CDS / AFCAT / CAPF

UPSC

UPSC conducts:

• CDS
• CAPF (AC)

UPSC is responsible for the notification, application process, written examination, and merit-related recruitment framework for these exams.

Indian Air Force / AFCAT Portal

The AFCAT process is managed through the AFCAT portal for:

• Notification
• Online application
• Admit card
• Result and related updates

For the latest cycle, always check the live notification on the official portal before relying on any schedule.

1) Nationality

• Indian citizen for CDS, AFCAT, and CAPF (AC)

2) Educational Qualification

• CDS: Graduate
• CDS for AFA: B.Tech
• AFCAT: Graduate with 50% marks
• CAPF (AC): Graduate

3) Age Limit

• CDS: 19–25 years
• AFCAT: 20–26 years
• CAPF (AC): 20–25 years

4) Physical and Medical Requirements

All three exams require candidates to meet the medical and physical standards prescribed by the respective authorities and services.

5) Marital Status Rules

Service-specific rules may apply depending on academy, branch, and training entry. Candidates should follow the official notification for the exact rule applicable to the chosen post.

6) Gender Eligibility

• CDS: Women are eligible for OTA entries as per notification
• AFCAT: Women are eligible as per branch and notification rules
• CAPF (AC): Eligibility follows the official notification and government recruitment rules

Age Relaxation

Reservation is applied as per Government of India norms and the official notification.

Category Reservation

• CDS / AFCAT / CAPF (AC): SC, ST, OBC, and EWS reservation follows central norms where applicable
• CAPF (AC): reserved posts are available for SC, ST, and OBC categories

Horizontal Reservation

• PwBD: applicable only where the post and medical standards permit
• Women: applicable in eligible entries such as CDS OTA and AFCAT, as notified

Important Note

Reservation and eligibility are governed by the latest official notification and the applicable central recruitment rules.

The selection process generally follows:

1. Written Examination

2. SSB / AFSB Interview

3. Medical Examination

4. Final Merit List

Final Merit Logic

• Written exam performance is used for shortlisting.
• Interview performance is crucial in final selection.
• Medical fitness is mandatory for joining.

CDS Written

AFCAT Written

CAPF (AC) Written

English

• Reading comprehension
• Grammar
• Vocabulary
• Sentence correction
• Error spotting
• Fill in the blanks

General Knowledge / Current Affairs

• National and international current affairs
• History
• Geography
• Polity
• Economics
• Defence and security awareness
• Science and technology

Elementary Maths

• Arithmetic
• Percentage
• Ratio and proportion
• Profit and loss
• Time and work
• Time, speed and distance
• Algebra
• Geometry
• Statistics

Reasoning

• Verbal reasoning
• Non-verbal reasoning
• Series
• Analogy
• Coding-decoding
• Direction sense
• Logical deduction

CAPF Essay / Comprehension

• Essay writing on current, social, security, and national issues
• Comprehension passage-based writing

CDS

• IMA: Indian Military Academy
• INA: Indian Naval Academy
• AFA: Air Force Academy
• OTA: Officers’ Training Academy

AFCAT

• Flying Branch
• Ground Duty Branches

CAPF (AC)

• BSF
• CRPF
• ITBP
• SSB
• CISF

CDS / CAPF (AC)

1. Visit the UPSC online application portal

2. Register with basic details

3. Fill the application form carefully

4. Upload required documents and photograph/signature

5. Pay the fee, if applicable

6. Submit and save the confirmation page

AFCAT

1. Visit the AFCAT portal

2. Register and log in

3. Complete the application form

4. Upload documents

5. Pay the fee, if applicable

6. Submit and download the completed form

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Entering wrong date of birth or category details
• Uploading blurred or invalid photographs
• Missing the fee payment deadline
• Selecting the wrong exam entry or branch
• Waiting until the last date to apply

Always verify the exact fee exemption rule in the live notification.

Post Names Offered

• Lieutenant
• Flying Officer
• Assistant Commandant

Written cutoffs are released with the result notification. For these exams, SSB / AFSB performance and medical fitness are decisive in the final selection.

Candidates should therefore prepare for both:

• the written stage, and
• the interview and medical stages

Selected candidates enter government service at Level 10 with basic pay starting from ₹56,100.

