CDS Details

C.D.S. Examination (II), 2026
Date of CDS II Notification : 04.08.2026
Last Date for receipt of CDS II Applications: 24.08.2026
Date of Commencement of CDS II Exam : 14.11.2026 (SUNDAY)

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UPSC COMBINED DEFENCE SERVICES EXAMINATION (I), 2026 [INCLUDING SSC WOMEN (NON-TECHNICAL) COURSE] 

Date Of Notification CDS I 2026 : 28/10/2026
Last date of receipt of completed CDS Application Form : 17/11/2026- 6:00pm
Date of CDS I 2026 Exam is : 07/02/2026

Candidates are required apply UPSC CDS (I) 2026 Exam only online and detailed instructions for filling up online CDS Exam applications are available on the below mentioned website

Combined Defence Service (CDS) exam is conducted by Union Public Service Commission twice every year for recruitment to office cadre of the Army, Navy and Air force.
Candidates qualifying the CDS written test are interviewed by the Service Selection Board and if finally selected, depending upon the choice given by the candidates and their merit list ranking, are sent to one of the following institutes for orientation training

(a) Indian Military Academy, Dehradun
(b) Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala
(c) Air Force Academy, Hyderabad
(d) Officers Training Academy, Chennai (Madras)
(e) Officers Training Academy, Chennai 29th SSC Women (Non-Technical)   

Women candidates are eligible for CDS OTA (Officers Training Academy, Chennai) only    

Those joining the first three institutes get permanent commission. Cadets passing out of Officers Training Academy get short service commission. Applicants are required to mention their preferences while filling up the application forms   

No. of UPSC CDS (I) 2026 Vacancies : 345  

1. Indian Military Academy, Dehradun—150th (DE) Course commencing in January, 2026 [including 13 vacancies reserved for NCC C Certificate (Army Wing) holders] – 100  

2. Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala—Course commencing in January, 2026 Executive (General Service)/Hydro [including 06 vacancies for NCC C Certificate (Naval Wing through NCC Special entry) holders ] – 26  

3. Air Force Academy, Hyderabad—(Pre-Flying) Training Course commencing in January, 2026 i.e. No. 209 F(P) Course.[03 vacancies are reserved for NCC C Certificate (Air Wing) holders through NCC Spl Entry] – 32  

4. Officers Training Academy, Chennai (Madras)—115th SSC (Men) Course (NT) commencing in April, 2026 – 170 

5. Officers Training Academy, Chennai — 29th SSC Women (Non-Technical) Course commencing in April, 2026  – 17  

The number of CDS (I) vacancies is tentative and may be changed at any stage by Services H.Q.  

A CDS candidate is required to specify clearly in respective column of the Online CDS Application the Services for which he/she wishes to be considered in the order of his/her preference.
A male CDS candidate is advised to indicate as many preferences as he wishes to. So that having regard to his rank in the order of merit due consideration can be given to his preferences when making appointment.
Since women CDS candidates are eligible for OTA only, they should give OTA as their first and only preference.  

UPSC CDS 2026 Eligibility   

(a) Nationality :A candidate must either be  :
   1. a citizen of India, or
   2. a subject of Bhutan, or
   3. a subject of Nepal, or
   4. a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before the 1st January, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
   5. a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka and East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire and Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.

Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) above shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.
Certificate of eligibility will not, however, be necessary in the case of candidates who are Gorkha subjects of Nepal.  

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UPSC CDS 2026 Exam Educational Qualifications:  

(i) For I.M.A. and Officers Training  Academy, Chennai — Degree of a recognised University or equivalent.
(ii) For Indian Naval Academy — Degree in Engineering from a recognised   University/Institution.
(iii) For Air Force Academy — Degree of a recognised University (with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level) or Bachelor of Engineering.
Graduates with first choice as Army/Navy/Air Force are to submit proof of  Graduation/provisional certificates on the date of commencement of the SSB Interview at the SSB.

