CDS 2020: UPSC has released e-admit card for the CDS 2 2020 exam at the official website, upsc.gov.in. Registered candidates can download their admit card and take a print out of the same. UPSC is all set to conduct Combined Defence
Services Examination (II), 2020 at various centers all over India on November 08, 2020. The CDS Selection Process consists of two stages, i.e. Written Test and SSB Interview Round. Scroll down through the article, in order to know more about CDS 2 2020.
Latest: UPSC has issued CDS 2 2020 admit card. Download Here
CDS 2 2020
UPSC emphasizes gender equality and strives hard to ensure that gender balance is reflected through the armed forces. Hence, female candidates are encouraged to apply for the CDS 2020. The Commission conducts the exam twice a year and they are commonly referred to as the CDS 1 and CDS 2 exams. Check the complete schedule of CDS 1 & CDS 2, 2020 in this page.
CDS 2020
| Important Events | CDS 1 2020 | CDS 2 2020 |
| Notification release | 30 Oct 2019 | 05 Aug 2020 |
| Start of online application | 30 Oct 2019 | 05 Aug 2020 |
| Last date to apply | 19 Nov 2019 | 25 Aug 2020 |
| Admit Card issue | 09 Jan – 02 Feb 2020 | 03 weeks before exam |
| Date of CDS exam | 02 Feb 2020 | 08 Nov 2020 |
| Declaration of Result | 23 Mar 2020 | Dec 2020 (tentative) |
CDS 2021
| CDS 2021 Events | CDS 1 2021 | CDS 2 2021 |
| Release of Notification | 28 Oct 2020 | 04 Aug 2021 |
| Start of online application | 28 Oct 2020 | 04 Aug 2021 |
| Last date to apply | 17 Nov 2020 | 24 Aug 2021 |
| CDS 1 Exam date | 07 Feb 2021 | 14 Nov 2021 |
Quick Links
- Application Form
- Mock Test
- Syllabus
- Exam Preparation
- Admit Card
- Previous Year Question Papers
- Answer Key
- Result
Overview of Combined Defence Services
The Combined Defense Services exam is an indirect recruitment method of the Indian Defense Forces conducted by the UPSC. Graduate candidates, meeting other eligibility conditions can apply for the exam which is conducted twice a year. In order to differentiate between the two sessions of the exam, they are commonly referred to as the CDS 1 and CDS 2 exam. We bring to our readers a complete information guide about the CDS 2020 exam. However, before plunging into more intricate details, have a glance of the brief overview of the CDS exam below.
| Name of Exam | Combined Defense Services |
| Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission |
| Year | 2020 |
| Frequency | Twice a year |
| Last Conducted in | 2019 |
| Minimum Eligibility | Graduation |
| Key Stages | Computer Based Test Personal Interview |
| Vacancies | CDS 1: 418 CDS 2: 344 |
| Exam Fees | Rs 200/- |
| Mode of application | Online |
| Mode of exam | Written |
| Official Website | upsc.gov.in |
CDS 2020 Admit Card
Candidates who are eligible are issued the UPSC CDS 2 2020 Admit Card approximately 3 weeks before the exam. Admit card of CDS 2 2020 is only issued online on the website of UPSC. One must be aware that the Commission does not send the admit card to individual candidates by post. The step-wise procedure of downloading the admit card is given here. Once released, candidates can download the admit card by logging in at the official website with the login credentials generated during the online application process for CDS 2 2020.
CDS 2020 Exam Pattern
The Commission conducts a written examination to select the meritorious applicants from the lakhs of applications that are submitted each year. The exam is conducted across India on a national level and it consists of three papers for those who apply for the IMA, INA, and AFA. On the other hand, those who apply for the Officer’s Training Academy have only two papers. We have provided the complete pattern of the exam here in this section below.
- Mode of exam: The CDS 2 exam is conducted in offline mode, i.e. it is a pen-paper based test
- Duration of the exam: For each paper, 02 hours are allowed
- Type of Questions: There are only MCQ type questions.
