CDS Exam Centres 2026: Check CDS 1 State-Wise Exam Cities List
Combined Defence Services Exam 2026 ( CDS )
CDS 2 Application Process 2026
20 May '26 - 9 Jun '26
CDS Exam Centres 2026: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will release the CDS 1 2026 exam centres along with the CDS 1 notification on December 10, 2025. The written exam will be conducted in more than 70 cities spread throughout the country in two shifts. The application process dates will be from December 10 to 30, 2025. The CDS 1 exam will be conducted on April 12, 2026. Further, the CDS 2 exam willl be held on September 13, 2026
Candidates are required to enter their preferences for CDS exam centres 2026 while submitting the application form. Candidates can choose only one exam city at the time of filling up the CDS 1 application form. CDS exam centres are allotted to candidates on a first-apply-first-allot basis. The details regarding the exam cities are mentioned on the CDS admit card. Read below for more details on the exam centres of CDS 2026.
- CDS Exam Centres 2026
- CDS Exam Dates & Schedule 2026
- Important Points Related to CDS Exam Centres 2026
- CDS Notification 2026
- CDS Exam Centre 2026 FAQs
CDS Exam Centres 2026
The exam cities for the CDS exam is provided below. Candidates who will appear for the exam can check below the exam centre list.
| Agartala |
Ghaziabad |
Navi Mumbai |
| Agra |
Gorakhpur |
Panaji (Goa) |
| Ajmer |
Gurgaon |
Patna |
| Ahmedabad |
Gwalior |
Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair) |
| Aizawl |
Hyderabad |
Prayagraj (Allahabad) |
| Aligarh |
Imphal |
Puducherry |
| Almora (Uttarakhand) |
Indore |
Pune |
| Anantapur (Andhra Pradesh) |
Itanagar |
Raipur |
| Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Aurangabad (Maharashtra) |
Jabalpur |
Rajkot |
| Bengaluru |
Jaipur |
Ranchi |
| Bareilly |
Jammu |
Sambalpur |
| Bhopal |
Jodhpur |
Shillong |
| Bilaspur (Chhatisgarh) |
Jorhat |
Shimla |
| Chandigarh |
Kargil |
Siligudi |
| Chennai |
Kochi |
Srinagar |
| Coimbatore |
Kohima |
Srinagar (Uttarakhand) |
| Cuttack |
Kolkata |
Thane |
| Dehradun |
Kozhikode (Calicut) |
Thiruvananthapuram |
| Delhi |
Leh |
Tiruchirappalli |
| Dharamshala |
Lucknow |
Tirupati |
| Dharwad |
Ludhiana |
Udaipur |
| Dispur |
Madurai |
Varanasi |
| Faridabad |
Mandi |
Vellore |
| Gangtok |
Mumbai |
Vijayavada |
| Gaya |
Mysore |
Vishakhapatnam |
| Gautam Buddh Nagar |
Nagpur |
Hanumakonda (Warangal Urban) |
Commonly asked questions
No. The commission released the notification for the CDS 1 exam 2026 on Dec 10, 2025. Candidates can apply for the designated exam centres across India as mentioned in the notification. The list of exam centers has been mentioned in the notification. Exam centres are allotted on a first-apply-first-allot basis to the candidates. Also, some centres have a limited capacity and, once filled, are no longer available for selection.
There are some of the items that candidate can not take with themselves while giving the CDS examination. Such items are mobile phones, laptops, tablets, calculators, etc. That is electronic items are not allowed. If any of the candidate found with such items in the exam centre then he or she will not be allowed to sit in the exam.
