About CDSE 2012
Purpose:
UPSC conducts the Combined Defence Services Examination (CDSE) twice every year for the recruitment of officers in Army, Air Force and Navy. Candidates qualifying the written test are interviewed by the Service Selection Board and if finally selected, depending upon their preference and position in the merit list, are sent to one of the following institutes for orientation training: –
(a) Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun
(b) Naval Academy, Goa
(c) Air Force Academy, Begumpet, Hyderabad
(d) Officers Training Academy, Chennai
Those joining the first three institutes get permanent commission, however cadets passing out of OTA get short service commission. Applicants are required to mention their preferences while filling up the application forms.
Eligibility:
Applicants for IMA, Naval Academy and Air Force Academy must be unmarried males in the age group 18-23 years, 20-23 years and 21-23 years, as on 1st July of the year of examination, respectively. Married applicants, in the age group of 17-24 years are also eligible for OTA. Bachelor’s degree in any discipline is the minimum qualification for appearing in CDSE. However, applicants for Naval Academy must have physics and mathematics at the graduation level or a bachelor’s degree in engineering. In addition there are some prescribed physical standards for taking the CDS examination, details of which are available in the advertisement published by the Employment News.
Pattern:
The examination includes a written test, and those who qualify the written test are called for interview by the Service Selection Boards. The written test comprises of three papers of 2 hours duration each. The first paper is on English and second and third is on general knowledge and elementary mathematics respectively. However those seeking admission in OTA, are exempted from taking the paper on elementary mathematics. Various concessions, like reservation in posts, are available for NCC cadets appearing in the exam.
Those who qualify the written test, undergo a series of intelligence and personality tests. The tests, both verbal and non-verbal, are designed not only to judge the mental caliber of the candidate but also to assess his social traits and interest in current affairs.
The exam is notified by UPSC in leading newspapers and Employment New in the mont of May/June and November/ December and the examination is held twice in May and October. A candidate seeking admission to the examination must apply to the Secretary, UPSC, New Delhi on prescribed application form. The application forms are available on payment of Rs 20 from any of the designated post office throughout the country. The examination is held in over 40 centres spread all of the country. Names of centres and such other details about the examination are published in the Employment News.
