CDS
CDS is the graduate-level route into the armed forces — the Indian Military Academy, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy and Officers' Training Academy. It is the natural next step for a defence aspirant who begins their groundwork at school and continues it through college.
Who can appear
Graduates, or final-year students, who meet the age and academy-specific conditions (the Air Force and Naval academies require an engineering or Physics/Maths background). Like the NDA, it is conducted by the UPSC twice a year and is followed by the SSB interview.
The shape of the syllabus
| Subject / Area | The basic shape of it |
|---|---|
| English | Comprehension, grammar and usage. |
| General knowledge | History, geography, polity, science and current affairs. |
| Elementary mathematics | School-level mathematics (not required for the OTA entry). |
The national picture
Selection follows the same written-exam-plus-SSB-interview process as the NDA, and is similarly competitive — which is why the groundwork for it is worth starting at school, not left until college.
How Exampay prepares you
Aptitude, English & awareness base
Why prepare for CDS with Exampay
The reading habit, awareness and English fluency CDS rewards are built over years, not months. SIP's school-level foundation gives a defence aspirant that runway well before college.