The differences between NDA and the CDS exams will help you decide which of the examinations you need to take for this niche. NDA and CDS are the two important defence examinations of India. The candidates who are interested in joining defence services have to undergo these exams.

But, there are a lot of differences between these government defence examinations. Choosing between the different examinations must be a tough choice for you. So, in this article, we will discuss the differences between NDA and the CDS exams.

NDA Exam

NDA or the National Defence Academy exam is one of the top Indian government exams. They are administrated by Union Public Service Commission or UPSC. It is one of the most sought after defence entrance examinations in the country. NDA exams get conducted every year twice.

There are two stages in which these examinations get conducted. The first stage is the written exam & the second stage is the SSB interview. There are minimum qualifying marks required for the written exams in which if the candidates get finalised, they move on to the next stage.

UPSC prepares this list of candidates from the first stage. SSB Interview includes Intelligence and Personality Test. The SSB interview is a long process. It again has two stages that run for five days almost.

Check the 2021 NDA Exams updates here.

When are NDA exams conducted?

These exams are conducted twice a year in April and in September

Who can write NDA exams

Anyone who passes the 12th exam can write NDA exams.

What happens upon passing NDA exams

Once the candidates have cleared both the stages of NDA exams, they will be called for the NDA training. Once the candidates pass the training period, they are given the ranks of Lieutenant in Army, Sub Lieutenant in Navy and Flying Officer in Air Force.

Preparation tips

1. Prepare a timetable and stick to the schedule
2. Keep your basics clear
3. Give most focus to GK and English
4. Keep your study material ready
5. Always solve the last year’s question papers
6. Focus the most on the personality tests
7. Revise till the end
8. But, keep the last two three days free to clear your minds

Let us discuss the CDS exams to find out the differences between NDA and the CDS exams.

Also, check the news of CBSE 10th and 12th results here. 

CDS Exam

The Combined Defence Services Examination or the CDS exams is another important defence examination of India. This examination is also conducted by the Union Public Service Commission or UPSC.

On giving this examination and passing it, the candidates can get recruited for the Commissioned Officers in the Indian Military Academy, Officers Training Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Indian Air Force Academy. The exam structure is the same as the NDA exam structure. There are no vast differences between NDA and the CDS exams structure.

When are CDS exams conducted?

The CDS exams get conducted twice a year. February and November are the two months in which these exams get held.

Who can write CDS exams

CDA exams can be given by the graduate candidates or by the candidates who are applying for the last year semester of graduation.

What happens upon passing CDS exams

On passing the SSB training of CDS exams, the candidates will have to undergo a training period of 18 months. On completing the training period, the candidates will be granted permanent commission in the rank of Flying Officer. They will be paid their respective salaries and also get the allowances of the rank.

Preparation Tips

The preparation tips remain the same however the candidates must focus a lot more on SSB interviews of the CDS exams as they are tough. Also, focus on the personality questions more in the CDS exams. When it comes to the preparation tips, there are no major differences between NDA and the CDS exams.

The differences between NDA and the CDS exams are that the NDA exams are a bit tough than the CDA exams. NDA exam is tougher because it has high-level mathematics whereas CDA has elementary level mathematics. But, the SSB interview section of NDA exams is easy.

Pooja Singh

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