CDS age limit and eligibility: date-of-birth window by academy
UPSC sets the CDS age limit as a date-of-birth window for each academy, both dates inclusive. Pick the exam and academy to see your window.
| Breakdown | Value |
|---|
Estimate. The method and sources are on this page — check them against your own case before you act.
How it is calculated
Each CDS notice says, academy by academy: "Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than [date] and not later than [date] only are eligible." That window is the rule. For CDS (II) 2026 and IMA it is 1 July 2003 to 1 July 2008.
Eligible ⇔ earliest DOB ≤ your date of birth ≤ latest DOB (both inclusive), for the academy you choose
Pick the exam and academy
UPSC holds CDS twice a year. IMA and INA share one window, AFA's is a year narrower, and OTA's starts a year earlier.
Use your Class 10 date of birth
UPSC accepts only the date in your Matriculation/Secondary School certificate or an equivalent. Horoscopes, affidavits and municipal birth extracts are not accepted, and the date cannot be changed later.
Check degree and marital status
IMA and OTA need any degree; INA needs engineering (or, in CDS (II) 2026, B.Sc. with Physics as a core or elective subject, plus Physics and Maths at 10+2); AFA needs a degree with Physics and Maths at 10+2, or B.E. Final-year students can apply. IMA, INA and OTA (men) take only unmarried men; OTA (women) takes unmarried women or issueless widows/divorcees who have not remarried; AFA candidates under 25 must be unmarried. Male divorcees and widowers are not eligible for any academy.
Worked example
Born 10 March 2004 and applying for IMA through CDS (II) 2026? The window is 1 July 2003 to 1 July 2008. 10 March 2004 falls inside it, so you were eligible on age. For AFA the window ends 1 July 2007, so the same date of birth also fits; born 15 August 2007 would fit IMA but be too young for AFA.
CDS date-of-birth windows by academy
| Exam | IMA and INA | AFA | OTA (men and women) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CDS (I) 2026 | IMA / INA: 2 January 2003 – 1 January 2008 | AFA: 2 January 2003 – 1 January 2007 | OTA men & women: 2 January 2002 – 1 January 2008 | Official (closed) |
| CDS (II) 2026 | IMA / INA: 1 July 2003 – 1 July 2008 | AFA: 1 July 2003 – 1 July 2007 | OTA men & women: 1 July 2002 – 1 July 2008 | Official (closed) |
| CDS (I) 2027 | IMA / INA: 2 January 2004 – 1 January 2009 | AFA: 2 January 2004 – 1 January 2008 | OTA men & women: 2 January 2003 – 1 January 2009 | Expected |
| CDS (II) 2027 | IMA / INA: 1 July 2004 – 1 July 2009 | AFA: 1 July 2004 – 1 July 2008 | OTA men & women: 1 July 2003 – 1 July 2009 | Expected |
| Worked example: born 10 March 2004, CDS (II) 2026, IMA | 1 July 2003 ≤ 10 March 2004 | 10 March 2004 ≤ 1 July 2008 | Within the IMA window | Eligible on age (about 23 years 3 months when the course starts in July 2027) |
What most pages get wrong
A date-of-birth window for each academy
CDS (II) 2026: IMA and INA 1 July 2003 to 1 July 2008, AFA 1 July 2003 to 1 July 2007, OTA 1 July 2002 to 1 July 2008, both dates inclusive.
A degree — engineering or science for Navy and Air Force
IMA and OTA: a degree from a recognised university. INA: engineering, or (CDS (II) 2026) B.Sc. with Physics as a core or elective subject, plus Physics and Maths at 10+2. AFA: a degree with Physics and Maths at 10+2, or B.E. Final-year students can apply.
Unmarried men; women only through OTA
IMA and INA take unmarried men. Women are considered only for the OTA Short Service Commission. For AFA, candidates under 25 must be unmarried. Male divorcees and widowers are not eligible for any academy. Nobody may marry until training ends.
₹200 fee; women, SC and ST exempt
The notice charges ₹200. All women and SC/ST candidates pay nothing; OBC and EWS candidates pay the full fee. The 2026 notices print no category age relaxation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the CDS age limit?+
What is the CDS 2027 age limit?+
What is the educational qualification for CDS?+
Can final-year students apply for CDS?+
Can women or married candidates apply for CDS?+
Is there age relaxation for OBC or SC/ST in CDS?+
Sources, dates and a changelog.
Every number this calculator uses is either an input you control or a value from the sources below. The formula is compiled and tested at build time, so the page cannot ship with a broken calculation.
Sources
This page
- Last verified: 2 November 2026
- Next review: 2 May 2027
- Vertical: Government & Civic
- Build tests: 7 passed
- Changelog: 2 entries
How we handle errors
- Spotted a mistake? Report it — we correct and log it.
- Corrections appear in the changelog below.
- Read the methodology and the disclaimer.