CDS
Combined Defence Services
Topics :
The question paper is designed to test your understanding of English and workmanlike use of words.
Questions in English are from:
Synonyms
Antonyms
Reading Comprehension
Para Jumbles
Error Spotting
Jumbled Sentences
Sentence Correction
Fill in the Blanks etc.
General Knowledge including knowledge of current events and of such matters of everyday observation and experience in scientific aspects as may be expected of an educated person who has not made a special study of any scientific subject.
The paper also includes questions on History of India and Geography of a nature.
Arithmetic
Number System -Natural numbers, Integers, Rational and Real numbers.
Fundamental operations addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, Square roots, Decimal fractions.
Unitary method - time and distance, time and work, percentages, applications to simple and compound interest, profit and loss, ratio and proportion, variation.
Elementary Number Theory - Division algorithm. Prime and composite numbers. Tests of divisibility by 2, 3, 4, 5, 9 and 11. Multiples and factors. Factorisation Theorem. H.C.F. and L.C.M. Euclidean algorithm, Logarithms to base 10, laws of logarithms, use of logarithmic tables.
Algebra
Basic Operations, simple factors, Remainder Theorem, H.C.F., L.C.M. Theory of polynomials, solutions of quadratic equations, relation between its roots and coefficients (Only real roots to be considered).
Simultaneous linear equations in two unknowns-analytical and graphical solutions. Simultaneous linear equations in two variables and their solutions.
Practical problems leading to two simultaneous linear equations or inequations in two variables or quadratic equations in one variable & their solutions.
Set language and set notation, Rational expressions and conditional identities, Laws of indices.
Trigonometry
Sine x, cosine x, Tangent x when 0 < x < 90 degrees, Values of sin x, cos x and tan x, for x = 0, 30, 45, 60 and 90 degrees
Simple trigonometric identities, Use of trigonometric tables, simple cases of heights and distances.
Geometry
Lines and angles, Plane and plane figures, Theorems on
(i) Properties of angles at a point
(ii) Parallel lines
(iii) Sides and angles of a triangle
(iv) Congruency of triangles
(v) Similar triangles
(vi) Concurrence of medians and altitudes
(vii) Properties of angles, sides and diagonals of a parallelogram, rectangle and square
(viii) Circles and its properties including tangents and normals
(ix) Loci.
Mensuration
Areas of squares, rectangles, parallelograms, triangle and circle.
Areas of figures which can be split up into these figures (Field Book), Surface area and volume of cuboids, lateral surface and volume of right circular cones and cylinders, surface area and volume of spheres.
Statistics
Collection and tabulation of statistical data, Graphical representation frequency polygons, histograms, bar charts, pie charts, etc. Measures of central tendency.
Exam Pattern :
Written Examination: Objective Type
(i) For Admission to Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Air Force Academy:
| Subject | Duration | Maximum Marks |
| English | 2 hrs | 100 |
| General Knowledge | 2 hrs | 100 |
| Elementary Mathematics | 2 hrs | 100 |
(ii) For Admission to Officers’ Training Academy:
| Subject | Duration | Maximum Marks |
| English | 2 hrs | 100 |
| General Knowledge | 2 hrs | 100 |
Negative Marking: One third (0.33) of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as penalty.
Interview for intelligence and personality test
- The SSB procedure consists of two stage Selection process - stage I and stage II.
- Only those candidates who clear the stage I are permitted to appear for stage II.
- Stage I comprises of Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests are Picture Perception Description Test (PP&DT).
- Stage II Comprises of Interview, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests and the Conference.
- These tests are conducted over 4 days.
Eligibility :
(a) Nationality:
A candidate must be unmarried and must either be:
(i) a Citizen of India, or
(ii) a subject of Bhutan, or
(iii) a subject of Nepal, or
(iv) a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before the 1st January, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India
(b) Age Limits, Sex and Marital Status :
(i) For IMA—Unmarried male candidates, 19-24 years
(ii) For Indian Naval Academy—Unmarried male candidates, 19-22 years
(iii) For Air Force Academy—19-23 years (Upper age limit for candidates holding valid and current Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA (India) is relaxable upto 26 yrs.
Note: Candidate below 25 years of age must be unmarried. Marriage is not permitted during training.
Married candidates above 25 years of age are eligible to apply
(iv) For Officers' Training Academy—(SSC Course for men) unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 2nd January, 1994 and not later than 1st January, 2000 only are eligible.
(v) For Officers' Training Academy—(SSC Women Non-Technical Course) Unmarried women, issueless widows who have not remarried and issueless divorcees (in possession of divorce documents) who have not remarried are eligible.
They should have been born not earlier than 2nd January, 1994 and not later than 1st January, 2000.
