CDS eligibility is set academy by academy. In the UPSC notice for CDS (II) 2026, IMA and the Naval Academy take unmarried men born between 1 July 2003 and 1 July 2008, the Air Force Academy takes men born between 1 July 2003 and 1 July 2007, and the Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) takes men and women born between 1 July 2002 and 1 July 2008. IMA and OTA need any recognised degree, the Naval Academy and Air Force Academy need Physics and Mathematics at 10+2, and the notice sets no minimum percentage.
Last verified: 12 October 2026, against the CDS (II) 2026 notice (issued 20 May 2026). The next notice, CDS (I) 2027, is expected on 2 December 2026 according to the UPSC calendar. Age windows move every cycle, so read the new notice before you rely on any table, including this one.
What is the eligibility for each CDS academy?
| Academy | Who | Date of birth (CDS II 2026) | Degree (CDS II 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Military Academy, Dehradun | Unmarried men. Age 19 to 24 | Not earlier than 1 July 2003, not later than 1 July 2008 | Degree of a recognised university or equivalent |
| Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala | Unmarried men. Age 19 to 24 | Not earlier than 1 July 2003, not later than 1 July 2008 | Engineering degree, or B.Sc. with Physics as a core or elective subject, with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 |
| Air Force Academy, Hyderabad | Men. Age 20 to 24 as on 1 July 2027. Anyone under 25 must be unmarried | Not earlier than 1 July 2003, not later than 1 July 2007. For a valid DGCA Commercial Pilot Licence holder, not earlier than 1 July 2001 | Degree with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2, or Bachelor of Engineering |
| Officers’ Training Academy (SSC men) | Unmarried men. Age 19 to 25 | Not earlier than 1 July 2002, not later than 1 July 2008 | Degree of a recognised university or equivalent |
| Officers’ Training Academy (SSC women, non-technical) | Unmarried women, issueless widows and issueless divorcees (with documents) who have not remarried. Age 19 to 25 | Not earlier than 1 July 2002, not later than 1 July 2008 | Degree of a recognised university or equivalent |
The date of birth that counts is the one on your Matriculation or Secondary School Examination certificate, or an equivalent certificate. UPSC accepts no other document, such as an affidavit or a municipal birth extract, and it will not change a date of birth once you have entered it. Male divorcees and widowers cannot be treated as unmarried for IMA, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy or OTA.
Sources for CDS eligibility
Why do coaching sites quote different CDS age limits?
You may have seen 18 to 23 on one website and 19 to 24 on another. The notice settles it, and the answer is that the window shifts. Each notice states exact dates of birth, and the window moves forward by six months from one cycle to the next. Here is the same rule in two successive notices.
| Academy | CDS (I) 2026 notice (10 Dec 2025) | CDS (II) 2026 notice (20 May 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| IMA and Naval Academy | Born 2 January 2003 to 1 January 2008 | Born 1 July 2003 to 1 July 2008 |
| Air Force Academy | Born 2 January 2003 to 1 January 2007 (20 to 24 on 1 January 2027) | Born 1 July 2003 to 1 July 2007 (20 to 24 on 1 July 2027) |
| OTA men and women | Born 2 January 2002 to 1 January 2008 | Born 1 July 2002 to 1 July 2008 |
Pages that copied an old notice, or that quote an age range without the date on which it is counted, will disagree with the current one. Always check against the date of birth window printed in the notice for your cycle. Our eligibility checker is a quick way to test your own date once you have the window.
Is there a minimum graduation percentage for CDS?
No. The CDS (II) 2026 notice names the degree required for each academy but states no minimum percentage, and the same is true of the earlier 2026 notice. A figure of 50% or 60% attached to CDS elsewhere usually belongs to another entry; the AFCAT 01/2026 notification, for example, asked for 60% in graduation. The Air Force’s AFCAT page says explicitly that there is no percentage bar for the CDS entry to the flying branch.
There are three practical rules about the degree. Final-year students can apply, but they must prove they have passed by the date the notice names. In CDS (II) 2026 those dates were 1 July 2027 for IMA and the Naval Academy, 13 May 2027 for the Air Force Academy and 1 October 2027 for OTA. Candidates with professional or technical qualifications recognised as equivalent to degrees are also eligible. And graduates must show proof of graduation or provisional certificates on the first day of the SSB.
Can girls apply for CDS?