Approximate Monthly Package

• Gross salary: ₹80,000 to ₹1,00,000 per month, depending on post, allowance structure, and location

Allowances

• Military allowances
• Special branch allowances
• Field-related allowances
• Flying-related allowances for eligible Air Force roles

1) Build the Written-Exam Base

Focus on:

• English grammar and comprehension
• Current affairs and general knowledge
• Elementary maths
• Reasoning for AFCAT
• Essay writing for CAPF

2) Use Previous-Year Papers

Solve official and previous papers to understand:

• question style
• difficulty level
• time management
• repeated themes

3) Prepare for SSB / AFSB Early

Interview-stage preparation should include:

• communication practice
• self-introduction
• group discussion readiness
• psychological awareness
• leadership and decision-making practice

4) Follow a 4–6 Month Plan

A practical plan can include:

• daily current affairs
• weekly mock tests
• alternate-day maths and reasoning practice
• essay writing every week
• regular revision

Defence and Military Progression

• Lieutenant
• Captain
• Major
• Lieutenant Colonel
• Colonel
• Brigadier
• Major General
• Lieutenant General
• General

CAPF Progression

• Assistant Commandant
• Deputy Commandant
• Commandant
• Deputy Inspector General
• Inspector General
• Additional Director General
• Director General

Use only these official portals for final verification:

• https://www.upsc.gov.in" class="inlink">https://www.upsc.gov.in
• https://upsconline.nic.in" class="inlink">https://upsconline.nic.in
• https://afcat.cdac.in" class="inlink">https://afcat.cdac.in

Official notifications, admit cards, results, correction windows, and instructions are published on these portals.

1. What is CDS, AFCAT, and CAPF (AC) in the context of defence officer recruitment?

They are Indian defence officer-entry recruitment exams for the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Central Armed Police Forces.

2. Which authority conducts CDS, AFCAT, and CAPF (AC)?

UPSC conducts CDS and CAPF (AC), while AFCAT is managed through the Indian Air Force’s AFCAT portal.

3. What careers do these exams lead to after selection?

They lead to officer roles such as Lieutenant, Flying Officer, and Assistant Commandant.

4. What is the basic educational qualification required for CDS?

A graduate degree is required; B.Tech is needed for the AFA entry through CDS.

5. What is the basic educational qualification required for AFCAT?

A graduate degree with 50% marks is required.

6. What is the basic educational qualification required for CAPF (AC)?

A graduate degree is required.

7. What are the age limits for CDS, AFCAT, and CAPF (AC)?

CDS: 19–25 years, AFCAT: 20–26 years, and CAPF (AC): 20–25 years.

8. Is Indian citizenship mandatory for all three exams?

Yes, Indian citizenship is mandatory for all three.

9. What is the selection process for these exams?

Written exam, followed by SSB or AFSB interview, and then medical examination.

10. What is the exam pattern for CDS written examination?

CDS written has English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics papers, each of 100 marks.

11. What is the exam pattern for AFCAT written examination?

AFCAT includes General Knowledge, English, Elementary Maths, and Reasoning in one written paper of 300 marks.

12. What is the exam pattern for CAPF (AC) written examination?

CAPF (AC) has a General Studies and General Knowledge paper plus an Essay and Comprehension paper.

13. Is there negative marking in CDS, AFCAT, and CAPF (AC)?

Yes in CDS and AFCAT; CAPF (AC) written pattern listed here has no negative marking.

14. What is the application fee for CDS, AFCAT, and CAPF (AC)?

CDS and CAPF (AC) generally have a ₹200 fee, while AFCAT has a ₹550 fee.

15. Which official websites should candidates use to apply?

Use https://www.upsc.gov.in" class="inlink">upsc.gov.in, https://upsconline.nic.in" class="inlink">upsconline.nic.in, and https://afcat.cdac.in" class="inlink">afcat.cdac.in.

16. Are women eligible for CDS, AFCAT, and CAPF (AC)?

Yes, women are eligible in the entries and branches allowed by the official notification.

17. What are the reservation rules for these exams?

Reservation follows Government of India norms, with category and horizontal reservation as per the official notification.

18. What is the salary or pay level after selection in these defence officer posts?

The starting pay is at Level 10 with basic pay from ₹56,100, and the gross monthly salary is usually ₹80,000 to ₹1,00,000.

19. How should a candidate prepare for the SSB or AFSB interview stage?

Practice communication, group tasks, psychological tests, confidence, and leadership-oriented responses.

20. Where can candidates find previous year papers and official notifications?

On the official portals: https://www.upsc.gov.in" class="inlink">upsc.gov.in and https://afcat.cdac.in" class="inlink">afcat.cdac.in.

This page is an evergreen recruitment guide compiled from official and publicly available exam information. Final eligibility, dates, fee, reservation, vacancies, syllabus, and selection rules are governed only by the latest official notification and the respective official portals.