How are candidates assessed in CDS SSB Interview?

The CDS selection process consists of two stages: a written exam and an SSB interview. All candidates who qualify for the written exam are required to register themselves online on the Indian Army Recruiting within two weeks of the announcement of the written test result. After that, candidates are allotted SSB dates and centres.The SSB procedure has two-stage selection process—stage I and stage II. Only those candidates who clear stage I are permitted to appear for stage II. Stage I comprises Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and Picture Perception Description Tests (PP&DT). Stage II Comprises of an interview, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests and the conference.

Is there a negative marking in the CDS exam?

Yes. In the CDS exam there is a negative marking. One-third mark will be deducted for an incorrect answer. No mark will be deducted for unanswered questions.

When will the CDS 1 2026 exam be conducted?

The Commission released the CDS 1 and 2 exam date at upsc.gov.in. The CDS 1 exam will be conducted on April 12, 2026 and the CDS 2 on September 13. Candidates must be aware that these dates are released by the UPSC.

How do I proceed after CDS 2 Result 2026?

The candidates who will qualify for the CDS 2 result in 2026 will proceed to the SSB interview. The CDS 2 result 2026 will be released on the official website. Basically, the result PDF, cut-off marks, and the final merit-list will guide candidates on their next steps, mainly for the SSB interview round.

Where can a candidate find the download link of CDS 1 Result 2026?

The download link for the CDS 1 Result 2026 will be available on the UPSC website and also on our Shiksha page.

Is the CDS 1 2026 result out?

The CDS 1 result will be declared online in the form of PDF at upsc.gov.in. The exam will be held on April 12, 2026. It will consists of the roll numbers of those candidates who will clear the exam. Then, they will give the SSB interview.

When was the CDS 1 2026 notification and application form released?

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.

Where to apply for CDS 2026 exam?

The Commission released the CDS 1 2026 notification on December 10, 2025 at upsconline.nic.in. The online application link was available from Dec 10 to Dec 30, 2025. Candidates could download notification via direct link provided below.

Is CDS 1 2026 exam easy or tough?

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 candidates.

Can final-year candidates apply for the CDS exam?

Yes, final-year candidates are eligible to apply for the CDS exam. But they need to produce the degree certificate when called upon, mainly during the SSB (Services Selection Board) phase.

Will the UPSC notify candidates about the exact centre location for CDS 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.

How to make corrections in the CDS Application Form 2026?

Candidates can check below the methods to make corrections in the CDS 1 application form 2026: Visit at upsc.gov.in Click on the link available for CDS 1 form correction Log in to the registered account using login credentials Make corrections to the application form Save and print a copy of the modified copy of registration form Log out from the registered profile

How many vacancies are announced in CDS 2026?

The Union Public Service Commission released the CDS 1 examination 2026 vacancies on the official website. A total of 451 vacancies has been announced. The CDS 1 notification released on December 10.

In which mode the CDS exam is conducted?

The CDS exam is conducted offline or pen and paper mode. Objective questions will be asked in the examination. Candidates need to mark their choices of answers in the sheet that was provided during the exam. CDS 1 2026 notification released on December 10.

What are the CDS 2026 exam dates?

The Commission released the CDS 1 notification at upsconline.nic.in. It was released on December 10, 2025. The CDS 1 2026 application dates are December 12 to December 30, 2025. The UPSC CDS 1 exam will be held on April 12, 2026. On the other hand, CDS 2 notification will be announced on May 20, 2026 and the last date to apply will be June 9. The CDS 2 2026 exam will be conducted on September 13, 2026.

What is a good score in CDS exam?

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 of 20% in each paper.

What is the syllabus of CDS Math 2026?

The syllabus of Mathematics consists of Arithmetic, Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Mensuration, and Statistics.

What is the syllabus of CDS General knowledge?

The General Knowledge syllabus of CDS exam consists of History, Polity, Economics, Geography, Science, etc. The subject requires the knowledge of current events whether national or international. The CDS 1 2026 notification will be released on December 10.

At what time should the candidate reach the CDS examination centre?

It is advised to the candidates to reach the CDS exam centre one hour before the given time. They should carry hall ticket along with them otherwise they will not be able to give the exam.

What should a candidate do if he or she faces an issue in downloading the CDS admit card?

Candidate should check the internet connection. It should be stable. Latest version of browsers can be used like Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Clean the catche and try to download the admit card. If still problem occurs, contact the UPSC for support.

Can a candidate apply for CDS 2026 offline?

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.

When was the CDS 1 2026 application form released?

The Commission released the CDS 1 2026 application form on December 10, 2025 at upsconline.nic.in. The last date to fill the registration form was December 30.

How do I check CDS OTA Result?

The CDS OTA Result releases at upsc.gov.in. Candidates can check below the methods. Visit at upsc.gov.in. Click on the CDS OTA result link. Click on the result PDF link. It will appear on the screen. Download the scorecard PDF and save it for later use.

What details are mentioned in the CDS Result PDF?

The CDS exam consists of English, General Knowledge, and Maths. The result will be prepared in PDF and have the names and roll numbers of all successful candidates. The scorecard will be released at upsc.gov.in.

UPSC CDS Notification 2026: Download CDS 1 Notification Here

551 Students Q&A

Exam On - 12 Apr '26

Updated on Feb 12, 2026 12:51 IST

By Shikha Goyal, Assistant Manager

CDS Notification 2026: The Union Public Service Commission released the CDS 1 notification 2026 on December 10 at upsconline.nic.in. Along with the release of the notification, the application process was started. The last date to apply for the UPSC CDS 1 exam was December 30. Without filling the CDS 1 application form, candidate will not able to sit in the exam. The notification was released in the form of PDF and consists of all the information related to the exam including dates, application process, eligibility, etc.

Further, as per the calendar released, the CDS 2 application dates are May 20 to June 9. The CDS 2 exam will be conducted on September 13, 2026 and CDS 1 will be held on April 12. Candidates can check below in detail about the CDS 1 Notification 2026.

Table of contents

CDS Notification 2026
CDS Exam Dates & Schedule 2026
How to apply Online for CDS Exam?
CDS Eligibility Criteria 2026
CDS Selection Process 2026
CDS Admit Card 2026
CDS Syllabus 2026
CDS Result 2026
CDS Notification FAQs 2026

CDS Notification 2026

DeskCalendar Notification: 20 May ' 26

CDS Exam Dates & Schedule 2026

Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of CDS 2026 exam

Dates	Upcoming Exam Dates
12 Apr ' 26	CDS 1 Exam 2026
Apr ' 26	CDS 1 2026 Result TENTATIVE
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