UPSC CDS 2 Notification 2026 Out: 451 Vacancies, Apply Online Now

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Combined Defence Service (CDS) Examination twice annually to select candidates for the Indian Air Force, Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Officers’ Training Academy. The official CDS 2 Notification 2026, covering 451 vacancies for courses commencing in July 2027, was released on 20th May 2026. 

CDS 2 Notification 2026 Out

The detailed CDS 2 Notification 2026 PDF for the Combined Defence Service Examination (II), including the SSC Women (Non-Technical) Course, is available at www.upsc.gov.in. This document provides critical information regarding vacancies, eligibility criteria, the application process, and selection stages. Prospective candidates are strongly encouraged to review the official advertisement thoroughly to confirm their eligibility before applying. 

Click to Download CDS 2 Notification 2026 (Official PDF)

UPSC CDS 2 Exam 2026- Summary

The Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination is a prestigious national-level competitive exam conducted by the UPSC to recruit officers for the IMA, INA, AFA, and OTA. Held biannually in April and September, the recruitment process includes a rigorous written examination followed by a comprehensive SSB interview.

CDS 2 2026 Exam - Summary
Organization	Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Exam Name	Combined Defence Service Examination (2) 2026
CDS 2 Vacancy	451
Level of Exam	National
Mode of Application	Online
Registration Dates	20th May to 9th June 2026
Selection Process	Written Test- Interview- Medical Examination
Language of Written Exam	Bilingual
Mode of Examination	Offline
Type of Questions	Multiple-choice questions
Eligibility	Unmarried Males & Females
CDS Exam Duration	2 hours (each paper)
Marking Scheme	1/3 for each incorrect answer
Job Location	All Over India
Official Website	www.upsc.gov.in

CDS 2 Exam Date 2026 

As outlined in the UPSC Calendar 2026, the CDS 2 Exam 2026 is scheduled for 13th September 2026 (Sunday). With 451 vacancies on offer, candidates will receive specific details regarding exam timings, venues, and hall ticket access through the official UPSC portal. 

CDS Exam 2026- Important Dates

The official schedule for the CDS 2 2026 examination has been published in the UPSC Calendar. Refer to the table below for all essential examination dates. 

Events	UPSC CDS 2 2026
Notification Date	20th My 2026
CDS Application Form 2026	20th May 2026
Last date to apply	9th June 2026
Application Withdrawal	--
CDS 2 Admit Card 2026	September 2026
CDS 2 Exam Date 2026	13th September 2026
CDS Result 2026	--

UPSC CDS 2 Vacancy 2026

UPSC has announced a total of 451 vacancies for the CDS 2 2026 recruitment cycle, distributed across the Indian Air Force, Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Officers’ Training Academy. 

CDS 2 2026 Vacancy
Name of the academy	Number of Vacancies
Indian Military Academy, Dehradun 160th (DE)	100
Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala Course	26
Air Force Academy, Hyderabad Training Course	32
Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai (Madras) SSC Men 125th SSC (Men) (NT) (UPSC)	275
Officers Training Academy, Chennai SSC Women 125th SSC Women (NT) (UPSC)	18
Total	451

UPSC CDS 2 Exam 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Candidates are required to strictly adhere to the UPSC CDS 2026 Eligibility Criteria established for defense recruitment. Review the specific requirements regarding nationality, educational background, age limits, and marital status below.

CDS Nationality

Applicants must be citizens of India, subjects of Nepal/Bhutan, or Tibetan refugees who migrated to India before 1st January 1962 with the intent of permanent settlement. Individuals of Indian origin who migrated from specified countries (including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma, Kenya, etc.) with the intention of permanent residency are also eligible.

CDS Education Qualification

For I.M.A. and Officers’ Training Academy - Candidates must hold a graduation degree in any discipline from a recognized university or equivalent institution.

For Indian Naval Academy - Candidates must possess a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from a recognized university or institution.

For Air Force Academy - Candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university with Physics and Mathematics at the 10+2 level, or possess a Bachelor of Engineering degree.

