CDS II 2026 Notification
The CDS II 2026 notification (Notice No. 11/2026-CDS-II) was released by the Union Public Service Commission on 20 May 2026. The written examination will be held on 13 September 2026 for admission to the Army, Navy, Air Force and Officers' Training Academy courses commencing in 2027.
Applications were invited online only at upsconline.nic.in from 20 May to 09 June 2026. The application window is now closed and no withdrawal or correction is permitted after submission.
Candidates should rely only on the official UPSC notice and website for the CDS II 2026 notification PDF, admit card and result updates.
CDS II 2026 Vacancy
The CDS II 2026 vacancy stands at a total of 451 posts across the five training courses. Course-wise break-up is given below.
| Academy / Course | Vacancies | Reserved (NCC 'C') |
|---|---|---|
| IMA Dehradun (163rd DE Course) | 100 | 13 (Army Wing) |
| INA Ezhimala (Executive / Hydro) | 26 | 06 (Naval Wing) + 01 Hydro |
| AFA Hyderabad (Pre-Flying, 222 F(P)) | 32 | 03 (Air Wing, NCC Special Entry) |
| OTA Chennai (126th SSC Men, NT) | 275 | — |
| OTA Chennai (126th SSC Women, NT) | 18 | — |
| Total | 451 | — |
The vacancy figures are tentative and may change at any stage as per Services HQ requirements. Unfilled NCC-reserved seats are filled by general candidates.
CDS II 2026 Eligibility Criteria
CDS II 2026 Nationality
Candidates must be a citizen of India, a subject of Nepal, or a person of Indian origin migrated from the countries listed in the notice with intent to settle permanently in India. Non-citizen categories need an eligibility certificate from the Government of India (Gorkha subjects of Nepal exempted).
CDS II 2026 Age Limit & Marital Status
| Academy | Age | Born Between | Who Can Apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| IMA | 19–24 Years | 01 Jul 2003 – 01 Jul 2008 | Unmarried male |
| INA | 19–24 Years | 01 Jul 2003 – 01 Jul 2008 | Unmarried male |
| AFA | 20–24 Years | 01 Jul 2003 – 01 Jul 2007 | Below 25 must be unmarried; CPL holders up to 26 years |
| OTA Men (SSC) | 19–25 Years | 01 Jul 2002 – 01 Jul 2008 | Unmarried male |
| OTA Women (SSC) | 19–25 Years | 01 Jul 2002 – 01 Jul 2008 | Unmarried women, issueless widows / divorcees who have not remarried |
Male divorcees / widowers are not treated as unmarried and are not eligible. Marriage is not permitted during training — a candidate marrying during training is discharged and must refund training cost.
CDS II 2026 Educational Qualification
| Academy | Required Qualification |
|---|---|
| IMA & OTA | Degree of a recognised University or equivalent |
| INA | Degree in Engineering, or B.Sc. with Physics as core/elective (with Physics & Maths at 10+2) |
| AFA | Degree with Physics & Mathematics at 10+2 level, or Bachelor of Engineering |
Final-year students can apply but must submit proof of passing by 13 May 2027 (AFA), 01 Jul 2027 (IMA/INA) or 01 Oct 2027 (OTA), failing which candidature is cancelled. Army/Navy/Air Force first-choice candidates carry original certificates to the SSB — entry without them means return at own expense.
CDS II 2026 Physical & Medical Standards
Candidates must be physically fit as per the Armed Forces medical manual (Joint Order Manual, available at joinindianarmy.nic.in). Permanent body tattoos are allowed only on the inner forearm and back of hand (tribal custom tattoos considered case-by-case).
Minimum fitness expected on reporting at IMA/OTA:
| Activity | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 2.4 km run | 10 min 30 sec | 13 min |
| Push-ups / Pull-ups / Sit-ups | 40 / 06 / 30 | 15 / 02 / 25 |
| Squats / Lunges | 2 sets of 30 / 2 sets of 10 | |
| Swimming | Must know fundamentals | |
CDS II 2026 Exam Pattern
The CDS II 2026 exam pattern has a written test followed by the SSB interview. All papers are objective type; GK and Maths papers are bilingual (Hindi + English). Written and SSB carry equal marks.
| Entry | Papers | Written Marks | SSB Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| IMA / INA / AFA | English 100 + GK 100 + Maths 100 (2 hrs each) | 300 | 300 |
| OTA (Men & Women) | English 100 + GK 100 (2 hrs each) | 200 | 200 |
Negative Marking: one-third (0.33) of marks deducted for each wrong answer; multiple answers count as wrong; blank answers carry no penalty. Use black ball pen only on the OMR sheet — roll number and booklet-series errors can get the sheet rejected. Calculators, scribes, mobiles and smartwatches are banned in the hall.