NOTE: Male divorcee/widower candidates cannot be treated as unmarried male for the purpose of their admission in IMA/INA/AFA courses and accordingly they are not eligible for these courses
(c) Educational Qualifications :
(i) For I.M.A. and Officers’ Training Academy— Degree of a recognised University or equivalent.
(ii) For Indian Naval Academy—Degree in Engineering from a recognised University/Institution.
(iii) For Air Force Academy—Degree of a recognised University (with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level) or Bachelor of Engineering
Cut Off :
CDS (I) 2020
| Academy | Written Exam | Final Exam |
| Indian Military Academy | 130 | 250 |
| Indian Naval Academy | 118 | 242 |
| Air Force Academy | 143 | 274 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Men) | 93 | 173 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Women) | 93 | 177 |
CDS (I) 2019
| Academy | Written Exam | Final Exam |
| Indian Military Academy | 116 | 242 |
| Indian Naval Academy | 105 | 233 |
| Air Force Academy | 129 | 264 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Men) | 78 | 160 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Women) | 78 | 162 |
CDS (II) 2019
| Academy | Written Exam | Final Exam |
| Indian Military Academy | 134 | 258 |
| Indian Naval Academy | 122 | 245 |
| Air Force Academy | 148 | 272 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Men) | 95 | 176 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Women) | 95 | 179 |
CDS (I) 2018
| Academy | Written Exam | Final Exam |
| Indian Military Academy | 118 | 240 |
| Indian Naval Academy | 98 | 225 |
| Air Force Academy | 138 | 279 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Men) | 69 | 154 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Women) | 69 | 150 |
CDS (II) 2018
| Academy | Written Exam | Final Exam |
| Indian Military Academy | 116 | 242 |
| Indian Naval Academy | 102 | 228 |
| Air Force Academy | 131 | 253 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Men) | 80 | 162 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Women) | 80 | 163 |
CDS (I) 2017
| Academy | Written Exam | Final Exam |
| Indian Military Academy | 125 | 249 |
| Indian Naval Academy | 118 | 241 |
| Air Force Academy | 144 | 268 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Men) | 82 | 163 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Women) | 82 | 164 |
CDS (II) 2017
| Academy | Written Exam | Final Exam |
| Indian Military Academy | 120 | 244 |
| Indian Naval Academy | 111 | 237 |
| Air Force Academy | 135 | 260 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Men) | 86 | 167 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Women) | 86 | 171 |
CDS (I) 2016
| Academy | Written Exam | Final Exam |
| Indian Military Academy | 72 | 214 |
| Indian Naval Academy | 63 | 217 |
| Air Force Academy | 123 | 249 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Men) | 68 | 150 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Women) | 68 | 157 |
CDS (II) 2016
| Academy | Written Exam | Final Exam |
| Indian Military Academy | 105 | 227 |
| Indian Naval Academy | 90 | 225 |
| Air Force Academy | 135 | 258 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Men) | 72 | 157 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Women) | 72 | 159 |
CDS (I) 2015
| Academy | Written Exam | Final Exam |
| Indian Military Academy | 102 | 225 |
| Indian Naval Academy | 99 | 225 |
| Air Force Academy | 129 | 264 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Men) | 86 | 168 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Women) | 86 | 172 |
CDS (II) 2015
| Academy | Written Exam | Final Exam |
| Indian Military Academy | 105 | 227 |
| Indian Naval Academy | 99 | 227 |
| Air Force Academy | 138 | 269 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Men) | 84 | 166 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Women) | 84 | 170 |
CDS (I) 2014
| Academy | Written Exam | Final Exam |
| Indian Military Academy | 99 | 222 |
| Indian Naval Academy | 99 | 222 |
| Air Force Academy | 129 | 250 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Men) | 78 | 159 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Women) | 78 | 160 |
CDS (II) 2014
| Academy | Written Exam | Final Exam |
| Indian Military Academy | 99 | 224 |
| Indian Naval Academy | 93 | 224 |
| Air Force Academy | 129 | 257 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Men) | 86 | 168 |
| Officer’s Training Academy (Women) | 86 | 170 |
Salary Structure :
Salary during training period: 56100 per month
| Rank | Pay |
| Lieutenant | 56100-177500 |
| Captain | 61300-193900 |
| Major | 69400-207200 |
| Lieutenant Colonel | 121200-212400 |
| Colonel | 130600-215900 |
| Brigadier | 139600-217600 |
| Major General | 144200-218200 |
| Lieutenant General | 182200-224100 |
| General | 205400-224400 |
Other Allowances
1. Military Service Pay
2. Flying Allowance
3. Dearness Allowance
4. Field Area Allowance
5. High Altitude allowance
6. Counter Insurgency Allowance
7. Transport Allowance
8. Children Education Allowance
9. Uniform Allowance
10. Siachin Allowance