UPSC CDS 2021: Registration, Exam Date, Syllabus, Eligibility, Result, Rank List, Cut-off

The full form of CDS is Combined Defence Service. The UPSC CDS 2021 is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. UPSC is responsible for conducting recruitment exam for Class A & Class B employees in Govt. Organisations. Through this exam, candidates are also appointed as Commissioned Officers in Indian Army., Navy and Air Force. The recruitment process consists of Written Test and a Personal Interview and ends with the medical examination. Every year lakhs of aspiring candidates appear for the exam in order to grab the opportunity to work for the prestigious defence services. Those who want to serve the nation through the defence services can appear for this examination. The candidates who got selected will undergo training at Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA), and Officers' Trainee Academy (OTA).

Written Exam - The CDS exam 2021 is conducted for 300 marks and two hours is the duration per subject. The subjects include English, General Knowledge, Elementary Mathematics. The questions are multiple-choice based objective type. The exam has negative marking in its scheme of evaluation. For every wrong answer, 1/3rd of the marks will be deducted.

Interview - For those who will clear the written exam, there will be an interview which will include intelligence and personality test.

Exam Name

Union Public Service Commission Combined Defence Services

Acronym

UPSC CDS

Conducting Authority

Union Public Service Commission

Exam Periodicity

Twice a year

Mode of Exam

Online

Exam Type

National Level

Application Mode

Online

Exam Purpose

To recruit candidates for as Commissioned Officers in Indian Army, Navy & Air Force.

Official Website

upsc.gov.in

 

UPSC CDS 2021 Vacancy

The details of the vacancy given below are updated as per the data for 2020. The official data has been released for the 2021 examination. So candidates can follow this table and get a fair idea regarding the vacancy. The UPSC CDS I and CDS II vacancies are listed below:

UPSC CDS I Vacancy

UPSC CDS (I) 2021 Vacancy

Name of the Course

Vacancies

Indian Military Academy, Dehradun

100

Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala

45

Air Force Academy, Hyderabad—(Pre-Flying) Training

32

Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai (SSC-Men)

225

Officers Training Academy, Chennai(SSC-Women)

15

Total

418

UPSC CDS II Vacancy

UPSC CDS (II) 2021 Vacancy

Name of the Course

Vacancies

Indian Military Academy, Dehradun

100

Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala

26

Air Force Academy, Hyderabad—(Pre-Flying) Training

32

Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai (SSC-Men)

169

Officers Training Academy, Chennai(SSC-Women)

17

Total

344

UPSC CDS 2021 Exam Dates

The exam notification for UPSC CDS(I) is released on the official website. Below given tables shows the dates of UPSC CDS exams I and II. Candidates can follow these authentic dates to keep track of all the events.

UPSC CDS (I) 2021 Dates

The application dates are officially released and the other dates are tentative. Hence might be subjected to change. It will be updated later.

Events

Date

Availability of Application Forms

Oct 28, 2020

Last date for Submission

Nov 17, 2020

e-Admit Card

Jan 7, 2021

UPSC CDS(I) 2021 Exam

Feb 7, 2021

Result declaration

Mar 23, 2021

UPSC CDS (II) 2021 Dates

 

Events

Dates

Availability of Application Forms

Aug 4, 2021

Last Date for Submission

Aug 24, 2021

Withdrawal of Application form

To be announced

Admit Card Date

To be announced

UPSC CDS (II) 2021 Exam

Nov 17, 2021

Result Declaration

To be announced

UPSC CDS 2021 Eligibility

There are various parameters of eligibility associated with citizenship, age, qualification and physical standards. The various eligibility conditions are as follows:

Nationality

(a) Citizen of India(b) subject of Bhutan(c) subject of Nepal(d) Tibetan refugee (migrating before January 1, 1962, to permanently settle in India)(e) Person of Indian Origin - migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, and East African Countries like Kenya, Uganda, the United
Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, and Ethiopia or Vietnam (to permanently settle in India)

Physical Standards

Candidates must be physically fit as per guidelines are given in Appendix IV

Age Limit:

IMA

Only Unmarried candidates, born between 2nd January 1996 and 1st January 2001, are eligible

Indian Naval Academy

Only Unmarried candidates, born between 2nd January 1996 and 1st January 2001, are eligible

Air Force Academy

Candidates between 20 and 24 years of age as on January 1, 2020 (Relaxation up to 26 years of age, if the candidate holds a valid and current Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA, India)

Educational Qualification

IMA

Any degree provided by a recognised University/ Institution or an equivalent

Indian Naval Academy

A degree in Engineering provided by a recognised Institution

Air Force Academy

Any degree provided by a recognised Institution (with Physics and Maths at 10+2 level) or B.E/B Tech.

Note: Candidates in the final year of their graduation are also eligible to apply for the exam.