Note: UPSC may fix minimum qualifying marks in any subject. Entry to the venue closes 30 minutes before each session, with mandatory face authentication.
CDS II 2026 Syllabus
The CDS II 2026 syllabus covers English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics (Maths only for IMA/INA/AFA). Maths is of matriculation level; other papers are of graduate level.
English
Tests understanding of English and workmanlike use of words — comprehension, vocabulary, grammar and sentence skills.
General Knowledge
Current events, everyday science observed and experienced, plus History of India and Geography answerable without special study.
Elementary Mathematics
| Area | Topics |
|---|---|
| Arithmetic | Number system, square roots, decimals, unitary method, time & distance, time & work, percentages, SI & CI, profit & loss, ratio & proportion; number theory — HCF, LCM, divisibility tests, logarithms |
| Algebra | Factors, remainder theorem, polynomials, quadratic equations, linear equations/inequations in two variables, set notation, laws of indices |
| Trigonometry | sin, cos, tan (0°–90°), standard values, identities, tables, heights & distances |
| Geometry | Lines, angles, triangles (congruency, similarity), parallelograms, circles, tangents, loci |
| Mensuration | Areas of squares, rectangles, triangles, circles; volume & surface area of cuboids, cones, cylinders, spheres |
| Statistics | Data collection & tabulation, frequency polygons, histograms, bar & pie charts, measures of central tendency |
CDS II 2026 Selection Process
The CDS II 2026 selection process runs through the following stages:
| Stage | Process |
|---|---|
| 1 | Written Examination (13 Sep 2026) |
| 2 | SSB Stage-I screening — OIR test + PP&DT (Day 1; failures return same day) |
| 3 | SSB Stage-II — Interview, GTO tasks, Psychology tests & Conference (4 days) |
| 4 | Medical Examination |
| 5 | Final merit (written + SSB) & course allotment |
SSB calls: Feb–Mar 2027 for IMA/INA/AFA qualifiers, Apr–Jun 2027 for OTA-only qualifiers. Army-first-choice candidates must register on www.joinindianarmy.nic.in with the same email ID given to UPSC to receive SSB call-ups. Minimum qualifying marks apply separately in the written exam and SSB; final merit follows total marks. Success in the exam alone confers no right to admission — medical fitness and vacancies decide.
CDS II 2026 Posts
The CDS II 2026 recruitment feeds officer entries across the three services. IMA/INA/AFA lead to Permanent Commission; OTA leads to Short Service Commission (14 years: 10 + 4 extension, with PC option in the 10th year).
| Course | Vacancies | Training | Commission |
|---|---|---|---|
| IMA Dehradun (Jul 2027) | 100 | 18 months | Permanent (Lt on passing out) |
| INA Ezhimala (Jul 2027) | 26 | ~18 months incl. sea training | Permanent (Sub-Lt) |
| AFA Hyderabad (Jul 2027) | 32 | 74 weeks (Flying Branch) | Permanent (Flying Officer) |
| OTA Chennai Men (Oct 2027) | 275 | 49 weeks + PG Diploma (Madras Univ.) | SSC, 14 years |
| OTA Chennai Women (Oct 2027) | 18 | 49 weeks + PG Diploma (Madras Univ.) | SSC, 14 years |
Important: AFA must be the first choice for Air Force aspirants (CPSS/medicals routing) — lower AFA preferences are treated invalid. OTA counts as last preference for men competing for PC courses too. Leftover qualified IMA/INA/AFA candidates may be offered spare SSC(NT) seats in merit order.
