CDS vs AFCAT | Which is the Best Entry? Know the Difference

Difference between AFCAT and CDS Exam

we have covered every aspect of CDS Vs AFCAT in various circumstances. As we all know, everything demands an endless amount of hard work to crack both these exams; one needs to focus and prepare in well advance. As we have an idea of the time when this exam is conducted and also of the syllabus hence one can prepare for both these exams in well advance. One needs to be clear with the basics first, as generally, the questions asked in these exams are a test to check how well one has understood the concepts.

Both AFCAT & CDS exams differ from each other by a great deal and given below are the significant differences between the CDS and AFCAT exams:

Particulars	AFCAT	CDS
Type of Force	As the name distinctly suggests AFCAT, which means Air Force Common Admission Test is a test that is taken to select young boys and girls for Airforce only.	The CDS, which means Combined Defense Service Examination is an exam meant for selecting the Aspirants for all three wings, i.e. the Army, the Navy, and the Airforce.
Conducting Body	The AFCAT is conducted by the Indian Airforce twice a year.	The CDS is organized by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) twice a year.
Time of notification and Exam	For the AFCAT 1 the notification comes in the first week of December and lasts for a month. For the AFCAT 2 notification comes in the first week of June and applications are accepted for a month. The AFCAT 1 is conducted in the last week of February and AFCAT 2 in the last week of August.	The notification for CDS 1 generally comes at the beginning of November and the filling of the application lasts for a month. For the CDS 2 notification comes in the last week of the month of May and applications are accepted for a month. CDS 1 is conducted at the beginning of the month of February and CDS 2 at the start of the month of September.
Time of declaration of results	Generally, the AFCAT results are declared within a month of the conduction of the exam, i.e. for the AFCAT 1 by end of March and for the AFCAT 2 by the end of September after which the qualified Aspirants are called for SSB’s.	The results for the written CDS 1 are declared by the month of June and for CDS 2 by the month of January after which SSB follows for the qualified Aspirants.
Eligibility (For both ones must be a graduate at least (BA, B. Com, B.Tech etc.) further qualification depends on the kind of service you want to join. There is even a difference in Age for both the exams.)	As per AFCAT Eligibility Criteria, the age depends on the course one wants to join. Age limit is: Flying: 19 to 23 years Technical: 18 to 28 years. Ground Duties: Graduate (20 to 23 years), PG (20 to 25 years), LLB (20 to 26 years), MEd/Ph.D./CA/ICWA (20 to 27 years)	As per CDS Eligibility Criteria, the age limit differs for the different forces: Indian Army: 19 to 24 years Indian Air force: 19 to 23 years Indian Navy: 19 to 22 years
Courses Offered	AFCAT makes the boys and girls join the Indian Air Force in Flying, Technical or Ground Duty course.	CDS makes way for the young boys to join the Indian Air Force for the Flying course only, girls can enter only the OTA, i.e. SSC for Non-Technical course of Army and no other wing of the Defense through the CDS.
Exam Pattern (The exam pattern varies for the two exams in a great deal.)	The AFCAT Exam Pattern comprises of a single paper which comprises of English, GA, Mathematics and reasoning, making a total of 100 questions to be done in 2 hours. English: Variety is less, antonym-synonym is difficult, and passage is easy. General Awareness: Comprises mainly of Current Affairs and level is more comfortable as compared to CDS. Mathematics: Simple class 10th level questions.	The CDS Exam Pattern comprises of three papers English, GA, and Mathematics (optional for the OTA Aspirants). Each paper comprises of 120 questions each and time is 2 hours each. English: Variety of questions is more, the level is okay and simpler. General Awareness: Consists of a mixed blend of questions, the level is quite tough, and needs a good knowledge of basics. Mathematics: A variety of questions from the 10th level, the level is slightly higher than AFCAT.

CDS Vs AFCAT Conclusion

Apart from reasoning the AFCAT is simple. As the level and the standard of questions in AFCAT are seen to be rising with every exam hence, it is advisable for you to work hard for AFCAT as well, however, in general, the standard of questions is a slight bit low than that of CDS. The level of questions in the CDS is hard when compared with AFCAT.

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FAQs

What is the difference between AFCAT and CDS entry?

The two finest entrance exams for the armed forces are AFCAT and CDS. The major difference between AFCAT and CDS entries is CDS allows young boys to join the Indian Air Force for the Flying course exclusively, and girls can only enter the OTA, whereas AFCAT requires both boys and girls to enrol in the Flying, Technical, or Ground Duty courses.

Which exam is tough to crack AFCAT or CDS?

It is advised that you practise hard for AFCAT as well because the level and standard of the questions are seen to be growing with each exam; yet, generally speaking, the standard of the questions is a little bit lower than that of CDS. When compared to AFCAT, the CDS has more challenging questions.

Can I give both AFCAT and CDS exam?

Yes. Since the eligibility requirements are nearly identical and there is a gap of approximately three months, you can apply for both.

Is AFCAT and CDS syllabus same?

There are some distinctions between AFCAT and CDS in terms of the exam format, syllabus, and level of difficulty. Compared to the CDS exam, the AFCAT is a little easier, although both exams require thorough preparation to pass.

CDS Vs AFCAT: Fundamental Differences between CDS and AFCAT