Let’s discuss the details of the UPSC CDS 1 notification 2021.
UPSC CDS 01 Important Dates
| Events | Dates |
| Start Date of Online Application | October 28, 2020 |
| Last Date for the application | November 17, 2020 |
| Admit Card | January 2021 |
| Written Exam Date | 07th February 2021 |
| UPSC CDS-1 2021 Result | Yet to know |
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UPSC CDS 1 2021 Eligibility Criteria
The essential education qualification and the age limit for the applicants according to the 2021 UPSC CDS 1 notification is:
Education Qualification
- For I.M.A. and Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai — Degree from any UGC recognized University or equivalent.
- For Indian Naval Academy — Degree in Engineering from a recognized University/Institution.
- The Air Force Academy — Degree of a recognized University (with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level) or Bachelor of Engineering.
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 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 course.
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UPSC CDS Age Limit
- For I.M.A: Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 2nd January 1998 and not later than 1st January 2003 only are eligible.
- The Indian Naval Academy: Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 2nd January 1998 and not later than 1st January 2003 only are eligible.
- For Air Force Academy: 20 to 24 years as on 1st January 2022 i.e. born not earlier than 2nd January 1998 and not later than 1st January 2002 (Upper age limit for candidates holding valid and current Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA (India) is relaxable up to 26 yrs. i.e. born not earlier than 2nd January 1996 and not later than 1st January 2002 only are eligible. Candidate below 25 years of age must be unmarried.
- The Officers’ Training Academy: (SSC Course for men) unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 2nd January 1997 and not later than 1st January 2003 only are eligible.
- For Officers’ Training Academy: (SSC Women Non-Technical Course) Unmarried women, issueless widows who have not remarried and issueless divorcees, should have been born not earlier than 2nd January 1997 and not later than 1st January 2003.
The women candidates are being considered only for Short Service Commission at Officers Training Academy (OTA). They should indicate OTA as the only choice during application.
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UPSC Combined Defence Services Salary Scale
| Post | Pay (Rs) |
| Captain (Level 10 B) | 6,13,00 -1,93,900 |
| Lieutenant (Level 10) | 56,100 – 1,77,500 |
| Lieutenant Colonel (Level 12A ) | 1,21,200 – 2,12400 |
| Major (Level 11) | 6,94,00 – 2,07,200 |
| Brigadier (Level 13A ) | 1,39,600 – 2,17,600 |
| Colonel Level 13 | 1,30,600 – 2, 15, 900 |
| Lieutenant General HAG Scale (Level 15) | 1, 82, 200 – 2,24,100 |
| Major General (Level 14) | 1,44,200 – 2,18,200 |
| VCOAS/ Army Cdr/ Lieutenant General (NFSG) (Level 17) | 2,25,000 (fixed) |
| HAG+Scale (Level 16) – 2,05,400 | 2,24,400 |
| COAS (Level 18) | 2,50,000 (fixed) |
| Military Service Pay (MSP) to the officers from the rank of Lieutenant to Brigadier | Rs 15.500 p.m. fixed |
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UPSC CDS 1 2021 Vacancies
| SL NO | Course | Number of Vacancies |
| 1 | Indian Military Academy, Dehradun [13 vacancies reserved for NCC `C’ Certificate (Army Wing) holders] |
100 |
| 2 | Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala [06 vacancies for NCC ‘C’ Certificate holders]: |
26 |
| 3 | Air Force Academy, Hyderabad—(Pre-Flying) [03 vacancies are reserved for NCC `C’ Certificate (Air Wing) holders] |
32 |
| 4 | Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai (Madras), SSC (Men) (NT) | 170 |
| 5 | Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai (Madras), JAG (Men) (NT) | NA |
| 6 | Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai (Madras), NCC Special entry | NA |
| 7 | Officers Training Academy, Chennai, SSC Women (Non-Technical) Course |
17 |
| Total | 345 |
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UPSC Combined Defense Services 2021 Online Application
Interested candidates can now apply towards the UPSC CDS (1) 2021 through the UPSC official website on or before November 17, 2020.
- To start your application, visit UPSC official website, click here
- On the home page, click on the Apply Online tab.
- On the newly opened tab, click on the “Online Application for Various Examinations” tab.
- Click on the Part-1 registration tab across the Combined Defence Services Examination (I).
- Enter your personal details, like name, age, category, matriculation certificate no, email id, mobile number etc.
- Once you completed the part-1 of the registration, you will receive a registration number and password combination. use this credentials to log in to the part-2 of the application process.
- You need to upload your photo, signature and valid id card in the Part-II of the registration.