UPSC CDS 2021 Syllabus

The UPSC CDS 2021 Syllabus consists of mainly three subjects that are Mathematics, English Language and General Knowledge. All the candidates except who are opting for OTA Chennai, have to give all the three papers. The syllabus for all the three papers is as follows:

UPSC CDS 2021 English Syllabus

 

UPSC CDS 2021 Elementary Mathematics Syllabus

Arithmetic

 

Number System

  • Integers

  • Rational and Real numbers

  • Natural numbers

  • Fundamental operations

  • Addition

  • Subtraction

  • Multiplication

  • Decimal fractions

  • Division

  • Square roots

  • Time and Distance

  • Time and Work

  • Unitary method

  • Percentages

  • Profit and Loss

  • Ration and Proportion

  • Variation

  • Application to Simple and Compound Interest.

Elementary Number Theory

  • Prime and Composite numbers

  • Division Algorithm

  • Multiples and factors

  • Factorisation Theorem

  • H.C.F. and L.C.M.

  • Euclidean algorithm

  • Tests of Divisibility by 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, and 11

  • Logarithms to base 10, Laws of Logarithms

  • Use of Logarithm tables.

Algebra

  • Theory of Polynomials

  • Solutions of Quadratic Equations

  • H.C.F. and L.C.M.

  • Remainder Theorem

  • Simple Factors

  • The relation between its roots and coefficients

  • Set language and Set Notion

  • Practical Problems leading to two simultaneous linear equations or inequations in two variables or quadratic equations in one variable and their solutions.

  • Rational expressions and conditional identities

  • Laws of indices.

Trigonometry

  • Simple Trigonometric identities

  • Use of trigonometric tables

  • Simple cases of heights and distances

  • Sine ×, cosine ×, Tangent × when 0° < × < 90° Values of sin ×, cos × and tan ×, for ×= 0°, 30°, 45°, 60° and 90°

Geometry

  • Planes and Plane Figures

  • Lines and Angles

  • Theorems on:

    • Loci

    • Similar Triangles

    • Parallel Lines

    • Sides and angles of a triangle

    • The concurrence of medians and altitudes

    • Congruency of triangles

    • Circles and its properties including tangents and norma

    • Properties of angles, side, and diagonals of a parallelogram, rectangle, and square

    • Properties of angles at a point

Mensuration

  • Surface area and Volume of Cuboids

  • Lateral Surface and Volume of Right Circular Cones and Cylinders

  • Surface area and Volume of spheres

  • Area of squares

  • Area of rectangles

  • Area of parallelograms

  • Area of triangles

  • Area of circles

  • Area of figures which can be split into these figures (Field Book)

Statistics

  • Graphical Representation

  • Frequency Polygons

  • Bar charts

  • Pie charts

  • Histograms

  • Collection and tabulation of statistical data

  • Measures of central tendency

UPSC CDS 2021 General Knowledge Syllabus

The general knowledge syllabus includes the following:

 

UPSC CDS 2021 Registration

The registration link for the UPSC CDS II examination will be open from Aug 4, 2021 to Aug 24, 2021. All interested candidates could register for the exam by following the steps given below. The entire process of filling the application of UPSC CDS is discussed in detail. Also, candidates must upload certain files with a particular specification which are given below. After registration candidates have to follow the effective preparation tips for CDS to crack the exam.

How to Apply for the UPSC CDS 2021 Exam?

UPSC CDS 2021 Application Form

The UPSC CDS 2021 application form is only available online. The application form has two parts. Part I includes the candidate's personal and academic details and Part II includes the payment procedure, selection of exam centres and uploading documents. Candidates are requested to go through the official notification and make sure that they satisfy the eligibility criteria before applying for the exam.

Documents required to apply for UPSC CDS 2021 Exam

The candidates are required to upload the scanned images of the following Documents: Candidate's recent Photograph and Signature

The candidates should upload images in a fixed format as decided by the UPSC. The format is as follows:

Note: Important fields will be marked with an asterisk (*) symbol. The application form will be available in English as well as in Hindi languages.

Also, candidates cannot change the data that is already given but having said that they can fill a new application form with the updated details. Only the final submitted application form will be considered.

UPSC CDS 2021 Exam Pattern

The UPSC CDS 2021 Written exam consists of three papers except for the candidates opting for Officers Training Academy. Each paper consists of 100 Multiple choice questions(MCQs).

Each question carries one mark and for every wrong answer will lead to deduction of 1/3 marks from the total. No marks will be deducted for leaving a question blank.

The paper of General Knowledge and Mathematics is bilingual. The papers will be Hindi and English. Moreover, calculators are not allowed in the exam centre.

Exam Pattern for admissions to Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Air Force Academy is tabulated below:

Paper / Subject

No. of Questions

Duration

Marks

English

120

2 Hours

100

General Knowledge

120

2 Hours

100

Elementary Mathematics

100

2 Hours

100

Exam Pattern for admissions into Officers Training Academy is tabulated below:

Paper / Subject

No. of Questions

Duration

Marks

English

120

2 Hours

100

General Knowledge

120

2 Hours

100

Elementary Mathematics

100

2 Hours

100

UPSC CDS 2021 Admit Card

 

The UPSC CDS 2021 Admit Card is yet to be issued by the UPSC on its official website. The admit card will be available online only and no hard copy will be sent to the candidate through the post.

