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The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has issued the notification for the Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination (I), 2025 and the National Defence Academy (NDA) and Naval Academy (NA) Examination (I), 2025 on its official website. Interested and eligible candidates can visit the official site to get the complete details of the exam and submit their applications for the same.
CDS and NDA Exam 2025: Steps to Apply
Applicants must submit their applications online through the official website upsconline.nic.in. To begin, candidates must first register on the One Time Registration (OTR) platform available on the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) website. The OTR is a one-time process that can be completed at any point throughout the year. Once registered, candidates can directly proceed to fill out the application form for the relevant examination. Those already registered can skip the OTR step and move straight to the application process.
Step 1: Visit the official UPSC website at upsc.gov.in.
Step 2: Click on the link for NDA (I) 2024 or CDS (I) 2024 on the homepage.
Step 3: On the new page, select the link for Registration.
Step 4: Complete the registration process and proceed to fill out the online application form.
Step 5: Upload the required documents and pay the application fee as specified.
Step 6: Download the confirmation page and keep a printed copy for future reference.
Alternatively, candidates can click on the link provided here to apply for the CDS and NDA vacancies 2025.
NDA Exam 2025: Important Dates
Candidates can take a note of the important dates as mentioned here to avoid missing out on any important events.
| Events | Date |
| Last Date for Online Application Submission | December 31, 2024 |
| Last Date for Modification of Registration | January 7, 2025 |
| Correction Window for Application Forms | January 1, 2025, to January 7, 2025 |
| Date of Examination | April 13, 2025 |
NDA Vacancies 2025
Here is the complete breakdown of the vacancies for various posts:
| Post | Vacancies |
| Army | 208 (including 10 for female candidates) |
| Navy | 42 (including 06 for female candidates) |
| Air Force | |
| (i) Flying | 92 (including 02 for female candidates) |
| (ii) Ground Duties (Technical) | 18 (including 02 for female candidates) |
| (iii) Ground Duties (Non-Technical) | 10 (including 02 for female candidates) |
| Naval Academy (10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme): | 36 (including 05 for female candidates) |
| Total | 406 |
NDA 2025 Exam Pattern
It is essential for the aspirants to have a complete knowledge of the NDA exam pattern to excel in it.
| Subject | Code | Duration | Maximum Marks |
| Mathematics | 01 | 2½ Hours | 300 |
| General Ability Test | 02 | 2½ Hours | 600 |
| Total (Written Exam) | 900 | ||
| SSB Test/Interview | 900 |
CDS Exam 2025: Important Dates
The Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2025, is conducted to recruit candidates for various defence academies in India. Candidates must keep track of the important dates for the exam to avoid missing out on any event.
| Event | Date |
| Last Date for Online Application Submission | December 31, 2024 |
| Last Date for Modification of Registration | January 7, 2025 |
| Correction Window for Application Forms | January 1, 2025, to January 7, 2025 |
| Date of Examination | April 13, 2025 |
CDS Vacancies 2025
Aspirants can take a look at the detailed breakdown of the vacancies:
| S. No. | Name of the Course | Approximate No. of Vacancies |
| 1 | Indian Military Academy, Dehradun - 160th (DE) Course commencing in January 2026 [including 13 vacancies reserved for NCC 'C' Certificate (Army Wing) holders] | 100 |
| 2 | Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala - Course commencing in January 2026, Executive Branch (General Service)/Hydro [including 06 vacancies for NCC 'C' Certificate (Naval Wing) holders] | 32 |
| 3 | Air Force Academy, Hyderabad - (Pre-Flying) Training Course commencing in January 2026 i.e., No. 219 F(P) Course [including 03 vacancies reserved for NCC 'C' Certificate (Air Wing) holders through NCC Special Entry] | 32 |
| 4 | Officers' Training Academy, Chennai (Madras) 123rd SSC (Men) (NT) (UPSC) Course commencing in April 2026 | 275 |
| 5 | Officers' Training Academy, Chennai (Madras) 37th SSC (Women) (NT) (UPSC) Course commencing in April 2026 | 18 |
| Total | 457 |
CDS Exam Pattern
The competitive examination for admission to various academies comprises the following components:
- Written Examination:
Details of the written examination are outlined in Para 2 below. - Interview for Intelligence and Personality Test:
Candidates shortlisted based on their performance in the written examination will be called for an interview. These interviews will be conducted at one of the Services Selection Centres, as specified in Part ‘B’ of this Appendix.
Details of the Written Examination
(a) For Admission to Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), and Air Force Academy (AFA):
Candidates must have a detailed knowledge of the exam pattern as detailed here to prepare effectively for the examination.
| Subject | Code | Duration | Maximum Marks |
| English | 11 | 2 Hours | 100 |
| General Knowledge | 12 | 2 Hours | 100 |
| Elementary Mathematics | 13 | 2 Hours | 100 |
(b) For Admission to Officers' Training Academy (OTA):
It is important for the candidates to have an in-depth knowledge of the subjects of the exam to streamline your preparations in an accurate manner.
| Subject | Code | Duration | Maximum Marks |
| English | 11 | 2 Hours | 100 |
| General Knowledge | 12 | 2 Hours | 100 |
The written examination and the interview for each course carry equal weight in terms of maximum marks. Specifically, both the written exam and interview are assigned 300 marks each for admission to the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), and Air Force Academy (AFA), while for the Officers' Training Academy (OTA), the maximum marks for each are 200.
Additionally, all subjects in the examination will comprise objective-type questions. The question papers for General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics will be provided in both Hindi and English.
Aspirants can click here to view the detailed notification for NDA. Here is the direct link to download CDS notification PDF.
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