UPSC CDS II Notification 2025 (Out): Apply For 453 Vacancies

UPSC CDS 2 Notification 2025 was issued by the Union Public Service Commission on 28 May 2025 for the Combined Defence Services Examination (II), 2025. UPSC CDS 2 Application Window 2025 is open now from 28 May to 17 June 2025. Eligible and interested candidates can submit their UPSC CDS Applications online through the official UPSC website. Candidates are advised to submit their UPSC CDS 2025 Application within the specified time or well in advance of the last to avoid last-minute technical difficulties. 

UPSC CDS 2 2025 Exam Date has been announced through the UPSC CDS Notification, which is 14 September 2025. A total of 453 vacancies are announced by the UPSC for the IMA, OTA, INA and AFA courses. To get selected for these courses, candidates need to clear the two-layer selection process i.e., Written Examination and Interview. 

UPSC CDS Recruitment 2025  

UPSC CDS Notification 2025 is out with the required details that candidates must know before submitting their UPSC CDS 2 Application Form 2025. UPSC CDS 2 Notification contains application process, exam date, application date, exam pattern, syllabus, vacancy etc. Scroll down this page to get updates on UPSC CDS 2 Notification 2025.

The Commission has also stated that candidates will attend the Services Selection Board (SSB) tests at their own risk and will not be eligible to claim any compensation or assistance from the Government for any injury sustained during or as a result of the tests, regardless of whether such injury is caused by negligence or any other reason. Candidates must sign a certificate acknowledging this on the form provided with the application.

What is CDS?

CDS stands for Combined Defence Services. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts a national-level examination twice a year to select candidates for admission to renowned military training institutions, including the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Air Force Academy (IAF), Indian Naval Academy (INA) and Officer Training Academy (OTA).

The CDS exam is open to unmarried graduates, and applications are invited in December and May, with examinations held in April and September. The selection process consists of two stages: a written test followed by an interview conducted by the Services Selection Board (SSB). Successful candidates are admitted into their respective academies after clearing both stages.

UPSC CDS Exam 2025: Overview

UPSC CDS 2 Application Window is open now. Those who want to appear in the UPSC CDS 2 2025 should carefully check the UPSC CDS 2 Notification 2025. In the table below, we are providing a concise summary of the UPSC CDS Recruitment 2025:-

UPSC CDS Important Dates 2025

UPSC CDS Exam 2025 is scheduled for 14 September 2025 and candidates should start revising the syllabus now. In the table below, we are providing all the important dates related to the UPSC CDS Exam 2025:-

UPSC CDS 2 2025 Recruitment: Important Links

UPSC CDS 2 Notification 2025 can be checked by the candidates now. Candidates can fill out the application form online by visiting the UPSC's official website. In case you are facing any trouble in submitting the UPSC CDS Application 2025, then you can find a direct link from the table below:-

UPSC CDS 2025 Vacancy

UPSC CDS Vacancy 2025 has been announced through the UPSC CDS Notification 2025. A total of 453 vacancies have been announced for admission to the various courses, i.e., Indian Military Academy, Air Force Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Officers’ Training Academy. In the table below, we are providing course-wise vacancy details for your reference:-

Note:- The Indian Army announces separate vacancies for men and women based on operational and administrative needs. The number of openings is tentative and may change during the selection process. Candidates must clearly mention their service preferences in order while filling out the online application. 

UPSC CDS Eligibility Criteria 2025 

Applicants must ensure they meet all eligibility criteria before applying for the examination. Their admission at all stages of the examination is purely provisional and subject to satisfying the prescribed eligibility conditions. Verification of eligibility conditions with original documents will only be conducted after the candidate has qualified for the interview/Personality Test. Below, we outline the eligibility criteria for the UPSC CDS (II) Exam 2025 for your reference.

Nationality

A candidate must be unmarried and must either be: 

(i) a Citizen of India, or 

(ii) a subject of Nepal, or 

(iii) a person of Indian origin 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 with the intention of permanently settling in India. 

Age Limit and Marital Status

UPSC CDS 2 Age Limit 2025 has been detailed in the UPSC CDS Notification. Candidates can check the table below for detailed course-wise age limit:-

Educational Qualification

Note:- 

Candidates who are in their final year of college are also eligible to take the CDS Exam. An authentic graduation certificate must be presented to the board during the SSB interview.

Physical Standard

To be eligible for admission to the Combined Defence Services Examination (II) 2025, a candidate must meet the physical fitness requirements as per the standards and guidelines established by the respective wings.

UPSC CDS Application Process

UPSC CDS (II) Application Window will be open till 17 June 2025. Candidates must complete the Online Application form, which consists of two stages, Part I and Part II. Follow the step-by-step instructions below to successfully apply for CDS 2: 

• Firstly, visit the official online application portal of UPSC (link for the same is given above in the Important Links section).
• You need to enter your credentials in the "Part I" section of the application form.
• Following "Part I," a registration ID will be generated, and you can proceed to "Part II" of the CDS 2 application form.
• Upload all scanned documents and signatures in the format specified.
• Finally, pay the application fee and select the examination centre.
• Re-check all details entered by you, before clicking the "Submit" button.
• Print the generated application number and a copy of the final application form for future reference.

