The Union Public Service Commission activated the UPSC CDS 1 2026 application form from December 10 to December 30, 2025. Earlier, the commission released the UPSC CDS 1 2026 notification on December 10, 2025. The commission also activated the UPSC CDS 1 application form 2026 link on the same date. The UPSC CDS application form has been released at upsc.gov.in.
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The UPSC CDS exam is conducted to recruit potential candidates for the Indian Navy, Army and Air Force. The UPSC CDS 2026 exam is conducted twice a year. Candidates will train for about a year before they get placed. Check the below table to know more about the UPSC CDS recruitment –
Full name of the exam | UPSC Combined Defence Services exam |
Short Name | UPSC CDS |
Conducting Authority | Union Public Service Commission |
Website | upsc.gov.in/ joinindianarmy.nic.in |
Exam mode | Offline |
Application Mode | Online |
Application fee | Rs 200 |
Number of vacancies | TBA |
Exam Level | National |
Stages of the exam |
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The UPSC CDS exam date 2026 has been announced by the commission in the Annual Calendar. Some CDS dates, like the admit card date and the result date, will be announced later on. Check the table below to know the latest CDS 2026 exam dates -
Event | CDS 1 Dates | CDS 2 Dates |
UPSC CDS notification date 2026 | December 10, 2025 | May 20, 2026 |
CDS Application date | December 10, 2025 | May 20, 2026 |
CDS application form last date 2026 | December 30, 2025 | June 9, 2026 |
CDS application correction window | To be announced | To be announced |
UPSC CDS admit card date | To be announced | To be announced |
CDS Exam Date 2026 | April 12, 2026 | September 13, 2026 |
CDS 2026 result date | To be announced | To be announced |
CDS Final result date | To be announced | To be announced |
The commission closed the UPSC CDS 1 application form today on December 30, 2025. Earlier, the commission released the CDS 1 application form 2026 on December 10, 2025. Before the CDS application date, candidates are required to keep all the essential documents and details ready.
If they have made any mistake in entering the details, candidates will be allotted a few days where they can make modifications in the UPSC CDS application form. The detailed steps to fill the CDS 1 2026 application form will be available in the official notification. Candidates can follow them to apply for the CDS exam.
UPSC CDS 2026 application fees according to category
Category | Fees |
General/OBC | Rs 200 |
SC/ST/PWD/Female Candidates | Exempted |
Candidates must ensure they meet the CDS eligibility criteria before they apply for the examination. The detailed CDS eligibility criteria 2026 will be given in the official notification. If a candidate is found not to meet the CDS 2026 eligibility, they will be disqualified. Check the eligibility criteria in the table below -
Factors | UPSC CDS eligibility criteria |
CDS age limit | 20-24 years |
Education | For IMA and the India Naval Academy - Degree of a recognised University or equivalent. For Air Force Academy -Degree of a recognised University (with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level) or Bachelor of Engineering |
Nationality |
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Marital Status | Candidates below 25 years of age must be unmarried. Marriage is not permitted during training. |
Physical standards | Candidates must be physically fit according to physical standards. |
The CDS exam pattern 2026 determines the way in which the exam will be conducted. The commission mentions the CDS exam pattern in the official notification. Candidates can also check the CDS 2026 exam pattern in brief in the table below -
For Admission to the Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Air Force Academy -
Subject | Duration | Maximum Marks |
English | 2 hours | 100 marks |
General Knowledge | 2 hours | 100 marks |
Elementary Mathematics | 2 hours | 100 marks |
For Admission to Officers’ Training Academy -
Subject | Duration | Maximum Marks |
English | 2 hours | 100 marks |
General Knowledge | 2 hours | 100 marks |
SSB Interview Pattern -
The SSB procedure consists of a two-stage Selection process. Only those candidates who clear stage I are permitted to appear for stage II.
Stage 1 - Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests are the Picture Perception* Description Test (PP&DT).
Stage 2 - This stage consists of an Interview, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests and the Conference. These tests are conducted over 4 days.
The UPSC CDS syllabus is specified in the official notification. The UPSC CDS 2026 syllabus consists of the subjects, topics, and subtopics essential to qualify the exam. The UPSC CDS 2026 syllabus covers a wide range of subjects to assess the candidate's suitability for admission into the Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, and Officers' Training Academy. A topic-wise brief on the CDS exam syllabus is given below.
English - Tests the candidate’s understanding of English.
General Knowledge - Questions on the History of India and Geography, knowledge of current events and of such is required.
Elementary mathematics -
Arithmetic - Number System
Elementary Number Theory.
Algebra.
Trigonometry.
Geometry.
