3. Conditions of Eligibility :  

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(a) Nationality : A candidate must either be  :

(i) a Citizen of India, or

(ii) a subject of Bhutan, or

(iii) a subject of Nepal, or

(iv) a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before the 1st January, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or

(v) a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka and East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire and Ethiopia or Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.

Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) above shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.

Certificate of eligibility will, however, not be necessary in the case of candidates who are Gorkha subjects of Nepal.

A candidate in whose case a certificate of eligibility is necessary, may be admitted to the examination provisionally subject to the necessary certificate being given to him by the Govt. before declaration of result by UPSC.  

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(b) Age Limits, Sex and Marital Status :

(i) For IMA-Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 2nd January, 1985 and not later than 1st January, 1990 only are eligible.

(ii) For Naval Academy-Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 2nd January, 1987 (2nd January, 1985 in case of NCC/Naval Wing ‘C’ Certificate holders) and not later than 1st January, 1990 only are eligible.

(iii) For Air Force Academy-Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 2nd January, 1986 and not later than 1st January, 1990 only are eligible.

(iv) For Officers Training Academy-(SSC Course for Men): Male candidates (married or unmarried born not earlier than 2nd January, 1984 and not later than 1st January, 1990 only are eligible.

(v) For Officers' Training Academy - (SSC Women Non-Technical Course):

    (a) Unmarried women, issueless widows who have not remarried, and issueless divorcees (in possession of divorce documents) who have not remarried are eligible.  They should have been born not earlier than 2nd January, 1984 and not later than 1st January, 1990

The date of birth accepted by the Commission is that entered in the Matriculation or Secondary School Leaving Certificate or in a certificate recognised by an Indian University as equivalent to Matriculation or in an extract from a Register of Matriculates maintained by a University which extract must be certified by the proper authority of the University or in the Higher Secondary or an equivalent examination certificate. These certificates are required to be submitted only after the declaration of the result of the written part of the examination. No other document relating to age like horoscopes, affidavits, birth extracts from Municipal Corporation, service records and the like will be accepted.

The expression Matriculation/Higher Secondary Examination Certificate in this part of the instruction includes the alternative certificates mentioned above.

Sometimes the Matriculation/Higher Secondary Examination Certificate does not show the date of birth, or only shows the age by completed years or completed years and months. In such cases a candidate must send in addition to the attested/certified copy of Matriculation/Higher Secondary Examination Certificate an attested/certified copy of a certificate from the Headmaster/Principal of the Institution from where he passed the Matriculation/Higher Secondary Examination showing the date of his birth or exact age as recorded in the Admission Register of the Institution.  

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Note 1 : Candidates should note that only the Date of Birth as recorded in the Matriculation/Higher Secondary Examination Certificate or an equivalent certificate on the date of submission of applications will be accepted by the Commission and no subsequent request for its change will be considered or granted.

Note 2 : Candidates should also note that once a Date of Birth has been claimed by them and entered in the records of the Commission for the purpose of admission to an Examination, no change will be allowed subsequently  or at a subsequent examination on any ground whatsoever.

Note 3 : The candidates should exercise due care while entering their date of birth in column 8 of the application form for the Examination. If on verification at any subsequent stage any variation is found in their date of birth from the one entered in their Matriculation or equivalent examination certificate, disciplinary action will be taken against them by the Commission under the Rules.

(c) Educational Qualifications :

(i) For I.M.A. and Officers’ Training Academy-Degree of a recognised University or equivalent.

(ii) For Naval Academy : B.Sc. (with Physics & Mathematics) or Bachelor of Engineering.

(iii) For Air Force Academy : Degree of Recognized University (with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level) or Bachelor of Engineering.

Graduates with first choice as Army/Navy/Air Force are to submit proof of graduation provisional certificates on the date of commencement of the SSB Interview at the SSB.  

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Candidates who are studying in the final year Degree course and have yet to pass the final year degree examination can also apply but they will be required to submit proof of passing the degree examination to reach the Army HQ/Rtg. CDSE Entry, West Block III, R K Puram, New Delhi-110066 in case of IMA/SSC first choice candidates and Naval HQ “DMPR” (R&R Section), Room No. 204, ‘C’ Wing, Sena Bhawan, New Delhi-110011 in case of Navy first choice candidates and PO3(A)/Air Headquarters, ‘J’ Block, Room No. 17, Opp. Vayu Bhawan, Motilal Nehru Marg, New Delhi-110011 in case of Air Force first choice candidates by the following dates failing which their candidature will stand cancelled :

(i) For admission to IMA, Naval and Air Force Academy on or before 15th November, 2008.

(ii) For admission to Officer’s Training Academy, Chennai on or before 1st February, 2009.

Candidates possessing professional and technical qualifications which are recognised by government as equivalent to professional and technical degrees would also be eligible for admission to the examination.

In exceptional cases the Commission may treat a candidate, who does not possess any of the qualifications prescribed in this rule as educationally qualified provided that he possesses qualifications, the standard of which in the opinion of the Commission, justifies his admission to the examination.

Note I : Candidates, who have yet to pass their degree examination will be eligible only if they are studying in the final year of degree examination. Those candidates who have yet to qualify in the final year Degree Examination and are allowed to appear in the UPSC Examination should note that this is only a special concession given to them. They are required to submit proof of passing the Degree examination by the prescribed date and no request for extending this date will be entertained on the grounds of late conduct of basic qualifying University Examination, delay in declaration of results or any other ground whatsoever.  