Application fee

Mode of Payment:

Fees can be paid in cash at any SBI branch, by Visa/Master/Rupay Credit/Debit Card/UPI Payment, or by using any bank's internet banking facility.

Selection Process of UPSC CDS (II) 2025

The selection process comprises the following two stages:

Stage I -  Written Examination

• The written exam for the Indian Naval Academy (INA), Indian Military Academy (IMA), and Air Force Academy (AFA) is divided into three sections: English, Maths, and General Knowledge (GK). 
• The written exam for the Officers' Training Academy (OTA) has two sections: English and General Knowledge.

To advance to the next phase, the candidate must pass a written examination.

Stage II -  Intelligence & Personality Test

The next stage to be cleared after the written examination is the SSB interview which includes the Personality test/Interview. SSB interview is divided into two phases. The first step is an intelligence and personality test, followed by a psychology test that includes an interview, group discussion, and conference round.

Note: Candidates who clear Stage - I are permitted to appear for Stage - II.

Candidates who pass both the interview and the document verification rounds are eligible for the medical exam.

UPSC CDS (II) 2025 Exam Pattern

The UPSC CDS Exam pattern differs for each military academy. The number of sections in the exam for the Officers' Training Academy varies slightly. However, the questions in both papers will be of the objective variety. The questions, except for the English language, will be bilingual. The details of the sections of exa are as follows

A. WRITTEN EXAMINATION

Note: 

• The papers in all subjects will only contain objective type questions. General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics question papers (Test Booklets) will be set bilingually in Hindi and English.
• There will be a negative marking of ⅓ marks for each wrong answer.

B. SSB INTERVIEW (INTELLIGENCE & PERSONALITY TEST)

The CDS SSB Interview, as previously stated, is divided into two stages, each of which includes an intelligence and personality test:

(a) Stage I: Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests are Picture Perception & Description Test (PP&DT). The candidates will be shortlisted based on a combination of performance in the OIR Test and PP&DT. 

(b) Stage II: Interviews, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests and the Conference. These tests are conducted over a period of 4 days.

Syllabus for CDS (II) Exam 2025

Understanding the CDS syllabus will assist you in developing a well-structured study plan with an appropriate strategy. It will also save you time because you will not have to study for topics that are irrelevant to this exam. This article contains a comprehensive CDS exam 2025 syllabus that will assist you in the future.

UPSC CDS Exam Centres 2025

The CDS 2 exam will be held at multiple locations across India. The UPSC announces the CDS 2025 Exam Centres officially through a notification. Below is a table containing the list of all the examination centres for the 2024 exam:

UPSC CDS (II) Admit Card 2025

The admit card is a vital document that candidates must bring with them to the examination centre. It is proof of their eligibility and allows them to enter the exam hall. 

The UPSC issues CDS admit cards one or two weeks before the exam. Candidates can view and download their CDS II Admit Card 2025 from the UPSC website.

Candidates can download the UPSC CDS 2 admit card 2025 by following the steps outlined below:

• Visit the UPSC's Official Website
• On the homepage, click the Admit Cards tab.
• Click on the E-Admit card for the CDS (II) Examination link.
• Enter Your User ID And Password To Download The Hall Ticket.
• Enter the captcha that has been provided on the screen.
• Then click 'Login' to download your CDS admit card.

Candidates should check the UPSC official website on a regular basis to stay up to date on the admit card release date.

UPSC CDS Answer Key 2025

The UPSC CDS (II) 2025 Answer Key will be made available by the UPSC after the successful completion of the exam. Candidates can download the UPSC CDS (II) 2025 Answer Key and submit objections once it is uploaded. Below, you will find the direct link to download the UPSC CDS Answer Key 2025, once it becomes available:

UPSC CDS Answer Key 2025 Link (inactive)

UPSC CDS Result 2025 

The CDS 2 Examination Result 2025 will be released one month after the written examination, which is scheduled for 14 September 2025. The commission publishes the results of each stage, namely the written exam and the SSB interview, on its official website. Following the steps below, candidates can access their UPSC CDS Results.

Step 1: Navigate to the UPS website at upsc.gov.in.

Step 2: On the homepage, click the Written Result CDS (II) Examination 2025 link.

Step 3: The Result PDF will be shown on the screen.

Step 4: Examine the result PDF and use the Ctrl+F key to find your roll number.

Step 5: Save a copy of the UPSC result PDF for future reference.

UPSC CDS 2025 Exam Cut-off 

The UPSC CDS (II) Exam Cut-off Marks will be released after the successful completion of the exam. Candidates need to achieve scores higher than the cut-off marks to secure their positions. Once the UPSC declares the cut-off marks, we will provide the direct link to download the UPSC CDS 2025 Exam Cut-off Marks:

UPSC CDS (II) 2025 Exam Cut-off Marks Link (Inactive)

UPSC CDS (II) 2025 Salary

• Gentlemen or Lady Cadets will get a Stipend of Rs 56,100/-p.m during the entire duration of training in Service academies i.e. during training period at IMA and OTA. 
• On successful commissioning, the pay in the Pay Matrix of the Officer commissioned shall be fixed in the first Cell of Level 10 and the period of training shall not be treated as commissioned service.

MSP to the officer is as follows:-