CDS II 2026 Salary & Pay Scale
The CDS II 2026 salary starts at Level 10 (₹56,100) on commissioning, plus Military Service Pay ₹15,500/month (Lt to Brigadier). Officer cadets receive a fixed stipend of ₹56,100/month during training.
| Rank | Level | Pay Scale (₹) |
|---|---|---|
| Lieutenant | 10 | 56,100 – 1,77,500 |
| Captain | 10B | 61,300 – 1,93,900 |
| Major | 11 | 69,400 – 2,07,200 |
| Lt. Colonel | 12A | 1,21,200 – 2,12,400 |
| Colonel | 13 | 1,30,600 – 2,15,900 |
| Brigadier | 13A | 1,39,600 – 2,17,600 |
| Major General | 14 | 1,44,200 – 2,18,200 |
| Lt. General (HAG) | 15–16 | 1,82,200 – 2,24,400 |
| VCOAS / Army Cdr | 17 | 2,25,000 (fixed) |
| COAS | 18 | 2,50,000 (fixed) |
CDS Salary Per Month
In-hand pay adds DA, dress allowance (₹20,000/year), free ration, transport allowance, children education allowance (₹2,250/month) plus risk & hardship allowances by posting area. Time-scale promotions reach Captain at 2 years, Major at 6 years and Lt. Colonel at 13 years.
Note: Pay scale is not in-hand salary — actual earnings vary with posting, allowances and deductions. Rules are subject to revision.
How to Apply for CDS II 2026
Applications closed on 09 June 2026. The applied process ran as follows (kept for reference and for CDS I 2027 aspirants):
| Step | What To Do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Go to upsconline.nic.in and create your account; get your lifetime URN |
| 2 | Fill the Common Application Form — photo upload + live photo + triple signature in black ink |
| 3 | Fill the CDS exam module — service preferences, centre choice, fee payment |
| 4 | Submit before the deadline and save your URN + Application Number |
| 5 | Carry the same photo ID (Aadhaar advised) to the exam and SSB |
| 6 | Keep matric certificate + degree ready in original for SSB verification |
Warnings that matter: no withdrawal, no correction and no preference change after submission. Government servants must inform their Head of Office; serving Armed Forces personnel need their Commanding Officer's NOC at SSB. Centres allot on first-apply-first-allot (except Chennai, Dispur, Kolkata, Nagpur) — early applicants get their chosen city.
CDS II 2026 Admit Card
The CDS II 2026 Admit Card is released. UPSC uploaded the e-admit cards on 03 September 2026 for the written exam on 13 September 2026 (Sunday). Download it from Link Below, take a printout and preserve it till the final result. No paper admit card will be issued.
| Exam | Admit Card Status |
|---|---|
| CDS II Written (13 Sep 2026) | Released — Download at upsconline.nic.in |
On exam day, carry: e-admit card printout + the same photo ID mentioned on it + three recent passport photos + black ball pen only. Reach the venue 1 hr 15 min early for face authentication. Entry closes 30 minutes before each session — 08:30 AM (English), 12:00 PM (GK), 03:30 PM (Maths). Mobiles, smartwatches, bags and valuables are banned with no safekeeping at the venue.
Discrepancy? Check name, photo and QR code on download and mail [email protected] immediately. Helpline: [email protected], 011-24041001.
CDS II 2026 Answer Key
The CDS II 2026 Answer Key will be open for representation after the exam. Appeared candidates get a 5-day window (3rd to 7th day after the exam, till 6 PM) to submit objections on questions and provisional keys at upsconline.nic.in — no email, post or hand representations are accepted.
| Exam | Answer Key Status |
|---|---|
| CDS II Written | To Be Released |
CDS II 2026 Result
The CDS II 2026 Result (written) is expected in October 2026. UPSC lists candidates securing minimum qualifying marks; qualifiers are detailed for SSB by their preferred service HQ. Final merit follows written + SSB totals.
| Stage | Result Status |
|---|---|
| Written Result | To Be Released (Oct 2026 expected) |
| Final Result (after SSB) | To Be Released |
Note: check results only on upsc.gov.in. Non-recommended interview candidates may opt into the Pratibha Setu talent pool for PSU/private employers at application time.
CDS II 2026 Cut Off
The CDS II 2026 Cut Off will be released with the results — not announced yet. UPSC fixes separate minimum qualifying marks for the written exam and SSB at its discretion. Past cut-offs below show the trend.
CDS Previous Year Cut Off
Written cut-off is out of 300 marks (200 for OTA); final cut-off is out of 600 marks (400 for OTA). W = written, F = final.
| Exam | IMA (W / F) | INA (W / F) | AFA (W / F) | OTA (W / F) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CDS II 2024 | 117 / 241 | 90 / 220 | 126 / 248 | 81 / 161 |
| CDS II 2023 | 127 / 252 | 110 / 237 | 136 / 261 | 104 / 183–184 |
| CDS II 2022 | 126 / 249 | 118 / 222 | 136 / 260 | 98 / 180–177 |
OTA final cut-off differs slightly for men and women (2023: 183 / 184; 2022: 180 / 177). Important: the table above shows previous-year CDS cut-off marks for reference only — official cut-off PDFs are on upsc.gov.in. The CDS II 2026 cut off will be updated here after its official release.
