What is CDS?
The Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination is conducted by UPSC for admission to officer-training academies of the Indian Armed Forces. The main entries covered through CDS are the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA) and Officers' Training Academy (OTA), subject to the applicable notification.
UPSC conducts CDS twice a year. The UPSC 2026 examination archive lists CDS (I), 2026 and CDS (II), 2026; CDS (II), 2026 was notified on 20 May 2026 and is scheduled for 13 September 2026. citeturn0search0turn0search1
CDS Entries / Academies
IMA
Indian Military Academy — Permanent Commission entry for eligible male candidates as specified in the notification.
INA
Indian Naval Academy — Permanent Commission entry for eligible candidates with the required educational qualification.
AFA
Air Force Academy — Flying/other applicable entry as specified in the notification.
OTA
Officers' Training Academy — Short Service Commission entry for eligible candidates.
CDS Eligibility
| Academy | Educational Qualification |
|---|---|
| IMA | Degree from a recognised university or equivalent. |
| INA | Degree in Engineering from a recognised university/institution. |
| AFA | Degree from a recognised university with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level, or Bachelor of Engineering, subject to notification conditions. |
| OTA | Degree from a recognised university or equivalent. |
Candidates appearing in the final year/semester of the qualifying degree may be eligible subject to the conditions in the relevant UPSC notification. Exact age, gender, marital-status and other conditions vary by academy and notification. citeturn0search19
CDS Written Exam Pattern
| Academy | Paper | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| IMA | English + General Knowledge + Elementary Mathematics | 300 | 6 Hours total |
| INA | English + General Knowledge + Elementary Mathematics | 300 | 6 Hours total |
| AFA | English + General Knowledge + Elementary Mathematics | 300 | 6 Hours total |
| OTA | English + General Knowledge | 200 | 4 Hours total |
For IMA, INA and AFA, each of the three papers carries 100 marks and has a 2-hour duration. For OTA, English and General Knowledge are each 100 marks with 2 hours per paper. citeturn0search19
CDS Subjects
| Subject | What to Study |
|---|---|
| English | Grammar, vocabulary, sentence usage, comprehension, synonyms, antonyms and basic language skills |
| General Knowledge | Current affairs, History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science and defence-related awareness |
| Elementary Mathematics | Arithmetic, Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Mensuration and Statistics |
OTA candidates do not have the Elementary Mathematics paper in the written examination. UPSC's official previous-paper archive lists English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics papers for CDS. citeturn0search2
English — Important Topics
- Parts of Speech
- Subject-Verb Agreement
- Tenses and Articles
- Prepositions and Conjunctions
- Active and Passive Voice
- Direct and Indirect Speech
- Vocabulary, Synonyms and Antonyms
- Sentence Improvement and Error Detection
- Reading Comprehension
General Knowledge — Important Topics
| Area | Main Topics |
|---|---|
| History | Ancient, Medieval and Modern India, Freedom Movement and important events |
| Geography | Physical geography, India, climate, rivers, resources, agriculture and world geography basics |
| Polity | Constitution, Parliament, President, Supreme Court, fundamental rights, duties and governance |
| Economy | Basic economic concepts, banking, inflation, budget and major economic developments |
| Science | Physics, Chemistry, Biology and everyday science |
| Current Affairs | National and international events, defence, awards, sports, science and important appointments |
Elementary Mathematics — Important Topics
| Topic | Preparation Focus |
|---|---|
| Arithmetic | Number system, HCF/LCM, percentages, ratio, average, profit & loss, simple/compound interest, time & work, time & distance |
| Algebra | Basic identities, polynomials, quadratic equations, simultaneous equations and elementary functions |
| Geometry | Lines, angles, triangles, circles and basic theorems |
| Mensuration | Areas and volumes of common figures |
| Trigonometry | Ratios, identities, heights and distances |
| Statistics | Collection and representation of data, averages and basic statistics |
Recommended Books — Subject Wise
| Subject | Books / Material | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| English | NCERT English + Wren & Martin / standard grammar reference + CDS PYQs | Grammar, vocabulary and comprehension |
| General Knowledge | NCERT 6–12 + Lucent's General Knowledge + newspaper/current-affairs notes + CDS PYQs | Foundation and revision |
| Mathematics | NCERT Mathematics 6–10 + standard CDS Mathematics guide + PYQs | Concepts and practice |
| History | NCERT History + Lucent GK / standard reference + PYQs | Static GK |
| Geography | NCERT Geography 6–10/12 + Atlas + PYQs | Concepts and maps |
| Polity | NCERT Political Science + standard Indian Polity reference | Constitution and governance |
| Current Affairs | Reliable newspaper/current-affairs source + monthly notes | Recent events |
| Previous Year Papers | Official UPSC CDS question papers | Actual exam practice |
NCERT Books for CDS
| Subject | Useful Classes | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| History | 6–12 | Very Important |
| Geography | 6–12 | Very Important |
| Political Science | 6–12 | Important |
| Science | 6–10 | Important |
| Mathematics | 6–10 | Very Important for basic foundation |
| English | School-level textbooks | Useful for language foundation |
NCERT is a foundation resource, not the complete CDS preparation. Combine it with the official syllabus, PYQs, current affairs and mock tests.
