UPSC CDS 2026

UPSC CDS 2026 Exam: Notification, Dates, Eligibility, Pattern, and Syllabus

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination 2026 is a highly anticipated opportunity for graduates aspiring to join the prestigious Indian Armed Forces as Commissioned Officers. This examination serves as a gateway to the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA), and Officers’ Training Academy (OTA). Thousands of aspirants target the CDS exam annually, drawn by the honour, leadership opportunities, and stable career path offered by serving the nation. Preparing for UPSC CDS 2026 requires dedication, a strategic approach, and a thorough understanding of the exam’s intricate details, from eligibility to the comprehensive syllabus and exam pattern.

UPSC CDS 2026 Exam Details

• Exam Name: Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination (I & II) 2026
• Conducting Authority: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
• Exam Level: National Level
• Mode of Exam: Offline (Pen-Paper Based)
• Stages: Written Examination, SSB Interview, Medical Examination, Final Merit List
• Job Type: Commissioned Officer in the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force

Important Dates for UPSC CDS 2026

The specific dates for UPSC CDS I 2026 and CDS II 2026 will be announced with the respective official notifications. Candidates are advised to regularly check the UPSC website for the latest updates.

• Notification Release (CDS I 2026): To be announced (Expected around October-November 2025)
• Application Start Date (CDS I 2026): To be announced
• Application End Date (CDS I 2026): To be announced
• Exam Date (CDS I 2026): To be announced (Expected around February-April 2026)
• Notification Release (CDS II 2026): To be announced (Expected around May-June 2026)
• Application Start Date (CDS II 2026): To be announced
• Application End Date (CDS II 2026): To be announced
• Exam Date (CDS II 2026): To be announced (Expected around September 2026)
• Exam Duration (Per Paper): 2 Hours

UPSC CDS 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

• For Indian Military Academy (IMA) & Officers’ Training Academy (OTA): Degree of a recognized University or equivalent.
• For Indian Naval Academy (INA): Degree in Engineering from a recognized University/Institution.
• For Air Force Academy (AFA): Degree of a recognized University (with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level) or Bachelor of Engineering.
• Final year students are also eligible to apply, subject to producing proof of passing the degree examination by the specified date.

Age Limit (as on specific cut-off dates for each exam year)

The exact age cut-off dates for UPSC CDS I & II 2026 will be mentioned in the official notifications. Below are the general age ranges:

• For IMA: Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 2nd January [Year – 24] and not later than 1st January [Year – 19]. (e.g., for CDS 2026, typically 19-24 years).
• For INA: Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 2nd January [Year – 22] and not later than 1st January [Year – 19]. (e.g., for CDS 2026, typically 19-22 years).
• For AFA: 20 to 24 years as on 1st January [Year of Exam], i.e., born not earlier than 2nd January [Year – 24] and not later than 1st January [Year – 20]. (Upper age limit for candidates holding valid and current Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA is relaxable up to 26 years).
• For OTA (Men & Women): Born not earlier than 2nd January [Year – 25] and not later than 1st January [Year – 19]. (e.g., for CDS 2026, typically 19-25 years).

Age Relaxation:

• Scheduled Caste (SC)/Scheduled Tribe (ST): 5 years
• Other Backward Classes (OBC): 3 years
• Certain other categories as per government rules.

Nationality

A candidate must be either:

• A Citizen of India, or
• A subject of Nepal, or
• A subject of Bhutan, or
• A Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
• A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, 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.

Note: Candidates belonging to categories other than Indian citizens must possess a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India.

UPSC CDS 2026 Category-Wise Seats

The exact number of vacancies for UPSC CDS I & II 2026 will be released with the respective official notifications. The figures below are indicative based on previous trends and will be updated upon official announcement.

Note: The number of vacancies mentioned above is tentative and subject to change based on the official notification of UPSC CDS 2026.

UPSC CDS 2026 Exam Fees

• For General and OBC Male Candidates: Rs. 200/-
• For Female/SC/ST Candidates: Exempted from payment of fee.

Mode of Payment:

• Candidates can pay the fee either by depositing the money in any Branch of SBI by cash, or by using Net Banking facility of SBI, or by using Visa/Master/RuPay Credit/Debit Card.