- Language of questions: The question papers of Elementary Mathematics and General Knowledge are bilingual and available in both Hindi and English.
- Marking Scheme: 0.33 marks are deducted in case of incorrect answer and if candidates give more than one answer.
Check out the paper-wise marks distribution below
For Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Air Force Academy
| Subject | No. of Questions | Marks |
| English | 120 | 100 |
| General Knowledge | 120 | 100 |
| Mathematics | 100 | 100 |
For Officers’ Training Academy
| Subject | No. of Questions | Marks |
| English | 120 | 100 |
| General Knowledge | 120 | 100 |
CDS 2020 Syllabus
The Commission expects the applicants to exhibit knowledge and understanding as per the graduate level. However, the standard of the Mathematics paper is as per matriculation levels. In this context, the Commission publishes the complete syllabus of the exam along with the official notification. Check out the syllabus below.
English
The paper on English consists of topics of comprehension, writing, and grammar. It is designed to test the proficiency in the language and capability of workmanlike use of words.
General Knowledge
The GK papers includes basic general awareness related questions. Candidates are also expected to be versed with recent events, daily life observations, History and Geography and basic science questions that can be answered without special study.
Elementary Mathematics
The Mathematics paper consist of a range of different topics and candidates must focus on the following main areas especially indicated by the Commission.
- Arithmetic
- Algebra
- Trigonometry
- Geometry
- Mensuration
- Statistics
Preparation Tips for CDS 2020
We understand that candidates have their own ways to prepare for the competitive exam. However, despite months of devoted time and efforts, often it becomes hard to crack the CDS exam in one go. As such, we have included some important preparation tips for our readers to follow.
#1. At first, refer to the syllabus and devise a study plan. Count on the time that is left till the exam and leaving the last 1-2 weeks for revision, carefully divide the time to accommodate all subjects.
#2. Make a list of all learning resources needed and collect these as soon as possible. Learning resources can include anything from textbooks to previous year papers, mock tests, solved papers etc.
#3. Prepare from previous year papers as this can help one understand the exam pattern, distribution of marks across sections and identify the topics that are commonly repeated every year.
#4. Solve mock tests to improve time management skills and improve the number of good attempts.
#5. Refer to general knowledge and current affairs books and magazines to remain updated.
#6. Make short notes of whatever is studied and utilize these for revisions during the last few days left for the exam.
How To Build a Preparation Strategy To Crack CDS 2020?
When it comes to developing a robust strategy to prepare for the CDS 2 2020 exam, peer review and suggestions are highly desirable. One must take suggestions from experts including those who have already cracked, appeared, or even attempted the exam. With this view in mind, we have compiled a set of peer-reviewed opinions in the form of video releases below.
CDS 2020 Preparation, Books, Strategy, Exam Date, Syllabus by DefenceGyan.com
How to Crack CDS exams in a Go by Defence Direct Education
How to qualify CDS Exam – Experience of a selected student by Major Kalshi Classes
Strategy To Crack CDS Exam | By Sanjay Singh | Ex Army Personnel by Delhi Knowledge Track
CDS 2020 Selection Procedure
Candidates have to clear the written test and SSB interview to get selected for UPSC CDS 2 2020 recruitment. At first, there is a written test, which has to be taken by all candidates. Subsequently, those who clear it are sent for SSB. We have briefly explained each stage here in this section.
1. Written Exam: Details of the written exam are explained under the exam pattern section.
2. SSB Procedure: Procedure of SSB comprises of two stages, candidates who are able to clear the stage I will be sent for stage II.
2a. Stage I has Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) test and Picture Perception* Description Test. The selection of the candidate is done on the basis of their combined performance in PP&DT as well as OIR Test.
2b. Stage II has Psychology Tests, Interview, Conference and Group Testing. All these tests are conducted in 4 days.
Assessment of the candidate’s personality is done by the three different assessors who are Psychologist, Group Testing Officer (GTO), and Interviewing Officer (IO). No separate weightage is given to each test. These tests enable the assessors to know qhat qualities does the candidate have and accordingly they recommend the candidates at SSB.