Selection Process
Written Exam
UPSC written examination according to the selected academy.
SSB Interview
Successful written candidates are called for the Services Selection Board process as applicable.
SSB Assessment
Intelligence/personality assessment, group tasks and interview as prescribed.
Medical
Prescribed service medical examination.
Final Merit
Final selection depends on applicable written/SSB performance, vacancies and eligibility.
Training
Selected candidates join the relevant academy for training.
SSB Preparation
Communication
Practise clear communication, listening and structured expression.
Reasoning
Develop logical thinking and problem-solving ability.
Teamwork
Build cooperation, leadership and responsible group behaviour.
Fitness
Maintain regular running, strength, mobility and general fitness.
Awareness
Follow national, international and defence-related current affairs.
Confidence
Prepare honestly and consistently for interview and assessment.
Documents Required
- Matriculation / 10th certificate for date-of-birth proof as prescribed
- Degree / provisional degree and marksheets as applicable
- Valid photo identity details
- Category certificate, if applicable
- Other documents requested by UPSC or SSB during later stages
CDS Application Process
Notification
Read the latest CDS notification carefully.
Registration
Complete the required UPSC online registration.
Application
Enter personal, educational and academy preference details correctly.
Fee
Pay the applicable fee where required.
Admit Card
Download the e-Admit Card from the official UPSC portal.
Exam
Appear for the written examination at the allotted centre.
Preparation Strategy
NCERT Foundation
Complete relevant NCERT books and make short revision notes.
PYQs
Solve official CDS papers topic-wise and as full tests. UPSC publishes English, GK and Elementary Mathematics papers. citeturn0search2
Current Affairs
Revise national, international, defence, sports, science and awards news.
Maths Practice
Practise arithmetic and other syllabus topics regularly if applying for IMA, INA or AFA.
Mock Tests
Practise with the actual paper time limits and analyse mistakes.
Fitness + SSB
Prepare fitness, communication and personality skills alongside academics.
Official UPSC Resources
Important Note
Age, date-of-birth window, gender, marital status, qualification, vacancies, fee and medical standards can change between CDS notifications. Always use the latest UPSC notification as the final authority. citeturn0search0turn0search19
CDS क्या है?
Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination का आयोजन UPSC द्वारा Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA) और Officers' Training Academy (OTA) में officer training के लिए admission हेतु किया जाता है।
UPSC CDS examination साल में दो बार आयोजित करता है। 2026 में CDS (I) और CDS (II) दोनों examinations listed हैं। CDS (II), 2026 की notification 20 May 2026 को जारी हुई और परीक्षा 13 September 2026 के लिए निर्धारित है। citeturn0search0turn0search1
CDS Entries / Academies
IMA
Indian Military Academy — notification के अनुसार eligible candidates के लिए Permanent Commission entry।
INA
Indian Naval Academy — required educational qualification वाले eligible candidates के लिए entry।
AFA
Air Force Academy — notification में दी गई applicable entry के अनुसार।
OTA
Officers' Training Academy — Short Service Commission entry।
CDS Eligibility
| Academy | Educational Qualification |
|---|---|
| IMA | Recognised university से Degree या equivalent qualification। |
| INA | Recognised university/institution से Engineering Degree। |
| AFA | Recognised university से Degree जिसमें 10+2 level पर Physics और Mathematics हो, या Bachelor of Engineering; notification की conditions लागू होंगी। |
| OTA | Recognised university से Degree या equivalent qualification। |
Final-year/semester candidates भी notification की conditions के अनुसार eligible हो सकते हैं। Exact age, gender, marital status और अन्य conditions latest UPSC notification से check करें। citeturn0search19
CDS Exam Pattern
| Academy | Subjects | Total Marks | Total Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| IMA | English + General Knowledge + Elementary Mathematics | 300 | 6 Hours |
| INA | English + General Knowledge + Elementary Mathematics | 300 | 6 Hours |
| AFA | English + General Knowledge + Elementary Mathematics | 300 | 6 Hours |
| OTA | English + General Knowledge | 200 | 4 Hours |
IMA, INA और AFA में तीनों papers 100-100 marks के हैं और प्रत्येक की duration 2 hours है। OTA में English और General Knowledge 100-100 marks के हैं। citeturn0search19
CDS Subjects
| Subject | मुख्य Topics |
|---|---|
| English | Grammar, Vocabulary, Sentence Usage, Comprehension, Synonyms और Antonyms |
| General Knowledge | Current Affairs, History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science और Defence Awareness |
| Elementary Mathematics | Arithmetic, Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Mensuration और Statistics |
OTA के written examination में Elementary Mathematics paper नहीं होता। UPSC की official previous-paper list में CDS के English, General Knowledge और Elementary Mathematics papers उपलब्ध हैं। citeturn0search2
Subject-wise Books
| Subject | Books / Material |
|---|---|
| English | NCERT English + Wren & Martin / standard grammar reference + CDS PYQs |
| General Knowledge | NCERT 6–12 + Lucent GK + current-affairs notes + CDS PYQs |
| Mathematics | NCERT Mathematics 6–10 + standard CDS Mathematics guide + PYQs |
| History | NCERT History + Lucent GK / standard reference + PYQs |
| Geography | NCERT Geography 6–10/12 + Atlas + PYQs |
| Polity | NCERT Political Science + standard Indian Polity reference |
| Current Affairs | Reliable newspaper/current-affairs source + monthly revision notes |
NCERT Books
| Subject | Classes | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| History | 6–12 | Very Important |
| Geography | 6–12 | Very Important |
| Political Science | 6–12 | Important |
| Science | 6–10 | Important |
| Mathematics | 6–10 | Very Important for foundation |
Selection Process
Written Exam
Academy के अनुसार UPSC written examination।
SSB Interview
Written exam qualify करने वाले candidates के लिए applicable SSB process।
Assessment
Intelligence/personality assessment, group tasks और interview।
Medical
Prescribed service medical examination।
Final Merit
Performance, vacancies और eligibility के आधार पर final selection।
Training
Selected candidates संबंधित academy में training लेते हैं।
Preparation Strategy
NCERT
Relevant NCERT books से foundation मजबूत करें।
PYQs
Official CDS papers को topic-wise और full-length solve करें।
Current Affairs
National, international, defence, sports और science news पढ़ें।
Maths
IMA, INA और AFA के लिए Mathematics की नियमित practice करें।
Mock Tests
Actual time limit के साथ mock tests दें और mistakes analyse करें।
Fitness + SSB
Academic preparation के साथ fitness, communication और personality skills पर काम करें।
Official UPSC Resources
महत्वपूर्ण सूचना
CDS की age, DOB window, gender, marital status, qualification, vacancies, fee और medical standards notification के अनुसार बदल सकते हैं। Latest UPSC notification को final authority मानें। citeturn0search0turn0search19