CDS Eligibility 2026: Age Limit, Qualification and Rules

CDS Eligibility 2026 is set separately for each of the four academies you can join through the Combined Defence Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA) and Officers Training Academy (OTA) each have their own age window, degree requirement and marital rules. A candidate can be eligible for one academy and ineligible for another in the same cycle.

This guide uses the CDS II 2026 notification, the latest released, and flags what will change for CDS I 2027, which the UPSC calendar lists for notification on 2 December 2026. It covers age, qualification, final-year rules, marital status, nationality, physical standards, women and NCC candidates, and a checklist to run before you apply.

Table of Contents

• CDS Eligibility at a Glance

• Academy-wise Eligibility Summary

• Educational Qualification

• CDS Age Limit

• Marital Status Rules

• Nationality

• Physical and Medical Standards

• CDS Eligibility for Women

• NCC Certificate Holders

• Who Is Not Eligible

• Application Fee and Exemptions

• Eligibility Checklist Before You Apply

CDS Eligibility at a Glance

Academy-wise Eligibility Summary

You can list several academies in order of preference in a single application, but you are considered only for those you are eligible for. Choose carefully, because preferences cannot be changed after the application is submitted.

CDS Educational Qualification

There is no minimum percentage for any academy. For AFA, the subject condition is checked at the 10+2 level, so a B.Com or B.A. graduate who studied Physics and Mathematics in Class 12 is eligible, while a B.Sc. graduate who did not take Mathematics in Class 12 is not.

Final-year students

Candidates in the final year of their degree can apply and take the written exam provisionally. They must submit proof of passing the degree by the deadline in the notification, or their candidature is cancelled. For CDS II 2026, the deadlines were:

The AFA deadline falls earlier than the others. If your final-semester results usually come out in June or July, check whether you can meet the date for every academy you plan to list. A pending backlog can cost you the seat even after you clear the SSB.

CDS Age Limit

CDS eligibility by age is defined through a date-of-birth window, worked out from the date each course begins. The windows below are from the CDS II 2026 notification, for courses starting in July 2027 (IMA, INA, AFA) and October 2027 (OTA).

What changes for CDS I 2027

Each new cycle moves the window forward by about six months. Based on that usual pattern, CDS I 2027 is likely to cover candidates born between 2 January 2004 and 1 January 2009 for IMA and INA, and between 2 January 2003 and 1 January 2009 for OTA. These are expected windows, not official ones. Confirm the exact dates in the CDS I 2027 notification before you apply.

Worked examples

• Born on 1 July 2003: One day too old for IMA and INA in CDS II 2026, but still within the OTA window, so this candidate could apply for OTA only.

• Born on 2 July 2008: Too young for CDS II 2026, but likely to fall within the IMA and OTA windows for CDS I 2027.

• Born on 15 March 2007: Eligible for IMA, INA, AFA and OTA in CDS II 2026, subject to the degree and other conditions.

Age relaxation and date of birth proof

There is no age relaxation for SC, ST, OBC, EWS or any other category in CDS. UPSC accepts only the date of birth recorded in the matriculation or secondary school certificate, and it does not allow any change once the date has been claimed. Make sure the date in your application matches that certificate exactly.

Marital Status Rules

Candidates must also stay unmarried until they complete training. A cadet who marries during training is liable to be discharged. Some pages still say married men can apply for OTA, which is not correct under the current notification.

Nationality

A candidate must be one of the following:

• A citizen of India: The most common case. No further certificate is needed.

• A subject of Nepal or Bhutan: Eligible under the notification.

• A Tibetan refugee: Who came to India before 1 January 1962 intending to settle permanently.

• A person of Indian origin: Who migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, specified East African countries or Vietnam, intending to settle permanently in India.

Candidates in the non-citizen categories need a certificate of eligibility from the Government of India, though Gorkha subjects of Nepal are exempt from this. Check the notification for the exact list of countries.

Physical and Medical Standards

Physical standards are checked by a Services medical board after the SSB. Failing them ends your candidature even after a strong written and SSB performance, so check the basics before you apply.

• Regional relaxation in height: Gorkhas and candidates from the North-Eastern region, Garhwal and Kumaon get a relaxation of 5 cm, and candidates from Lakshadweep get 2 cm.

• Weight: Must be in proportion to height and age, as per the tables in the notification.

• AFA body measurements: Flying branch candidates must also meet limits on sitting height, leg length and thigh length, and stricter vision standards than the other academies.

• Eyesight and dental health: Corrected vision limits are set in the notification, and candidates need at least 14 dental points.

• Minor conditions: Problems such as wax in the ears, a deviated nasal septum or piles can lead to temporary rejection, so get them checked and treated early.

The notification also advises candidates to stay physically fit before joining, with recommended levels such as running 2.4 km in 15 minutes, at least 20 push-ups and sit-ups, at least 8 chin-ups, and rope climbing of 3 to 4 metres. These are not cut-offs for the written exam, but meeting them makes training and the SSB group tasks far easier.

CDS Eligibility for Women

Women can join only the Officers Training Academy, Chennai, through CDS, in the SSC (Women) Non-Technical course. IMA, INA and AFA entries through CDS are open to men only. Women applicants must be graduates aged 19 to 25 years within the window, meet the marital conditions above, and meet the 152 cm height standard.

Women candidates take the same two papers as men opting for OTA, English and General Knowledge, and they are also exempt from the application fee. Vacancies for women are much fewer, with 18 seats in CDS II 2026, so the final cut-off for OTA (Women) is often higher than for men.

NCC Certificate Holders

A few vacancies are set aside for holders of the NCC 'C' certificate. In CDS II 2026, 13 of the 100 IMA vacancies were reserved for NCC 'C' certificate (Army Wing) holders, and INA and AFA also keep a small number of seats for the relevant NCC wing. NCC candidates still take the written exam and the SSB like everyone else, and they get no relaxation in age or qualification.

Who Is Not Eligible

• Candidates outside the date-of-birth window: Even a single day outside makes you ineligible for that academy.

• Women applying for IMA, INA or AFA: Through CDS, these entries are open only to men.

• Non-engineering graduates applying for INA: INA needs an engineering degree.

• AFA applicants without Physics and Maths at 10+2: Unless they hold an engineering degree.

• Candidates who failed CPSS or PABT earlier: They are not eligible for AFA.

• Candidates withdrawn on disciplinary grounds: Those withdrawn from a training academy of the armed forces on disciplinary grounds are not eligible.

• Final-year students who miss the deadline: Candidature is cancelled if proof of the degree does not reach the service headquarters on time.

Application Fee and Exemptions

The application fee is Rs. 200. Women, SC and ST candidates, and wards of serving or retired JCOs, NCOs and ORs as defined in the notification, are exempt. The fee is not refunded. Eligibility Checklist Before You Apply

1. Match your date of birth to each window: Use the date on your matriculation certificate and check it against every academy you plan to list.

2. Check the subject rule for INA and AFA: INA needs an engineering degree, and AFA needs Physics and Maths at 10+2 or an engineering degree.

3. Confirm your result timeline: If you are in the final year, make sure your degree will be complete before the earliest deadline among your choices.

4. Check marital status and height: Both are verified later, and a mismatch ends your candidature at a late stage.

5. Decide your academy order: List every academy you are eligible for and would accept, because you cannot add or reorder them after submission.

Always verify eligibility against the latest notification on upsc.gov.in.