- Scanned photograph should be in JPG format and the file should not exceed 300 KB each and must not be less than 20 KB and resolution 350 pixels (Width) X 350 pixels (Height) minimum, 1000 pixels (Width) X 1000 pixels (Height) maximum and Bit Depth of image file should be 24 bit.
- The Id card should be of PDF file and the size should not exceed 300 KB (must not be less than 20 KB).
- Candidates can pay the application fee online, through Credit/ Debit Card/ Net banking or by cash challan in SBI bank.
- If you are using SBI cash Challan mode, then complete the registration before November 16, 2020, since it requires a day to reflect in the fees acceptance portal.
- Make sure to complete the application process by November 17, 2020.
Application Fees
| Category | CDS 2021 Application Fee |
| Female/ SC/ ST Candidates | Nil |
| All Others | Rs 200 |
CDS 2021 Written exam Centres
Agartala, Ahmedabad, Aizawl, Bengaluru, Bareilly, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cuttack, Dehradun, Delhi, Dharwad, Dispur, Gangtok, Hyderabad, Imphal, Itanagar, Jaipur, Jammu, Jorhat, Kochi, Kohima, Kolkata, Lucknow, Madurai, Mumbai, Nagpur, Panaji, Patna, Port Blair, Prayagraj (Allahabad), Raipur, Ranchi, Sambalpur, Shillong, Shimla, Srinagar, Thiruvananthapuram, Tirupati, Udaipur, and, Visakhapatnam
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UPSC CDS 1 Exam Pattern
The selection process involves two stages of screening,
- Written Examination – Objective
- Personality Test and Interview for Intelligence
Written Examination Pattern
The Union Public service Commission will conduct the preliminary stage written exam for the UPSC CDS 1 in 41 centres across the country.
- For Admission to Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Air Force Academy
| SL NO | Subject/ Topic | Exam Duration | Maximum Marks |
| 1 | English | 02 hours | 100 |
| 2 | General Knowledge | 02 hours | 100 |
| 3 | Elementary Mathematics | 02 hours | 100 |
- For Admission to Officers’ Training Academy
| SL NO | Subject/ Topic | Exam Duration | Maximum Marks |
| 1 | English | 02 hours | 100 |
| 2 | General Knowledge | 02 hours | 100 |
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UPSC Combined Defense Services Syllabus
The syllabus for the written exam and the personality test is:
English Language
- Synonyms and antonyms
- Idioms and Phrases
- Spelling test
- Reading Comprehension
- Spotting the Error
- Para jumbles
- Cloze test
General Knowledge
- History of India
- Geography of India and the world
- Basic facts about the Indian Constitution
- Physics, chemistry, and biology – basic facts
- Economics
- Current Affairs
Elementary Mathematics
- Number systems
- Basic mathematical Operations
- Algebra
- Trigonometry
- Geometry
- Elementary Number Theory
- Time and Distance
- Time and Work
- Percentages
- Simple and Compound Interest
- Profit and Loss
- Ratio and Proportion
- Mensuration
- Statistics
Intelligence and Personality Test
The SSB procedure consists of two-stages of screening. Only the successful candidates from stage:01 will get their chance in stage:02 tests.
- Stage I comprises of Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests are Picture Perception Description Test (PP&DT). The candidates will be shortlisted based on the combination of performance in OIR Test and PP&DT.
- Stage II Comprises of Interview, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests and the Conference. These tests are conducted over 4 days. The details of these tests are given on the website www.joinindianarmy.nic.in.
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Previous Year Question Papers
Click here to download the UPSC CDS question papers from previous years:
- English Language: 2020, 2019 (1), 2019 (II)
- Elementary mathematics: 2020 2019 (I), 2019 (II)
- General Knowledge: 2020, 2019 (1), 2019 (II)
CDS Previous Year Cut-off scores
- The year 2019
| Academy | Written Exam | Final
Cut-off score |
| IMA | 116 | 242 |
| INA | 105 | 233 |
| AFA | 129 | 264 |
| OTA (Men) | 78 | 160 |
| OTA (Women) | 78 | 162 |
- The year 2018 CDS-1
| Academy | Written Exam | Final
Cut-off score |
| IMA | 116 | 242 |
| INA | 102 | 228 |
| AFA | 131 | 253 |
| OTA (Men) | 80 | 162 |
| OTA (Women) | 80 | 163 |
- CDS-II 2018
CDS Cut Off I 2018
| Academy | Written exam | Final
Cut-off Score |
| IMA | 118 | 240 |
| INA | 98 | 225 |
| AFA | 138 | 279 |
| OTA (Men) | 69 | 154 |
| OTA (Women) | 69 | 150 |
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UPSC CDS 1 Notification 2021
Click here to download the UPSC Combined Defense Services Exam 2021 official notification free pdf:
UPSC CDS 2021 OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION
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