About UPSC CDS (2) 2026
UPSC CDS (II) 2026 will be conducted on November 14. The online application form for the CDS (II) 2026 is scheduled to be released on August 4. UPSC CDS entrance exam is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) twice every year for the recruitment of suitable candidates who will serve the nation through the Defense services. UPSC CDS Part I and Part II is conducted every year for those aspirants who are seeking a career in the Indian Air Force, Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Officer’s Training Academy. Every year in the month of February and November, UPSC conducts the CDS examination which begins with a written exam followed by a Personal Interview and concludes with the medical examination.
To apply for the UPSC CDS examination, the aspirants must have completed their Bachelor’s degree from a recognised Indian University. The aspirants have to visit the official UPSC website in order to apply for the same.
Once selected, the candidates will be inducted in the Indian Naval Academy Ezhimala, Indian Military Academy Dehradun, Officer’s Training Academy Chennai and Air Force Academy Hyderabad based on their rank and choices opted by them during the filling up of the online application form. Such candidates will also be eligible to receive a monthly stipend of INR 21,000. All the important details have been provided to help the aspirants who want to don the prestigious uniform.
UPSC CDS (II) 2026 Application Form (From 04th August)
UPSC will release the UPSC CDS (II) exam 2026
UPSC CDS 2026 Eligibility Criteria
Nationality:
- Be an Indian citizen or
- A subject of Nepal
UPSC CDS 2026 Syllabus
The syllabus for 2026 UPSC CDS part II is available …
UPSC CDS (II) 2026 Exam Pattern
It is important for the candidates appearing for the …
Upcoming Exams :
- UPSC IFSExam date: 27 Jun, 2026
- UPSC Civil ServicesExam date: 10 Oct, 2026
How to Prepare for UPSC CDS (II) 2026
In order to score good marks in the UPSC …
UPSC CDS 2026 (II) Admit Card
The UPSC CDS (II) 2026 admit card will be …
UPSC CDS 2026 Part II Answer Key
The UPSC CDS 2026 Part II Answer Key will …
UPSC CDS Part II Result 2026
UPSC CDS (II) 2026 result will be declared by …
UPSC CDS Selection Process 2026
The candidates who clear CDS written exam are called …
Know best colleges you can get with your UPSC CDS scoreTalk to Experts
UPSC CDS Conducting Body
The Union Public Service Commission is responsible for conducting the Combined Defence Services Examination. UPSC is India’s central recruiting agency that takes care of appointments to and examinations for All India services and group A & group B of Central services. The Commission conducts various examinations including the popular Civil Services Exam, NDA & NA Exam, etc.
UPSC CDS (II) 2026 Important Dates
The latest dates for the UPSC CDS exam have been provided below –
| Event | Date |
| Online Registration Starting Date for UPSC CDS – (II) 2026 Examination | 04th August 2026 |
| UPSC CDS – (II) 2026 Last Date to Apply Online | 24th August 2026 |
| Availability of UPSC CDS – (II) Admit Card/Hall Ticket | To be announced |
| UPSC CDS – (II) 2026 Examination Date | 14th November 2026 |
UPSC 2026 Exam Centers
The exam centres for UPSC CDS-(II) 2026 examination are mentioned below –
| Agartala | Kochi |
| Ahmedabad | Kohima |
| Aizawl | Kolkata |
| Allahabad | Lucknow |
| Bengaluru | Madurai |
| Bareilly | Mumbai |
| Bhopal | Nagpur |
| Chandigarh | Panaji (Goa) |
| Chennai | Patna |
| Cuttack | Port Blair |
| Dehradun | Raipur |
| Delhi | Ranchi |
| Dharwad | Sambalpur |
| Dispur | Shillong |
| Gangtok | Shimla |
| Hyderabad | Srinagar |
| Imphal | Thiruvananthapuram |
| Itanagar | Visakhapatnam |
| Jaipur | Tirupati |
| Jammu | Udaipur |
| Jorhat | — |
Advantages of Appearing in UPSC CDS Entrance Examination
Listed below are some of the advantages that the candidates will have if they appear in the UPSC CDS entrance examination:
- A career in the Defence Services which is adventurous and equally exciting
- Opportunity to travel throughout the country and across the globe (United Nations Peacekeeping Forces {UNPKF})
- Job satisfaction and job security
Advantages for NCC Certificate Holders in UPSC CDS Exam
Those candidates who were a part of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) during their college days and hold a “C” certificate in the same will be in an advantageous position in the UPSC CDS entrance exam in the following ways:
- Can apply for the Special Entry Scheme (SES), i.e getting selected for the SSB (Interview) round without appearing in the written exam
- Can get into IMA as a certain percentage of seats are reserved for NCC certificate holders (“C”)
- Benefit in marks for those NCC “C” certificate holders who appears in the UPSC CDS written examination
Stages Involved in UPSC CDS Entrance Examination
The UPSC CDS entrance examination is divided into the following stages:
- Registration Process
- Application withdrawal process
- Release of Admit Card
- UPSC CDS exam conduct stage
- Declaration of UPSC CDS result
- Selection Process (Interview {SSB} and Medical)
- Release of Merit List
- Course Commencement
UPSC CDS 2026 Exam Highlights
Some of the major highlights of the UPSC CDS (II) 2026 exam are as follows –
| Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Frequency of Conducting Exam | Twice Every Year |
| Mode of Exam | Offline (Pen and Paper-Based) |
| Level of Exam | National |
| Institutions Accepting CDS Scores | Indian Military Academy (IMA), DehradunIndian Naval Academy (INA), EzhimalaOfficer’s Training Academy (OTA), ChennaiAir-Force Academy (AFA), Hyderabad |
| Maximum Marks | 300 (for IMA, AFA and INA aspirants)200 (for OTA aspirants) |
| Maximum Duration of Exam | 120 Minutes (for each Paper) |
| Question Format | Objective (MCQs) |
| Total Number of Questions | 100 (in each Paper) |
| Selection Process | (i) Written Exam (ii) Personal Interview (SSB) (iii) Medical |
Important Dates
| UPSC CDS 2026 Important Events | Dates |
|---|---|
| Registration Date | 04 Aug to 24 Aug, 2026 |
| Exam Date | 14 Nov, 2026 |