What are the documents required to fill out the CDS application form?

Candidates required a lot of details while filling out the CDS 2026 application form. Candidates can check below the list of required documents: Adhaar Card Class 10th, 12th roll number Academic certificates of Bachelor's and Master's degrees Caste Certificate Scanned copy of signature, photograph, and ID proof within the limit of 20 KB to 300 KB.

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.

Has UPSC launched a new online application portal for CDS exam?

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) launched a new Online Application Portal to streamline the registration process for all exams. The new portal was live at upsconline.nic.in and replaces the older One-Time Registration (OTR) module, which now will no longer be functional. As per the official notification, candidates are advised to use their Aadhaar Card as ID documents for easy, effortless and seamless verification and authentication of ID and other details. The New Application Portal officially launched on May 28, 2025. Applications for the CDS 2 exam 2025 was accepted through the new online application portal.

What is the age limit for CDS 1 2026?

Candidates can check below the CDS 1 2026 age limit: IMA: Candidates for IMA should be unmarried and must have been born not earlier than January 2, 2003, and not later than January 1, 2008. INA: Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 2003, and not later than January 1, 2008, can apply for INA. AFA: To apply for AFA, the age of candidates should be between 20 and 24 years. They must have been born not earlier than January 2, 2003, and not later than January 1, 2007. The upper age limit of candidates holding valid and current Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA (India) is relaxed up to 26 years (i, e born not earlier than January 2, 2001, and not later than January 1, 2007).

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.

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.

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.

Is the CDS exam online or offline?

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.

What is the syllabus of CDS Math 2026?

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

Is the CDS English section scoring?

Yes, the English section of the CDS exam is scorable if it is prepared properly. Usually the difficulty level of the exam is moderate.

Is CDS Question Paper 2026 released officially?

Yes, the examination authority will release the CDS Question Papers 2026 officially at upsc.gov.in. The question papers will be released in the form of PDF. Candidates can download the CDS question papers 2026 from this page also for free. The question papers will help candidates to check the difficulty level of the exam, questions asked, pattern changed or not, etc.

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.

Is the CDS exam online or offline?

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.

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.

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.

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 give preference in the application form of the CDS exam?

Candidates can provide their preference in the application form for the CDS exam by choosing the IMA, INA, AFA, OTA.

What is UPSC OTR for CDS exam?

The OTR stands for One Time Registration. The UPSC introduced this system to simplify the application process for several UPSC examinations, including CDS. Candidates will be able to register their basic details and documents once. This information can be reused by the candidates for future UPSC exam applications, which saves time and effort.

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.

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.

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.

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

Is it compulsory to give CDS mock test?

The CDS exam requires in depth knowledge and clarity of concepts or conceptual clarity. So, regular solving of mock tests is important. It provides an additional advantage that a candidate requires to score good in the exam.

CDS Application Form 2026: Registration Closed for UPSC CDS 1 & How To Apply Online?

551 Students Q&A

Exam On - 12 Apr '26

Updated on Feb 12, 2026 12:08 IST

By Shikha Goyal, Assistant Manager

CDS Application Form 2026: The UPSC CDS 1 application process was closed. The online application window for CDS 1 was closed on December 30. It was opened on December 10. The CDS 1 notification was released on December 10 in the form of PDF. Those candidates who filled out the application form will be able to sit in the exam. The CDS 1 exam will be conducted on April 12, 2026. It was advised to the candidates to check the eligibility before applying for the CDS exam.

The UPSC CDS 2 application dates are May 20 to June 9, 2026. Candidates can check below in detail about the CDS application form 2026, online apply process, application link, dates, etc.

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