CDS or Combined Defence Services is a National exam held by UPSC two times a year. It is a National exam held by UPSC two times a year. The CDS application form was available on the official website from 22 December, 2021 to 11 January, 2022. The online application form withdrawal link was active on the official website from 18 to 24 January, 2022.
Candidates who meet the CDS eligibility criteria can apply for the CDS 1 exam. It is conducted to recruit for various posts in the Indian Military Academy, Officers Training Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Indian Air Force Academy. A total of 341 vacancies are available by the UPSC.
Here is everything you need to know about the CDS exam in detail!
CDS 2022: Quick Overview
- The candidates who want to get into Defence Services like Indian Naval Academy, Indian Army Force, Indian Military Academy, and Officer Training Academy, need to clear both the CDS Prelims and Mains exam.
- The exam is conducted twice a year (February and November)
- Married candidates are not eligible for this examination.
- The CDS 2022 rejection list has been released. Note: The applications have been rejected due to the non-payment of application fees.
- The CDS exam is divided into Paper I and Paper II.
- Students who get the minimum CDS cut-off will be hired as the Commissioned Officer in different departments.
- The examination is conducted in three stages: Written Exam, Personal Interview, and Medical test.
- Those who clear the examination successfully are eligible for a fixed stipend of 21000/- every month. Officer’s salary increases after the announcement of 6th and 7th pay commission.
What Is CDS exam?
CDS full form is Combined Defence Services Examination. It is one of the exams under UPSC. The candidates who clear the CDS exam can get admissions into the Indian Miliary Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, and Officers Traning Academy.
CDS Important Highlights
| Exam Name | Combined Defence Services Exam |
| Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission |
| Exam Level | National |
| Frequency | Twice a year |
| Mode of application | Online |
| Fees |
|
| Exam Duration | 2 Hours |
| Exam Mode | Offline |
| Language | English and Hindi |
| Official Website | https://www.upsc.gov.in/ |
UPSC CDS Official Notification 2022
The official notification for the CDS 1 exam was released on 22 December 2021. The CDS application form was available from 22 December, 2021 to 11 January, 2022.
UPSC released the CDS application form, exam pattern, exam schedule, vacancies, exam centers, and more with the official notification.
CDS Exam Dates 2022
Here are the entire CDS exam dates 2022 for you.
| CDS 1 2022 Events | Dates |
| Application Start Date | 22 December, 2021 |
| Application End Date | 11 January, 2022 |
| CDS Admit Card | March 2022 |
| CDS Exam Date | 10 April, 2022 |
| CDS Result | May 2022 (Tentative) |
CDS Vacancies 2022
The complete information on CDS vacancies is given on the official notification. Here is the complete information on vacancies for CDS:
| Posts | No. of CDS vacancies |
| Indian Military Academy | 100 |
| Indian Naval Academy | 22 |
| Air Force Academy | 32 |
| Officers’ Training Academy (Men) | 170 |
| Officers Training Academy (Women) | 17 |
CDS Eligibility Criteria 2022
Candidates who want to join Indian Military Academy need to apply for CDS. Before going to apply for that they need to check the CDS Eligibility Criteria.
Nationality
- The candidates must be an Indian or
- The aspirant should be a subject of either Nepal or Bhutan.
- The citizens of Indian origin who have migrated and shifted permanently to India are also eligible. Only the migrated people from these countries are allowed Kenya, Pakistan, Uganda, Burma, Sri Lanka, Zaire, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Ethiopia, Vietnam, or Malawi.
- The Tibetan refugee settled in India permanently before 1 January, 1962.
Age Limit
- Unmarried male candidates who fulfill the Nationality criteria not born earlier than January/ July 2, 1997, and not later than January/ July 1, 2002, can apply for Indian Naval Academy and Indian Military Academy.
- Aspirants who fulfill the citizenship criteria and are born not earlier than January/ July 2, 1997, and not later than January/ July 1, 2001, can apply for Air Force Academy.
- Unmarried male aspirants who fulfill the criteria of citizenship and are born not earlier than January/ July 2, 1996, and not later than January/ July 1, 2002, are eligible For Officers’ Training Academy (SSC Course for men).
- Unmarried women, widows, and divorcees who are not remarried and also who fulfill the citizenship criteria and are born not earlier than January/ July 2, 1996, and not later than January/ July 1, 2002, are eligible For Officers’ Training Academy (SSC Women Non-Technical Course).
Educational Qualification
The eligibility criteria are different for each post. The candidates are suggested to check the eligibility criteria before filling the application form. The candidates who are in final year/ semester are also eligible to apply for CDS Exam 2020 on a provisional basis.
- For Indian Military Academy (INA), the candidates should have a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university.
- For Indian Naval Academy (INA), the candidates should have a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Technology from a recognized university or equivalent.
- For Air Force Academy (AFA), the candidates should have a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Technology from a recognized university OR degree from a recognized university with Physics & Mathematics as subjects.
- For Officers Training Academy (OTA), the candidates should have a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university or equivalent.
