CDS I & II Examinations 2020: Exam Details, CDS Coaching in Chandigarh

Combined Defence Services (CDS) exam is a gateway through which young men and women can join any of the three wings of the Indian Defence Services- Indian Army, Indian Air Force or Indian Navy. The exam is conducted twice a year by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Here are all the other details related to CDS Coaching in Chandigarh, important dates, eligibility criteria, exam pattern, syllabus, application process etc. The two phases of the exam are known as CDS I and CDS II which are conducted in February and November respectively. However, CDS 2020 exam will be conducted in February and September as per the official calendar released on UPSC website. CDS 2020 Exam Latest Notification: UPSC has released the admit card for CDS I 2020 examination. As per UPSC 2020 Calendar, CDS I is scheduled to be conducted on 3^rd February 2020 and CSD II on 8^th September 2020. The official notification for CDS II is scheduled to be released on 12^th June 2020.

CDS Exam 2020 Important Dates

UPSC has released the official examination calendar for the year 2020 on its official website. As per the calendar, here are the important dates related to CDS I and CDS II:

Events	Related Dates
	For CDS I	For CDS II
Online application form release	30th October 2019	5th August 2020
Last date to submit the application	19th November 2019	25th August 2020
Issue of admit cards	January 2020, 3rd week	October 2020, last week
Date of exam	2nd February 2020	8th November 2020
Result announcement	May 2020	December 2020
Availability of interview call letter	August 2020, 4th week (for IMA) November 2020, 4th week (for OTA)	To be announced
Final result declaration	To be announced	To be announced

CDS 2019 Application Process

Applications for CDS exam are invited online, and candidates can apply through the UPSC Online official website. The commission does not accept applications sent through any other mode. Candidates are advised to apply well before the last date of the CDS application form submission process to avoid last minute rush.

Steps to Fill CDS (I) 2019 Application Form -

• Go to - Official Website.
• Click on ‘ONLINE APPLICATION FOR VARIOUS EXAMINATIONS OF UPSC’ link.
• You will see two parts of the registration process. Candidates are required to complete both the parts to complete the registration process.
• Start with Part-I of the registration. Click on the link and continue the process.
• After completing the Part-I registration, you will receive a valid registration ID.
• Now, move to Part-II of the registration. Part II registration includes uploading scanned images of Signature and Photograph, paying the application fee, selecting the examination centres, etc.
• Re-check all the information before making the final submit.
• After successful submission of your application form, an auto-generated confirmation mail will be sent to your registered email id.

Application fee

• The application fee for the exam is ₹ 200 only.
• Reserved category candidates (SC/ST) and all female candidates need not pay any application fee.
• Candidates can pay the fee through both online and offline mode. For offline mode, deposit the fee in cash at any branch of SBI. For online mode, pay the fee using net banking facility of SBI and its associate banks, or through Credit/Debit card.
• Please note that the application fee is non-refundable.

CDS Exam (I) 2019 Eligibility Criteria

Before applying for the CDS 2019 exam, candidates should ensure that they meet the eligibility criteria. Here are the details: Nationality Criteria

• Candidates should be an Indian citizen.
• Candidates from Nepal, Bhutan, Refugee of Tibet (who migrated to India before 1962), and People of Indian Origin (PIO) who migrated from Sri Lanka, Burma, Pakistan, and East African countries are also eligible.

Educational Qualification

Academies	Education Qualification
Indian Military Academy (IMA) and Officers Training Academy (OTA)	Graduation degree from any recognised University/Institution
Air Force Academy (AFA)	Graduation degree (with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level) or Bachelor of Engineering (B.Tech.)
Indian Naval Academy (INA)	Engineering degree from a recognized University/Institution

Candidates in the final year/semester of the qualifying degree can also apply for the exam provided they submit the proof of passing the examination when the course commences. Age Limit (Tentative) The CDS I and CDS II age limit provided here are tentative. They are provided on the basis of CDS 2018 exam and will be updated as soon as the notification for CDS 2019 is released. Marital Status Only unmarried male candidates are eligible for IMA/NA/AFA/OTA. Married candidates above 25 years of age are also eligible for AFA. For SSC Women Non-Technical Course (OTA), unmarried women, issueless widows (not remarried), issueless divorcees (not remarried, possessing divorce document) are also eligible.

Selection Process for CDS Exam 2019

The selection process comprises of the following phases:

• Written Examination
• Interview and Personality Test
• Medical Fitness Test

At the first stage, candidates are shortlisted on the basis of their performance in the written examination. Such candidates are called for the Interview round. Those who get through the Interview/Personality Test round have to undergo a medical fitness test. Document verification is done after the medical test.

Written Exam pattern

The written exam will be held through offline mode. Objective Type Questions will be asked from English, Elementary Mathematics, and General Knowledge sections. There will be negative marking and 1/3^rd of the marks assigned to the question will be deducted for the wrong answer. So, candidates are advised not to try guessing work as it will cost them heavily. For Indian Military Academy, Air Force Academy and Indian Naval Academy, the exam pattern is as follows: For Officers’ Training Academy, the exam pattern is as follows:

Interview and Personality Test Pattern

Services Selection Board (SSB) conducts the Intelligence and Personality Test/Interview for candidates who have qualified the CDS written examination. The SSB Interview is conducted in two stages. Stage I comprises of Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) and Picture Perception and Description Tests. Stage II comprises of Interview, Psychology Tests, Group Testing Officer tasks, and Conference. Detailed information about these tests is available on www.joinindianarmy.nic.in.

CDS Exam 2019 Syllabus

Candidates are advised to go through the CDS Exam syllabus mentioned below very carefully so that they can avoid preparing for unnecessary topics. There are three subjects - English, Mathematics and General Knowledge in CDS written exam. The syllabi are mentioned here: English: It will include questions on vocabulary, Grammar, Fill in the blanks questions, Ordering of Sentence, Comprehension Questions, Synonyms & Antonyms, Selecting Words, Spotting Errors Questions and Sentence Arrangement. Mathematics: Arithmetic, Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Mensuration and Statistic. Check out the official notification for detailed syllabus. General Knowledge: Indian History, Indian Geography, Indian Politics, Indian Economy, Indian Constitution, Indian Navy & Military, Taxation, Banking Sector, Latest Current Affairs, Books & Authors, Sports, Awards etc.

Tips for CDS Preparation

• Practice Mathematics questions daily.
• Develop a habit of reading newspapers, magazines, informative blogs, etc. to improve vocabulary, understanding of the English language, and stay updated with current events.
• Solve mocks test and previous years’ question papers.
• Use the new words you learn in daily communication. This will improve your communication skills for the interview round.
• Joining a crash course for Interview preparation can be useful as you will get an environment to shed off the nervousness and anxiety.
• Candidates should ensure that they are both physically and mentally fit. It is advised to undergo a full body check-up before appearing for the exam. Regular exercise and healthy eating must be practiced to be in good shape.
• Most important, think and act like an army officer.

How to get CDS Exam Admit Card?

The e-admit cards for the exam have been issued and are available on the official website. Candidates can download the same from the official UPSC website. Here are the steps to be followed:

• Go to UPSC’s official website – www.upsc.gov.in
• Follow the steps to download the e-admit card. You will be required to enter the registration number and password for the same.
• Take a print out of the e-admit card.

Admit card will not be sent by post to any candidate. Please don’t forget to carry the admit card to the examination venue.

CDS (I) 2019 Result

The UPSC CDS result will be declared on the official UPSC website. The result for Written Examination will be within a month after the examination, and the final result will be declared after the SSB interview round. Candidates are advised to keep a check on the official website for updates related to the result.