CDS
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)Closed
Combined Defence Services Examination (II), 2026 — the examination was held on 13 Sep 2026.Check UPSC’s current notices for the written-result status; this page does not assert that a result is declared.
Important Dates
Some details below are not confirmed — check the official notification ↗
Vacancies & Posts
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Total Vacancies451Pay
| Pay Level | Pay Band | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| Officer Cadet / Gentleman Cadet (training) | Same Level 10 training-stipend structure as NDA entrants | Indian Military Academy (Dehradun), Officers Training Academy (Chennai, men and women, Short Service Commission), Indian Naval Academy (Ezhimala), Air Force Academy (Hyderabad) — graduate-entry officer training |
| Lieutenant/equivalent on commissioning | Level 10, ₹56,100–₹1,77,500 + Military Service Pay ₹15,500/month fixed (Lieutenant to Brigadier) | Same rank/pay structure as NDA-route officers once commissioned |
Confirmed from the official notification's Appendix IV (same figures as NDA, since both feed the same officer rank structure).
Who Can Apply
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Application fee
What You Need
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- 📷 PhotoNo fixed pixel dimensions given in the current official instructions — file-size range only · 20–200 KB · JPG/JPEG — colour photo, plain white background, face ≥75% of frame, both ear lobes visible, no glasses glare/dark glasses; live photo capture also mandatory during the application
- ✍️ Signature350–500 px wide · 20–100 KB · JPG/JPEG — TRIPLE SIGNATURE required — sign three times vertically, one below the other, black ink on plain white paper, with adequate gap between each signature; scan all three as a single image
- 💳 Application FeeGeneral/OBC male candidates: Rs 200.SC/ST candidates and all female candidates: exempted from fee.
How to Apply
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View Official Notification ↗- Register at upsconline.nic.in — the only official application site — via UPSC's 4-part system (account → Universal Registration Number → Common Application Form → exam-specific module)
- Upload your photo and triple signature to spec
- Pay the fee — ₹100, waived for SC/ST, all women, and wards of JCO/NCO/OR in Sainik Schools
- Live photo capture is mandatory at the Common Application Form stage, in addition to the uploaded photo
- Download your e-admit card when released — no postal or emailed admit cards are sent
Exam Pattern
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IMA/INA/AFA: 3 papers x 2 hours each = 6 hours total. OTA: 2 papers x 2 hours each = 4 hours total. · Negative Marking: -1/3 mark per wrong answer (1 mark awarded per correct answer); no deduction for unattempted questions. · Passing Marks: N/A — no single fixed qualifying percentage; UPSC sets a merit-based written cutoff each cycle (normalized), and candidates must separately qualify the SSB Interview (pass/fail standard) — final merit combines written + SSB marks.
| Section | Details |
|---|---|
| IMA/INA/AFA: English | 200 marks, 2 hours |
| IMA/INA/AFA: General Knowledge | 200 marks, 2 hours |
| IMA/INA/AFA: Elementary Mathematics | 200 marks, 2 hours (total written: 600 marks) |
| OTA: English | 200 marks, 2 hours (no Mathematics paper for OTA) |
| OTA: General Knowledge | 200 marks, 2 hours (total written: 400 marks) |
| SSB Interview | Qualifying, multi-day (5-6 days) — Intelligence & Personality Test by IO/GTO/Psychologist, combined with written marks for final merit |
Section marks, duration, and negative-marking figures agree across multiple secondary sources (secondary sources, high consistency, moderate-high confidence); the official UPSC CDS notification PDF was not fetched directly.
Syllabus
Want the complete topic-by-topic syllabus for this exam?
View Full Syllabus →Selection Process
Written exam (offline, pen-and-paper, objective type) — different pattern for IMA/INA/AFA (Indian Military Academy/Naval Academy/Air Force Academy) vs OTA (Officers Training Academy) — followed by SSB Interview for those who clear the written stage, then medical exam.Held twice yearly (CDS-1 around April, CDS-2 around September/November).
Career
CDS's own notification doesn't include a promotion table — this is an inference, not a CDS-notification quote.
- Once commissioned, a CDS-route officer is expected to follow the same rank structure as NDA: Lieutenant on commission → Captain at 2 yrs → Major at 6 yrs → Lt Col at 13 yrs → Colonel and above by selection
Source & Verification
FAQs
Why doesn't OTA require a Mathematics paper?
OTA recruits for the Short Service Commission (non-permanent, non-technical/administrative roles), so its written test only checks English and General Knowledge, unlike IMA/INA/AFA which also test Elementary Mathematics.
Does CDS have a fixed passing percentage like some state exams?
No, CDS is merit-based — UPSC decides the written cutoff each cycle depending on vacancies and candidate performance; there's no officially published fixed passing percentage.
How long does the full CDS selection process take from written exam to final merit?
It typically takes several months — written exam results take weeks, then SSB interviews (5-6 days each) are scheduled in batches over the following months, followed by medical exams before the final merit list.
Can I choose which academy (IMA, INA, AFA, OTA) I get after clearing CDS?
You apply separately for each academy's vacancies at the time of filling the CDS form, and your preference plus final merit rank determines allocation — you can't switch academy choice after qualifying.
Important Links
GovBabu is independent and not affiliated with UPSC, SSC, IBPS, Railway, BPSC or any government body. Requirement details are compiled from official notifications where available — always confirm against the current official notification before submitting.