Education and Career Forum

Sir/Mam,

Pls inform me about the required percentage in graduation(B.COM) for CDS...... for all the three level( ARMY, NAVY AND AIR FORCE)? Can someone please give me the complete information on the same as soon as possible to me? Awaiting for the quick reply!

Minimum Percentage Required in Graduation to be eligible for CDS Exam:

>> Candidates are requested to notice that "There is no certain minimum percentage is required" in order to be eligible for giving Combined Defense Services Examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission.

>> Yes, Candidates who have successfully completed their Graduation from a recognized university are certainly eligible to give this CDS Examination.

Minimum Educational Qualification Required:

As far as my knowledge is concerned, you are Eligible to appear for Only Indian Military and Officer Training Academy cadres only and not eligible for Air Force Academy and Naval Academy. Here is the detailed educational qualification required.

* For Naval Academy - NOT Eligible - B.Sc with Physics and Mathematics (Or) Bachelor of Engineering is required

* For Air Force Academy - NOT Eligible - B.Sc with Physics and or Mathematics (Or) Bachelor of Engineering is required

* For Indian Military Academy & Officer Training Academy - ELIGIBLE - Degree of a recognized university or its equivalent

CDS is the Combined Defense Services and the entrance exam is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for recruitment of candidates in different academies and wings of defense like:

1. Indian Military Academy.

>>Bachelor's degree from a recognized university. Final year candidates can also apply.

>>Age limit: 19-24 years.

2. Officer's training academy.

>>Graduation in any discipline from a recognized university or its equivalent.

>>Age limit: 19-25 years.

3. Indian Naval Academy.

>>Bachelor of science with Physics and Mathematics or bachelor's degree in engineering.

>>Age limit: 19-22 years.

4. Air Force Training academy.

>>Bachelor's degree in Physics or Mathematics or bachelor of engineering. The age limit is 19-23 years.

So there is no such percentage criteria defined by the commission in bachelor's degree to be eligible for CDS exam. If you have passed the bachelor's degree and you do not have any pending backlogs, you can apply for the exam.

For any more queries regarding CDS exam Click here .

There is no such percentage criteria mentioned by the UPSC for Combined defense services in bachelor's degree. A bachelor's degree candidate who has cleared all the papers of graduation can apply for the exam, he/she should have no pending backlogs.

Being a bachelor of commerce candidate, you are only eligible for the Indian Military academy and Officer's training academy because for these two academies bachelor's degree in any discipline is required to be eligible.

For Navy and Airforce, a candidate must have done bachelor's degree in science with Physics or Mathematics or bachelor's degree in engineering. The age limit for the IMA is 19-24 years and for OTA is 19-25 years.

Examination pattern:

Written test.

Service Selection Board.

If you have some more query, visit the official website of UPSC www.upsc.gov.in.

There is not any percentage criteria specified by UPSC to apply for CDS exam .

UPSC conducts CDSE(Combined Defense Services Exam) twice a year to make recruitment in different wings of Indian Army.

The eligibility criteria for CDS exam are as under:-

- Nationality : Indian.

- Educational Qualification:

Indian Military Academy/Officer's Training Academy-Graduation in any discipline.

Indian Naval Academy-Bachelor of Engineering.

Indian Air Force Academy-10+2 level degree with Physics and Mathematics or Bachelor of Engineering.

-Age limit:

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.


-Selection Procedure:

*Written Exam

*Interview by Services Selection Board.


-Exam Pattern:

English – 100 marks

General Knowledge – 100 marks

Elementary mathematics – 100 marks

CDSE is conducted by the UPSC twice a year in the month of February and October for the recruitment of officers in the defence forces.

The eligibility criteria for the same is as follows :

* The candidate should be a citizen of India.

* The candidate should be mentally and physically fit.

* The candidate should have done the graduation under the scheme of 10+2+3 at least from a recognized university.

* The minimum age for appearing is 21 years at least.

You can appear in the examination right from the final year of your graduation degree.

There is no percentage limit in graduation to apply for CDS exam.

Age Limit :

19-24 Years : Indian Military Academy
19-22 Years : Naval Academy
19-23 Years : Air Force Academy
19-25 Years : Officers’ Training Academy

Educational Qualifications:

For Indian Army : Candidate must have completed any graduation degree from any recognised university.
For Naval Academy : Candidate must have completed graduation with Physics and Mathematics from any recognised university.
For Air Force Academy : Candidate must have completed graduation with Physics and Mathematics from any recognised university.

For more details please visit : http://upsc.gov.in/general/cds.htm

No, there is no limitations on the aggregate to appear for the CDS examination. The CDS examination is conducted by UPSC twice every year for the recruitment of the candidates in the IAF, IMA, Navy Academy and the OTA.

