UPSC CDS Notification OUT: Download CDS 1 Notification Here
Combined Defence Services Exam 2025 ( CDS )
Registration - 10 Dec '25 - 30 Dec '25
CDS Notification 2026 OUT: The Commission has released the CDS 1 notification 2026 on December 10 on the official portal at upsconline.nic.in. The application procedure also begin with the release of the notification PDF. The CDS 1 application form last date is December 30. On the other hand, the notification for the CDS 2 exam will be published on May 20, 2026 and the application dates for the CDS 2 are May 20 to June 9. The UPSC CDS 1 exam will be held on April 12 and CDS 2 on September 13, 2026. The CDS notification has been released in the form of PDF and consists of the information about the exam like important dates, application process, pattern, syllabus, eligibility, etc. Candidates can check below in detail about the CDS 1 notification.
- 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
Notification: 20 May ' 26
CDS 1 notification has been released to select candidates who wish to join the courses of the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Air Force Academy (AFA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), and Officers Training Academy Courses (Men and Women). The CDS selection process comprises stages-written exams, an SSB interview and Medical Test. Candidates qualifying for the written exam are called for an SSB interview. The final selection for the CDS 2026 exam will be done based on the written exam, SSB interview and Medical examination. After undergoing training at the respective defence academies, candidates join the post of lieutenant. Candidates can check below the CDS 1 notification for 2026.
Download Here CDS 1 notification 2026
Commonly asked questions
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.
The Union Public Service Commission released the CDS 1 2026 notification on December 10, 2025. The CDS 1 application form 2026 is available from December 10 to December 30, 2025. The direct link is also available on this page.
CDS Exam Dates & Schedule 2026
Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of CDS 2025 exam
| Dates | Upcoming Exam Dates |
|---|---|
| 10 Dec ' 25 - 30 Dec ' 25 | CDS 1 Application Process 2026 ONGOING |
| 12 Apr ' 26 | CDS 1 Exam 2026 |
| 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 |
|---|---|
| 10 Dec ' 25 | CDS 1 Notification 2026 |
| 09 Oct ' 25 | CDS 2 2025 Result |
| 14 Sep ' 25 | CDS 2 Exam 2025 |
How to apply Online for CDS Exam?
Candidates can check here methods to apply online for CDS exam:
- They have to register themselves on OTR (One Time Registration) page.
- Fill out all details asked on registration page Upload document (if needed)
- The login ID will be generated by UPSC for candidates and will be sent to registered mobile and email id
- Go to latest exam tab and click on CDS 2 exam link
- Fill out application by giving details that have been asked in form
Direct Link to apply for CDS 1 2026 exam
CDS 2026 Application Fee
Candidates can check below the CDS exam online form fee.
- The application fees can be paid online.
- The application fees are INR 200 for General and OBC male candidates.
- SC, ST and female candidates were exempted from fee payment.
- Fee can e paid by using Visa/Master/Rupay Credit/Debit Card/UPI Payment or by using internet banking facility of any Bank.
Also Read: CDS OTA Syllabus
Commonly asked questions
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.
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 is December 30. A direct link to apply is also provided on this page.
CDS Eligibility Criteria 2026
Candidates should check the eligibility before filling out the online application form. Only those aspirants are considered for recruitment who fulfils the eligibility . The candidates can check below in detail.
Also Read: CDS 1 2026 Eligibility Criteria
Commonly asked questions
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.
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.
CDS Selection Process 2026
The candidates have to qualify in different tests to be enrolled in the IMA, INA, AFA, and OTA. The different levels of the CDS selection process have been given below for the candidates:
- Written Exam
- SSB Interview/Personality Test
- Document Verification
- Medical Examination
Commonly asked questions
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.
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.
CDS Admit Card 2026
CDS admit card will be released three weeks before the exam. Candidates need to download the admit card from the official website. The admit card can be downloaded till the day of the exam by logging with either the registration number or roll number. The hard copy of the CDS admit card is not sent to candidates by post.
Commonly asked questions
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.
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.
CDS Syllabus 2026
The syllabus highlights topics that candidates need to prepare for exam. Topics given in CDS syllabus are of Class 10, 12, and Graduation levels. Candidates can check below CDS syllabus.
| Subjects |
Details |
|---|---|
| English |
The question paper in English is designed to test the candidate’s understanding of English language |
| General Knowledge |
The paper test a candidate’s knowledge regarding Current Affairs. The paper includes questions on the History of India and Geography |
| Elementary Mathematics |
This paper comprises questions from Arithmetic, Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Mensuration, and Statistics |
Commonly asked questions
The syllabus of Mathematics consists of Arithmetic, Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Mensuration, and Statistics.
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.
CDS Result 2026
The result of CDS is declared as of written exam and SSB Interview/Final. First, the scorecard for the written exam is released followed by the declaration of the final result. Based on the performance of candidates in both rounds, candidates will be selected for admission to various defence academies.
Commonly asked questions
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.
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.
CDS Notification FAQs 2026
Commonly asked questions
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.
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.
The download link for the CDS 1 Result 2026 will be available on the UPSC website and also on our Shiksha page.
CDS Exam
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 2 days ago
After qualifying the SSB round, the selected candidates need to undergo a medical examination. A candidate is declared medically fit or unfit after the result announcement. After qualifying all the selection rounds they will go for training.
C
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
Some of the books, help candidates in their CDS preparation are given below:
- High School English Grammar & Composition Edition by Wren and Martin
- Objective General English by SP Bakshi
- Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
- English Grammar & Composition by S.C Gupta
J
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
The authority released a total of 453 vacancies for the CDS 2 exam 2025 for admission to the Indian Air Force, Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Officers’ Training Academy for courses.
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
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.
C
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
Yes, the English section of the CDS exam is scorable if it is prepared properly. Usually the difficulty level of the exam is moderate.
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
Candidates can check the cut off marks for the CDS exam by visiting the official website at upsc.gov.in. The UPSC will release the cutoff according to the academy or course.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
The methods to check the CDS cut off marks is provided below:
- Visit at upsc.gov.in.
- Click on the :Examination" tab.
- Go to the "Cut Off Marks" dropdown menu.
- Click on the download link and save it for future reference.
I
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 months ago
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.
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 months ago
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.
J
Contributor-Level 6
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What after final selection in CDS?