NDA Vs CDS: Check Eligibility Criteria, Exam Pattern, and Salary

NDA Vs CDS: NDA and CDS are competitive examinations that are held for people who are interested in joining the Indian armed forces as officers. Both of these examinations are held by the Union Public Service Commission and aspirants can download the official notifications to check out more information related to the same. CDS stands for Combined Defence Services and NDA stands for National Defence Academy which is both pretty prominent exams. It is a huge task to understand the similarities and differences between both of these exams and to finally select the exam which you will be taking in order to be an Indian Army. 

There are a lot of differences and a lot of similarities between UPSC NDA and UPSC CDS. National Defence Academy is a joint Service academy for the Indian armed forces and people who are planning to be in the army, the Navy, or the air force can train together at this particular academy, and then they can go on to their respective fields after pre-commissioning training. Combined Defence Services that is CDS is an examination that is conducted for the recruitment into Indian Military Academy, Officers Training Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Indian Air Force Academy separately. If you want to know more about the topic of NDA vs CDS then you can check out the article given below:

NDA vs CDS: Highlights

The aspirants can check out the information related to the highlights of UPSC NDA vs CDS given in the pointers below and prepare themselves accordingly:

• NDA and CDS both are competitive examinations that work as a way so that the students can get admission to the Indian Armed Forces.
• Both men and women can apply for either of the two exams but you have to make sure that you are checking out the eligibility criteria before preparing yourself for any of the exams.
• If you want to pass both NDA and CDS then you will have to go through a written examination and then you have to go through the SSB.
• NDA and CDS are conducted twice a year by the Union Public Service Commission. The aspirants can apply for the exams by visiting the official website of UPSC.
• The students will be provided with a salary during the training for NDA and CDS. The aspirants will be provided Rupees 56100 in both of the academies.

NDA vs CDS: Eligibility Criteria 

If you want to apply for any of the entrance examinations such as NDA or CDS then you will have to check out the eligibility criteria. The aspirants can check out the pointers given below in order to check out the eligibility criteria for NDA vs CDS.

Parameter	NDA	CDS
Age Criteria	For NDA 2, male/female candidates must have been born not earlier than January 2, 2002, and not later than January 1, 2005 For NDA 1, male/female candidates should be born not earlier than July 2, 2003, and not later than July 1, 2006,	The applicant must be above the age of 19 years and below the age of 25 years.
Educational Qualification	For the Army wing of NDA, male/female candidates must have passed Class 12 or equivalent examination from a recognized board For the Air Force and Naval wings of NDA and the 10+2 Cadet entry scheme at INA, male/female candidates must have passed Class 12 or equivalent examinations with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics	The applicant must have completed their graduation.

NDA Vs CDS: Duration of Training

If you are applying for any kind of armed forces exam then you will also have to go through the training before you are successfully recruited in any of the departments of your choice. Check out the duration of training for NDA vs CDS given below:

NDA 

There is a different duration for the training if you are applying for the different positions and you can check out the same given below:

• Four to Four and half years
• Three years at NDA and one year at IMA (For Army cadets)
• Three years at NDA and one year at Naval Academy (For Naval cadets)
• Three years at NDA and one and half years at AFA Hyderabad (For AF cadets)

CDS 

Even in CDS, you will have to train for a longer period of time. Check out the training periods from the pointers given below:

• 18 months for IMA Cadets
• 37-40 months for Navy Officers
• 74 months for Air Force Officers

NDA Vs CDS: Training Centers

The students can check out the list of training centers applicable for both NDA vs CDS from the table provided below and prepare themselves accordingly:

NDA	CDS
National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Pune Indian Military Academy, Dehradun Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala Indian Air Force Academy, Hyderabad	Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun for Army Cadets Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala for Navy Cadets Indian Air Force Academy, Hyderabad for Air Force Officers Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai

NDA Vs CDS: Degrees Allotted 

After the successful completion of your training, you will be provided a degree by both of these organizations. Check out the degree allotted for NDA vs CDS given below:

NDA	CDS
Army Cadets: BSc/BSc (Computer)/BA /BTech degree Naval Cadets: BTech degree Air Force Cadets: BTech degree	Army Cadets in IMA: PG Diploma in Military and Defence Management OTA Chennai: Post-Graduate Diploma in Defence Management and Strategic Studies

NDA Vs CDS: Salary

The salary for army officers will be different with each passing rank. The experience can check out the tables provided below in order to know more about NDA vs CDS salary:

NDA Salary 

Check out the table given below in order to know more about the rank-wise salary for NDA officers:

Ranks	NDA salary (In INR)
Lt to Maj	Lt: Level 10 (56,100-1,77,500) Capt: Level 10 B (61,300-1,93,900) Maj: Level 11 (69,400-2,07,200)
Lt Col to Maj Gen	Lt Col: Level 12A (1,21,200-2,12,400) Col: Level 13 (1,30,600-2,15,900) Brig: Level 13A (1,39,600-2,17,600) Maj Gen - Level 14 (1,44,200-2,18,200)
Lt Gen to HAG Scale	Level 15 (1, 82, 200-2,24,100)
HAG+Scale	Level 16 (2,05,400-2,24,400)
VCOAS/ArmyCdr/Lt Gen (NFSG)	Level 17 (2,25,000) (fixed)
COAS	Level 18 (2,50,000) (fixed)

CDS Salary

Check out the table given below in order to know more about the CDS salary according to the ranks:

Rank	Level	Salary (In INR)
Lieutenant	Level 10	56,100 -1,77,500
Captain	Level 10 B	61,300- 1,93,900
Major	Level 11	69,400 – 2,07,200
Lieutenant Colonel	Level 12A	1,21,200 – 2,12,400
Colonel	Level 13	1,30,600-2, 15,900
Brigadier	Level 13A	1,39,600-2,17,600
Major General	Level 14	1,44,200-2,18,200
Lieutenant General HAG Scale	Level 15	1, 82, 200-2,24,100
HAG+Scale	Level 16	2,05,400 – 2,24,400
VCOAS/Army Cdr/ Lieutenant General (NFSG)	Level 17	2,25,000 (fixed)
COAS	Level 18	2,50,000 (fixed)

NDA Vs CDS: Career Growth

There are different career growth opportunities in both NDA and CDS. Check out the details related to the ranks available in both of the academies given below: 

Rank	NDA Officer	CDS Officer
Lieutenant	On Commission	On Commission
Captain	02 Years	02 Years
Major	06 years	06 years
Lieutenant Colonel	13 years	13 years
Colonel(Selection)	15 years	15 years
Colonel (Time Scale)	26 years	26 years
Brigadier	On Selection	23 years
Major General	On Selection	25 years
Lieutenant General	On Selection	28 years
General	On Selection	No restrictions

NDA Vs CDS: Exam Pattern

Check out the differences between the NDA and CDS exam patterns given below and you will be able to distinguish between the two easily:

NDA Exam Pattern

Based on UPSC NDA Exam Pattern, the exam is divided into two parts and the maximum duration for the exam will be two and a half hours. The structure of the NDA exam pattern for the written exam is given below:

Papers	Subject	Maximum marks	Duration
Paper 1	Mathematics	300	2 ½
Paper 2	GAT	600	2 ½
Total		900	5 hours

CDS Exam Pattern

The students have to prepare for the CDS exams according to the department which they are applying for. Check out the UPSC CDS exam pattern according to the different departments given below:

For IMA, INA, AFA

Subject	Duration (in hours)	Maximum Marks
English	2	100
General Knowledge	2	100
Elementary Mathematics	2	100

For OTA

Subject	Duration (In hours)	Maximum Marks
English	2	100
General Knowledge	2	100

The article provided above talks about the information related to NDA vs CDS so that the students can apply for the Academy of their choice. Check out all of the information provided above and prepare yourself accordingly.