CDS Age Limit (as on 01/07/2027)

The age requirements for the CDS 2 2026 Examination are as follows:

(i) For IMA- Unmarried male candidates born between 2nd January 2003 and 1st January 2008 are eligible.

(ii) For Indian Naval Academy- Unmarried male candidates born between 2nd January 2003 and 1st January 2008 are eligible.

(iii) For Air Force Academy- Candidates aged 20 to 24 years (born between 2nd January 2003 and 1st January 2007) are eligible.

CDS Marital Status & Sex

• For the Indian Military Academy and Indian Naval Academy, only unmarried males may apply for the CDS 2 Exam.

• For the Indian Air Force Academy, both married and unmarried males are eligible, provided they do not marry during the training period.

• For the Officers’ Training Academy, both unmarried males & females are eligible to apply.

CDS Physical Standards 

Candidates must meet the established medical and physical standards required for entry into the Combined Defence Services Examination (II), 2026. 

• The minimum acceptable height for male cadidates is 157 cm.
• For the Navy candidates height is 157 cm, for the Air Force is 162.5 and for female candidates is 152 cm.
• Gorkhas and candidates belonging to the Hills of the North Eastern region of India, Garhwal and Kumaon, required a minimum height is 152 cm.
• Tribals from the Ladhakh Region and Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep and Minicoy Islands' and Extra talented sports candidates minimum required rights is 155 Cm
• Body Mass Index (BMI) should be below 25.
• The ratio of the waist and hip should be below 0.9 for males and 0.8 for females.
• Waist Circumference should be less than 90 cm for males and 80 cm for females.

CDS Previous Year Question Paper PDFs- Click to Check

CDS 2 2026 Application Form

Concurrent with the release of the notification, the CDS 2 2026 online application process opened on 20th May 2026 at www.upsc.gov.in. Aspirants are advised to submit their applications well before the deadline to avoid technical issues. 

CDS Application Form 2026 - Click Here to Check Details 

CDS 2 Exam 2026 Application Fee

The examination fee for the CDS 2 2026 is Rs. 200/- for most candidates; female, SC, and ST candidates are exempt from payment. Payments can be processed via online or offline channels, including net banking, debit/credit cards, or cash deposits at SBI branches.

Category	Application Fee
All category except SC/ST/Females	Rs. 200/-
SC/ST/Females	Exempted

UPSC CDS 2 Exam 2026 Selection Procedure

Recruitment for AFA, IMA, INA, and OTA involves the following selection phases:

Stage 1: Written Exam- UPSC conducts a multiple-choice written examination covering General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics to shortlist candidates for the subsequent interview phase.

Stage 2: SSB Interview/Personality Test- Successful candidates proceed to the Service Selection Board (SSB) interview. This assessment evaluates leadership, intellect, and personality through a two-stage process: Stage 1 (Screening: OIR, PPDT) and Stage 2 (Psychological tests, Group tasks, and Personal Interviews).

Stage 3: Document Verification- Qualified candidates must present original academic certificates, proof of age, and other requisite documentation for verification.

Stage 4: Medical Examination- Candidates clearing the SSB undergo a thorough medical evaluation by the Armed Forces Medical Services to ensure physical and mental fitness.

CDS 2 Exam 2026 Exam Pattern

Candidates must qualify in the written examination to proceed to the interview. The exam pattern varies by service academy:

• Each paper consists exclusively of multiple-choice objective questions.

• Question papers for General Knowledge and Mathematics are available in both Hindi and English.

• Each incorrect answer incurs a negative marking penalty of 1/3 marks.

• The duration for each subject exam is exactly 2 hours.

For Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Air Force Academy
SNo	Subject	Maximum Marks	Duration
1	English	120	2 hours
2	General Knowledge	120	2 hours
3	Elementary Mathematics	100	2 hours

For Officers’ Training Academy
SNo	Subject	Maximum Marks	Duration
1	English	100	2 hours
2	General Knowledge	100	2 hours

Note: Maximum marks for the written examination and SSB interviews are balanced across courses: 300 each for IMA, INA, and AFA, and 200 each for the Officers’ Training Academy.