The admit card has the candidate's details, roll number, and location of the exam centre. Other instructions will also be present on the admit card which a candidate must go through.

How to download UPSC CDS 2021 Admit Card?

The UPSC CDS 2021 Admit card can be downloaded by the following way:

 

UPSC CDS 2021 Exam Centres

There are around 41 exam centres across the country. The exam centres except for Delhi, Chennai, Dispur, Nagpur and Kolkata have a limit on the number of candidates. Thus applicants are advised to fill the form as soon as possible and will be allotted on a first-come, first-serve basis. The candidate can only opt for a single exam centre.

The various exam centres of UPSC CDS 2021 are as follows:

Agartala

Ahmedabad

Aizawal

Allahabad

Bengaluru

Bareilly

Bhopal

Chandigarh

Chennai

Cuttack

Dehradun

Delhi

Dharwad

Dispur

Hyderabad

Gangtok

Imphal

Itanagar

Jaipur

Jammu

Jorhat

Kochi

Kohima

Kolkata

Lucknow

Madurai

Mumbai

Nagpur

Panaji (Goa)

Patna

Port Blair

Raipur

Ranchi

Sambalpur

Shillong

Shimla

Srinagar

Thiruvananthapuram

Tirupati

Udaipur

Vishakapatnam

 

Documents required at the Exam Centre

The applicant must take the following documents to the exam centre: UPSC CDS Admit card, A valid Photo ID card

UPSC CDS 2021 Results

The UPSC CDS 2021 Results is declared in two stages, the results are first declared for the written exam, and final results are declared when SSB interview procedure finishes. The candidate needs to visit the official website at www.upsc.gov.in and click on the 'Active Examinations' link to check the results.

The written result will contain the names of candidates who have qualified the written exam. Also, it will be mentioned that for which academy the candidate is eligible. The candidate whose name is there in the list will receive a call letter for SSB interview after some days of the result.

The final result will come after the whole procedure of SSB interview and medical tests are over. A merit list will be there on the UPSC's site. Candidates in the merit list have to report to the mentioned academy.

How to download the UPSC CDS 2021 Result?

The following procedure is there to know the result of UPSC CDS 2021 Exam:

UPSC CDS 2021 Answer key

The conducting authority will release the answer keys a few weeks after the successful conduction of the UPSC CDS 2021 Exam. Candidates can compare the official answer keys with the answers that they have marked to arrive at the possible score. Candidates can follow the steps given below to download the answer keys.

Step 1: Visit the official website.

Step 2: In the notifications, section click on the "Answer key" link.

Step 3: Answer key PDF's of each subject will be displayed.

Step 4: Download the PDF's and take a print out.

UPSC CDS 2021 Cutoff'

The candidates must score at least 20% marks in each of three papers. Failing to do that even in one subject can lead to failure in the written exam, even if your total score is above the aggregate cutoff. The minimum cutoff varies for each academy. The Air force Academy (AFA) generally has the highest cutoff, followed by Indian Military Academy & Indian Naval Academy. The officers training academy has the lowest cutoff as there are only two subjects in the exam.

The cutoff for UPSC CDS (I) 2021 was:

Academy

Written Cutoff

IMA

118

INA

98

AFA

138

OTA (Men)

69

OTA(Women)

69

UPSC CDS 2021 Selection Procedure

The candidates firstly have to give the written examination. After qualifying it, they'll be called for SSB interview which is a 5-day process in which there will be different tests which will test the Officer Like Qualities (OLQs) in the candidate. If the candidate clears the SSB Interview, he/she'll be sent for medical assessment tests. After those tests are done, a merit list will be prepared.

If the candidate's name is there in the merit list, he/she will receive a call letter to join the respective academy for which the candidate has given the highest priority.

How to prepare for the UPSC CDS 2021?

Considering that UPSC is conducting the exam, it is ought to be tough. The difficulty level is from moderate to high, especially the General knowledge part is very tough and some times on par with the UPSC CSE. Still, in comparison to other UPSC Exam, the written part is relatively easy. The tricky part is the SSB Interview which is completely based on the candidate's overall personality.

To prepare for it the candidate, a lot of practice is required in terms of Mathematics part. 100 questions are to be done in 120 minutes, and the questions are time-consuming, so without proper practice, the maths paper cannot be completed.

Moving to the GK part, the candidate requires a thorough study of history, geography, civics and other subjects mentioned above. For current events, the candidate should read newspapers daily. Last 1-year event knowledge is sufficient for the exam. Moreover, reading newspapers will also help him/her in English Section.

UPSC CDS 2021 Reference Books

Following books can be taken for reference:

UPSC CDS Previous Papers

The candidates can get a fair amount of idea about the syllabus after solving the previous year papers. Moreover, the candidate can analyse his/her weak spots in the syllabus and time required to solve the entire paper. Thus UPSC CDS previous year papers will help him/her in planning his/her preparation.

UPSC CDS 2021 Mock and Sample papers

Regularly practising the mock and sample tests will help the candidate to gain speed and finally help him/her finishing the actual exam on time. These are very helpful for the Mathematics part of the exam.