UPSC CDS 2026 Exam Pattern

The CDS written examination consists of objective-type papers. The pattern varies slightly for different academies.

For Admission to Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA) and Air Force Academy (AFA):

For Admission to Officers’ Training Academy (OTA):

Negative Marking: There will be negative marking for incorrect answers. For every wrong answer, one-third (1/3rd) of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as a penalty.

After the written examination, successful candidates will undergo a rigorous SSB (Service Selection Board) Interview, followed by a Medical Examination.

UPSC CDS 2026 Detailed Syllabus

The syllabus for the CDS examination covers a broad range of subjects to test a candidate’s general awareness, language proficiency, and analytical skills.

English

• Spotting Errors: Identifying grammatical errors in sentences.
• Comprehension: Reading passages and answering questions based on them.
• Antonyms and Synonyms: Vocabulary-based questions.
• Sentence Completion/Fill in the Blanks: Completing sentences with appropriate words.
• Ordering of Words in a Sentence: Arranging jumbled words to form meaningful sentences.
• Ordering of Sentences: Arranging jumbled sentences to form coherent paragraphs.
• Cloze Test: Filling in blanks in a passage with suitable words.
• Idioms and Phrases: Understanding the meaning and usage of common idioms.
• Parts of Speech: Identifying and understanding different parts of speech.

General Knowledge

• Current Events: Knowledge of important national and international events, awards, sports, defence, science and technology, etc.
• History of India: Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Indian History, with emphasis on Indian National Movement.
• Geography: Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.
• Indian Polity: Indian Constitution, Preamble, Fundamental Rights & Duties, DPSP, Parliament, Judiciary, Panchayati Raj, etc.
• Indian Economy: Basic concepts of economics, Five-Year Plans, inflation, national income, budget, etc.
• General Science: Physics, Chemistry, and Biology up to matriculation level. Questions on everyday observations and experience in scientific aspects.
• Environment and Ecology: Basic concepts, biodiversity, climate change, conservation.
• Defence Related Knowledge: Indian Armed Forces structure, recent developments, exercises, awards.

Elementary Mathematics

• Arithmetic:
  • Number System (Natural numbers, Integers, Rational and Real numbers), Fundamental operations.
  • HCF and LCM, Decimal fractions.
  • Square roots, Ratio and Proportion, Time and Work, Time and Distance.
  • Percentages, Applications to Simple and Compound Interest, Profit and Loss.
• Algebra:
  • Basic Operations, Simple factors, Remainder Theorem, H.C.F. and L.C.M., Polynomials, Theory of quadratic equations.
  • Linear equations in two variables.
  • Set language and set notation.
• Trigonometry:
  • Sine, Cosine, Tangent of an angle, values of trigonometric ratios.
  • Simple trigonometric identities, Use of trigonometric tables.
  • Simple cases of heights and distances.
• Geometry:
  • Lines and angles, Plane and plane figures, Theorems on properties of angles at a point.
  • Parallel lines, Sides and angles of a triangle.
  • Congruence of triangles, Similar triangles, Concurrence of medians and altitudes.
  • Properties of a circle, tangents and normals.
  • Quadrilaterals, Rectangles, Parallelograms and squares.
• Mensuration:
  • Areas of squares, rectangles, parallelograms, triangles and circles.
  • Areas of figures which can be split up into these figures.
  • Surface area and volume of cuboids, lateral surface and volume of right circular cones and cylinders, surface area and volume of spheres.
• Statistics:
  • Collection and tabulation of statistical data, Graphical representation (histograms, pie charts, frequency polygons).
  • Measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode).

UPSC CDS 2026 Exam Centers

Candidates can choose their preferred exam centers while filling out the online application form. UPSC generally allots centers on a ‘first apply, first allot’ basis. A comprehensive list of cities across India serves as exam centers.

Note: The full and updated list of exam centers for UPSC CDS 2026 will be available in the official notification.

How to Apply for UPSC CDS 2026

Candidates must apply online through the official website of the Union Public Service Commission.

