No.F.8/2/2024.E.I(B)—Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2025 will be conducted by the Union Public Service Commission on 13th April, 2025 for admission to the under mentioned wings :—

Age Limits, Sex, and Marital Status 

(i) For IMA—Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 2nd JAN, 2002 and not later than 1st JAN, 2007 only are eligible.

(ii) For Indian Naval Academy—Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 2nd JAN, 2002 and not later than 1st JAN, 2007 only are eligible.

(iii) For Air Force Academy—

Age : 20 to 24 years as on 1st January, 2026 i.e. born not earlier than 2nd January, 2002 and not later than 1st Jan, 2006 (Upper age limit for candidates holding valid and current Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA (India) is relaxable upto 26 yrs. i.e. born not earlier than 2nd Jan, 2000 and not later than 1st Jan, 2006 only are eligible.

Note: Candidate below 25 years of age must be unmarried. Marriage is not permitted during training. Married candidates above 25 years of age are eligible to apply but during training period they will neither be provided married accommodation nor can they live with family out of the premises.

(iv) For Officers’ Training Academy—(SSC Course for men) unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 2nd January, 2001 and not later than 1st Jan, 2007 only are eligible.

(v) For Officers’ Training Academy—(SSC Women Non-Technical Course) Unmarried women, issueless widows who have not remarried and issueless divorcees (in possession of divorce documents) who have not remarried are eligible. They should have been born not earlier than 2nd Jan, 2001 and not later than 1st Jan, 2007.

NOTE : Male divorcee/widower candidates cannot be treated as unmarried male for the purpose of their admission in IMA/INA/AFA/OTA, Chennai courses and accordingly they are not eligible for these courses.

The date of birth accepted by the Commission is that entered in the Matriculation/Secondary School Examination Certificate or in a certificate recognised by an Indian University as equivalent to Matriculation or in an extract from a Register of Matriculates maintained by a University, which extract must be certified by the proper authority of the University or in the Matriculation/Secondary School Examination or an equivalent examination certificate. These certificates are required to be submitted only after the declaration of the result of the written part of the examination. No other document relating to age like horoscopes, affidavits, birth extracts from Municipal Corporation, service records and the like will be accepted. The expression Matriculation/Secondary School Examination Certificate in this part of the instruction includes the alternative certificates mentioned above.

Educational Qualifications 

(i) For I.M.A. and Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai — Degree of a recognised University or equivalent.

(ii) For Indian Naval Academy— Degree in Engineering from a recognised University/Institution

(iii) For Air Force Academy—Degree of a recognised University (with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level) or Bachelor of Engineering.

Graduates with first choice as Army/Navy/Air Force are to submit proof of Graduation/provisional certificates on the date of commencement of the SSB Interview at the SSB.

Candidates who are studying in the final year/semester Degree course and have yet to pass the final year degree examination can also apply provided candidate should not have any present backlog upto the last semester / year for which results have been declared upto the time of submission of application and they will be required to submit proof of passing the degree examination at the time of commencement of course to reach the IHQ of MoD (Army), Rtg ‘A’, CDSE Entry, West Block III, R. K. Puram, New Delhi-110066 in case of IMA/SSC first choice candidates and Naval HQ “DMPR” (OI & R Section), Room No. 204, ‘C’ Wing, Sena Bhawan, New Delhi-110011 in case of Navy first choice candidates Dte of Personnel (Offrs), Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi110001. Phone No. 23010231 Extn. 7645/7646/7610 in case of Air Force first choice candidates by the following dates failing which their candidature will stand cancelled :

(i) For admission to IMA on or before 1st Jan, 2026, Indian Naval Academy on or before 1st Jan, 2026 and Air Force Academy on or before 13th November, 2025.

(ii) For admission to Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai on or before 1st April, 2025.

Physical Standards 

Candidates must be physically fit according to physical standards for admission to Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2025 as per guidelines given in Appendix -IV

FEE 

Candidates (excepting Female/SC/ST candidates who are exempted from payment of fee) are required to pay a fee of Rs. 200/- (Rupees Two Hundred Only) either by remitting the money in any Branch of SBI by cash, or by using Visa/Master/Rupay Credit/Debit Card/UPI Payment or by using internet banking facility of any Bank.

NOTE : Applicants who opt for “Pay by Cash” mode should print the system generated Pay in-slip during Part-II registration and deposit the fee at the counter of SBI Branch on the next working day only. “Pay by Cash” mode option will be deactivated at 11:59 PM of 30.12.2024 i.e. one day before the closing date. However, applicants who have generated their Pay-in slip before it is de-activated may pay at the counter of SBI Branch during banking hours on the closing date. Such applicants who are unable to pay by cash on the closing date i.e. during banking hours at SBI Branch, for reason whatsoever, even if holding a valid Pay-in-Slip will have no other offline option but to opt for online Debit/Credit Card/UPI Payment or internet Banking Payment mode on the closing date i.e. till 6:00 PM of 31.12.2024.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER