Introduction to UPSC CDS II 2025 Examination
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has officially released the notification for the Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination (II), 2025. This prestigious examination is a gateway for aspiring candidates to join the esteemed Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA), and Officers’ Training Academy (OTA). A total of 453 vacancies have been announced across various courses. The application window opens on May 28, 2025, and the last date for submission of applications is June 17, 2025. The written examination is scheduled to be conducted on September 14, 2025.
Organization Details: UPSC – Conducting Body for CDS II 2025
Hiring Organization
The Combined Defence Services Examination (II), 2025, is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
Number of Posts
A total of 453 tentative vacancies are available for admission to the various courses.
Location of Training Academies
Selected candidates will undergo training at the following premier defence academies in India:
- Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun
- Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala
- Air Force Academy (AFA), Hyderabad
- Officers’ Training Academy (OTA), Chennai
UPSC CDS II 2025 Vacancy Breakdown
The distribution of vacancies for the various courses under the UPSC CDS II 2025 examination is as follows:
| S. No. | Name of the Course | Approximate No. of Vacancies |
| 1. | Indian Military Academy, Dehradun – 161st (DE) Course commencing in July 2026 [including 13 vacancies reserved for NCC ‘C’ Certificate (Army Wing) holders] | 100 |
| 2. | Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala – Course commencing in July, 2026 Executive Branch (General Service)/Hydro [including 06 vacancies for NCC ‘C’ Certificate (Naval Wing) holders and 02 for Hydro] | 26 |
| 3. | Air Force Academy, Hyderabad – (Pre-Flying) Training Course commencing in July, 2026 i.e. 220 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) – 124th SSC (Men) (NT) (UPSC) Course Commencing in October, 2026. | 276 |
| 5. | Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai (Madras) – 124th SSC Women (NT) (UPSC) Course commencing in, October, 2026. | 19 |
| Total | 453 |
Eligibility Criteria for UPSC CDS II 2025
Candidates must ensure they fulfill all eligibility conditions before applying for the examination. Admission is purely provisional until verification of original documents.
Nationality
A candidate must be:
- a Citizen of India, or
- a subject of Nepal, or
- 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.
- Candidates belonging to categories (ii) and (iii) require a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India, except for Gorkha subjects of Nepal.
Educational Qualifications
- For I.M.A. and Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai: Degree of a recognised University or equivalent.
- For Indian Naval Academy: Degree in Engineering from a recognised University/Institution.
- For Air Force Academy: Degree of a recognised University (with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level) or Bachelor of Engineering.
- Candidates in Final Year: Candidates studying in the final year/semester of their degree course and yet to pass the final year degree examination can also apply. They must submit proof of passing the degree examination by the prescribed dates for admission to the respective academies.
Age Limits, Sex, and Marital Status
- For Indian Military Academy (IMA): Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 2nd July, 2002 and not later than 1st July, 2007 only are eligible.
- For Indian Naval Academy (INA): Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 2nd July, 2002 and not later than 1st July, 2007 only are eligible.
- For Air Force Academy (AFA):
- Age: 20 to 24 years as on 1st July, 2026 (i.e., born not earlier than 2nd July, 2002 and not later than 1st July, 2006).
- Upper age limit relaxable up to 26 years for candidates holding a valid and current Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA (India) (i.e., born not earlier than 2nd July, 2000 and not later than 1st July, 2006).
- Candidates below 25 years of age must be unmarried. Marriage is not permitted during training. Married candidates aged 25 years or above are eligible but will not be provided married accommodation during training.
- For Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) – SSC Men: Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 2nd July, 2001 and not later than 1st July, 2007 only are eligible.
- For Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) – 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 July, 2001 and not later than 1st July, 2007.
UPSC CDS 2 2025 Important Dates
| Event | Date |
| Date of Notification Release | May 28, 2025 |
| Online Application Start Date | May 28, 2025 |
| Last Date for Submission of Applications | June 17, 2025 (till 11:59 PM) |
| Combined Defence Services Examination (II) | September 14, 2025 |
| Declaration of Written Exam Result (Likely) | October, 2025 |
Salary Structure and Benefits for UPSC CDS II Officers
Successful candidates commissioned into the Defence Services are entitled to an attractive pay scale and numerous benefits.
Pay Scale
The pay scale for Army Officers and equivalent ranks in the Air Force and Navy are as per different levels:
- Lieutenant: Level 10 (₹56,100 – ₹1,77,500)
- Captain: Level 10B (₹61,300 – ₹1,93,900)
- Major: Level 11 (₹69,400 – ₹2,07,200)
- (And so on, up to COAS at Level 18)
Military Service Pay (MSP)
Officers from the rank of Lieutenant to Brigadier are entitled to a Military Service Pay (MSP) of ₹15,500 p.m. fixed.
Stipend During Training
Officer Cadets will receive a fixed stipend of ₹56,100/- p.m. (Starting pay in Level 10) during their training period at the respective academies. On successful commissioning, this stipend will be fixed as pay in the first cell of Level 10, and arrears on admissible allowances for the training period will be paid.
Other Allowances and Benefits
Apart from the pay, officers are entitled to various allowances such as:
- Dearness Allowance: Admissible at rates applicable to civilian personnel.
- Dress Allowance: ₹25,000/- (Rate enhances when DA increases by 50%).
- Free Ration: In Peace and Field areas.
- Transport Allowance (TPTA): Rates vary for Higher TPTA Cities (₹7200+DA) and Other Places (₹3600+DA) for Level 10 and above.
- Children Education Allowance (CEA): ₹2813/- per month per child for two eldest surviving children, from Nursery to 12th class.
- Risk and Hardship Allowance: As per the risk and hardship of the serving area.
- Insurance: Officer Cadets are insured for significant amounts during training (e.g., ₹1 Crore for Army Cadets, ₹1.25 Crore for Air Force Flight Cadets) with applicable monthly contributions.
UPSC CDS II 2025 Selection Process
The selection process for the Combined Defence Services Examination is comprehensive and involves multiple stages:
Written Examination
- This is the first stage of the selection process.
- The exam consists of objective-type question papers.
- For IMA, INA, and AFA, the subjects are English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics (100 marks each, 2 hours duration each).
- For OTA, the subjects are English and General Knowledge (100 marks each, 2 hours duration each).
- There is a penalty (Negative Marking) for wrong answers.
- The question papers for General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics will be bilingual (Hindi and English).
SSB Interview (Intelligence and Personality Test)
- Candidates who qualify in the written examination will be called for the Services Selection Board (SSB) interview.
- The SSB process consists of a two-stage selection procedure.
- Stage I: Comprises Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and Picture Perception & Description Test (PP&DT). Candidates shortlisted based on performance in Stage I move to Stage II.
- Stage II: Includes Interview, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests, and the Conference, conducted over 4 days.
- The personality of a candidate is assessed by three different assessors: the Interviewing Officer (IO), Group Testing Officer (GTO), and the Psychologist.
Medical Examination
- Candidates recommended by the SSB will undergo a medical examination by a Board of Service Medical Officers.
- Candidates must be physically fit according to the prescribed physical standards as per guidelines in Appendix-III of the notification.
- Detailed medical standards for Army, Navy, and Air Force are provided in Appendix-III.
Merit List and Final Selection
- The UPSC will prepare a list of candidates who obtain the minimum qualifying marks in the written examination as fixed by the Commission.
- Final selection will be made in order of merit based on the total marks secured in the written examination and the SSB tests, subject to medical fitness and the number of vacancies available.
How to Apply for UPSC CDS II Recruitment 2025
Candidates must apply online through the official UPSC website.
Step-by-Step Application Guide
- Visit the Official Website.
- New Application Portal: The UPSC has introduced a new Online Application Portal. Candidates need to use this new portal. The old One Time Registration (OTR) module is no longer applicable.
- Portal Modules: The new portal has four modules. Three are common (Account creation, Universal Registration, Common Application Form) and can be filled anytime. The fourth is examination-specific and can be filled during the notified period.
- Read Instructions: Carefully go through the detailed instructions available on the portal’s home page and within each module before filling the form and uploading documents.
- Document Preparation: Prepare necessary documents in advance for smooth application filling and uploading. This includes details of one Photo ID Card (Aadhaar Card/Voter Card/PAN Card/Passport/Driving Licence/Any other State/Central Govt. issued Photo ID). It is strongly advised to use Aadhaar Card for easy verification.
- Fill Application Form: Provide requisite information and supporting documents towards claims like date of birth, educational qualification, etc..
- Specify Preferences: Male candidates should clearly specify their preferences for the Services in the Online Application. Women candidates are only eligible for Short Service Commission at OTA and should indicate OTA as their only choice. Candidates desiring to join Air Force Academy must indicate AFA as their first choice.
- Upload Documents: Upload documents as per the instructions, including photograph.
- Fee Payment: Pay the application fee (if applicable) through the prescribed online modes.
- Final Submission: Submit the application form. Note that no withdrawal of application is allowed after submission, and no corrections or alterations in any field of the application form will be allowed after its submission and closure of the application window.
Application Fees for UPSC CDS II 2025
- General/OBC Candidates: ₹200/- (Rupees Two Hundred Only).
- Female/SC/ST Candidates: Exempted from payment of fee.
- Mode of Payment:
- Visa/Master/Rupay Credit/Debit Card/UPI Payment.
- Internet banking facility of any Bank.
Important Links for UPSC CDS II 2025
- Official Notification PDF: Download Now
- Online Application Link: Apply Now
- Official UPSC Website: Visit Now
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