- For Officers Training Academy (SSC Women Non-Technical Course), the candidates should have a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university.
CDS Application Form 2022
The CDS Application Form was released on 22 December, 2021 and ended on 11 January, 2022 on the official website. The application form is divided into two parts that are again divided into Part I and Part II. Here are the steps you need to follow to apply for the CDS exam:
Step 1: Go to the UPSC official website.
Step 2: Go to the application link.
Step 3: Click on new registration and complete the entire application process.
Step 4: Your CDS registration number and password will be sent to your registered email address.
Step 5: Log in to the website with the credentials and click on “apply now.”
step 6: Enter your personal and educational details.
Step 7: Upload your recent photograph and scanned copy of your signature.
Step 8: Choose the CDS exam center of your choice.
Step 9: Before submitting the application form, check the details. Note: You cannot make any changes to the application form once it is submitted.
Step 10: Choose from the various payment options and pay the application fees online.
Step 11: Once you have paid the application fees, print the application form and payment receipt for the future.
CDS Application Fees
The candidates need to pay the registration fees online. Here is the complete details on CDS application fees:
| Categories | Fees |
| Unreserved (UR) | Rs. 200/- |
| Other Backward Classes (OBC) | Rs. 200/- |
| SC/ ST/ PwBD / Women | Exempted |
CDS Admit Card 2022
The authority will release the hall ticket/admit card during the month of March 2022 (tentatively). Candidates can download their CDS Admit Card via online mode only. There is no other mode available to download the admit card.
How To Download Admit Card?
- Visit the CDS official website.
- Enter your registration number and password then click on login.
- Then download your admit card.
- And keep safe for future purposes.
Details Mentioned In The Admit Card
- Candidate name
- Date of examination
- Venue
- Timing
- State
- Country
- Pincode
- category
- Roll Number
- Registration number
- Signature
- Photographs
It is advised to the candidates please cross-verify their admit card details with original documents. If any discrepancies are found, you need to contact the conducting authority immediately
CDS Exam Centers 2022
Here is the complete state-wise list of the CDS exam centers 2022:
| AGARTALA | GHAZIABAD | GORAKHPUR |
| NAVI MUMBAI | PATNA | GAUTAM BUDDHA NAGAR |
| VISHAKHAPATNAM | VIJAYAWADA | MYSORE |
| GAYA NAGPUR | GANGTOK | VELLORE |
| MUMBAI | FARIDABAD | VARANASI |
| MADURAI | DISPUR | UDAIPUR |
| LUDHIANA | DHARWAD | TIRUPATI |
| LUCKNOW | DELHI | TIRUCHIRAPALLI |
| LEH | DEHRADUN | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM |
| KOZHIKODE (CALICUT) | CUTTACK | THANE |
| COIMBATORE | KOLKATA | SRINAGAR (UTTARAKHAND) |
| CHENNAI | KOHIMA | SRINAGAR |
| CHANDIGARH | KOCHI | SILIGUDI |
| BHOPAL | JORHAT | WARANGAL |
| JODHPUR | BILASPUR | SHIMLA |
| BAREILLY | JAMMU | SHILLONG |
| BENGALURU | JAIPUR | SAMBALPUR |
| RANCHI | RAJKOT | AURANGABAD |
| ANANTPUR (ANDHRA PRADESH) | JABALPUR | ITANAGAR |
| ALMORA (UTTARAKHAND) | RAIPUR | INDORE |
| ALIGARH | IMPHAL | PUNE |
| PANAJI (GOA) | AGRA | PORT BLAIR |
| GURGAON | PUDUCHERRY | HYDERABAD |
| AIZAWL | PRAYAGRAJ (ALLAHABAD) | AHMEDABAD |
| AJMER | GWALIOR |
Note: There is a ceiling on the number of candidates allotted to each of the centers except Chennai, Dispur, Kolkata, and Nagpur.