CDS II Tie-Breaking (how equal totals are ranked)
Equal final totals are resolved by: written total first (all three papers for IMA/INA/AFA; English + GK for OTA) → then GK paper marks → then seniority in age → then Commission's discretion. Marks are rounded to two decimals.
CDS Cut Off 2026
Do not treat coaching-site predictions as official. The actual cut-off varies with vacancies, paper difficulty, candidate performance and competition and will be updated here on release.
CDS II 2026 Exam Centres
The exam runs at 84 centres across India. Allotment is first-apply-first-allot (except Chennai, Dispur, Kolkata, Nagpur) — once a centre fills, it freezes. Appear only at the venue on your e-admit card; papers at any other venue are not valued and no centre-change requests are entertained.
| State / UT | Examination Centres |
|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | Agra, Aligarh, Bareilly, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Meerut, Prayagraj, Varanasi |
| Rajasthan | Ajmer, Alwar, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur |
| Maharashtra | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nasik, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Thane |
| Tamil Nadu | Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Vellore |
| Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur |
| Andhra Pradesh | Ananthapuramu, Tirupati, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam |
| Karnataka | Bengaluru, Dharwad, Mysuru |
| Kerala | Kochi, Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram |
| Himachal Pradesh | Dharamshala, Mandi, Shimla |
| Odisha | Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur |
| Gujarat | Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Surat |
| Uttarakhand | Almora, Dehradun, Srinagar (UK) |
| J&K / Ladakh | Jammu, Kargil, Leh, Srinagar |
| Delhi / Haryana | Delhi, Faridabad, Gurugram |
| Bihar | Gaya, Patna |
| Chhattisgarh | Bilaspur, Raipur |
| Telangana | Hanumakonda, Hyderabad |
| West Bengal | Kolkata, Siliguri |
| Assam | Dispur, Jorhat |
| North-East (other) | Agartala, Aizawl, Gangtok, Imphal, Itanagar, Kohima, Shillong |
| Others | Chandigarh, Panaji (Goa), Puducherry, Ranchi, Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair) |
Important: UPSC may change centres at its discretion. Choose carefully while applying — post-submission centre changes are never allowed.
FAQs — CDS II
Q. What is CDS II 2026?
CDS II 2026 is the UPSC Combined Defence Services Examination (second cycle of 2026) for admission to IMA, INA, AFA and OTA courses commencing in 2027.
Q. When is the CDS II 2026 exam?
The written exam is on 13 September 2026. Applications ran 20 May to 09 June 2026 and are now closed.
Q. How many vacancies are there in CDS II 2026?
451 tentative vacancies — IMA 100, INA 26, AFA 32, OTA Men 275 and OTA Women 18.
Q. What is the age limit for CDS II 2026?
IMA/INA 19-24 years, AFA 20-24 years (CPL holders up to 26), OTA 19-25 years. Below-25 candidates must be unmarried.
Q. What is the qualification for CDS II 2026? Can final-year students apply?
IMA/OTA need any degree; INA needs Engineering or B.Sc. Physics; AFA needs Physics and Maths at 10+2 or BE. Final-year students can apply with proof by May to October 2027 as per academy.
Q. What is the CDS II 2026 application fee?
Rs. 200 for General/OBC/EWS; no fee for Female, SC and ST candidates. OBC/EWS get no exemption.
Q. What is the CDS II 2026 exam pattern? Is there negative marking?
IMA/INA/AFA face English, GK and Maths (100 marks each, 2 hours); OTA faces English and GK only. Yes, one-third mark is deducted per wrong answer.
Q. What is the SSB process after the written exam?
Day-1 screening (OIR plus PP&DT), then 4-day Stage-II (interview, GTO, psychology, conference), then medicals. SSB runs February to June 2027.
Q. What is the salary after CDS selection?
Stipend Rs. 56,100 per month in training; on commissioning, Level-10 pay (Rs. 56,100 to 1,77,500) plus MSP Rs. 15,500 and allowances.
Q. Has the CDS II 2026 admit card or result been released?
Yes, admit card released on 03 September 2026 — download from upsconline.nic.in with your credentials. Written result is expected in October 2026; cut-off releases with results.