CDS Exam Dates & Schedule 2026
Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of CDS 2026 exam
| Dates | Upcoming Exam Dates |
|---|---|
| 20 May ' 26 | CDS 2 Notification 2026 |
| 20 May ' 26 - 09 Jun ' 26 | CDS 2 Application Process 2026 |
| 13 Sep ' 26 | CDS 2 Exam Date 2026 |
| Dates | Past Exam Dates |
|---|---|
| 12 Apr ' 26 | CDS 1 Exam 2026 |
| 10 Dec ' 25 | CDS 1 Notification 2026 |
| 10 Dec ' 25 - 30 Dec ' 25 | CDS 1 Application Process 2026 |
Important Points Related to CDS Exam Centres 2026
A few important points related to CDS exam centres are given below:
- Allotment of CDS exam centres is done on the first-apply-first-allot basis
- Once the capacity of a particular CDS exam centre is attained, the same is frozen
- In such a case, candidates are allotted to the next available centres
- Candidates are advised to fill out the application form early to get their preferred CDS exam centres
- There is a ceiling on the number of candidates allotted to each exam centre except Chennai, Delhi, Dispur, Kolkata, and Nagpur
- The examination authority does not entertain any request for a change in CDS exam centres after the final submission of the CDS application form
- Candidates are advised to choose the exam centres carefully
- The details related to the CDS exam centre such as an address, centre code, venue, and time are mentioned on the CDS admit card
Read More:
Commonly asked questions
Candidates need to carry the following documents to the CDS exam centre
1. CDS Admit Card
2. Photo ID Proof
3. Two passport size photographs
The CDS exam is conducted in two stages, the written exam and the SSB interview. The CDS exam is an offline exam conducted in pen paper-based format. The CDS marking scheme, negative marking, total marks, exam timing, and the paper pattern for the IMA, INA, AFA, and OTA are available on this page for the CDS exam.
CDS Notification 2026
The CDS 1 notification 2026 will be published on December 10. Candidates who will be interested in applying online are advised to go through the information bulletin carefully. The last date to apply is December 30.
Commonly asked questions
The Union Public Service Commission released the CDS 1 2026 notification on December 10, 2025. The CDS 1 application form 2026 was available from December 10 to December 30, 2025.
No, candidates can't apply for the CDS 2026 exam offline. The authority will activate the CDS application link on the official website. It is important for a candidate to first complete the One-Time Registration (OTR) on the website of UPSC before proceeding with the CDS application form.
CDS Exam Centre 2026 FAQs
Refer CDS Centre 2026 FAQs Here
The CDS 2 2025 application and notification was released on May 28, 2025. The application window was opened till June 20, 2025. The exam was conducted on September 14, 2025. On the other hand, the CDS 1 2025 application form and the notification was released on December 11, 2024 and the last date to apply was January 1, 2025. The CDS 1 exam was conducted on April 13, 2025.
There are some of the items that candidate can not take with themselves while giving the CDS examination. Such items are mobile phones, laptops, tablets, calculators, etc. That is electronic items are not allowed. If any of the candidate found with such items in the exam centre then he or she will not be allowed to sit in the exam.
Yes, the UPSC will release the CDS admit card a few days before the exam. The admit card will consist of the exact address and name of the exam centre.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 3 weeks ago
There are various coaching institutes for CDS in Dehradun. Some of them are Doon Defence Dreamers, Centurion Defence Academy, Brigadier Defence Academy, etc. It will be better to visit personally to the coaching institutes in Dehradun, take the reviews regarding faculties, infrastructure, requiremen
C
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 3 weeks ago
Doon Defence Dreamers as per the results and reputation is considered to be the top choice institute for the CDS preparation. But before joining any institute, it will be better to visit the campus in Dehradun, evaluate the faculty, infrastructure and the guidance provided there.
M
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 weeks ago
There are several CDS coaching institutes in Dehradun which provides comprehensive written and SSB guidance. Some of the academies are mentioned below:
Centurion Defence Academy
Prasad's Banking SSC and CDS Coaching Institution
Major Kalshi Classes
Dehradun Defence School, etc.
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 3 weeks ago
The top CDS coaching institute in Dehradun include Cadets Defence Academy, often recognised for high selection rates and tailored SSB training, and Dehradun National Academy of Defence (DNAD). Candidates can check below for some of the other notable institutes -
1. Centurion Defence Academy
2. Doon De
T
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
In the CDS exam, a good score varies as per the academy. Generally as per the experts, 120 to 150+ in the written exam for IMA/INA/AFA and 90 to 110+ for OTA are considered to be the good score along with the strong SSB performance. Also, cutoff changes every year and candidates required a minimum
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 months ago
Generally, the CDS 1 exam is considered to be moderate to difficult level as the syllabus is vast and consists of challenges which are subject specific. But as per the previous year trend it is moderate in difficulty level. With proper strategy, consistency and hard work exam can be cracked by the c
C
Contributor-Level 6
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Can anyone share honest reviews about CDS coaching in Dehradun? Are there better options for best CDS coaching in Dehradun?