CDS Exam 2026 - Complete Overview
The CDS exam is a national-level competitive exam for graduate candidates aspiring to join the Indian Armed Forces as commissioned officers.
Exam Date
13 April, 2026
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What is CDS Exam?
The Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination is a national-level entrance examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for graduates aspiring to join the Indian Armed Forces — Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA), and Officers Training Academy (OTA).
It is one of India’s most respected defence examinations, providing a pathway for men and women to be commissioned as officers. The exam evaluates candidates on academic knowledge, aptitude, and leadership potential, followed by the Services Selection Board (SSB) interview and medical examination.
CDS Exam Latest Updates
- The UPSC CDS 1 Notification 2026 has been released on 10th December 2025
- Candidates had applied from 10th December 2025 at upsc.gov.in.
- The CDS Exam Date 2026 has been released which will be conducted on 12th April 2026.
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- Syllabus
- Eligiblity Criteria
- Previous Year Questions
Free Tools
- Age calculator
- Cut off Calculator
- Medical Fitness Check
- Counselling Sessions
Explore Courses:
It is one of the most prestigious and competitive exams in India.
CDS Online Course
Target CDS 2026-27
- 6-12 Months
- 1000+ Hours Recorded lectures with top defence exam faculty
- 40+ Online Mocks
- 4000+ Important Questions
CDS Offline Course
Target CDS 2026-27
- 6-12 Months
- CDS Coaching + SSB Training
- Prepare under top defence exam faculty
- Free e-learning platform
CDS Selection Proccess
The selection process for the CDS examination is conducted in multiple stages, and a candidate must qualify each stage separately to move forward. Final selection is based strictly on merit and medical fitness.
Stage 1: CDS Written Examination
Conducted by Union Public Service Commission
- Candidates first appear for the CDS written examination conducted by UPSC.
The exam pattern depends on the academy selected. - For IMA, INA, and AFA, the exam consists of English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics.
- For OTA, the exam consists of English and General Knowledge only.
- Selection for the next stage is based on written exam performance and the cut-off marks decided by UPSC.
Important: Only candidates who qualify the written exam are shortlisted for the SSB interview.
Stage 2: SSB Interview
Conducted by the Services Selection Board
The SSB Interview is conducted over 5 days and assesses a candidate’s Officer Like Qualities (OLQs).
SSB Stage I: Screening Test
- Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR)
- Picture Perception and Description Test (PPDT)
Candidates who fail Stage I are screened out and do not proceed further.
SSB Stage II: Psychological & Group Testing
Candidates who clear Stage I undergo the following:
Psychological Tests
- Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
- Word Association Test (WAT)
- Situation Reaction Test (SRT)
- Self-Description Test
Group Testing Officer (GTO) Tasks
- Group discussions
- Outdoor group tasks
- Command task
- Lecturette
Personal Interview
- One-to-one interview with the Interviewing Officer
Conference
- Final assessment and recommendation decision
Stage 3: Medical
- Candidates recommended by SSB undergo a medical examination conducted by authorised military medical boards.
- Medical standards are strictly as per Armed Forces norms.
- Both temporary and permanent unfitness can lead to rejection.
There is no relaxation in medical standards.
Stage 4: Final Merit
The final merit list is prepared based on:
- Written examination marks
- SSB Interview marks
(Medical fitness is mandatory for inclusion in the merit list.)
Allocation of Army, Navy, or Air Force depends on:
- Merit rank
- Candidate preference
- Availability of vacancies
Candidates placed in the final merit list receive joining instructions from the respective Service Headquarters and must report to their allotted training academy – Indian Military Academy (Dehradun), Indian Naval Academy (Ezhimala), Air Force Academy (Dundigal), or Officers Training Academy (Chennai) – subject to medical fitness and availability of vacancies.
CDS Syllabus
The CDS written examination syllabus is designed to assess a candidate’s academic knowledge, analytical ability, and general awareness expected from a graduate-level aspirant. The syllabus is prescribed by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and is uniform for all candidates appearing in the examination, with subjects varying based on the academy applied for.
Part A: English (100 Marks)
- Noun
- Pronoun
- Verb
- Tense
- Subject-Verb Agreement
- Voice
- Narration
- Preposition
- Conjunction
- Articles
- Determiners
- Modals
- Adjective
- Adverb
Pro Tip: Click on any chapter above to access short, exam-focused notes.
Part B: General Knowledge (100 Marks)
Physics
- Motion and laws of motion
- Work, energy, and power
- Heat and thermodynamics
- Sound and waves
- Electricity and magnetism
- Adverb
Chemistry
- Physical and chemical changes
- Elements, compounds, and mixtures
- Acids, bases, and salts
- Metals and non-metals
- Fuels and everyday chemistry
General Science
- Human body and nutrition
- Diseases and prevention
- Environment and ecology
History
- Ancient, medieval, and modern Indian history
- Indian freedom struggle
- Important historical movements
Geography
- Earth and its structure
- Climate and weather
- Indian geography
- Natural resources
Polity
- Indian Constitution
- Fundamental rights and duties
- Structure of government
Current Affairs
- National and international events
- Defence-related developments
- Sports, awards, and important appointments
Pro Tip: Click on any chapter above to access short, exam-focused notes.
Part C: Elementary Mathematics (100 Marks)
CDS Result/Cut Off
The CDS cut-off is the minimum score required to qualify for the next stage of the selection process. It is decided every year by the Union Public Service Commission based on multiple factors.
Written Exam Cut-Off
This is the minimum score required to qualify the CDS written examination.
It is calculated out of:
- For IMA / INA / AFA – 300 Marks:
- English: 100 marks
- General Knowledge: 100 marks
- Elementary Mathematics: 100 marks
- For OTA – 200 Marks:
- English: 100 marks
- General Knowledge: 100 marks
Candidates must:
Secure the overall written cut-off, and
Obtain the minimum qualifying marks in each paper separately, as decided by UPSC.
Only candidates who clear the written cut-off are issued SSB call-up instructions.
Final Cut-Off
For IMA / INA / AFA – 600 Marks:
- Written Examination: 300
- SSB Interview: 300
It determines:
- Final selection
- Merit rank
- Service allocation (Army, Navy, Air Force)
Only candidates who clear the written cut-off are issued SSB call-up instructions.
Free Tools
- Age calculator
- Cut off Calculator
- Medical Fitness Check
- Counselling Sessions
Free Downloads
- Latest Notifications
- Syllabus
- Eligiblity Criteria
- Previous Year Questions