CDS Eligibility 2023: Age Limit, Qualification & Physical Standards

CDS eligibility is prescribed by the UPSC in terms of nationality, age, educational qualification & physical standards. Candidates need to fulfil the CDS eligibility criteria inorder to be eligible for the exam. Read this article below to check CDS eligibility criteria 2023.

CDS Eligibility: CDS full form is Combined Defence Services exam and is conducted twice a year to select candidates for Officers Training Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Indian Military Academy, and Indian Air Force Academy. The selection process for CDS exam comprises written exam and SSB interview. To apply for CDS, candidates need to fulfill CDS eligibility which comprises nationality, educational qualification, age, marital status, and physical conditions. Candidates appearing for CDS must have completed graduation or are appearing in the final exam of the degree.

CDS Eligibility 2023

CDS exam is conducted twice a year by UPSC to select candidates Commissioned Officers in the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. Both male and female candidates can apply for CDS vacancies. To be eligible for the exam, candidates need to fulfil the following eligibility conditions:

Candidates must be permanently settled in India
Candidates must be a graduate or are in their final year of graduation
The minimum age limit for the exam is 19 years
Women candidates are eligible for OTA
Divorced and issueless women can apply for the exam
BTech graduates can apply for IMA, INA, AFA
Candidates need to meet the physical standards

Discussed below are the four eligibility conditions for CDS exam:

CDS age limit, gender and marital status
CDS educational qualification
CDS Nationality
CDS physical standards

CDS Eligibility Criteria 2023: Nationality

To be eligible for the CDS 2023, candidates must be:

(i) A citizen of India, or

(ii) A subject of Bhutan, or

(iii) A subject of Nepal, or

(iv) A Tibetan refugee who came over to India before January 1, 1962, with the intention of permanently settling in India, or

(v) A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, and East African Countries (Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, and Ethiopia or Vietnam) with the intention of permanently settling in India.

Provided candidates belonging to categories (ii), (iii), (iv), and (v) should be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Indian government.

A certificate of eligibility is also necessary for Gorkha candidates in Nepal.

CDS Qualification 2023

The educational qualification prescribed by UPSC for admission to various defence academies is given below.

Academies	Educational Qualification
Indian Military Academy (IMA) and Officers’ Training Academy (OTA)	Graduation from a recognised university
Indian Naval Academy (INA)	An engineering degree from a recognised university/institute
Air Force Academy (AFA)	Graduation (with Physics and Mathematics at Class 12) or Bachelor of Engineering

CDS Age Limit 2023 & Marital Status

CDS 1 Age Limit 2023

The age limit for the CDS 1 exam is given below:

For Indian Military Academy (IMA), unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 1999, and not later than January 1, 2004, are eligible to apply
For the Indian Naval Academy (IMA), unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 1999, and not later than January 1, 2004, are eligible to apply
Candidates applying for Air Force Academy should be between 20 to 24 years, as on January 1, 2023. They must have been born not earlier than January 2, 1999, and not later than January 1, 2003
For Officers’ Training Academy (SSC Course for men), unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 1998, and not later than January 1, 2004, are eligible to apply
For Officers’ Training Academy (SSC Women Non-Technical Course), candidates should be unmarried and born not earlier than January 2, 1998, and not later than January 1, 2004

The age limit of CDS exam is given below.

Academy	Age Limit (In years)	Marital Status
Indian Military Academy (IMA)	19-24	Unmarried
Indian Naval Academy (INA)	19-22	Unmarried
Air Force Academy	19-23	Candidates below 25 years of age must be unmarried Married candidates above 25 years of age are eligible to apply, but during the training period they will neither be provided married accommodation nor can they live with a family out of the premises
Officers’ Training Academy (SSC Women Non-Technical Course)	19-25	Unmarried Women, issueless widows who have not remarried, and issueless divorcees (in possession of divorce documents) who have not remarried are eligible.
Officers’ Training Academy (SSC Course for Men)	19-25	Unmarried

DS Application Form 2023

CDS 1 apply online link 2023 will be activated on December 21, 2022. CDS 2 apply online link 2023 will be activated on May 17, 2023. Interested and eligible candidates need to apply online for the exam. The application form can be filled in two parts: Part-I was registration, while Part-II was filling the detailed form. Application form withdrawal link will be made available after the closure of application process.

How to Apply for CDS 2022 Exam?

