The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the official cut-off marks for the Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2021, which determines the qualifying standards for various academies including the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA), and Officers Training Academy (OTA). These cut-offs help candidates understand the minimum marks required to qualify for the next stage of selection based on their performance in both the written examination and the SSB Interview.
I’m writing about this because the official cut-off marks are not just numbers — they reflect how competitive the CDS exam is every year. Thousands of aspirants appear with dreams of joining the Indian Armed Forces, but only those who meet or exceed these marks move forward. Understanding these cut-offs can guide candidates who are preparing for upcoming CDS exams to set realistic score goals. It also gives a clear idea of how much effort is needed to reach the merit list stage and helps in planning subject-wise preparation accordingly.
About the Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination
The Combined Defence Services Examination (CDS) is conducted twice every year by UPSC to recruit officers for the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. It consists of a written exam followed by an SSB Interview. Male candidates can apply for IMA, INA, and AFA, while both male and female candidates can apply for OTA. The written exam tests English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics (for IMA, INA, AFA). For OTA, only English and General Knowledge papers are included.
Key Details of CDS (I) 2021 Cut-off
- Exam Name: Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2021
- Conducting Authority: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
- Exam Type: Written + SSB Interview
- Academies Covered: IMA, INA, AFA, OTA (Men & Women)
- Cut-off Released For: Written Exam and Final Selection
- Official Format: PDF available for download on UPSC website
How to Download the Official Cut-off PDF
Here’s how candidates can download the UPSC CDS (I) 2021 Cut-off Marks PDF directly from the official website:
- Go to the official UPSC website – www.upsc.gov.in
- Click on the ‘Examinations’ section in the main menu
- Select ‘Cut-off Marks’ from the drop-down list
- Look for the link titled “Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2021”
- Click on the link to open or download the official cut-off PDF
This document can be saved for future reference and used to analyse category-wise and year-wise trends.
