Category: CDSE

Combined Defense Service Exam (CDSE) is a written exam conducted twice in a year to select officers in Army, Navy & Air Force.

Combined Defense Service Exam (CDSE) is a written exam conducted twice in a year to select officers in Army, Navy & Air Force.

Various academies under CDSE are :

  1. Air Force Academy (AFA)
  2. Indian Military Academy (IMA)
  3. Indian Naval Academy (INA)
  4. Officers Training Academy (OTA)

Men can apply for all the academies/courses under CDSE whereas women can apply only for OTA (Non Technical)

Age limits are given below :

  • IMA :                       19-24 (Unmarried Male)
  • AFA :                       19-23 (Unmarried Male)
  • INA :                       19-22 (Unmarried Male)
  • OTA(Men) :                       19-25 (Unmarried & Married Male)
  • OTA(Women) :                      19-25 (Unmarried Female)

Educational Qualification :

IMA & OTA Degree from a recognized university
INA BSc. /Bachelors in engineering from recognized university
AFA Degree from a recognized university(with Physics & Maths at 10+2 level) or Bachelor of engineering

Complete selection procedure under CDSE is mentioned below :

  1. Written Exam
  2. SSB/Interview
  3. Document Verification

Medical Examination of the selected candidates

  1. A) For IMA/INA/AFA
Subject Duration Max Marks
English 2 hrs 100
G.K. 2 hrs 100
Elementary Maths 2 hrs 100
SSB Interview 300
  1. For OTA
Subject Duration Max Marks
English 2 hrs 100
G.K. 2 hrs 100
SSB Interview 200

Main differences between CDS & NDA are :

  • NDA does not recruit for OTA whereas CDS does
  • NDA is not for women whereas CDS (OTA) is for women also
  • NDA is at 10+2 level whereas CDS is at graduation level