Visit the official website
Click the ‘Online Application For Various Exams of UPSC‘ link
On the page, click the link ‘Part I of CDS online Form’
Fill the personal and contact details
Select the preference for the academies as per age & qualification
The Registration ID is generated
Proceed towards filling ‘Part II of CDS online form’
Pay the required fees
Once the fee payment is done, select the desired examination centre.
Upload a scanned copy of the photograph, signature and photo-identity proof
Click to Submit
Print/ Download the application form

CDS Application Fees

The application fees can be paid both online and offline
The application fees are INR 200 for General and OBC male candidates
SC, ST candidates were exempted from fee payment

CDS Eligibility 2023

To be eligible for the exam, candidates need to fulfil the following CDS Eligibility Criteria:

CDS Nationality

Candidates who have settled in India permanently can apply for CDS exam.

CDS 1 Age Limit 2023

Candidates can check below the prescribed age limit for CDS 1 exam:

For Indian Military Academy (IMA), unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 1999, and not later than January 1, 2004, are eligible to apply
For Indian Naval Academy (IMA), unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 1999, and not later than January 1, 2004, are eligible to apply
Candidates applying for Air Force Academy should be between 20 to 24 years as on January 1, 2023. They must have been born not earlier than January 2, 1999, and not later than January 1, 2003
For Officers’ Training Academy (SSC Course for men), unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 1998, and not later than January 1, 2004, are eligible to apply
For Officers’ Training Academy (SSC Women Non-Technical Course), candidates should be unmarried and born not earlier than January 2, 1998, and not later than January 1, 2004

CDS 2 Age Limit 2023

CDS 2 age limit prescribed by UPSC for applying to the different academies is given below:

IMA: Candidates for IMA should be unmarried and must have been born not earlier than July 2, 1999, and not later than July 1, 2004

INA: Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than July 2, 1999, and not later than July 1, 2004, can apply for INA

AFA: To apply for AFA, the age of candidates should be between 20 and 24 years as on July 1, 2022. They must have been born not earlier than July 2, 1999, and not later than July 1, 2003. The upper age limit of candidates holding valid and current Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA (India) is relaxed upto 26 yrs (i,e born not earlier than July 2, 1997, and not later than July 1, 2003)

OTA (SSC Course for men): To apply for the OTA course (SSC Men), candidates must be unmarried and must have born not earlier than July 2, 1998, and not later than July 1, 2004

OTA (SSC Women Non-Technical Course): Unmarried women, issueless widows who have not remarried and issueless divorcees who have not remarried are eligible to apply. They must have been born not earlier than July 2, 1998, and not later than July 1, 2004

CDS Qualification

Candidates need to meet the following educational qualification for applying to CDS exam:

For IMA and Officers’ Training Academy, the required educational qualification is Graduation in any discipline from a recognised university
For Indian Naval Academy, candidates must have a degree in Engineering from a recognised university
For Air Force Academy, candidates must have a degree in Engineering from a recognised university. They must have studied Physics and Mathematics in Class 12

Note: Candidates who are studying in the final year/semester of Graduation can also apply provided they do not have any backlog upto the last year/semester for which results have been declared at the time of submitting the application form. They are required to submit proof of passing graduation at the time of the commencement of the course.

Can 12th pass apply for CDS?

No, candidates after Class 12 cannot apply for CDS exam. If candidates have passed Class 12 then they can apply for the NDA exam.

Can females apply for CDS Exam?

Yes, female candidates can apply for the CDS exam for Officers’ Training Academy courses.

CDS Physical Fitness

Candidates must be physically and mentally fit as per the guidelines prescribed by UPCS. Every year, a mass of candidates are disqualified on the basis of physical standards. Candidates are advised to check the CDS physical and medical standards before applying for the CDS exam.

CDS Heights and Weight Standards

The minimum required height for male candidates is 157.5 cm. (157 cm for the Navy and 162.5 cm for the Air Force) and that for female candidates is 152 cm.
Gorkhas and individuals belonging to the North-Eastern region of India, Garhwali and Kumaon, the minimum required height is 5 cm less than the other candidates.
For candidates from Lakshadweep, the minimum required height is 2 cm less than the candidates from other regions.
Body Mass Index (BMI) should be below 25.
The ratio of the waist and hip should be below 0.9 for males and 0.8 for females.
Waist Circumference should be less than 90 cm for males and 80 cm for females.

CDS Height and Weight Standards Age Wise- Army and Navy (Male Candidates)

The height and weight standards for the army and navy (male) has been given below for the CDS exam aspiring candidates. The candidates can refer to the table for the CDS age-wise weight and height below:

Height/Age	18 years	20 years	22 years	24 years
152	44*	46	47	48
155	46	48**	49	50
157	47	49	50	51
160	48	50	51	52
162	50	52	51	54
165	52	53	55	56
168	53	55	57	58
170	55	57	58	59
173	57	59	60	61
175	59	61	62	62
178	61	62	63	64
180	63	64	65	66
183	65	67	67	68
185	67	69	70	71
188	70	71	72	74
190	72	73	74	76
193	74	76	77	78
195	77	78	79	81

Gender Requirement for Various Posts

Check below the gender requirement for various posts.

