The Union Public Service Commission will conduct the Combined Defence Service Examination (CDS)on 3rd February 2019, Sunday. The examination is conducted for young unmarried men for recruitment into the Indian Military Academy, Officers Training Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Indian Air Force Academy for Permanent Commission and for unmarried men and women for Short Service Commission through Officers training Academy.

The competitive examination comprises of a written examination and a personality test.

The written examination comprises of three papers of two hours duration and a maximum score of 100 marks each. For Admission to Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Air Force Academy the candidates will have to appear for English, General Knowledge and a paper based on Elementary Mathematics. Those candidates who have applied only for Short Service Commission through admission to Officers Training academy are exempted from appearing in the paper on Elementary Mathematics.

Those who qualify the examination will have to appear for interview before the Service Selection Board (SSB) in the respective service where the candidate’s qualities will be accessed. The procedures at the SSB will consist of two phases. The first phase is screening in which a verbal-nonverbal test and Picture Perception and Discussion Test (PPDT) tests are conducted. This is commonly called screening. After the screening test, the selected candidates will be subjected to further tests. The second phase includes psychological test, group task and a personal interview followed by the conference.

Those who successfully clear both the phases are recommended for recruitment to respective services and will have to undergo a complete medical examination.

The names of the candidates who clear the medical examination are considered in their merit order (the marks scored for CDSE examination and the score of SSB) and considering the available vacancies a merit list is released by the UPSC. Those candidates who find their place in the list are inducted in to the academies.