The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the official notification for Combined Defence Services (CDS) I Examination 2025. This year, applications have been invited for a total of 457 posts in the UPSC CDS I exam. This is an important opportunity for candidates who dream of becoming an officer in the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force and sarkari jobs. If you also want to join these prestigious services, then in this article we will discuss in detail about the UPSC CDS Recruitment 2025, exam schedule, application process, eligibility criteria and other important information.
Table of Contents
UPSC Combined Defence Services (CDS) I Exam 2025: Exam Schedule
The process of b will be completely online. Candidates will be selected for recruitment to the post of Officers in the Indian Army. The schedule of the CDS exam to be conducted for recruitment to 457 posts is as follows:
- The beginning of the application process: The application process for b will begin in the first week of January 2025. Candidates can apply online through the official site of UPSC on upsc.gov.in.
- Last date of application: The last date of application will be by the third week of February 2025. Applicants must complete the online application process in a timely manner.
- Correction in Application Form (Optional) Candidates will get an opportunity to correct the application form if there is any error in it. This opportunity will be provided in March 2025.
- Admit Cards: UPSC CDS I Download Admit Card 2025 will be issued by UPSC approximately 3 weeks prior to the examination. Candidates have to visit the UPSC website to download the admit card.
- Date of Examination: UPSC CDS I Examination 2025 will be conducted in the last week of February 2025. The exam will be conducted at various test centres across the country.
- Answer Key and Result: After the exam, UPSC will release the answer key on the official website. The exam results are likely to be declared by the end of March 2025.

UPSC CDS I Exam 2025: Details of the posts
UPSC CDS First Notification 2025 has released for a total of 457 vacancies. These positions are available in the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force. Details of the posts are as follows:
Indian Army
- Total number of posts: 175
- These posts are available to become an officer in various branches of the Indian Army. Candidates will have to perform various technical and administrative responsibilities in this branch.
The Indian Navy
- Total number of posts: 120
- Candidates will get an opportunity to work as an officer in various departments of the Navy. This includes the responsibilities of maritime security, naval engineering, and naval staff.
Indian Air Force (IAF)
- Total number of posts: 162
- For the Air Force, candidates will be appointed as pilots, technical officers and other responsibilities. These positions will be part of a high standard and challenging work system.
UPSC CDS I Exam 2025: Eligibility Criteria
To apply in UPSC CDS I Exam 2025, candidates have to follow certain eligibility criteria. These criteria include educational qualification, age limit, physical standards and other requirements.
Educational Qualification:
- Indian Army: The candidate should have a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline. There is no specific educational qualification required for the Indian Army, and any graduate candidate can apply for this post.
- Indian Navy: Candidate should have a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering (B.Tech/B.E.) from a recognized University. In addition, the candidate must have experience in the relevant field.
- Indian Air Force: Candidate may require a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university along with experience in pilot and technical fields. Additional physical and mental health standards are also set for Air Force positions.
The age limit:
The age limit for UPSC CDS I Exam 2025 is as follows:
- Indian Army: The age of the candidate should be between 2nd January 1997 and 1st January 2002. That is, the age of the candidate should be between 20 to 24 years.
- Indian Navy and Indian Air Force: The age of the candidate should be between 2nd January 1997 and 1st January 2002, which is between 20 to 22 years.
The physical standards:
Candidates are required to follow the physical standard in order to appear for the UPSC CDS I exam. The candidates will be checked for their height, weight, eye sight and other physical parameters. There are different physical standards for each service, which require candidates to be fully fit.
UPSC CDS I Exam 2025: How to apply
The application process for UPSC CDS I Exam 2025 will be completely online. Candidates have to go to the official website of UPSC. The application process takes place in the following stages:
- Fill in the online application form: First of all, candidates have to go to the official website of UPSC and click on the link “CDS I Exam 2025.” Then the candidate has to fill in the information required to fill the application form such as personal details, educational qualifications and other information.
- Upload documents: Along with the application form, candidates will have to upload their passport size photograph, signature and other required documents.
- Application Fee: Candidates are required to pay the application fee through online mode. The application fee for general category candidates is Rs 200, while it is exempted for SC / ST / female candidates.
- Submit the application form: After filling the application form, candidates have to submit it and get a printout of the application form.
UPSC CDS I Exam 2025: Selection Process
The selection of candidates in UPSC CDS I exam will be done in three major stages:
- The written exam: will be mainly based on general knowledge, English and related subjects. This exam will be mandatory for all the candidates.
- SSB Interview: Candidates who qualify the written exam will be called for the SSB Interview. In this phase, the mental and physical skills of the candidates will be assessed. Apart from this, the candidates’ leadership qualities, physical fitness and morale will also be tested.
- Document Verification: The documents of the successful candidates will be verified in the interview. It will be ensured that all the documents submitted by the candidate are correct and valid.
UPSC CDS I Exam 2025: Salary and Benefits
Candidates selected in UPSC CDS I Exam 2025 will be appointed as Officers in the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force. These officers will receive the following salaries and benefits:
- Salary: The selected candidates will get a salary of Rs 56,100 to Rs 1,77,500 in Pay Band-3.
- Other Allowances: Selected candidates will receive house allowance, travel allowance, medical facility, and other government benefits.
- Pension Scheme: Candidates will also get the benefit of government pension scheme, which they will be able to take advantage of even after their career.
Conclusion
The UPSC Combined Defence Services (CDS) I Exam 2025 is a great opportunity for candidates who dream of becoming an officer in the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force. A total of 457 posts will be recruited through this exam, which provides an important opportunity to serve the country. If you also want to appear in this prestigious exam, then go to the official website of UPSC and complete the application process and take advantage of this golden opportunity.
All interested candidates are requested to read all the information related to UPSC CDS I Exam 2025 carefully and complete the application process in time.
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