NDA vs CDS vs AFCAT vs INET: which officer entry is right for you?
There isn't one exam to become an officer in the Indian Armed Forces — there are several, and they all funnel into the same place: the SSB interview. What differs is who can apply, at what age and qualification, and which service and type of commission you end up with. Pick the wrong route and you waste an attempt; pick the right one and the whole journey gets simpler. Here's how the main entries compare. (Exact ages and dates change every cycle, so always confirm against the latest official notification — treat the numbers below as a guide, not gospel.)
NDA — straight after Class 12
The National Defence Academy entry is for school-leavers, broadly the 16½–19½ age band, and is conducted by the UPSC twice a year. You can choose Army, Navy or Air Force, and the exam is now open to women too. Selected candidates train for three years at the NDA, Khadakwasla, before going on to their service academy. It's the earliest start and the longest training pipeline — ideal if you're certain about a defence career while still in school.
CDS — for graduates
The Combined Defence Services exam, also run by the UPSC, is for graduates (with some entries needing specific degrees). Through a single written exam you can apply to the Indian Military Academy, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, or the Officers Training Academy. IMA, INA and AFA lead to a Permanent Commission; OTA leads to a Short Service Commission and is open to both men and women. If you've finished or are finishing your degree, CDS is the broadest single door.
AFCAT — the Air Force's own gateway
The Air Force Common Admission Test is conducted by the IAF itself, twice a year, for graduates who want the Air Force specifically — flying branch, or ground duty in technical and non-technical roles. It's open to men and women. If your heart is set on the Air Force and you don't want to wait for a UPSC cycle, AFCAT is the direct path.
INET — the Navy's officer entry
The Indian Navy Entrance Test is the Navy's route for a range of graduate and engineering entries, both Permanent and Short Service Commission, for men and women. If you want the Navy and have (or are completing) the right degree, INET is your equivalent of AFCAT.
TES and NCC Special Entry — the no-written routes
Two entries skip the written exam. The Technical Entry Scheme (TES) takes Class 12 students with strong PCM marks straight to the SSB for a technical Army commission. The NCC Special Entry lets NCC 'C' certificate holders apply for the Army (and equivalents) without the CDS written. Both still put you through the same SSB — they just remove the written hurdle.
So which one?
Work backwards from three questions. First, your stage: still in school points to NDA or TES; a graduate points to CDS, AFCAT or INET. Second, your service: any of the three via NDA or CDS; Air Force only via AFCAT; Navy via INET. Third, the commission you want: Permanent (a full career) via IMA/INA/AFA/NDA, or Short Service (a fixed tenure, and the main route currently open to women in the Army) via OTA. Most serious aspirants apply through more than one route in the same year to maximise their attempts.
The part that's identical everywhere
Whichever exam clears you, the SSB is the same five-day assessment against the same 15 Officer-Like Qualities — and it's where most candidates are filtered out, not the written exam. So the smartest preparation isn't picking the 'easiest' entry; it's getting genuinely good at the SSB that all of them share. PrepForce lets you rehearse the personal interview and the full psychology battery for the SSB common to NDA, CDS, AFCAT, INET and TES, and shows you a transparent 15-OLQ scorecard so you know exactly where you stand before you walk in.