CDS Cut Off: The Combined Defence Services CDS (I) examination is scheduled to be conducted on 16 April 2023. The candidates who are preparing for the examination are very particular in terms of preparation as this is considered one of the toughest exams in India. The exam will be held in the centres as intimated in the respective student admit cards and will be conducted in a pen-and-paper mode as an offline setting.
While preparing there are a lot of things that have to be considered, for instance, the exam pattern, marking scheme, and more. One of the factors is the probable cut-off.
Further selection and clearance of the CDS Exam result are always on the basis of the marks scored by the candidates. However, they need to get more than the announced cut-off in order to be considered shortlisted for the next levels. While preparing an idea of what the CDS Cut Off can be can help in taking the risks since there is a provision of negative marking.
Subsequently, we have provided all the details pertinent to the CDS Cut Off Marks 2023 along with the previous year’s records for the purpose of estimation. Read the ensuing article thoroughly in order to get an idea regarding the Expected and Last Year Cut off marks of the CDS exam.
CDS Cut Off Marks
The Combined Defence Services CDS Exam is a recruitment examination that is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission UPSC. In order to get posted in the Indian Military Academy, Officers Training Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Indian Air Force Academy, the aspirants have to appear for this exam.
Those who score the better amount of marks and clear the announced cut-off, get shortlisted for further stages in the recruitment. The test is conducted twice a year in pen and paper mode and the candidates can attempt the paper in English and Hindi.
CDS Exam Details
Total Marks for the examination and three separate papers are conducted for the three different subjects which are English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics. Each paper is of 100 marks and the candidates have to complete each paper in 2 hours. This makes the examination of total 6 hours and 300 marks.
However, in case of those who are seeking to get into the Officer’s Training Academy will not have to appear for the Elementary Mathematics Section. The authorities have specified that thus, the paper for the OTA Candidates will be of a total of 400 marks and the time duration will be 4 hours.
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CDS Cut Off Marks Meaning and Importance
The Combined Defence Services Exam is conducted by the authorities at Union Public Services Commission in order to admit the candidates into the Indian Military Academy, Officers Training Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Indian Air Force Academy. The test takers will have to score more than the announced cut-off marks in order to get into the academy of their choice. It has to be noted that the selection into these academies is not merely on the basis of the CDS Exam and there is a Staff Selection Board SSB interview that has to be cleared in order to get in. However, CDS is the first and foremost step and those who fail to clear the exam will not be shortlisted for further stages.
The minimum marks that are announced by the examiners for the exam takers to score are known to be the Cut-Off Marks. In the Combined Defence Services CDS exam, there is a provision for Cut Off as well. The authorities observe the difficulty level of the exam, average scores of the candidates, requirements of the recruits in the respective academies, and last year’s trends in order to declare the CDS Cut Off. The candidates who have taken the examination will have to score more than or equal to the announced marks in order to get added to the merit list.
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Cut-Off Marks for Combined Defence Services Exam
The cut-off marks for the CDS Exam are declared after the final result of the examination. For the first stage, the authorities only announce the list of the candidates who have passed. The cut-off marks for the CDS II Examination held in 2022 are yet to be declared. Check the cut-off for CDS I 2022 Exam:
| S.No. | Academy | Written Exam Cut-Off Marks | Final Cut-Off Marks |
| 1. | Indian Military Academy IMA | 136 | 258 |
| 2. | Indian Air Force Academy AFA | 147 | 269 |
| 3. | Indian Naval Academy INA | 128 | 256 |
| 4. | Officers Training Academy OTA Men | 100 | 181 |
| 5. | Officers Training Academy OTA Women | 100 | 184 |
CDS Cut Off 2021 for Written Test
| S.No. | Academy | CDS I 2021 | CDS II 2021 |
| 1. | Indian Military Academy IMA | 145 | 138 |
| 2. | Indian Air Force Academy AFA | 158 | 148 |
| 3. | Indian Naval Academy INA | 136 | 132 |
| 4. | Officers Training Academy OTA | 107 | 102 |
Cut-Off for Combined Defence Services Written Exam 2020
| S.No. | Academy | CDS I 2020 | CDS II 2020 |
| 1. | Indian Military Academy IMA | 130 | 139 |
| 2. | Indian Air Force Academy AFA | 143 | 152 |
| 3. | Indian Naval Academy INA | 118 | 134 |
| 4. | Officers Training Academy OTA | 93 | 97 |
2019 Cut Off for Combined Defence Services Written Exam
| S.No. | Academy | CDS I 2019 | CDS II 2019 |
| 1. | Indian Military Academy IMA | 116 | 134 |
| 2. | Indian Air Force Academy AFA | 129 | 148 |
| 3. | Indian Naval Academy INA | 105 | 122 |
| 4. | Officers Training Academy OTA | 78 | 95 |
CDS Cut Off 2018 for Written Test
| S.No. | Academy | CDS I 2018 | CDS II 2018 |
| 1. | Indian Military Academy IMA | 118 | 116 |
| 2. | Indian Air Force Academy AFA | 138 | 131 |
| 3. | Indian Naval Academy INA | 98 | 102 |
| 4. | Officers Training Academy OTA | 69 | 80 |
Cut-Off for Combined Defence Services Written Exam 2017
| S.No. | Academy | CDS I 2017 | CDS II 2017 |
| 1. | Indian Military Academy IMA | 125 | 120 |
| 2. | Indian Air Force Academy AFA | 144 | 135 |
| 3. | Indian Naval Academy INA | 118 | 111 |
| 4. | Officers Training Academy OTA | 82 | 86 |
2016 Cut Off for Combined Defence Services Written Exam
| S.No. | Academy | CDS I 2016 | CDS II 2016 |
| 1. | Indian Military Academy IMA | 72 | 105 |
| 2. | Indian Air Force Academy AFA | 123 | 135 |
| 3. | Indian Naval Academy INA | 63 | 90 |
| 4. | Officers Training Academy OTA | 68 | 72 |
Expected Cut-Off Marks for CDS I 2023
| S.No. | Academy | Written Exam Cut-Off |
| 1. | Indian Military Academy IMA | 135 – 145 |
| 2. | Indian Air Force Academy AFA | 145 – 155 |
| 3. | Indian Naval Academy INA | 120 – 130 |
| 4. | Officers Training Academy OTA Men | 95 – 105 |
| 5. | Officers Training Academy OTA Women | 95 – 105 |
CDS Cut Off 2023: Important Links
| Official Portal | Union Public Service Commission UPSC |
| Check | Combined Defence Services CDS Information Page |
| Download | CDS Exam I 2023 Notification pdf |
