CDS Exam Eligibility 2024

CDS's full form is Combined Defence Services. The CDS exam is conducted twice a year to recruit candidates for the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Indian Military Academy (IMA), and Indian Air Force Academy (AFA). The selection process for the CDS exam comprises a written exam which is followed by an SSB interview.  The CDS eligibility criteria include nationality, educational qualification, age, marital status and physical standards. These requirements must be met for eligibility in the upcoming CDS 2 2024 exam. This article goes through the CDS exam eligibility criteria in depth. Carefully examine the eligibility rules to stay informed & enhance your chances of CDS exam clearance.

The commission holds the right to reject/ cancel a candidate’s application if the mentioned eligibility criteria are not met. The candidate will be removed from service if selected and later found guilty of misinformation or other similar misconduct. The verification of eligibility requirements is done using the original documents. After clearing the document verification, the candidate will qualify for the interview round.

CDS Exam Eligibility 2024

Candidates must consider the following regarding CDS Eligibility. The UPSC conducts the CDS exam twice annually to choose candidates for the position of Commissioned Officers in the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. Both male and female candidates are eligible to apply for the CDS vacancy in 2024. To qualify for the exam, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Candidates must be permanently settled in India. Candidates must be a graduate or in their final year of graduation.
• The minimum age limit for the exam is 19 years. Candidates must be between 20-24 years old as of 1st January 2024.
• Candidates must be Indian citizens or meet certain nationality/citizenship criteria, which are listed in detail in the official notification.
• The maximum age limit for the exam varies based on the academy: 25 years for the Air Force Academy, 24 years for the Indian Military Academy, and 25 years for the Naval Academy.
• Eligibility for OTA is restricted to unmarried females, widows who have not remarried, and divorcees who have not remarried, provided they possess the necessary divorce documents. Only unmarried male candidates are eligible for IMA, INA, and AFA.
• Candidates must be medically fit and meet certain physical standards, such as minimum height requirements.

CDS Eligibility Criteria 2024 Overview

The table gives an idea of the various criteria like age, educational qualification, nationality, marital status etc. that candidates need to fit in to be eligible for CDS exam.

It's important to note that meeting the eligibility criteria is necessary to apply for the CDS exam. Candidates who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be allowed to appear for the exam

CDS Eligibility 2024 Educational Qualification

The UPSC has specified Educational Requirements for the CDS Examination. Aspiring candidates must fulfill these requirements, proving their eligibility. Specifically, candidates need to be graduates from a recognized university to meet the educational criteria. The following instructions for candidates must be noted:

CDS Eligibility 2024 Age Limit

Candidates can check the CDS Age Limit 2024 Requirements below –

The age limit criteria for the CDS 1 exam have been given below for the candidates. The candidates must go through the table to know the age limit and other criteria to apply for the CDS 1 exam:

General Guidelines Related to CDS Medical Standards

Candidates can check below some general guidelines related to CDS medical standards 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 tumours/cysts/swollen lymph node/s anywhere on the body 
• No scars which can impair functioning and cause significant disfigurement.
• No arterio-venous malformation anywhere in/on the body
• No hearing impairment, deformities/disabilities in-ears vestibule-cochlear system
• There should not be an impediment of speed due to aetiology
• 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 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 colour perception and field of vision
• Candidates must not have sinus/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 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 the chest
• There is no congenital or hereditary disease/ syndrome/disability
• No disease /syndrome/disability of the throat, palate tonsils or gums, or any disease or injury affecting the normal function of the either mandibular joint
• 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 the genito-urinary system including malformations, atrophy/hypertrophy of any organ or gland
• No active, latent or congenital venereal disease and no history or evidence of mental disease, epilepsy, incontinence of urine, or enuresis
• No disease/deformity/syndrome of the musculoskeletal system and joints, skull, spine, and limbs

The below-mentioned ocular diseases will declare a candidate unfit:

1. Corneal Opacity
2. Ptosis
3. Retinal lesions
4. Lenticular opacity
5. Naso- Lacrimal occlusion
6. Squin
7. Uveitis
8. Entropion or Ectropion
9. Pterygium
10. Night blindness