1. Visit the Official UPSC Website: Go to upsc.gov.in
2. One Time Registration (OTR): If you are a new user, first register yourself on the OTR portal. This involves providing basic personal details to create a profile. Existing OTR users can directly proceed to step 3.
3. Log In: After successful registration, log in to the OTR portal using your registered email ID/mobile number/OTR ID and password.
4. Navigate to Latest Notification: On the homepage, find the link for “Combined Defence Services Examination (I or II) 2026 Notification”.
5. Fill Part-I Application Form: Carefully fill in all the required personal and educational details in the first part of the application.
6. Verify Details: Review all the entered information before submission.
7. Generate Registration ID: Upon successful submission of Part-I, a unique Registration ID will be generated.
8. Pay Application Fee: Proceed to pay the application fee (if applicable) through the online mode (Net Banking, Debit/Credit Card) or by generating an SBI Challan for offline cash payment.
9. Fill Part-II Application Form: After fee payment (and within the application window), complete Part-II of the application. This involves selecting exam center preference, uploading scanned photograph and signature as per specifications.
10. Declaration and Final Submission: Read the declaration carefully and then submit the application.
11. Print Confirmation: Take a printout of the finally submitted online application form for future reference.

Candidates are advised to read the detailed instructions in the official notification thoroughly before applying.

UPSC CDS 2026 Preparation Tips

• Understand the Syllabus and Pattern: Thoroughly go through the detailed syllabus and exam pattern to identify strong and weak areas.
• Create a Study Plan: Develop a realistic and structured study schedule, allocating sufficient time to each subject. Consistency is key.
• Focus on Fundamentals: For Mathematics and General Science, strengthen your foundational concepts from NCERT textbooks (Class 6-10 for Science, Class 9-10 for Math).
• Read Daily Current Affairs: Stay updated with national and international news, defence-related developments, government policies, and sports through newspapers, magazines, and reliable online sources.
• Practice Previous Year Papers: Solve as many previous year’s CDS question papers as possible to understand the exam’s difficulty level, common question types, and time management.
• Take Mock Tests Regularly: Attempt full-length mock tests under timed conditions to simulate the actual exam environment, assess your performance, and improve speed and accuracy.
• Improve English Language Skills: Work on grammar, vocabulary, and comprehension. Read diverse articles and practice writing.
• Revision is Crucial: Regularly revise all subjects to retain information effectively. Make short notes for quick revision.
• SSB Interview Preparation: Alongside written exam preparation, start working on personality development, communication skills, leadership qualities, and physical fitness, as these are vital for the SSB interview.
• Stay Physically Fit: Maintain a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise and a balanced diet, as physical standards are a significant part of the selection process.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for UPSC CDS 2026

Q1: What is the age limit for CDS 2026?

A1: The age limit for CDS 2026 varies by academy. Generally, it is 19-24 years for IMA, 19-22 for INA, 20-24 for AFA, and 19-25 for OTA. Specific birth date ranges will be provided in the official CDS 2026 notification.

Q2: Is there negative marking in the UPSC CDS 2026 exam?

A2: Yes, there is negative marking in the CDS written examination. For every incorrect answer, one-third (1/3rd) of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as a penalty.

Q3: What are the educational qualifications required for CDS 2026?

A3: For IMA and OTA, a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university is required. For INA, an Engineering degree is necessary. For AFA, a Bachelor’s degree (with Physics & Maths at 10+2 level) or a Bachelor of Engineering is required.

Q4: Can female candidates apply for all academies through CDS 2026?

A4: No, female candidates are eligible to apply only for the Officers’ Training Academy (OTA). Currently, IMA, INA, and AFA are exclusively for male candidates through the CDS exam.

Q5: When will the UPSC CDS 2026 notification be released?

A5: The notification for CDS I 2026 is generally expected around October-November 2025, and for CDS II 2026, it is expected around May-June 2026. Official dates will be announced by UPSC on its website.

Q6: How many times can I attempt the CDS exam?

A6: There is no specific limit on the number of attempts for the CDS exam. Candidates can apply as many times as they wish, provided they meet the age and other eligibility criteria each time they apply.