UPSC CDS (I) 2026 Age Limit:
(i) For CDS IMA — Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 2nd January, 1998 and not later than 1st January, 2003 only are eligible.
(ii) For CDS Indian Naval Academy — Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 2nd January, 1998 and not later than 1st January, 2003 only are eligible.

(iii) For CDS Air Force Academy — 20 to 24 years as on 1st January, 2026 i.e. born not earlier than 2nd January, 1998 and not later than 1st January, 2002 (Upper age limit for candidates holding valid and current Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA (India) is relaxable upto 26 yrs. i.e. born not earlier than 2nd January, 1996 and not later than 1st January, 2002) only are eligible.
Note: CDS Candidate below 25 years of age must be unmarried. Marriage is not permitted during training. Married candidates above 25 years of age are eligible to apply but during training period they will neither be provided   married accommodation nor can they live with family out of the premises.
(iv) For CDS Officers Training Academy — (SSC Course for men) unmarried male  candidates born not earlier than 2nd January, 1997 and not later than 1st January, 2003 only are eligible.
(v) For CDS Officers Training Academy — (SSC Women Non-Technical Course) Unmarried women, issueless widows who have not remarried and issueless divorcees (in possession of divorce documents) who have not remarried are eligible. They should have been born not earlier than 2nd January, 1997 and not later than 1st January, 2003.
NOTE : Male divorcee/widower candidates cannot be treated as unmarried male for the purpose of their admission in IMA/INA/AFA/OTA, Chennai courses and  accordingly they are not eligible for these courses. 

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SCHEME OF CDS EXAMINATION  

The UPSC CDS Competitive examination comprises:
(a) CDS Written examination
(b) CDS Interview for intelligence and personality test of such candidates as may be called for interview at one of the Services Selection Centres.  

The subjects of the CDS written examination as follows:

For Admission to CDS Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Air Force Academy :—
1. English
2. General Knowledge
3. Elementary Mathematics

For Admission to CDS Officers Training Academy :-
1. English
2. General Knowledge

HOW TO APPLY CDS 2026 APPLICATION FORM:
Candidates are required to apply CDS online only, by using the website www.upsconline.nic.in

Detailed instructions are available on the above mentioned UPSC website  

NO OTHER MODE IS ALLOWED FOR SUBMISSION OF CDS APPLICATION 

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LAST DATE FOR SUBMISSION AND WITHDRAWAL OF CDS APPLICATIONS 2026 :  

The CDS (I) 2026 Online Applications can be filled upto 17 November, 2026 till 6:00 PM..

The CDS (I) 2026 online Applications can be withdrawn from 24.11.2026 to 30.11.2026 till 6.00 PM. 

THE UPSC COMMISSION HAS INTRODUCED THE FACILITY OF WITHDRAWAL OF APPLICATION FOR THOSE CANDIDATES WHO DO NOT WANT TO APPEAR FOR THE CDS EXAMINATION.
Detailed instructions regarding withdrawal of CDS Applications is available in prospectus.     

CDS (I) 2026 APPLICATION FEE :
CDS Candidates (excepting Female/SC/ST candidates who are exempted from payment of fee) are required to pay a fee of Rs. 200/- (Rupees Two Hundred Only) either by depositing the money in any Branch of SBI by cash, or by using netbanking facility of SBI, State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur/State Bank of Hyderabad/State Bank of Mysore/State Bank of Patiala/State Bank of Travancore or by using Visa/Master Credit/Debit Card 

CDS Exam Dates and Schedule
Tentative Dates
Notification of Examination         August and March in leading newspapers and employment news
Conduct of Examination             February/March and September/October

CDS Exam Centres  

For More CDS (I) 2026 Exam Details or Recent Notification visit :  

Click Here to Apply CDS (I) 2026 Application form  

FACILITATION COUNTER FOR GUIDANCE OF CDS CANDIDATES: 

In case of any guidance/information/clarification regarding their application, candidature  etc. candidates can contact UPSC Facilitation Counter near Gate C of its campus in person or over Telephone No.011-23385271/011-23381125/011-23098543 on working days between 10:00 hrs. to 17:00 hrs.

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