Department	Gender	Status
Indian Military Academy	Male	Unmarried
Indian Naval Academy	Male	Unmarried
Indian Air Force Academy	Male	Unmarried/Married
Officers’ Training Academy	Male & Female	Unmarried

CDS 2 Age Limit 2023

IMA: Candidates for IMA should be unmarried and must have been born not earlier than July 2, 1999, and not later than July 1, 2004.

INA: Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than July 2, 1999, and not later than July 1, 2004, can apply for INA.

AFA: To apply for AFA, the age of candidates should be between 20 and 24 years. They must have been born not earlier than July 2, 1999, and not later than July 1, 2003. The upper age limit of candidates holding valid and current Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA (India) is relaxed upto 26 yrs (i,e born not earlier than July 2, 1997, and not later than July 1, 2003).

OTA (SSC Course for men): To apply for the OTA course (SSC Men), candidates must be unmarried and must have born not earlier than July 2, 1998, and not later than July 1, 2004.

What is the Age Limit for Girls in CDS Exam?

Women candidates can apply for OTA post. The age limit for girls should 19 to 25 years.

Can Girls Apply for CDS?

Female candidates can apply only for OTA post while male candidates can apply for any post of CDS exam, as long as they fulfil the eligibility criteria.

CDS Eligibility 2023: Physical Standards For Male & Female Candidates

Candidates applying for CDS recruitment should be physically fit, as per the physical standard guidelines. Several candidates get rejected on medical grounds. Candidates are advised to get themselves medically examined before submitting their applications. Check below the physical standards for CDS exam:

CDS Height & Weight Parameters for Males

The minimum acceptable height for male candidates is 157.5 cm (157 cm for Navy and 162.5 cm for Air Force). For Gorkhas and candidates belonging to North-Eastern regions, Garhwali and Kumaon, the minimum height will be 5 cm less. In case of candidates from Lakshadweep, the minimum acceptable height can be reduced by 2 cm.

Height and Weight Standards (Males)
Height in Centimetres (Without shoes)	Weight in Kgs.
	18 years	20 years	22 years	24 years
152	44*	46	47	48
155	46	48@	49	50
157	47	49	50	51
160	48	50	51	52
162	50	52	53	54
165	52	53	55	56
168	53	55	57	58
170	55	57	58	59
173	57	59	60	61
175	59	61	62	62
178	61	62	63	64
180	63	64	65	66
183	65	67	67	68
185	67	69	70	71
188	70	71	72	74
190	72	73	74	76
193	74	76	77	78
195	77	78	79	81

CDS Height & Weight Parameters for Females

For women candidates, the minimum height is 152 cms. The height and weight parameters for females are given below.

Height and Weight Standards (Females)
Height in Centimetres (Without shoes)	Weight in Kgs.
	20 years	25 years	30 years
148	39	41	43
150	40	42	43.5
153	42	43.5	45
155	43	44	46
158	45	46	48
160	46	47	49
163	47	49	51
165	49	51	53
168	50	52	54

Weight Parameters

Height in mm	Age Range
	15-17	18-22	23-27	28-32	33-37	38-42	43-47	>48
1520	46	47	50	54	54	54	55	54
1530	47	47	51	55	55	54	56	54
1540	47	48	51	56	55	55	57	55
1550	48	49	52	56	56	56	57	56
1560	48	49	53	57	57	56	58	56
1570	49	50	54	58	58	57	58	57
1580	49	50	54	58	58	58	59	58
1590	50	51	55	59	59	59	60	58
1600	51	52	56	59	60	59	60	59
1610	51	52	56	60	60	60	61	60
1620	52	53	57	61	61	61	62	60
1630	52	54	58	61	62	61	62	61
1640	53	54	59	62	63	62	63	62
1650	53	55	59	63	63	63	64	62
1660	54	56	60	63	64	64	64	63
1670	54	56	61	64	65	64	65	64
1680	55	57	61	65	65	65	65	65
1690	55	57	62	65	66	66	66	65
1700	56	58	63	66	67	67	67	66
1710	56	59	64	66	68	67	67	67
1720	57	59	64	67	68	66	68	67
1730	58	60	65	68	69	69	69	68
1740	58	61	66	68	70	69	69	69
1750	59	61	66	69	71	70	70	69
1760	59	62	67	70	71	71	71	70
1770	60	62	68	70	72	72	71	71
1780	60	63	69	71	73	72	72	71
1790	61	64	69	72	73	73	73	72
1800	61	64	70	72	74	74	73	73
1810	62	65	71	73	75	75	74	73
1820	62	66	72	74	76	75	74	74
1830	63	66	72	74	76	76	75	75
1840	64	67	73	75	77	77	76	75
1850	64	68	74	75	78	77	76	76
1870	65	69	75	77	79	79	78	77
1880	66	69	76	77	80	80	78	78
1890	66	70	77	78	81	80	79	79
1900	67	71	77	79	81	81	80	79
1910	67	71	78	79	82	82	80	80
1920	68	72	79	80	83	82	81	81
1930	68	73	79	81	83	83	81	82
SD	6.0	6.3	7.1	6.6	6.9	6.8	5.8	7.26