CDS Exam Pattern 2022
The CDS exam 2022 will be conducted in two-tier. The candidates need to clear both the tiers to get selected for the services. The examination will be conducted offline and the question paper has a total of 300 MCQs. Here is the complete CDS exam pattern 2022 in detail:
| Mode of exam | Offline |
| Type of questions | Multiple Choice Questions |
| No. of questions | 300 |
| Sections | 3 |
| Total Weightage | 300 questions (1 mark for each question) |
| Exam Duration | 120 minutes (2 Hours) |
| Negative Marking | 1/3 Mark deducted for each wrong answer |
CDS Exam Pattern For Admission To IMA, INA & AFA
| Subjects | Max. Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 100 | 120 minutes |
| General Knowledge | 100 | 120 minutes |
| English | 100 | 120 minutes |
CDS Exam Pattern For Admission To OTA
| Subjects | Max. Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 100 | 120 minutes |
| General Knowledge | 100 | 120 minutes |
| English | 100 | 120 minutes |
CDS Syllabus 2022w
UPSC designs the CDS exam syllabus. The CDS Syllabus tells students what are topics which they need to prepare for the examination. Here, we have listed important topics from each section that covers all the syllabus:
English Syllabus
The UPSC CDS syllabus contains 3 sections: Maths, English, and General Knowledge:
| English | Idioms, Jumbled Sentences, Phrases, Antonyms, Sentence Order, Synonyms, Ordering of words, Sentence Correction, One-word substitution, Reading Comprehension, Sentence Improvement, Error Spotting, Basic Grammar, Para Jumbles, Sentence, Arrangement Questions, Fill in the Blanks |
| General Knowledge | Physics, Current Affairs, Chemistry, Scientific Aspects, Biology, History of India, Sports, Geography, Sociology, Polity, Awards, Economics, Culture Books |
Mathematics Syllabus
| Trigonometry | Trigonometric identities and tables, Questions related to s and distances. |
| Algebra | Basic Operations, Roots and Coefficients, H.C.F., Remainder Theorem, L.C.M., Theory of polynomials, Simple factors, Quadratic Equations, Rational Expressions, Laws of indices, Linear equations in two variables, Practical problems leading to two simultaneous linear equations. |
| Arithmetic | Number System, Division, Natural Numbers, Multiplication, Real Numbers, Subtraction, Rational Numbers, Addition, Integers, Square roots, Fundamental Operations, Cube roots, Time and Distance, Percentage, Time and Work, Fraction, Divisibility, Factorization, Multiples and Factors, Number Theory, Prime Number, Ratio and Proportion, Composite Number, Logarithms, Factorization Theorem, Laws of Logarithm, Profit and Loss, Euclidean Algorithm, Unitary Method, Decimal. |
| Geometry | Properties of angles, Medians and Altitudes, Congruence of triangles, Square and Rectangle, Lovi, Parallel Lines, Properties of Circles, Similar Triangles, Similar Triangles, Parallel lines |
| Mensuration | Area, Cones and Cylinders, Surface area and volume, Lateral surface, area, and volume, Area of spheres, Volume of sphere. |
| Statistics | Graphical representation, Polygons, Pie Chart, Bar graph, collection of Statistical data, Histogram |
| Algebra | Polynomials, Practical Problems, Quadratic Equation, Analytical Problems, Linear Equation, Laws of Indices |
CDS Result 2022
The CDS result 2022 will be released in May 2022 (tentatively) by UPSC. Those who clear the written exam will be called by the Service Selection Board for psychological aptitude tests, intelligence tests, and interviews. The UPSC declares the marks for each candidate and the minimum cutoff marks list for different posts. The candidates can check the CDS results on the official UPSC official website.
How To Check CDS Results?
- Visit the official website
- Go to the “Examination” tab.
- Click on “Active Examinations” from the drop-down menu.
- Click on “Combined Defence Services Examination (II), 2020”.
- Click on the download of Combined Defence Services (II) result 2020.
- A PDF with Roll Number of selected candidates will appear on the screen. Press “Ctrl + F” and type your Roll Number. If it is there in the list, you have qualified in the CDS (II) 2020 Written Exam.
- If you have cleared the CDS exam, Download and save the Result of CDS (II) 2020 for future
CDS Answer Key 2022
The conducting authority will release the answer key in March 2022 (tentatively). Candidates can download the CDS Answer Key then will cross-check their answer with the answer and get some idea about whether they can clear the examination or not. Candidates can download the answer sheet from the official website.
CDS Cut off 2022
The cut-off is the minimum score that is needed to qualify for any examination. The candidates who score equal to or more than the cut-off will qualify for the exam. The conducting body will release the cut-off for the recruitment process once the is conducted successfully. Those who will score subjects-wise cut-off scores will be able to see their result. Here we have listed last year’s cut-off score which will give you an idea regarding the selection process.
| Academy | Written Exam | Final Marks |
|---|---|---|
| IMA | 122-130 | 245-254 |
| INA | 106-122 | 232-252 |
| AFA | 146-150 | 266-272 |
| OTA (Male) | 75-84 | 164-170 |
| OTA (Female) | 76-86 | 162-172 |
CDS Selection Process 2022
The CDS selection process is based on the performance of the candidate in the following phases:
- Written test
- Personal interview
- Personality test
Candidates who clear all three processes qualify for the examination. They will be called for the documentation process once he successfully clears the examination. The final selection will be based upon the total marks secured by the candidates in the written examination as well as in the SSB tests. Those who will clear the first steps(Written examination) will be called for Service Selection Board which comprises of the following steps:
- Psychological aptitude test
- Intelligence test
- Interview
The SSB Conducting Board evaluates candidates on the basis of:
- Intelligence
- Personality
- Compatibility
- Potential of prospective
Conclusion
Combined Defence Services is a National exam held by UPSC two times a year. It is conducted to recruit for various posts in the Indian Military Academy, Officers Training Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Indian Air Force Academy. A total of 341 vacancies are available by the UPSC.
Here we gave a quick overview of the CDS exam in detail!
All the best for your exam!
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