A long runway for the Combined Defence Services Examination
Most CDS aspirants begin in the final year of college, or after it, and spend their first attempt discovering what the examination asks. The CDS foundation course is for the student who would rather discover that early. It is a longer, steadier programme for undergraduates and recent graduates, planned so that English, general knowledge, elementary mathematics, fitness and SSB habits are in place well before the first application is filled.
The idea is simple. The CDS written papers are of 100 marks each, the SSB carries as many marks as the written paper for each academy, and both reward habits that take months to build: reading in English every day, following the news with purpose, keeping arithmetic sharp, staying physically active and speaking clearly in a group. Starting a year or more early lets a student build these habits without panic. A family searching for a CDS foundation course in Dehradun usually wants exactly that: time, structure and a place to practise.
The course is taught in person at Street 1, Subharti Road, Nanda Ki Chowki, Lower Kolhupani. We do not run online classes, and we say so plainly, because college students often ask. It suits:
- students in the first or second year of a degree who already know they want to join the forces as officers
- final-year students who want a full year’s plan around their college schedule
- graduates who missed the cut in a first attempt and would like to rebuild from the foundation
- candidates from other cities who can arrange to stay in Dehradun for the programme
If you are closer to the examination, our regular CDS coaching in Dehradun batch is the better fit. The foundation course is for people who have time and want to use it well.
When can you first apply for the CDS?
The CDS conditions come from the UPSC notification for each cycle. The table below uses the Combined Defence Services Examination (II), 2026 notification, issued on 20 May 2026. It shows why a first-year student has time, and what the final year looks like.
| Point | CDS (II) 2026 notification |
|---|---|
| Degree | IMA and OTA need a degree of a recognised university or equivalent; final-year or final-semester students can also apply and must show proof of passing at the time stated in the notification |
| Naval Academy | A degree in Engineering, or a B.Sc. with Physics as a core or elective subject, with Physics and Mathematics at the 10+2 level |
| Air Force Academy | A degree of a recognised university with Physics and Mathematics at the 10+2 level, or a Bachelor of Engineering |
| Age for IMA | 19 to 24 years; unmarried men born not earlier than 1 July 2003 and not later than 1 July 2008 |
| Age for OTA | 19 to 25 years; for men, born not earlier than 1 July 2002 and not later than 1 July 2008 |
| Women | Unmarried women, and issueless widows and divorcees who have not remarried, can apply for the OTA short service commission |
Put simply, a student in the first or second year of a three-year degree cannot apply yet, but can use the time. By the time the final year arrives, the application window and the age window both matter, and a student who started a year earlier will have already done the slow work. Birth-date windows shift with each cycle, so we help each student check theirs against the notification for the examination they plan to write. Our eligibility checker is a good first step.
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What the foundation course is built towards
The CDS-II 2026 written papers were objective type, held on a single day, and each lasted two hours for 100 marks.
| Paper | Subject | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | 100 | 2 hours |
| 2 | General Knowledge | 100 | 2 hours |
| 3 | Elementary Mathematics | 100 | 2 hours |
The Elementary Mathematics paper is for the IMA, Naval Academy and Air Force Academy entries, while the OTA entry takes English and General Knowledge. The written examination and the SSB carry marks of 300 and 300 for the IMA, Naval Academy and Air Force Academy, and 200 and 200 for the OTA. The notification states that Elementary Mathematics is set at the matriculation level and that the other papers are of approximately the standard expected of a graduate of an Indian university. Wrong answers lose one-third (0.33) of the marks for the question, and calculators are not allowed.
That standard shapes the foundation plan. Mathematics at matriculation level is within reach of almost any graduate, but it needs revision and speed. English and general knowledge at graduate level are where long, steady reading pays off. The SSB, which has a first stage of Officer Intelligence Rating tests and a Picture Perception and Discussion Test, followed by a second stage of interview, group tasks, psychology tests and the conference over four days, rewards habits of character that cannot be crammed in a few weeks.
The foundation plan, phase by phase
The plan is built in phases, so that a student can see progress and adjust to college exams.
Phase 1: reading, writing and number sense
English reading and vocabulary come first, through newspapers and short passages, with regular grammar practice. Elementary mathematics is revised from the matriculation level up, with timed arithmetic. General knowledge begins as a daily reading habit across history, geography, polity, economy and science.
Phase 2: topic depth and regular tests
Students move into topic-wise tests in each paper, with short mock tests. Current affairs are tied to the static syllabus, so that a news item connects to the topic it belongs to. Fitness training begins in earnest, with a plan that builds gradually.
Phase 3: examination format and SSB habits
Full-length papers in the UPSC layout begin, with a review of every paper. SSB practice becomes a regular feature: picture-based stories, word association, situation reaction, group discussions and planning exercises. Mentors give individual feedback.
Phase 4: convergence
In the months before the application window, the foundation merges into the regular CDS batch. Students who started early arrive with a base and use the last stretch for refinement. Exact schedules, batch dates and the way the phases line up with your college calendar are confirmed at counselling.
Fees for the foundation course
The fee for the CDS foundation course is shared at counselling, because it depends on how the programme is spread across your college calendar. The fee structure page lists the options for our CDS and AFCAT courses along with registration, hostel and mess charges. Because the foundation course is longer, please ask the counsellor how the payment would be spread across the programme, and keep the answer in writing.
Hostel and mess
Students who come from other cities can use the academy’s hostel and mess, with separate hostels for boys and girls. Day scholars from Dehradun are welcome too. A longer course makes the living arrangement more important, so we encourage a visit before you decide. The hostel and mess page has the details, and the contact page explains how to reach us.
CDS foundation course: common questions
FAQs
Questions parents ask us.
Can't find yours? Ask on WhatsApp; a counsellor usually replies within working hours.
Ask on WhatsAppWho should join the CDS foundation course?
Undergraduates who want to join the forces as officers and graduates who would like a longer, steadier preparation. Students close to the examination are better served by the regular CDS batch.
Can a first-year student apply for the CDS?
Not yet. The notification allows graduates, and students in the final year of a degree. The foundation course lets you use the earlier years well.
Does the foundation course include SSB preparation?
Yes, in a phased way. Basic habits start early and become structured practice before the call letter arrives.
Are women eligible?
Yes, through the Officers Training Academy short service commission for women, which is open to unmarried women, and to issueless widows and divorcees who have not remarried, according to the notification.
Is the course available online?
No. We teach in person in Dehradun and do not offer online classes.
How is it different from the regular CDS course?
The foundation course starts earlier and moves more slowly, with phases that fit around college. The regular batch is for students who are close to the examination.
Related courses
- CDS coaching in Dehradun for students closer to the examination
- AFCAT coaching for the Air Force entry
- SSB interview coaching once the call letter arrives
- NDA coaching for students who are still in Class 12
- All courses at the academy