SSB Interview After CDS 2020 Exam
The interview round is conducted by the Service Selection Board (SSB) of the Ministry of Defence. SSB specifically focuses on evaluating the presence of officer-like qualities in qualifiers of the written test. Candidates have to register themselves again (within 02 weeks from the declaration of written exam result) to appear for an interview. SSB interview round of CDS 2 2020 is conducted for the admission to the following Academy:
- Indian Military Academy, Dehradun 151 (DE) Course Commencing in July 2021
- Air Force Academy, Hyderabad (Pre-Flying) Training Course (210 F(P)) commencing in July 2021
- Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, Kerala, Course commencing in July 2021
- Officer Training Academy, Chennai 114th SSC (Men) (NT) (UPSC) Course commencing in October 2021
- Officers Training Academy, Chennai, 28th SSC Women (Non-Technical) Course commencing in October 2021
How to Prepare for SSB Interview of CDS 2020?
SSB interview is the most lengthy and difficult of all interviews that are conducted for government job exams. SSB interview consists of a total of two rounds i.e. Psychological Aptitude Test and Intelligence Test. Here are some tips that toppers suggest for the preparation of SSB interview:
- Start reading current affairs and newspapers daily. The newspaper contains several articles through which you can practice your TAT and have ideas for stories.
- Practice 20-30 VAT and SRT questions as the time frame to solve this section are quite less.
- Improve your way of thinking by being more realistic. Consider every situation like Situation Reaction Test (SRT), and how you would react to it.
CDS 2020 Answer key
Union Public Service Commission releases the answer key of UPSC CDS 2 2020 examination. The answer releases in the pdf format at the official website, upsc.gov.in. The answer key releases separately for English, General Knowledge, and Maths papers. Candidates can check all the correct answers to all the questions asked in the UPSC CDS 2 2020 exam. They can also use this answer key to calculate the estimated scores.
How To Check CDS 2020 Result?
The Commission releases the result of the CDS 2 2020 exam through the official UPSC website after the completion of the written exam. Subsequently, final results are published after the completion of the Services Selection Board interview. One can easily check the CDS exam result from the official UPSC website. We have included a detailed step by step guide to navigate one’s way through the website and check the result.
Step 1: Open the UPSC website by typing upsc.gov.in at a web browser and pressing enter.
Step 2: Click on “Active Examination”.
Step 3: Click on the relevant link for CDS 2 2020.
Step 4: Now simply click on the link to check the result and it is displayed in the pdf form in a new window.
Step 5: Hit CTRL + F and enter candidate roll number and simply press enter to check if the roll number is shortlisted.
UPSC CDS 2020 Vacancies
Candidates can check below the vacancies for UPSC CDS 2020. The vacancies for both CDS 1 2020 and CDS 2 2020 are provided below.
CDS 1 2020 Vacancy Details
| Name of the Course | Approximate Vacancies |
| Indian Military Academy, Dehradun | 100 |
| Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala | 45 |
| Air Force Academy, Hyderabad | 32 |
| Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai (Madras) | 225 |
| Officers Training Academy, Chennai | 16 |
| Total Vacancies | 418 |
CDS 2 2020 Vacancy Details
| Name of the Course | Approximate Vacancies |
| Indian Military Academy, Dehradun | 100 |
| Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala | 26 |
| Air Force Academy, Hyderabad | 32 |
| Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai (Madras) | 169 |
| Officers Training Academy, Chennai | 17 |
| Total Vacancies | 344 |
CDS 2020 Eligibility Criteria
Before going forward to apply for the CDS 2 2020, one must ensure that they meet all eligibility conditions first. Defense recruitment adopts a strict stance in this context and any candidate whose ineligibility is discovered in the later stages can incur strict punishment. Not only can their candidature be canceled but in extreme cases, they might get barred from re-applying for any defense recruitment in the future. Read about the eligibility conditions to apply for the CDS 2 exam 2020 below.
Age Limit, Gender and Marital Status
In order to be eligible for IMA, candidates must be unmarried males born between the dates of July 02, 1997, and July 01, 2002.
