UPSC CDS Job Profile 2024: Roles and Responsibilities, Promotion Policy

Union Public Service Commission is inviting applications from the eligible candidates for the Combined Defence Services recruitment examination for the enrolment of candidates into the Indian Military Academy, Officers Training Academy (OTA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), and Indian Air Force Academy (AFA). The examination is conducted by the UPSC every two years. This is the best opportunity for the aspirants to get into the defence academies and being commissioned as officers in various defence services. However, before applying for the CDS 2024 examination, the candidate must understand the job details as well as examination cut-off and UPSC CDS Job Profile 2024. Here are the necessary details every candidate must know about UPSC CDS Job Profile 2024.

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UPSC CDS Exam 2024: Exam Overview

What is UPSC CDS Examination?

Union Public Service Commission conducts the recruitment examination for candidates who are aspiring to join various defence academies in the country. The Union Public Service Commission holds the Combined Defence Services Examination (abbreviated as CDS Exam) twice a year for admission to the Indian Military Academy, Officers Training Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Indian Air Force Academy. The exam is normally held twice a year, in February and September. The national-level defence entrance examination attracts thousands of candidates from all around the country.

UPSC CDS Job Profile 2024

After the completion of training from various training academies, new joiners are commissioned as officers under various departments of various defence forces. Here is the job profile and career growth options under the Indian army for the candidates. Likewise, the candidates of various forces will have similar career growth opportunities.

• The candidates admitted to the Indian Military Academy/ Indian Navy Academy / Air Force Academy will be trained in their respective academies for a period of 18 months.
• The candidates admitted to Officers’ Training Academy will have a training period of 49 weeks.

Officers Training Academy (OTA): Promotion Policy

The following promotion paths are open to male and female joiner’s who have been awarded the Short Service Commission by the Officers Training Academy:

• After completing two years of commissioned service, a promotion as captain is awarded.
• Upon completion of six years of commissioned service, a major rank is awarded.
• Upon completion of thirteen years of commissioned service, Lieutenant Colonel rank is awarded.

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UPSC CDS Job Profile 2024: Roles and Responsibilities

• The highest ranking officer in the Department of Defence (DoD) is the Chief of Defence Staff India, who holds the rank of Secretary. His power is restricted to the revenue budget alone.
• The service chiefs will have to restrict their advice to matters pertaining to their respective services, and the CDS of India will be the Defense Minister’s exclusive military advisor on all matters impacting all three services.
• Maintaining a high degree of inter-service harmony and encouraging greater operational synergy between the three service components of the Indian military will be his main responsibility.
• CDS has the authority to establish the hierarchy of importance for inter-service procurement decisions in his capacity as chairman of the Permanent Chairman-Chiefs of Staff Committee.
• The three chiefs can receive orders from the CDS.
• He does not, however, have any command authority over any of the forces.
• He is also the director of the newly formed Department of Military Affairs (DMA) within the Ministry of Defence.
• He will also be involved in the Nuclear Command Authority (NCA) as a consultant.

UPSC CDS Job Profile 2024: Significance

• India’s Chief of Defence Staff, in an ever-evolving geopolitical and international security landscape where India continues to confront challenges stemming from a multitude of conflicts, must not be afraid to speak truth to power.
• He must act impartially and prioritize the interests of the country when making difficult decisions.
• The operationalization of theater command, defense, and government cooperation are significantly aided by the CDS of India.
• Enhancing communication between the three branches of the armed forces is the goal of the theater command system. The army, air force, and navy will all be under one unified command, headed by a single commander, as opposed to existing under separate commands.
• Operational capability: The Indian CDS will enable operational capability at a pace that will avoid the power imbalance in the military. CDS facilitates the development of policies and doctrines by providing a protective shield of clearly defined national and military strategies. However, the National Security Strategy (NSS), which has split the Services and is subject to CDS decision-making, is contentious.
• Reorganization: The coordination of the operations, logistics, transport, education, support services, communications, repairs, and maintenance of the three Services is facilitated in large part by the CDS of India.Additionally, CDS forges unity within this jointness and ensures that the military’s efficacy is unaffected by this plan.
• Theaterization: The first CDS pushed for the integration of the armed forces theater commands in order to improve efficiency and synergy.