Education and Career Forum

Dear sir
I am Karan Varma. I passed 10+2, after that now I am pursuing Diploma in Mechanical Engineering 2nd year. I want to appear in CDS entrance exam. please tell me that I am eligible in CDS entrance ?.please guide me.

No, you are not eligible to appear in CDS (Combined Defense Services) Examination being a Diploma Mechanical Engineering 1st year student. Since the basic educational qualification required to be eligible for CDS Examination is "Graduation" Or "Bachelor Degree" From a recognized university you are not Eligible to apply for CDS Exam being a Diploma graduate. Diploma qualification is considered as an undergraduate course which is not at all equivalent to 'Graduation'.

If your age is below 19 years, you can apply for NDA (National Defense Academy and Naval Academy) on 12th class basis. Yes, since you have already passed 12th class and if your age is in 16.5 to 19 years limit then you are certainly eligible to give NDA Exam. You can even join "Air Force", "Naval Wings" and "Army Wing" of NDA through this exam also. Right now you have two options, first is if your age is in the prescribed age limits (16.5-19) then you can apply for NDA & NA Exam otherwise I suggest you to complete Diploma and then B.Tech/ B.E to be treated as a Graduate and to be eligible for CDS Examination.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Dear sir
I am Karan Varma. I passed 10+2, after that now I am pursuing Diploma in Mechanical Engineering 2nd year. I want to appear in CDS entrance exam. please tell me that I am eligible in CDS entrance ?.please guide me.

No, you are not eligible for CDS exam because you have completed diploma course only.

CDS stands for Combined Defence Service exam.

Eligibility criteria:-

Indian naval academy: You should have completed engineering graduation or B.Sc with physics, mathematics subjects from a recognized university.

Indian Air force academy: You should have completed engineering graduation or B.Sc with physics, mathematics from a recognized university.

Indian Military academy: You should have completed graduation in any stream from a recognized university.

Officers Training Academy: You should have completed graduation in any stream from a recognized university.

Age Criteria:-

Indian Military Academy: - 19-24 years
Air Force Academy: - 19-23 years
Naval Academy: - 19-22 years
Officer's Training Academy: - 19-25 years

CDS Important Dates

Notification Date: 8 November, 2014

Last Date to Apply: 5 December, 2014

CDS Exam Date: 15 February, 2015 (Sunday)

No dear You don't have the eligibility criteria to apply for CDS Examination with Diploma in Mechanical Engineering. Through CDS you can for below three wings and they are namely

1.Indian Army ( 19 to 24 years )

2.Indian Navy (19 to 22 years )

3.Indian Air Force ( 19 to 23 years)

Actually Diploma is not equivalent to graduation so you are not eligible to apply for CDS. Only the candidates who have the graduation as their Qualification can only be eligible to apply.

Each wing has it's own Eligibility criteria.

Indian Army : Any graduation degree from the recognized university

Indian Navy and Indian Air Force : B.Sc with Maths, Physics and Chemistry are the one of the subjects in their graduation level.

So hope this information will be useful for you.

You can apply for the NDA exam conducted by UPSC to get into the Indian Army with your 10+2 level degree.You can apply for the NDA exam only when you satisfy the age criteria for the exam. The age limit to APPLY FOR the exam is from 16.5 years to 19 years.

NDA stands for National Defense Academy.It has three wings;

Indian Military Academy.

Indian Naval Academy.

Indian Air Force Academy.

The eligibility criteria for NDA exam are as under:-

-The candidate must be a citizen of India.

-Only unmarried male candidate can apply for the exam.

-The qualification required to join NDA is 12th class of 10+2 education system from a recognized board for Indian Military Academy and 10+2 with Physics,Chemistry and Mathematics for Indian Naval Academy and Indian Air Force Academy.

-The selection process involves

*Written Examination

* Personal Interview by Service Selection Board

-The candidate should be physically fit as per the Physical Standards required to join NDA.


Another way to get into the Indian Army is through CDS(Combined Defense Services)exam.

The eligibility criteria for CDS exam are as under:-

-The candidate must be an Indian.

-The candidate must posses a graduation degree in any discipline from a recognized university for Indian Military Academy/Officer's Training Academy,Bachelor of Engineering for Indian Naval Academy and 10+2 level degree with Physics and Mathematics or Bachelor of Engineering for Indian Air Force Academy.

-The candidate required age limit to apply for the CDS exam are

Indian Military Academy- 19 years to 24 years

Indian Naval Academy-19 years to 22 years

Indian Air Force Academy-19 years to 23 years

Officer's Training Academy-19 years to 25 years

-The candidate should be physically fit as per the Physical Standards for admission to CDS exam.

-The exam process involves

*Written Exam

*Interview by Services Selection Board.

With Diploma as qualification , No one is eligible to appear for the CDS exam .

** Minimum qualification required for the CDS exam is Graduation . So , you should complete graduation and then you can apply for the cds exam to join in defence services.


To join in navy through cds exam , age shouldbe in between 19-22 years
To join in airforce through cds exam , age shouldbe in between 19-23 years
To join in Army throough cds exam , age shouldbe in between 19-24 years
You shouldbe a citizen of india
you shouldbe an unmarried candidate



Selection process is ,

~ written exam
~ ssb interview
~ medical test