In order to be eligible for Naval Academy, candidates must be unmarried males born between July 02, 1997, and July 01, 2002.
In order to be eligible for Air Force Academy, candidates must be born between July 02, 1997, and July 01, 2001.
In order to be eligible for Officer’s Training Academy (SSC Course for men), candidates must be unmarried males born between July 02, 1996, and July 01, 2002.
In order to be eligible for Officer’s Training Academy (SSC Women Non-Technical Course), candidates must be unmarried females, issueless widows/divorcees born between July 02, 1996, and July 01, 2002.
Educational Qualification
In general, one must be a graduate degree holder to apply for the CDS 2 2020 exam. However, the specific minimum requirement of educational qualification as per different wings of the defense forces can be checked below.
To be eligible for IMA and Officer’s Training Academy, Chennai, candidates must have a degree in any discipline awarded by a recognized university.
To be eligible for the Naval Academy, candidates must have an Engineering graduate degree from a recognized university.
To be eligible for the Air Force Academy, candidates must have a degree from a recognized university along with Physics and Mathematics at a 10+2 level OR a Bachelor degree in engineering.
Physical Standards
One must be physically fit and compliant with the physicals standards included as Appendix in the official CDS 2 2020 notification. The detailed notification can be downloaded from the direct link provided at the end of this page.
CDS 2020 Application Form
One must fulfill all the eligibility norms before proceeding to apply for the CDS 2 exam 2020. After complying with the eligibility conditions, aspirants can apply online through the official website. To make the application process easier, candidates can follow the simple steps below.
Step 1: Visit the official UPSC website and click on the “Active Examination” link.
Step 2: Click on the relevant link for CDS 2 2020 and a new window is automatically opened in the web browser.
Step 3: Click on the link to apply online.
Step 4: At first, complete the registration process by entering functional email id and mobile number.
Step 5: Now complete the CDS 2020 application process by entering all required details and uploading the required documents (photo & signature).
Step 6: Complete the payment of the application fee.
Step 7: After reviewing the information, complete the final submission process.
CDS 2020 Application Fee
The Commission charges a nominal application fee of Rs 200/- from the applicants. The fees must be deposited during the online application process using one of the modes of payment available. However, some category of candidates is exempted from the payment of the fees. Check out the category wise payable fees from the table below.
| Category | Fees |
| Unreserved | Rs 200/- |
| SC/ST/Female | Exempted |
About Combined Defence Service
Combined Defense Service (CDS) is conducted by Union Public Service Commission twice a year. This exam is basically held for the recruitment of Indian Air Force Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Officers Training Academy and Indian Military Academy. UPSC releases the notification of exam in the month of June and October and exam is conducted generally in November and February. Graduates those who are unmarried are allowed to appear in the exam.
Official Website: upsc.gov.in
For more information on UPSC CDS 1 2020, click here to read the notification.
For more information on UPSC CDS 2 2020, click here to read the notification.
Archives
CDS 1 2020
Notice Regarding CDS 1 2020 Admit Card
Official notice regarding the release of the admit card for CDS 1 2020 is issued by the Commission at the official UPSC website. We have provided a snapshot of the same in this section below.
Click here to download detailed notice.
CDS 2020 Exam Frequently Asked Questions
Ans : There are total 418 vacancies available for UPSC CDS 2020.
Ans : The CDS exam is conducted in offline mode i.e. pen-paper based.
Ans : For Indian Military Academy, candidates must have a degree from a recognized university or equivalent. For Indian Naval Academy, candidates should have a degree in Engineering from a recognized university For Air Force Academy, candidates should hold a degree in Bachelor of Engineering from a recognized university and studied Mathematics and Physics in 10+2.
Ans : Those candidates who are selected for CDS gets stipend for training days. They get Rs.21000/- as fixed stipend (this includes Rs.15600/- as pay and Rs.5400/- as grade pay).
Ans : The selection procedure of UPSC CDS exam consists of a written examination, Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) test, PP&DT, Psychology Tests, and Interview.
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