UPSC CDS Recruitment 2025: Check Dates, Vacancies, Exam Pattern

UPSC CDS Recruitment 2025: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has invited applications on December 11, 2024, from interested candidates willing to participate in the CDS 1 recruitment. According to the UPSC exam calendar, the CDS (1) written exam will be conducted on April 13, 2025, while the CDS (2) will be conducted on September 14, 2025. As per the official notice, the total number of vacancies is 457. Candidates will be able to download their admit cards online for CDS I just like they do for other competitive exams. To learn more, log on to UPSC’s website, upsc.gov.in.

*Steps to attempt a UPSC CDS mock test are mentioned below in this article.

Latest Updates:
— UPSC is set to conduct CDS 1 on April 13, 2025 and CDS 1 notification is already issued on December 11, 2024. We suggest all appearing aspirants take CDS exam mock tests now to ensure their selection for the applied post. See subject-wise mock tests below.

UPSC conducts the Combined Defence Service (CDS) exam for admission to the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (IMA), Air Force Academy, and Officers’ Training Academy (OTA). The CDS selection process consists of a written exam and SSB interviews. Candidates can further check this article to know about the important dates, selection process, eligibility, exam pattern, and more.

UPSC CDS Recruitment 2025 Overview

The CDS 2025 exam is a tremendous opportunity for those who want to make their career in the defence forces: Army, Navy, and Air Force. Before getting into the details about the recruitment process, let us look at the exam overview from the table below:

UPSC CDS 2025 Important Dates

Candidates who are going to appear for the UPSC CDS 2025 exam must have an idea about the important dates. The important dates are tabulated below:

Get complete details on CDS 2025 exam dates here.

How To Attempt Embibe’s UPSC CDS Mock Tests?

Know the steps to take the UPSC CDS mock test series below:

• 1st Step: Visit Embibe’s official website, i.e., embibe.com.
• 2nd Step: Use the mobile number/email to log in.
• 3rd Step: Click on “Getting a Government Job”.
• 4th Step: Select the Goal “Defence” from the dropdown and click “Next”.
• 5th Step: Search and select “UPSC CDS” on the search bar and click “Next”.
• 6th Step: Select the preferred language and click “Done”.
• 7th Step: Click “Test” from the header Section.
• 8th Step: Scroll down to the “Subjects” section.
• 9th Step: Click on any UPSC CDS subjects.
• 10th Step: Scroll down to click on the chapters from the selected subject to begin the test.

UPSC CDS 2025 Eligibility

Before applying for the UPSC CDS 2025, candidates should confirm their eligibility according to the guidelines established by the officials. Check out the table below for the eligibility criteria, including qualification and age limit:

Get complete details on CDS 2025 eligibility here.

UPSC CDS 2025 Exam Pattern

Candidates appearing in the CDS 2025 exam to become defence personnel through INA, IMA, and AFA must be familiar with the exam format. The IMA, INA, and AFA exam pattern includes three sections, while OTA includes two. Each question carries one mark. There is a negative marking of 0.33 for incorrect response.

Get complete details on the CDS 2025 exam pattern here.

UPSC CDS 2025 Application Form

The UPSC accepts online applications for CDS on its official website. Applicants interested in applying should visit the official website upsc.gov.in. They must first register before completing the entire application form. In addition, they must pay the application fee to submit the completed form successfully.

Get complete details on the CDS application form 2025 here.

How To Apply Online for CDS Recruitment 2025?

The step-wise instructions on how to register for UPSC and apply for CDS 1 exam online are given below:

• 1st Step: Visit the official website of UPSC – upsc.gov.in.
• 2nd Step: Login into the account on the OTR platform.
• 3rd Step: Fill out the details required in Part 1 registration.
• 4th Step: Upload the photo, signature, and photo ID proof.
• 5th Step: Pay the application fees.
• 6th Step: Select an exam centre for the CDS 1 exam.
• 7th Step: Finally, submit the application form.
• 8th Step: The confirmation message will be forwarded to the registered mobile number and email address.

UPSC CDS 2025 Application Fee

Applicants can pay the fee offline or online with a debit or credit card or through net banking. Check out the table below for the application fees:

• The application fees are INR 200 for General and OBC male candidates.
• SC and ST candidates are exempted from fee payment.

UPSC CDS 2025 Selection Process

Applicants will be hired in UPSC in two stages. Candidates must pass each stage to advance to the next round. The following are the stages:

• Stage 1: Written Test
• Stage 2: SSB Interview

UPSC CDS 2025 Vacancy

The CDS 2025 vacancy details are given below:

Earlier, UPSC announced the vacancy list for UPSC CDS 1 on its official website. A total of 341 vacancies were announced for CDS 1; however, for CDS 2, the number was 349. Candidates can check the last year’s vacancy breakdown from the table below:

UPSC CDS 2025 Salary

The officers on CDS are paid INR 56,100 per month during their training in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The following is the salary breakdown:

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FAQs on UPSC CDS Recruitment 2025

Check some of the frequently asked questions about the UPSC CDS recruitment exam below:

We hope this article on the UPSC CDS Recruitment 2025 is helpful. In case of any queries, check our website or download our app. Stay tuned to Embibe for more information and the latest UPSC CDS exam 2025 updates.