UPSC CDS 2 2026 Exam Syllabus

Preparation for the CDS Exam requires a strategic approach. While the Mathematics section follows a matriculation-level standard, other sections are at the graduation level. Using an accurate syllabus is vital to ensure no key topic is overlooked. Click the link below to access the full syllabus.

Check Detailed CDS Syllabus 2026

CDS Salary 2026

Successful candidates are entitled to competitive salary structures as per government guidelines, supplemented by allowances such as Dearness Allowance, Kit Maintenance, Uniform, and Transport allowances. Pay scales for officers in the Army, Air Force, and Navy are standardized across equivalent ranks. 

Rank	Level	(Pay in Rs.)Lieutenant
Lieutenant	Level 10	Rs. 56,100 -1,77,500
Captain	Level 10 B	Rs. 61,300- 1,93,900
Major	Level 11	Rs. 69,400 – 2,07,200
Lieutenant Colonel	Level 12A	Rs. 1,21,200 – 2,12,400
Colonel	Level 13	Rs. 1,30,600-2, 15,900
Brigadier	Level 13A	Rs. 1,39,600-2,17,600
Major General	Level 14	Rs. 1,44,200-2,18,200
Lieutenant General HAG Scale	Level 15	Rs. 1, 82, 200-2,24,100
HAG+Scale	Level 16	Rs. 2,05,400 – 2,24,400
VCOAS/Army Cdr/ Lieutenant General (NFSG)	Level 17	Rs. 2,25,000/-(fixed)
COAS	Level 18	Rs. 2,50,000/-(fixed)

CDS 2026 Admit Card 

Admit cards for the 2026 exam are typically released 10 days prior to the test date. Candidates must download and print their call letters early to avoid last-minute complications. Presenting a hard copy of the admit card is mandatory for entry into the exam hall.

UPSC CDS 2026 Cut Off

The UPSC publishes cut-off marks on its official website. To qualify, candidates must achieve a minimum of 20 marks per subject and score above the final aggregate cut-off. UPSC issues separate cut-offs for the written exam and the final selection. Check previous year cut-off trends for effective preparation.

CDS Cut Off 2023
Academy	Written Exam (CDS I 2023)	Final Exam (CDS II 2023)
IMA	132	257
INA	122	247
AFA	142	266
OTA (Men)	101	181
OTA (Women)	101	184

CDS 2 2026 Exam Centre

The CDS 2 Exam is held at numerous centers nationwide. Candidates must specify their preferred examination city during the application process. Any updates regarding test center additions or deletions will be communicated promptly.

CDS 2026 Exam Centre
Agartala	Ghaziabad	Panaji (Goa)
Agra	Gorakhpur	Patna
Ajmer	Gurgaon	Port Blair
Ahmedabad	Gwalior	Prayagraj (Allahabad)
Aizawl	Hyderabad	Puducherry
Aligarh	Imphal	Pune
Almora (Uttarakhand)	Indore	Raipur
Anantapur (Andhra Pradesh)	Itanagar	Rajkot
Aurangabad	Jabalpur	Ranchi
Bengaluru	Jaipur	Sambalpur
Bareilly	Jammu	Shillong
Bhopal	Jodhpur	Shimla
Bilaspur	Jorhat	Siliguri
Chandigarh	Kochi	Srinagar
Chennai	Kohima	Srinagar (Uttarakhand)
Coimbatore	Kolkata	Thane
Cuttack	Kozhikode	Thiruvananthapuram
Dehradun	Leh	Tiruchirapalli
Delhi	Lucknow	Tirupati
Dharwad	Ludhiana	Udaipur
Dispur	Madurai	Varanasi
Faridabad	Mumbai	Vellore
Gangtok	Mysore	Vijayawada
Gaya	Nagpur	Visakhapatnam
Gautam Buddh Nagar	Navi Mumbai	Warangal