The eligibility to appear for the different vary on the basis of the disciplien. So as you are graduate in the Commerce you are not eligible to appear for the Air Force, Navy and only eligible for the Military and the Officer's Training Academy.

The eligibility to appear for the IMF and OTA is candidates age must be between the 19-24 years and graduation in any discipline. For the Military Academy the written examination is of 300 marks whereas 200 for the OTA. After qualifying in the examination you are eligible for the SSB considered as second and final stage for the final recruitment.

No percentage criteria is required to appear in CDS examination. The CDS examination is conducted by UPSC twice a yaer for candidates who are interested to join in Indian Army, Navy and Air Force wings. Eligibility criteria required to appear in CDS examination is mentioned below :-

1. You must be a citizen of India.

2. Educational Qualification :-
--> For Indian Military Academy (IMA) :- You must have completed Graduation degree or equivalent from a recognised university.
--> For Indian Naval Academy :- You must have completed Graduation degree in Engineering from a recognised university.
--> Indian Air Force Academy :- You must have completed Graduation degree from a recognised university with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level.

3. Age Limit :-
--> Indian Military Academy :- 19-24 years
--> Air Force Academy :- 19-24 years
--> Naval Academy :- 19-22 years
--> Officers’ Training Academy :- 19-25 years

4. Only Unmarried Male candidates are eligible to apply for Indian Military Academy and Indian Naval Academy.

5. You must be Physically fit as per physical standards mentioned in UPSC CDS examination.

CDS i.e Combined Defence Service Examination is conducted by UPSC twice in a year for admission to Indian Air Force, Naval Academy, Military Academy and Officer Training Academy. The examination will be conducted in the month of February and September. The exam notification will be published in the month of December or January in the official website of UPSC as well as employment newspaper.

Naval Academy: The candidate should have completed degree course in any discipline from a recognized university or equivalent qualification. The candidate must have attained the age of 19 years and must not have attained the age of 22 years. No upper age limits are applicable for reserved categories. There are no percentage to apply for CDS examination.

Air Force Academy: The candidate should have completed degree course with Mathematics at Intermediate level from a recognized university or equivalent qualification. The candidate must have attained the age of 19 years and must not have attained the age of 23 years. No upper age limits are applicable for reserved categories. There are no percentage to apply for CDS examination.

Military Academy: The candidate should have completed degree course in any discipline from a recognized university or equivalent qualification. The candidate must have attained the age of 19 years and must not have attained the age of 24 years. No upper age limits are applicable for reserved categories. There are no percentage to apply for CDS examination.

As you are bachelor of commerce candidate, you can apply for the Combined Defense Services examination but if you clear the written test and Service Selection Board, you will be eligible to join Indian Military academy and Officer's training academy. You can apply for the exam with passing percentage of marks also.


Due to the fact that for IMA and OTA, bachelor' degree in any discipline from a recognized university is required to apply for this exam. You can not apply for the INA or AFA.

The age limit for IMA is 19-24 years and for OTA is 19-25 years.

CDS stands for Combined defence services examination which is conducted by Union public service commission (UPSC) for the recruitment of Army, Navy and Air force.

There is no specific percentage required in graduation to be eligible for applying CDS examination. One has to pass the graduation is the minimum criteria.

For Army the minimum educational qualification is that the candidate must have passed graduation in any stream from a recognized university.

For Naval academy the minimum educational qualification is that the candidate must have passed bachelor of Engineering or B.Sc with physics and mathematics.

For Air force academy the minimum educational requirement is that the candidate must have passed Bachelor of engineering or B.Sc with physics and/or Mathematics from a recognized university.

The official website is http://upsc.gov.in/general/cds.htm

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Sir/Mam,

Pls inform me about the required percentage in graduation(B.COM) for CDS...... for all the three level( ARMY, NAVY AND AIR FORCE)? Can someone please give me the complete information on the same as soon as possible to me? Awaiting for the quick reply!

CDS stands for Combined Defence Service exam.

CDS exam doesn't require any percentage criteria in graduation degree.

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 exam books:-

Pathfinder CDS: Combined Defence Services Entrance Examination
by Sanjeev Jain, Amit Rastogi, Atul Sharma, Digvijay Singh, Preeti Gupta, Prashant Kumar, Balmukud Singh
Publisher: Arihant Publications

CDS Combined Defence Services Examination: 10 Practice Sets
by Expert Compilations
Publisher: Arihant Publications

CDS Exam Guide: Combined Defence Services Exam
Author: Datason Rp
Publisher: New Light Publishers

Sir i can complete my graduation with b. Sc non medical and, i get 56% in aggregate can i eligible for CDS