National level postgraduate entrance examination, for graduates who want to join the Indian Defense Services.
CDSE (Combined Defense Services Examination) is a national level postgraduate entrance examination that provides graduate from various fields the opportunity to join the Armed forces. It is conducted by the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) twice a year across all major cities of the country.
Through the CDSE examination, you can join any of the institutes mentioned below.
To join the defense services permanently:
*Indian Military Academy, Dehradun (To join the Indian Army)
*Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala (To join the Indian Navy)
*Air Force Academy, Hyderabad (To join the Indian Air Force)
To join the defense services temporarily (Short Service Commission):
*Officer’s Training Academy, Chennai (SSC Course for Men)
*Officer’s Training Academy, Chennai (SSC Course for Women)
Please Note: The number of vacancies for the above mentioned institutes/courses differs from year to year. The amount of candidates that will be selected for the courses at the above academies will depend on the number of vacancies for that year/session.
What are the eligibility criteria?
To appear for the CDSE examination, you need to be a citizen of India.
Alternatively, you must either be a subject of Nepal or Bhutan, a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January 1962 with the intention of permanent settlement or a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.
To join the Indian Military Academy, you should be an unmarried male and not be less than 19 years of age and not more than 24 years of age.
To join the Indian Naval Academy, you should be an unmarried male and not be less than 19 years of age and not more than 22 years of age.
To join the Indian Air Force Academy, you should be an unmarried male and not be less than 19 years of age and not more than 23 years of age.
To join the Officer’s Training Academy for Short Service Commissions (Male and Female), you should be unmarried and not be less than 19 years of age and not more than 25 years of age.
To join the Indian Military Academy or the Officer’s Training Academy, you would need to be a graduate in any field from a recognized university.
To join the Indian Naval Academy, you would need to be a graduate in Engineering from a recognized university.
To join the Indian Air Force Academy, you would either need to be a graduate in any field with Physics and Math as primary subjects during your Class 12th, or you would need to be a graduate in Engineering.
Candidates with professional and technical qualifications will be eligible to join the Officer’s Training Academy, provided that their qualifications are considered equivalent to professional/technical degrees by the UPSC.
Candidates who are appearing or have appeared for their final year exams and are awaiting results are also eligible for the CDSE examination provided that they can submit their final mark sheets before the due date.
For admission into any academy, you would also need to be deemed as ‘Physically Fit’ as per the norms of the CDSE.
For any further information, please visit the following website: http://upsc.gov.in/.
How to apply?
You can only apply for the CDSE examination online. Application forms are available on the following website: http://www.upsconline.nic.in/.
In the application form, you will have to specify your preference with regards to joining the Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy or Indian Air Force Academy. You can also specify whether you wish to join the Officer’s Training Academy for a Short Service Commission (SSC).
Women candidates can only apply to the Officer’s Training Academy for a Short Service Commission.
Once you fill the application form, you will be required to make the application fee payment. You can make the payment online through Net Banking or through a Visa/Master Debit/Credit card. You can also make the payment by depositing the required amount in cash at a branch of the designated bank.
Your admit cards will be put up on the UPSC website in due time. No admit cards will be sent through post.
For any further information, please visit the following websites: http://www.upsconline.nic.in/ and http://upsc.gov.in/.
What is the pattern of the examination?
The CDSE exam comprises of 3 written papers of 100 marks each: English, General Knowledge and Mathematics.
Candidates applying only for the Officer’s Training Academy do not have to attempt the ‘Mathematics’ paper.
The duration of each paper is 2 hours. All questions will be objective type in the multiple choice format.
Each question will have 4 options with only 1 correct answer.
Do not attempt questions you do not know the answers to as there will be negative marking. 1/3rd of the total marks assigned to that question will be deducted for every wrong answer.
The qualifying marks of each paper are decided by the UPSC every year.
Candidates who qualify in the written part of the CDSE examination will have to appear an ‘Intelligence and Personality Test’ conducted by the Service Selection Board (SSB).
For any further information, please visit the following website: http://upsc.gov.in/.
What do you do after you get your results?
Candidates who qualify in the CDSE written examination will have to appear for an ‘Intelligence and Personality Test’ conducted by the Service Selection Board (SSB).
This test will comprise of an Interview and Group Tasks. The objective is to test your basic intelligence and judge your mental caliber, intellectual qualities, social traits and interests in current affairs.
This Intelligence and Personality Test is conducted in 2 stages: Psychological Aptitude Test and Intelligence Test.
Candidates will have to report to the designated Selection Centers where they will have to appear for the Psychological Aptitude Test. Only those candidates who qualify in this will be allowed to appear in the Intelligence Test.
Only those candidates who qualify in the written examination, and then subsequently in both stages of the Intelligence and Personality Test conducted by the SSB will be recruited.
Candidates applying for the Air Force or Naval Aviation will have to appear for an additional test, known as the Pilot Aptitude Battery Test to be eligible for recruitment.
For further information, please visit the following website: http://upsc.gov.in/.
What are the prospects?
CDSE is one of the most important entrance examinations for aspirants who want to join the Indian Defense Services. It provides graduates with an opportunity to join the Indian Army, Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force on a permanent basis. It also provides candidates with an opportunity to join the Indian Defense Services on a temporary basis through Short Service Commissions (SSCs).
Important Dates for CDSE 2014 (1):
Last Date for submission of Applications | 02-12-2013 |
Admit Card available online | 3 weeks before exam |
Date of CDSE Examination (1) | 09-02-2014 |
