Combined Defence Services (CDS)

CDS 2025 eligibility criteria will be the same as of the previous year. Candidates meeting the eligibility criteria will be able to appear for the CDS 2025 examination. Every year, almost 10 lakh students apply for over 457 seats across IMA, INA, AFA, and OTA wings. Students must be a citizen of India or Nepal. For the INA recruitment, candidates must have an Engineering degree from an accredited institution. Candidates opting for the Air Force Academy must have a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering with Physics and Mathematics as subjects. Candidates can check the eligibility criteria for the CDS examination of all aspects, in this article.

CDS 2025 Nationality

All the male and female candidates who meet the below-mentioned nationality criteria can fill out the application form and appear in CDS 2025 examination:

1. Indian Nationals.
2. Students residing in Nepal.
3. Indian-origins migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, and East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, and Ethiopia or Vietnam and want to settle in India.

CDS 2025 Age Limit

All the students must have an unmarried status before applying for CDS 1 and 2 examinations. The same policy has been mandated by the UPSC. The age limit set for different wings and to appear at CDS 2025 examinations are as follows:

1. Indian Military Academy: Candidates must have been born on or after January 2, 2001. As per the maximum age limit, students must be born on or before January 1, 2006.
2. Indian Naval Academy: Must be born on or after January 2, 2001 and not before January 1, 2006.
3. Air Force Academy: Must be 20 or 24 years of age as of January 1, 2005, and not earlier than January 2, 2001.

CDS 2025 Educational Qualifications

Candidates must meet the below-mentioned academic standards to appear in the Common Defence Services Examination:

1. I.M.A. and Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai: Candidates must have passed a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in any stream from a recognized University.
2. Indian Naval Academy: All the aspirants must clear an undergraduate degree in Engineering/ Technology from an accredited University.
3. Air Force Academy: Students must have passed class 10+2 and a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or equivalent with Physics and Mathematics as common subjects.

CDS 2025 Height Standards

All the male candidates must be aware of the below-mentioned height standards while filling out CDS 2025 application form: