Combined Defence Services- CDS.

•The Combined Defence Services (CDS) examination is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) of India to recruit officers for the Indian Military Academy (IMA) Indian Naval Academy (INA) Officers Training Academy (OTA) and Air Force Academy (AFA).. It is a prestigious gateway for those aspiring to serve in the Indian Armed Forces.

Eligibility for CDS examination-
The eligibility for the Combined Defence Services CDA typically includes nationality, age limit, educational qualification and physical standards.

•Educational qualifications generally require a bachelor’s degree from a recognized University, for Air Force Academy (AFA) and Indian Naval Academy(INA) aspirants must have PCM (Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics) in their intermediate.

•The age limit of the aspirant must be 19.5 – 24 years.

PHYSICAL STANDARD FOR CDS

•Height- For Indian Military Academy (IMA) and Officers Training Academy(OTA) the minimum height requirement is usually around 157 cm for men.

For Air Force Academy (AFA) the minimum height requirement is typically around 162.5 cm for men.

•Weight- The weight should be proportionate to the height and age for all academics.

•Vision- The vision standards vary slightly for each academy but candidates generally need to have a minimum of 6/6 vision in one eye and 6/9 in the other, without correction.

PATTERN AND SYLLABUS OF CDS
The design and syllabus of the Combined Defence Services (CDS) test may differ slightly according on the branch you are applying for.

Here is the general overview

•Written Examination: There will be Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) and the exam is conducted in offline mode that duration for each paper is 2 hours.

•The first paper will be English with the duration of 2 hours and it carries 120 questions, each question carries .83 mark and the deduction for the negative marking will be .27

• The second paper will be General Studies with the duration of 2 hours and it carries 120 questions, each question carries .83 marks and the deduction for the negative marking will be .27

•The third paper will be Mathematics it carries 100 questions, each question carries 1 mark with a time duration of 2 hours and there will be negative marking of .33

The SSB interview process typically spans five days and involves various tests and assessments to evaluate a candidate’s suitability for officer positions in the Indian Armed Forces.

Here’s an overview:

•Day 1 – Screening Test:
Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) Test: This assesses verbal and non-verbal reasoning abilities.
Picture Perception & Description Test (PP&DT): Candidates are shown a picture and asked to write a story based on it.

•Day 2 – Psychological Tests:
Thematic Apperception Test (TAT): Candidates write stories based on a series of ambiguous pictures.
Word Association Test (WAT): Candidates write the first word that comes to mind in response to a stimulus word.
Situation Reaction Test (SRT): Candidates respond to hypothetical situations with appropriate actions.
Self-Description Test (SD): Candidates write about themselves based on various prompts.

•Day 3 & 4 – Group Testing:
Group Discussion (GD): Candidates participate in a group discussion on a given topic.
Group Planning Exercise (GPE): Candidates solve a group task requiring planning and decision-making.
Progressive Group Task (PGT): Candidates tackle a series of obstacles as a group.
Half Group Task (HGT): Similar to PGT but conducted with half the group.
Individual Obstacles: Candidates attempt various physical obstacles individually.
Command Task: Candidates take turns leading a small group to complete a task.

•Day 5 – Personal Interview:
Candidates face a personal interview with the SSB board where they are asked questions about their background, aspirations, opinions, and experiences.

Shield Defence Academy

Shield Defence Academy typically offers a comprehensive preparation program for the Combined Defence Services (CDS)

Facilities provided by Shield Defence Academy are:

• Experienced Faculty: We offer trained experts, highly experience and well qualified faculties with 12 to 15 years of experience in their respective fields.

•Comprehensive Study Material: Shield provides access to study materials, books and resources specifically designed for CDS preparation in a very trouble- free manner which will further help students in solving questions easily.

•Mock tests and Practice: Weekly mock test on CDS pattern which help student to build confidence so that they can overcome the phobia of exams and as well as student familiarize themselves with the pattern and time management skills.

• Physical Training: Since CDS also includes a physical fitness test, Shield Defence Academy prepares the aspirant for physical training sessions to help aspirants prepare for the aspect of examination.

•Personalized Attention: Individual attention and doubt clearing sessions to address this specific needs of the students it will benefit every scholar to pace up with each other.

Tips and tricks for students appearing for the CDS examination

•Understanding the exam pattern: Familiarize yourself with the exam pattern including the number of questions, marking scheme and the duration of the exam section.

•Time management: Practice time management during preparation in the exam allocate time for each section and try to stick to it during the practice session.

•Subject wise preparation: Identify your strengths and weakness and divide your time according to focus on each subject like English General Knowledge and Mathematics.

•Mock tests and previous years papers: Solve mock tests and previous year questions to understand the exam pattern and to improve your speed and accuracy.

•Revision strategy: Regularly revise the topic you have studied to ensure better command and retention, create precise notes for quick revision before exam.

•Stay updated with Current Affairs: Keep yourself with current affairs specially areas related to defence, politics, economy and International events, read newspapers and magazines for more comprehension skills.

•Healthy lifestyle: Maintain a healthy lifestyle with proper diet, exercise and sufficient sleep to stay focused energized during the exam.

•Stay confident and positive: Believe in yourself and stay confident throughout the preparation and exam, maintain a positive attitude and manage stress effectively.