Yes, for one course. Women are considered only for the Short Service Commission at the Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai, and the notice says they should indicate OTA as their only choice. The CDS (II) 2026 notice listed 18 vacancies for women alongside 275 for men at OTA. Women pay no examination fee. Unmarried women, issueless widows who have not remarried and issueless divorcees with divorce documents who have not remarried may apply.
What other conditions apply?
- Nationality. A citizen of India, a subject of Nepal, or a person of Indian origin who migrated from specified countries to settle in India. Nepal subjects and migrants need a certificate of eligibility from the Government of India, except Gorkha subjects of Nepal.
- Marriage during training. Candidates must undertake not to marry until their training is complete. A candidate who marries after applying will not be selected, and one who marries during training is discharged and liable to refund the cost.
- Air Force Academy. Candidates must name the Air Force Academy as their first choice because they take the Computerised Pilot Selection System.
- NCC. Holders of the NCC ‘C’ certificate may compete for reserved vacancies if they meet the NCC conditions in the notice. In CDS (II) 2026, 13 IMA, 6 Naval Academy and 3 Air Force Academy vacancies were reserved this way.
- Medical standards. The notice refers candidates to the Joint Order Manual of Medical Standards for Entry into Armed Forces, found on joinindianarmy.nic.in.
Free counselling is available by phone or WhatsApp on +91 70170 31757 if you want help checking your own dates of birth and degree against the table. For the process after the written test, read the SSB interview process guide.
What is the CDS exam pattern?
| Paper | For which academies | Duration | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | IMA, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, OTA | 2 hours | 100 |
| General Knowledge | IMA, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, OTA | 2 hours | 100 |
| Elementary Mathematics | IMA, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy only | 2 hours | 100 |
| Interview (SSB) | IMA, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy / OTA | Multi-day process | 300 / 200 |
All papers are objective. For each wrong answer one third (0.33) of the question’s marks is deducted, a question left blank carries no penalty, and calculators are not allowed. General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics are set in Hindi and English.
What is the CDS syllabus, paper by paper?
English
The paper is designed to test the candidate’s understanding of English and workmanlike use of words. The standard is approximately what is expected of a graduate of an Indian university.
General Knowledge
General knowledge including current events and matters of everyday observation and experience in their scientific aspects, as expected of an educated person who has not made a special study of a scientific subject. The paper also includes questions on the history of India and geography that candidates should answer without special study.
Elementary Mathematics (not for OTA)
The standard is matriculation level. The notice lists arithmetic (number system, percentages, interest, profit and loss, ratio, time and work, time and distance), elementary number theory (divisibility, HCF and LCM, logarithms), algebra (polynomials, quadratic equations, simultaneous equations and inequations, sets), trigonometry (ratios, identities, heights and distances), geometry (lines, angles, triangles, parallelograms, circles and their properties), mensuration (areas and volumes of cuboids, cones, cylinders and spheres) and statistics (tabulation, graphs, measures of central tendency).
CDS eligibility: common questions
FAQs
Questions parents ask us.
Can't find yours? Ask on WhatsApp; a counsellor usually replies within working hours.
Ask on WhatsAppWhat is the CDS age limit for IMA, INA, AFA and OTA?
In the CDS (II) 2026 notice: IMA and the Naval Academy, 19 to 24 years (born 1 July 2003 to 1 July 2008). Air Force Academy, 20 to 24 on 1 July 2027. OTA, 19 to 25 years (born 1 July 2002 to 1 July 2008). The window shifts with each notice.
Is there a minimum graduation percentage for CDS?
The notice states none. It names only the degree required for each academy.
Can final-year students apply for CDS?
Yes. They must send proof of passing by the date in the notice. In CDS (II) 2026 those dates were 1 July 2027 for IMA and the Naval Academy, 13 May 2027 for the Air Force Academy and 1 October 2027 for OTA.
Can girls apply for CDS?
Yes, for the OTA Short Service Commission (Women, non-technical) course only.
Is there a Mathematics paper for OTA?
No. OTA candidates take English and General Knowledge only.
What is the CDS exam fee?
₹200 in the 2026 notices. Women and SC/ST candidates are exempt.
When you are ready to build a plan around this syllabus, see our classroom CDS coaching in Dehradun page, or call or message us on WhatsApp at +91 70170 31757.
Admissions
