The Union Public Service Commission released the official cut-off marks for the Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2018 after completion of the final selection process. These cut-offs are crucial for candidates who appeared for CDS (I) 2018 and for defence aspirants who want to understand how selection standards change across years. The official PDF includes category-wise and academy-wise cut-off marks based on the written exam and final merit.
I am writing this article because CDS aspirants often underestimate how important past cut-off data is while planning preparation. Many candidates focus only on syllabus and mock tests, but knowing previous cut-offs helps set realistic score targets. The CDS (I) 2018 cut-off marks clearly show how competitive the exam was and how performance in both written exams and SSB interviews matters. For future aspirants aiming for IMA, INA, AFA or OTA, this data is a practical guide to understand where they stand and what score range they should aim for.
About CDS Examination (I) 2018
The Combined Defence Services Examination (I) 2018 was conducted by UPSC to select candidates for:
- Indian Military Academy (IMA)
- Indian Naval Academy (INA)
- Air Force Academy (AFA)
- Officers’ Training Academy (OTA)
The selection process involved a written examination followed by the Services Selection Board interview. Final merit was prepared after combining written exam marks and SSB performance.
Why CDS Cut-off Marks Matter
CDS cut-off marks help aspirants in multiple ways:
- Understand minimum qualifying scores for each academy
- Analyse competition level for different branches
- Set realistic preparation goals
- Compare written exam vs final selection trends
- Identify score gaps for improvement
Cut-offs also differ for IMA, INA, AFA and OTA, making academy-wise analysis important.
CDS (I) 2018 Cut-off Overview
The official cut-off marks were released separately for:
- Written examination
- Final selection after SSB
The cut-offs vary depending on the academy and category. Generally, academies like IMA, INA and AFA have higher cut-offs compared to OTA due to limited vacancies and higher competition.
Factors That Influence CDS Cut-offs
Several factors determine the CDS cut-off each year:
- Number of vacancies
- Difficulty level of the question paper
- Number of candidates appearing
- Performance of candidates in SSB
- Overall competition level
That is why cut-offs change every year and should be reviewed carefully.
How to Download CDS (I) 2018 Cut-off Marks PDF
Aspirants can download the official CDS (I) 2018 cut-off marks PDF from the UPSC website by following these steps:
- Visit the official UPSC website
- Click on the “Examination” section
- Select “Cut-off Marks”
- Choose “Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2018”
- Open the PDF file
- Download and save it for reference
Always rely on the official UPSC PDF for accurate information.