Mensuration.
Statistics.
The option to select the UPSC CDS exam centre 2026 will be available while filling the application form. Candidates must carefully choose it. They must also remember that any option to change the UPSC CDS exam centre will not be granted later on. Candidates will be able to select from a total of 78 UPSC CDS 2026 exam centres while filling the form.
The UPSC CDS selection process 2026 comprises a written exam and SSB interview. Those who clear both rounds will get selected as officers in the Army/ Navy/ Airforce. The SSB interview has 2 stages. Candidates who clear stage 1 will qualify into stage 2.
The UPSC CDS 2026 admit card is issued by the commission 7 days before the examination. The UPSC CDS 2 admit card will be released at upsc.gov.in.Candidates have to enter their login credentials to download the UPSC CDS admit card 2026.
Steps to download the UPSC CDS admit card -
Go to the official UPSC website.
On the homepage, the link to download the admit card will be available.
Provide the application number and date of birth as per the information provided during registration.
The admit card will open.
Download for future reference.
For UPSC CDS 2026 preparation, start early and follow a structured study plan covering all sections: English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics. Practice with UPSC CDS sample papers and mock tests regularly.
Utilise reputable study materials and stay updated with current affairs. Engage in group discussions and seek guidance from mentors. Prioritise self-care and maintain motivation throughout your UPSC CDS preparation journey.
The commission will release the UPSC CDS question paper 2026 of all the sets on the official website. Candidates will also be able to get the UPSC CDS 2026 question paper at the websites of some coaching centres. The CDS 1 question papers will be available right about the completion of the examination.
The UPSC CDS answer keys will be released after the release of the final results. Candidates will be able to access the UPSC CDS 2026 answer key on the official website in PDF format. Certain coaching institutes also release unofficial CDS answer key 2026 right after the completion of the examination.
The UPSC CDS 1 result will be declared by the commission on the official website. The UPSC CDS result PDF 2026 will consist of the list of qualified candidates. The UPSC CDS 2026 result will be declared within a month after the exam is conducted. Candidates can refer the below steps to download their UPSC CDS results -
Go to the official UPSC website, upsc.gov.in.
On the homepage, the CDS result link will be scrolling.
Click on the “CDS Results” link to proceed to the results page.
Use ‘CTRL + F ’ to search for the roll number.
Download the CDS result pdf for future reference.
Candidates will be able to check the UPSC CDS cut off 2026 on the official website. The UPSC CDS cut off will be released after the final result is declared. The UPSC CDS 2026 cut off varies with category. The UPSC CDS Cut off will be determined based on various factors like the difficulty level of the exam, the number of vacancies, and category.
The detailed UPSC CDS salary structure 2026 will be mentioned in the official notification. Selected candidates will be offered a good UPSC CDS salary and allowances. During cadet training, candidates will be offered a fixed CDS stipend of Rs 56,100. Upon successful completion, candidates will be given the UPSC CDS 2026 salary in the range of Rs 56,100 - Rs 1,77,500 (Level 10 pay matrix).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Those between the age 20 to 24 years can apply for CDS.
The CDS exam date is April 12, 2026.
The CDS 1 notification released on December 10, 2025 at upsc.gov.in.
The NDA exam is considered a harder exam as it has a vast syllabus.
The CDS salary will be between Rs 56,100 - Rs 1,77,500 upon selection.
On Question asked by student community
Hello aspirant,
On August 23, 2024, the Union Public Service Commission made the NDA 2 2024 admit card available on its official website, upsc.gov.in/upsconline.nic.in. The timeframe for editing NDA 2 2024 application forms was open until June 11, 2024. On June 5, 2024, the NDA rectification window opened. On June
Hello there,
Yes, you can apply for the Combined Defence Services (CDS) exam for the Indian Military Academy (IMA) after completing your graduation in 2027, based on your date of birth, 29th November 2003. Here’s how your eligibility works out:
Eligibility Criteria for CDS IMA:
Age Limit: For IMA, the
To determine your eligibility for the CDS (Combined Defence Services) exam in 2027, we need to consider the age criteria set by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which conducts the exam.
For the CDS exam, the age criteria generally are as follows:
Hello aspirant,
The upper age limit for CDS IMA is 24 years. Since you are currently 21 years 3 months old, you have 2 years and 9 months left to appear for the CDS IMA exam. This means you can attempt the exam 3 more times before reaching the age
Hello Aspirant
The eligibility criteria for CDS is that the candidate must be between the ages of 19 to 25 years. Since you were born in 2003, that will make you 24 years old, making you eligible for the exam.
But, just to be on the safer side, I would
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