CDS-I 2024 Eligibility Criteria

CDS-I 2024 Eligibility Criteria

If you are going to appear for the CDS 2024  exam, you must be aware of the CDS 2023 Eligibility criteria. The eligibility criteria is based on the following factors:

• Nationality Criteria
• Age Limit Criteria
• Educational Qualification Criteria
• Marital Status Criteria

CDS 2024 Eligibility Criteria: Nationality

A CDS 2024  candidate must be unmarried and must either be:

(i) a Citizen of India, or 

(ii) a subject of Nepal, or 

(iii) 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. 

Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (ii) and (iii) above shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.

Certificate of eligibility will, however, not be necessary in the case of candidates who are Gorkha subjects of Nepal. A candidate in whose case a certificate of eligibility is necessary, may be admitted to the examination provisionally subject to the necessary certificate being given to him/her by the Govt. before declaration of result by UPSC. 

CDS 2024 Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit

The official CDS 2024 notification PDF provides comprehensive information on age limits, as elaborated below.

For IMA:

• Unmarried male candidates eligible if born between 2nd January 2001 and 1st January 2006.

For Indian Naval Academy:

• Unmarried male candidates eligible if born between 2nd January 2001 and 1st January 2006.

For Air Force Academy:

• Age range: 20 to 24 years as of 1st January 2025.
• Eligible candidates born between 2nd January 2001 and 1st January 2005.

CDS 2024 Eligibility Criteria: Marital Status

The Eligibility Criteria for CDS 2024 Exam on the basis of marital status:

Indian Military Academy (IMA) and Indian Naval Academy (INA):

• Only unmarried males are eligible to apply.

Indian Air Force Academy:

• Both married and unmarried males can apply.
• Marriage during the training period is not permitted.

Officer Training Academy (OTA):

• Unmarried males and females eligible to apply.

CDS 2024 Eligibility Criteria: Educational Qualification

As per the official notification, there is some educational qualification criteria for CDS 2024 Exam: 

Indian Military Academy (I.M.A.) and Officers' Training Academy:

• Graduation degree required from a recognized University or equivalent.
• Any subject is acceptable.

Indian Naval Academy:

• Graduation in Engineering is mandatory.
• Recognized University/Institution should award the degree.

Air Force Academy:

• Bachelor's degree required from a recognized University.
• Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level for non-Engineering graduates.
• Bachelor of Engineering for Engineering graduates.