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Note II : Candidates who are debarred by the Ministry of Defence from holding any type of commission in the Defence Services shall not be eligible for admision to the examination and if admitted, their candidature will be cancelled.

Note III : In the event of Air Force candidates being suspended  from Flying Training for failure to learn flying, they would be absorbed in the Navigation/Administration/Logistic Branch of the IAF. This will be subject to availability of vacancies and fulfilling the laid down qualitative requirements (including 60% in graduation).

(d) Physical Standards :

Candidates must be physically fit according to physical standards for admission to Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2008 as per guidelines given in Appendix-V.

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4. Fee : A candidate seeking admission to examination must pay to the Commission a fee of Rs. 100/- (Rupees one hundred only) through a single Central Recruitment Fee Stamp of the requisite denomination. Central Recruitment Fee Stamp (Not postage stamps) may be obtained from the post office and affixed firmly on the application form in the space provided therein. The stamp must be got cancelled from the issuing Post office with the date stamp of the post office in such a manner that the impression of the cancellation mark partially overflows on the application form itself but within the space provided on the Form. The impression of the cancellation mark should be clear and distinct to facilitate the identification of date and the Post Office of issue.

Candidates residing abroad should deposit the prescribed fee in the office of India’s High Commissioner, Ambassador or representative abroad as the case may be for credit to account head ‘051-Public Service Commission-Examination Fees’ and attach the receipt with the application.

Candidates Belonging to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes Are not required to pay any Fee. No Fee Exemption is, However, Available to OBC Candidates and they are Required to pay the full prescribed fee.

‘Postage Stamps’ will in no case be accepted in lieu of Central Recruitment Fee Stamp.

Note (i) : Candidates should note that the Fee sent through Indian Postal Orders, Bank Draft, Money Orders, Crossed Cheque, Currency Notes or Treasury Challan Etc. will Not be Accepted by the Commission and such applications will be Treated as without Fee and will be summarily Rejected.

Note (ii) : Applications not accompanied by the prescribed Fee (Unless remission of Fee is claimed) shall be summarily rejected.

Note (iii) : Fee once paid shall not be refunded under any circumstances nor can the fee be held in reserve for any other examination or selection. 

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5. How to Apply:

(a) The UPSC have developed an application form common for all their examinations which can be processed on computerised machines. This application form alongwith an Information Brochure containing general instructions for filling up the form, an acknowledgement card and an envelope for sending the  application is  obtainable from the designated Head Post Offices/Post Offices throughout the country as listed in Appendix-III of Notice against cash payment of Rs. 20/- (Rupees twenty only). Form should be purchased from the  designated Head Post Offices/Post Offices only and not from any other agency. This form can be used only once and for only one examination. Candidates must use the form supplied with the Information Brochure only and they should in no case use photocopy/reproduction/unauthorisedly printed copy of the Form. Since this form is electronically scannable, due care should be taken to fill up the application form correctly. While filling up the application form, please refer to detailed instructions given in Appendix-II of this Notice. The candidates should also fill up in the relevant places of the Acknowledgement Card, their Application Form Number (8-digit) and the name of the examination. The applicants are required to affix the postage stamp of Rs. 6/- on the acknowledgement card and send the same along with application form to UPSC.  If an applicant fails to affix the postage stamp of requisite amount, his acknowledgement card will not be dispatched and Commission will not be responsible for non-receipt of acknowledgement card by applicant.  The duly filled in application form and the acknowledgement card alongwith unstamped self-addressed envelope to receive a SSB interview call letter should then be mailed in the special envelope supplied with the Information Brochure. You should also write the name of examination viz. “Combined Defence Services Examination-(I) 2008” on the envelope before dispatching it to “Secretary, Union Public Service Commission, Dholpur House, Shahjahan Road,  New Delhi-110069”.

(b) All candidates (except those serving in Armed Forces) should  submit  their   applications   direct to the Commission. If any candidate forwards his application through his employer and it reaches the Union Public Service Commission late, the application, even if submitted to the employer before the closing date, will not be considered. Persons serving under the Public Enterprises are however, required to submit an undertaking that they have informed in writing their Head of Office/Department that they have applied for this Examination. Candidates should note that in case a communication is received from their employer by the Commission withholding permission to the candidates applying for/appearing at the examination, their applications will be liable to be rejected/candidature will be liable to be cancelled.  

Candidates serving in the Armed Forces must submit their application through their Commanding Officer who will forward it to the Commission indicating in the forwarding letter the name of the applicant and his application form number ( 8 digit). Failure to comply with this instruction will entail cancellation of his candidature/rejection of his application.  

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Note : Application not accompanied by the Prescribed fee (Unless Remission of Fee is claimed as in para 4 above) or incomplete or Defective applications shall be summarily rejected. 

No representation or correspondence regarding such rejection shall be entertained under any circumstances. Candidates are not required to submit along with  their  applications any certificate in support of their claims regarding Age, Educational qualifications, Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe/OBC and fee remission etc.

the candidates applying for the examination should ensure that they fulfil all the eligibility conditions for admission to the examination. 

Their admission at all the stages of examination for which they are admitted by the commission viz. Written examination and interview test   will be purely provisional, subject to their satisfying the prescribed eligibility conditions. If on verification at any time before or after the written examination or interview test, it is found that they do not fulfill any of the eligibility conditions, their candidature for the examination will be cancelled by the commission.