The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has announced the final merit list for the Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2024, which took place in April 2024. A total of 237 candidates (158 for Indian Military Academy, 44 for Indian Naval Academy, and 35 for Air Force Academy) have been recommended for admission to their respective courses after successfully passing the UPSC exam and the subsequent Service Selection Board (SSB) interviews conducted by the Ministry of Defence.
Admission Details and Course Allocations
The final recommendations are for the following courses:
- Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun: 158th (DE) Course
- Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala, Kerala: Executive Branch (General Service)/Hydro
- Air Force Academy (AFA), Hyderabad: Pre-Flying Training Course, No. 217 F(P) Course
The total number of vacancies and reserved spots, as announced by the Government of India, are:
- Indian Military Academy (IMA): 100 vacancies, including 13 reserved for NCC ‘C’ Certificate holders from the Army Wing.
- Indian Naval Academy (INA): 32 vacancies, including 6 reserved for NCC ‘C’ Certificate holders from the Naval Wing.
- Air Force Academy (AFA): 32 vacancies, with 3 reserved for NCC ‘C’ Certificate holders from the Air Wing.
The Selection Process
The selection process for these 237 candidates involved multiple stages. Initially, 1954 candidates qualified in the written exam for IMA, 586 for INA, and 628 for AFA. Only those who cleared the SSB interview, a rigorous process assessing their leadership, psychological, and physical fitness, were recommended for final admission.
It’s important to note that the merit list is purely based on performance in the written exam and SSB interview. The results of the medical examination are not factored into this list, as it is prepared before the medical tests. Verification of the candidates’ educational qualifications and date of birth is still ongoing, and thus, the recommendation remains provisional.
Candidates are required to submit their original documents, along with attested copies, to the appropriate authorities (Army, Naval, or Air Headquarters) to complete the verification process. Any changes in personal information, like address, should be promptly communicated to the relevant headquarters.
Toppers Across Different Academies
The merit list includes some common candidates who excelled in multiple academies’ entrance processes. Below are the top candidates for each academy.
Indian Military Academy (IMA) Toppers:
- Pratik Ganguly
- Ankit
- Avikesh Chhillar
- Harshit
- Manjit Singh
- Aditya Jha
- Shantanu Sharma
- Deepak Singh
- Abhishek Meel
- Ankush Kumar
Indian Naval Academy (INA) Toppers:
- Aditya Jha
- Shantanu Sharma
- Pandey Rohit Ravindrakumar
- Rohit
- Himanshu Gangwar
- Suryansh Pathak
- Snehal Rajvansh
- Aryan Singh Bora
- Yuvraj Singh Bishnoi
- Avinash Jyal
Air Force Academy (AFA) Toppers:
- Harshit
- Aditya Jha
- Shantanu Sharma
- Deepak Singh
- Manish Sharma
- Rachit Saini
- Sourabh Yadav
- Rohit Kumar
- Prasad Pawar
- Rohit
CDS 1 2024 OTA Merit List will be published later separately.
Important Information for Candidates
- Result Accessibility: Candidates can access the final results on the UPSC official website at www.upsc.gov.in.
- Marks Availability: The marks of the candidates will be published after the declaration of the final results for the Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) candidates.
- Helpdesk: For further inquiries, candidates may visit the UPSC Facilitation Counter or contact them on the numbers 011-23385271, 011-23381125, or 011-23098543 during working hours (10:00 AM to 5:00 PM).
This final merit list signifies the dedication and hard work of the candidates, reflecting their commitment to serving the nation. They now move on to receive rigorous training at the respective academies to become future officers of the Indian Armed Forces.
