UPSC CDS 2026 Exam – Complete Guide for Defence Officer Career

UPSC CDS 2026 – Combined Defence Services Exam

CDS (Combined Defence Services) exam by UPSC is conducted twice annually. It is the primary recruitment pathway for graduates to become commissioned officers in IMA, INA, AFA, and Officers' Training Academy.

CDS 2026 Eligibility

Age: 19-24 years (IMA), 19-22 years (AFA), 19-22 years (INA). Education: Graduate in any stream for IMA/OTA. B.Tech/Engineering for AFA and INA. Unmarried males for IMA/AFA/INA. Both males and females for OTA.

CDS 2026 Exam Pattern

IMA/INA/AFA: English (100 marks), GK (100 marks), Mathematics (100 marks). OTA (Women): English (100 marks), GK (100 marks). Duration: 2 hours per paper. Negative marking: 1/3 mark for wrong answers.

CDS 2026 Syllabus Highlights

English: Grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, ordering. GK: History, Geography, Polity, Science, Current Affairs. Mathematics: Algebra, Trigonometry, Mensuration, Statistics, Coordinate Geometry.

CDS vs NDA: Which is Better?

NDA: After 12th (16.5-19.5 years), officer from Day 1 of service. CDS: After graduation (19-24 years), more maturity advantage, broader selection. Both lead to officer rank. Salary is similar post-commissioning.

SSB Interview for CDS

Same 5-day SSB process as NDA. Stage 1: OIR test + PPDT (Day 1). Stage 2: Psychology tests, GTO tasks, Personal Interview (Day 2-5). Recommended rate: ~10-15% of total SSB candidates.