Age Calculator for UPSC CDS
CDS isn't one age window — it's four, one per academy. Type in your birth date and this tool checks IMA, INA, AFA and OTA all at once, so you know exactly which ones you qualify for.
CDS — age eligibility by academy
Drawn from recent official notifications. Always verify against the current year's notification before you apply.
| Academy | Min age | Max age | Who can apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| IMA (Indian Military Academy) | 19 | 24 | Unmarried men |
| INA (Indian Naval Academy) | 19 | 22 | Unmarried men |
| AFA (Air Force Academy) | 19 | 23 | Unmarried men |
| OTA (Officers Training Academy) | 19 | 25 | Men & women (OTA women's entry allows married candidates) |
Age is fixed as on the first day of the month the course begins — not the day you fill the form or write the exam. CDS runs twice a year (CDS I and CDS II), and candidates must hold or be finishing a Bachelor's degree — B.E./B.Tech for INA, and either a Bachelor's degree or B.E./B.Tech with Physics and Maths at Class 12 for AFA.
How CDS age eligibility works
Unlike NDA, CDS candidates are graduates or final-year students, so every academy's window sits several years higher. Each academy also runs its own band — the widest is OTA at 19–25, the narrowest is INA at 19–22.
The date that counts is the first day of the course commencement month, not the day you fill the form or write the exam. Your age on that fixed cut-off decides eligibility, academy by academy.