Visual Parameters

Vision standards for Naval candidates

Uncorrected without glasses	6/12, 6/12
Corrected with glasses	6/6, 6/6
Limits of Myopia	-1.5D
Limits of Hypermetropia	+1.5D
Binocular Vision	III
Limits of Colour Perception	I

Other Academies

Vision

Uncorrected VA 6/60 & 6/60 BCVA 6/6 & 6/6

Myopia -3.50 D Sph including astigmatism, Hypermetropia +3.50 D Sph including Astigmatism

Colour perception

CP-II

General Guidelines Related to CDS Medical Standards

Candidates can check below some general guidelines related to CDS medical standard for IMA, INA, AFA and OTA:

Candidates should be free from any medical conditions
There should be no proof of weak constitution, imperfect development of any system, any congenital deformities/ diseases/syndrome, or malformation
There should be no swellings including tumors/cyst/swollen lymph node/s anywhere on the body
Candidates must not have sunus/fistula anywhere on the body
There should be no hyper or hypopigmentation or any other disease/syndrome/disability of the skin
No hernia anywhere on the body
No scars which can impair the functioning and cause significant disfigurement.
No arterio-venous malformation anywhere in/on the body
No malformation of the head and face including asymmetry, deformity from fracture or depression of the bones of the skull; or scars indicating old operative interference and malformation like sinuses and fistulae, etc.
No impairment of vision including color perception and field of vision
No hearing impairment, deformities/disabilities in-ears vestibule-cochlear system
There should not be impediment of speed due to etiology
No disease/disability/ congenital anomaly/syndrome of the bones or cartilages of the nose, palate, nasal polyps, or disease of the nasopharynx, uvula, and accessory sinuses. There should be no nasal deformity and no features of chronic tonsillitis
No disease /syndrome/disability of the throat, palate tonsils or gums, or any disease or injury affecting the normal function of either mandibular joint
No disease /syndrome/disability of the heart and blood vessels including congenital, genetic, organic incl hypertension, and conduction disorders
No evidence of pulmonary tuberculosis or previous history of this disease or any other disease /syndrome/disability chronic disease of the lungs and chest including allergies /immunological conditions, connective tissue disorders, musculoskeletal deformities of chest
No disease of the digestive system including any abnormality of the liver, or pancreas including endocrine, congenital, hereditary, or genetic diseases /syndromes and disabilities
No diseases/syndrome/disability of any endocrine system, reticuloendothelial system
No diseases/syndrome/disability of genito-urinary system including malformations, atrophy/hypertrophy of any organ or gland
No active, latent or congenital venereal disease
No history or evidence of mental disease, epilepsy, incontinence of urine, or enuresis
No disease/deformity/syndrome of the musculoskeletal system and joints incl skull, spine, and limbs
There is no congenital or hereditary disease/ syndrome/disability

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CDS Eligibility 2023: Age Limit, Qualification & Physical Standards

CDS Eligibility 2023

CDS Eligibility Criteria 2023: Nationality

CDS Qualification 2023

CDS Age Limit 2023 & Marital Status

CDS 1 Age Limit 2023

DS Application Form 2023

How to Apply for CDS 2022 Exam?

CDS Eligibility 2023

CDS Nationality

CDS 1 Age Limit 2023

CDS 2 Age Limit 2023

CDS Qualification

Can 12th pass apply for CDS?

Can females apply for CDS Exam?

CDS Physical Fitness

CDS Heights and Weight Standards

CDS Height and Weight Standards Age Wise- Army and Navy (Male Candidates)

Gender Requirement for Various Posts

CDS 2 Age Limit 2023

What is the Age Limit for Girls in CDS Exam?

Can Girls Apply for CDS?

Also Read:

CDS Eligibility 2023: Physical Standards For Male & Female Candidates

CDS Height & Weight Parameters for Males

CDS Height & Weight Parameters for Females

Weight Parameters

Visual Parameters

Other Academies

General Guidelines Related to CDS Medical Standards

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