CDS Application Form 2026: Registration Steps, Apply Online for UPSC CDS 1

UPSC introduced the One Time Registration (OTR) platform for the candidates to fill out the application form for any exam under UPSC. The OTR is done once in a lifetime. The OTR can be filled at any time in a year. Though the candidates are allowed to make changes in the OTR within 7 days of registration on the OTR. To register for OTR, the candidates have to follow the steps given below:

• Go to the official website- upsconline.nic.in
• Click on the new registration tab
• Fill out the details- Name, Father's Name, Mother's Name, Mobile number, Email Id, etc 
• Enter the captcha 
• Click on Submit 
• OTP will be sent to your registered mobile number and email id 
• Re-login into your account and reset the password 
• Again Login into the account and go for the CDS application link

Click here to apply for CDS 1 2026 exam- to be updated here

Also Read:

• CDS exam pattern 
• CDS eligibility criteria 2026

The steps to fill out the application form are given below:

• Go to the  upsconline.nic.in
• Log in to your registered account or register for the OTR (the steps to register for UPSC OTR have been given below in the article)
• Click on the CDS exam link
• Fill out the details asked
• Upload the photograph, signature, and Photo Identity card
• Make the application fee for the exam 
• Choose the exam centre
• Finally, submit the application form 
• A confirmation message will be sent to the candidate's registered mobile number and email id 

Also Read: CDS OTA Syllabus

CDS Revised Application Process

Candidates can check below the revised registration process that primarily comprises the following:

• Create Account and Login
• Universal Registration
• Common Application Form 
• Applying for various examinations

Stages of CDS Application Form

The detailed process to fill out the application form has been given below for the candidates. The candidates have to follow the steps to know the application process in brief:

Page One: Here the system inter-alia asks for Candidates to fill in personal information including, name, date of birth, father's name, mother's name, address, community the candidate belongs to, whether fee remission is claimed, whether he/she belongs to a minority, marital status

Page Two: Here system asks for claiming age relaxation and CDS exam centre. Candidates need to choose their preferred CDS exam centres while filling out the application form. Candidates are provided with the option of choosing one exam centre. The exam centres are allotted on a first-apply-first-allot basis. Please note that the only option available to the candidate is default no, so the candidates who have NCC C certificate holders (Naval Wing) need not worry and they can proceed further by only choosing the examination centre from which they wish to appear and proceed further for the next page where they can choose-Whether having/likely to have NCC 'C' Certificate Sr. Division: option and select navy and they will be automatically provided with two years age relaxation in upper age limit. The candidate is to select a centre from the drop-down menu. 

Page Three: On this page Information about preferences for IMA, NA, AFA, and OTA are to be given. The preferences are to be given using numbers 0/1/2/3/4. Candidates will have to enter at least one preference. Since female candidates are eligible for OTA only, they should indicate OTA as the only preference. Candidates who desire to join Air Force Academy must indicate AFA as their first choice. On this page, candidates are also required to indicate whether they have or are likely to have an NCC C certificate (Sr. Division) and whether they are serving in the armed forces.

Page Fourth: Here the system displays all the information provided by the candidate in the application form for verification. An update button is also provided therein at the bottom of the CDS online application details to move back and make any corrections in the information filled in. The candidates are advised to check the filled-in details and satisfy themselves that all information is correctly filled up. No change in information filled in by the candidates will be allowed at any subsequent stage of the examination process.

Declaration Box

At the bottom of the page, there is a declaration for the candidates. They should go through the contents of the declaration carefully. Candidates have the option to either agree or disagree with the contents of a declaration by clicking on 'I Agree' or 'I Do Not Agree'. Accepting to agree only will submit the candidate's online application, and the Part-I data submitted will be saved and a registration Id generated for the candidate. 

Page Five: Here the system displays the registration ID along with the essential identification information about the candidate such as name, father's name, mother's name, DOB, address, exam centre, etc opted by the candidate. They are also intimated that Part-I is complete with the registration of the online application procedure. The candidates may however note that CDS will be treated as incomplete and rejected unless accompanied with Part-II Registration.

Part-I of the CDS application procedure is completed. Candidates have to complete the Part-II registration for the successful online application submission.

The screenshot of the registration is given below:

Screenshot of CDS Registration Page

Part-II: Fee Payment, Exam Centre Selection, Uploading Images

Candidates need to log in with the generated registration ID to fill in the details in Part II of the CDS application form. The Part-II registration comprises the following steps:

• Fee Payment 
• Uploading of Photograph 
• Uploading of Signature
• Uploading of Photo-Identity Proof 

Fee Payment

Applicants can pay the examination fee through cash/credit card/debit card or net banking. The fee structure is given below. 

Image Uploading

• Candidates need to upload scanned images of their photograph, signature, and uploading photo-identity proof. The images should not exceed 300 kb and must not be less than 20 kb
• Submit the application form and take its printout

Choosing an examination centre is important in the CDS application form as the candidates should choose the nearest centre from where they live. Choosing the nearest exam centre helps the candidates avoid any problems while reaching the CDS exam centre. The steps to choose the exam centre and list of the exam centre in the CDS application form has been given below:

• Candidates have to fill out the application form for the CDS exam after the registration
• The candidates will have to fill out the application form by giving personal details like- name, address, educational qualification etc. 
• After filling out the personal details candidates will be given the option to choose the exam centres 
• Choose the exam centres near your home town or where you live

List of CDS Exam Centres

Choosing an exam centre is one of the crucial points while filling out an application form. The candidates will be able to choose from a list of 70+ cities. The name of the cities that can be chosen has been given below in the table below:

Candidates need to apply online at upsconline.nic.in and submit the requisite information and supporting documents towards various claims including date of birth, educational qualification, etc. If a candidate is failed to provide the documents or information along with the Online Application Form will entail cancellation of candidature for the examination.
Further, no request for addition or alteration in the preferences already indicated by a candidate in his or her application will be entertained by the Commission. Once the form is submitted and the application window is closed, candidate will not be allowed to make any corrections. It is advised to a candidate to fill up all the details carefully. 

How to Make Corrections in UPSC OTR Profile?

The candidates need to follow the steps given below to register themselves on the OTR platform:

• Go to the official website: upsconline.nic.in 
• Click on the registration link
• Click on the new registration tab
• Fill out the details asked- Name, Mother's Name, Father's Name, Mobile Number, Email Id, etc
• Password will be sent to the registered email id and mobile number. 
• Re-login to the account and reset the password 
• After the re-login go to the account and click on the CDS application form link to apply for the exam 

The candidates who will join the Indian defence as commissioned officers will be promoted according to the norms and time period of the service. The candidates can check the rank-wise post list below:

• Captain - Two years of commissioned service
• Major - Six years of commissioned service
• Lieutenant Colonel - Thirteen years of commissioned service
• Colonel - Fifteen years of commissioned service
• Colonel (TS) - Twenty-six years of commissioned service
• Major General - Twenty-five years of commissioned service
• Brigadier - Twenty-three years of commissioned service
• Lieutenant General - Twenty-eight years of commissioned service
• General - No restrictions
• Lieutenant - Promotion only after completion of training

The aspirants who want to become defence personnel in Indian defence can also go for different defence exams like AFCAT, NDA and CAPF. The candidates can check the defence exam application form by clicking the links below. The list of other defence exams in India has been given below for the candidates:

• NDA (National Defence Academy)
• CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces)
• AFCAT ( Air Force Common Admission Test)
• IAF (Indian Air Force)
• ICG (Indian Coast Gaurd)

Links for the Application Form