Combined Defence Services Examination

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The Combined Defence Services Examination (CDS) is a standardised test conducted annually by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for recruitment of officer cadets in the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA), and Officers Training Academy (OTA).

The applications are invited every year in the months of December and May, and examinations are conducted in April and September, respectively. Only unmarried graduates are eligible to sit for the exam. Examination is conducted twice a year. Successful candidates are admitted into the respective Academies after an interview conducted by the Services Selection Board (SSB).

Officer jobs are available in the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force after passing the Combined Defence Services Exam (CDS). Any student can take this exam after graduation. This exam has two steps. First, there is a written test and after passing it there is the SSB interview.^[1][2]

CDS Exam Educational Qualifications is given below.

The SSB interview process consists of a two-stage Selection process – stage I and stage II. Only those candidates who successfully clear the stage I SSB interview will be permitted to appear for stage II. All candidates who apply for the Air Force through more than one source will be interviewed/tested at the Air Force Board Selection only once.^[4]

• List of Public service commissions in India