UPSC CDS 2025 Eligibility Criteria - Check Age Limit, Marks Required, No of Attempts, Important Factors

UPSC CDS Eligibility Criteria 2025

UPSC CDS 2025 eligibility criteria were released by the Union Public Service Commission on December 11, 2024. The CDS exam registration process was started with the release of the CDS 1 2025 notification on December 11, 2024. Students who wish to apply for the CDS 1 exam in 2025 must be aware of the eligibility criteria for UPSC CDS beforehand. Under the UPSC CDS 1 eligibility criteria, aspects such as a student’s age, educational qualification, physical standards, and nationality have been covered. The CDS 1 application form was closed on January 1, 2025.

The UPSC CDS 2025 exam, also known as the UPSC Combined Defence Services exam, is conducted twice a year to recruit aspiring students for various posts in the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. The CDS selection process consists of a written examination and the SSB interview stage. The CDS 1 exam in 2025 will be conducted on April 13, 2025. The CDS 2 notification will be released on May 28, 2025. Students looking forward to appearing for the CDS 2025 examination can check out the detailed eligibility for the CDS exam 2025 on this page. Scroll down to have a look at the CDS exam age limit, etc.

UPSC CDS Eligibility Criteria 2025: Nationality

Students who wish to apply for the CDS 1 exam 2025 must be eligible as per the eligibility criteria for the UPSC CDS exam as laid down by the Union Public Service Commission. Check out the CDS qualification for a student’s nationality here:

• A citizen of India, or
• A subject of Bhutan, or
• A subject of Nepal, or
• A Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 01/01/1962 to settle in India permanently or
• An Indian-origin person who has 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 to settle in India permanently.

UPSC CDS Eligibility Criteria 2025: Age Limit

UPSC has laid down the CDS exam age limit for the academic year 2025-26. If you are planning to appear for the CDS 1 exam 2025, then check out the CDS eligibility age from the table attached below:

UPSC CDS Eligibility Criteria 2025: Age Relaxation

Under the CDS exam age limit criteria, the Union Public Service Commission provides a certain age relaxation to aspirants belonging to different castes and categories. Students must consider the age relaxation scheme as laid down by the conducting authorities after they have ensured and proven that they belong to a certain caste/category. Check out the age relaxation provided to CDS aspirants here:

• The applicants who hold a valid and current commercial pilot license issued by DGCA (India) are entitled to relaxation in the upper age limit of up to 26 years.

UPSC CDS Eligibility Criteria 2025: Female Aspirants

The CDS exam eligibility for female aspirants has been specified by the conducting authorities for the academic session of 2025-26. Check out some of the most important pointers mentioned under the eligibility criteria for the CDS exam in case of female applicants:

• Age Limit: The CDS exam age limit for female applicants requires them to have been born not earlier than January 2, 2001, and not later than January 1, 2007.
• Educational Qualification: Female applicants must hold a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university.
• Physical Standards: The minimum required height for female applicants in the CDS exam is 152 cm.
• Nationality: Female applicants for the CDS 2025 exam must be Indian citizens or a subject of Bhutan, Nepal, or a refugee from Tibet who came to India before January 1, 1962.
• Marital Status: Only unmarried females, widows who have not remarried, and divorcees who have not remarried and possess divorce documents are eligible for OTA (Officers Training Academy). Only unmarried male candidates are eligible for IMA, INA, and AFA.

UPSC CDS Eligibility Criteria 2025: Educational Qualifications

Check out the detailed eligibility criteria for the CDS exam in terms of educational qualifications given below:

• I.M.A. and Officers’ Training Academy: Applicants must have a graduate degree from any recognized university or its equivalent.
• Indian Naval Academy: Applicants must have a graduate degree in Engineering from a recognized university/institution.
• Air Force Academy: Applicants must have a graduate degree from any recognised university (having Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level) or a Bachelor’s in Engineering.
• OTA (Officers’ Training Academy): Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university.
• Graduates with the first choice as Navy/Army/Air Force must submit the proof of graduation on the date of commencement of the SSB Interview at the SSB.
• Candidates who are pursuing their final year/semester of Degree and are yet to pass the final year degree exams can also apply.
• Candidates who are carrying professional and technical qualifications, which are recognised by the government as equivalent to professional and technical degrees, would also be eligible for the examination. They are required to submit passing proof of the degree exams by the prescribed date.

UPSC CDS Eligibility Criteria 2025: Marital Status

The eligibility for the CDS exam varies from female to male aspirants. However, the eligibility criteria for female and male aspirants of the CDS exam vary according to their marital status. Check out the detailed CDS eligibility for female and male applicants in the table attached below:

For Women

UPSC CDS Eligibility Criteria 2025: Medical Qualifications

If a student is suffering from some type of medical condition, then they will not be allowed to take the UPSC CDS exam. The applicants can check out the list of medical conditions that will not allow them to apply for the CDS exam 2025:

• Condition of Overweight/Underweight
• Under Sized Chest
• Piles
• Wax (Ears)
• Deviated Nasal Septum
• Tonsillitis
• Gynaecomastia
• Varicocele
• Hydrocele/Phimosis

UPSC CDS Eligibility Criteria 2025: Physical Eligibility

Maintaining physical standards as specified by the conducting authorities is an important step in the UPSC CDS exam 2025. Check out some of the most important pointers that every aspirant must be aware of with regard to the physical eligibility criteria for the CDS exam 2025:

• The applicant must not be suffering from any disability or disease that can interfere with their performance as a UPSC CDS officer.
• The applicant must be in good physical and mental condition. The applicant must not have bodily defects. The applicant must not be underweight or overweight.
• The applicant must not have any history of mental disorder.
• The minimum height required for male candidates is 157.5 cm (157 cm for the Navy and 162.5 cm for the Air Force). For female candidates, the minimum CDS height required is 152 cm.
• The minimum height for all entries is 148 cm after all types of waivers/dispensations.
• The body mass index (BMI) of the applicants should be below 25.