UPSC CDS 2 Examination 2026 Notification Out - Apply Online for 451 Combined Defence Services Posts

The latest Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Recruitment 2026 has been announced for admission to Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, and Officers' Training Academy posts! Published on 20-05-2026 at upsc.gov.in, this new recruitment drive offers 451 openings for eligible candidates. Applicants within the respective age limit range and possessing the required educational qualifications can apply online from 20-05-2026 to 09-06-2026. Find all details about the UPSC CDS II 2026 new vacancy, including eligibility, online form, and notification PDF here.

UPSC CDS 2 2026 Notification PDF

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has officially released Examination Notice No. 11/2026-CDS-II dated 20/05/2026 for the Combined Defence Services Examination (II), 2026 to be held on 13.09.2026. The notification includes complete details on course-wise vacancies, eligibility conditions, scheme of examination, syllabus, selection process, exam centres, application procedure, and service conditions for each academy. Candidates are strongly advised to read the full notification before applying. The notification is available on the official UPSC website.

• Download UPSC CDS 2 2026 Official Notification PDF

UPSC CDS 2 2026 Overview

UPSC is conducting CDS Examination II, 2026 for 451 vacancies across IMA, INA, AFA, and OTA courses, with last date 09 June 2026.

UPSC CDS 2 2026 Important Dates

UPSC CDS 2 2026 - Vacancy Details

A total of 451 vacancies have been announced across 5 courses. The number of vacancies is tentative and may be changed at any stage of the selection process by Services HQ. NCC 'C' Certificate holders have reserved vacancies in IMA, INA, and AFA. Women candidates are eligible only for the OTA SSC Women (NT) course.

Note: SSC(NT) Men and SSC(NT) Women are separate entries. Written result and final merit lists for SSC(NT) Men and SSC(NT) Women will be prepared separately as per vacancies notified. Left-over finally qualified IMA/INA/AFA candidates who could not be inducted due to lack of vacancies may be considered for SSC(NT) even without indicating that preference, subject to conditions.

UPSC CDS 2 2026 - Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must fulfill all eligibility conditions before the date of application. Their admission at all stages is purely provisional subject to satisfying eligibility conditions. Verification of eligibility with reference to original documents will be taken up only after the candidate qualifies for SSB/Personality Test.

UPSC CDS 2 2026 - Age Limit & Marital Status

Age is calculated based on date of birth as recorded in the Matriculation/Secondary School Examination Certificate only. No other document (horoscope, affidavit, birth extract, etc.) will be accepted. Once a date of birth is submitted, no change will be allowed subsequently.

Note: Male divorcees/widowers cannot be treated as unmarried male and are not eligible for IMA/INA/AFA/OTA courses. Marriage is not permitted during training at any academy; a candidate who marries after applying will not be selected and a candidate marrying during training shall be discharged and liable to refund all expenditure incurred by the Government.

UPSC CDS 2 2026 - Application Fee

Fee is payable through online mode only (Net Banking / Visa / Master / Rupay Credit / Debit Card / UPI). Payment through any other mode is not valid. Fee once paid shall not be refunded under any circumstances nor can it be held in reserve for any other examination.

Note: No fee exemption is available to OBC/EWS male candidates; they must pay the full prescribed fee.

UPSC CDS 2 2026 - Selection Process

Selection consists of a Written Examination conducted by UPSC followed by Intelligence and Personality Test at the Services Selection Board (SSB), and finally Medical Examination. Success at the written examination confers no right of admission to any academy; final selection is made in order of merit subject to medical fitness and number of vacancies available.

Stage 1 - Written Examination (Objective Type)

For IMA, INA, and Air Force Academy:

For Officers' Training Academy (OTA):

All papers are objective type only. General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics papers are set bilingually in Hindi and English. Negative marking applies: 1/3 (0.33) marks deducted for each wrong answer. Calculators are not permitted. Candidates must use Black Ball Pen only for writing and marking in OMR Answer Sheet. Face authentication is mandatory at the examination venue.

Stage 2 - SSB Intelligence & Personality Test

Candidates who qualify the written examination will be called for SSB test by the respective Services HQ based on preference. The SSB follows a two-stage process:

• Stage I: Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) Tests and Picture Perception & Description Test (PP&DT). Only those who clear Stage I are admitted to Stage II.
• Stage II: Interview, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests, and Conference - conducted over 4 days. The personality is assessed by the Interviewing Officer (IO), Group Testing Officer (GTO), and Psychologist, with equal weightage.

Candidates who qualify for IMA/INA/AFA (irrespective of OTA qualification) will be detailed for SSB in February–March 2027. Candidates who qualify for SSC (OTA) only will be detailed for SSB in April–June 2027. Every AFA candidate is given CPSS/PABT only once - the grade secured at first test holds good for every subsequent interview. Candidates who have previously failed CPSS and those who habitually wear spectacles are not eligible for Air Force.

Stage 3 - Medical Examination

Final selection is subject to the candidate being declared medically fit as per the "Joint Order Manual of Medical Standards for Entry into Armed Forces (1st Edition)". Medical standards and procedures are available at www.joinindianarmy.nic.in.

Tie-Breaking Principles:

For IMA/INA/AFA: candidates equal in aggregate (Final Marks) are ranked by written total; if still equal, by GK paper marks; if still equal, by age (senior ranked higher). For OTA: same process but written total is English + GK only. Any remaining tie is resolved at the Commission's discretion.

UPSC CDS 2 2026 - Scheme of Examination & Syllabus (Brief)

UPSC CDS 2 2026 - Exam Centres

The examination will be held across 84 cities in India. Allotment of centres (except Chennai, Dispur, Kolkata, and Nagpur) is on a "first-apply-first-allot" basis with a ceiling on candidates per centre. Once a centre reaches capacity, it is frozen. Candidates are advised to apply early to secure their preferred centre. No request for change of examination centre will be entertained after allotment. Key centres include Agartala, Agra, Ahmedabad, Aizawl, Ajmer, Aligarh, Almora, Alwar, Bareilly, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore, Dehradun, Delhi, Gangtok, Hyderabad, Imphal, Itanagar, Jaipur, Jammu, Jorhat, Kanpur, Kargil, Kochi, Kohima, Kolkata, Leh, Lucknow, Ludhiana, Mumbai, Mysuru, Nagpur, Patna, Prayagraj, Pune, Raipur, Rajkot, Ranchi, Shillong, Shimla, Siliguri, Srinagar, Surat, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchirapalli, Tirupati, Udaipur, Varanasi, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, and others.

Competition Level Analysis for UPSC CDS 2 2026

The competition level for UPSC CDS II 2026 is expected to be very high. With only 451 vacancies - of which 275 are for OTA SSC Men (NT) alone - the exam is among the most competitive defence officer entry examinations in India. Lakhs of graduates appear for CDS every year, and the three-stage selection process (written exam, SSB, and medical) filters candidates rigorously at each stage.

The written exam is of moderate to high difficulty at the graduate/matriculate level but negative marking makes accuracy critical. The SSB stage is the most challenging differentiator - only candidates with genuine officer-like qualities, communication skills, and psychological fitness progress. AFA vacancies (32 seats) are the most competitive due to additional CPSS/PABT screening. Candidates already registered on www.joinindianarmy.nic.in must ensure the same email ID is used for UPSC registration.

Who should NOT apply for UPSC CDS 2 2026?

• Candidates who do not hold or are not in the final year of a Degree programme from a recognised University - there is no provision for diploma or 10+2-only candidates.
• Candidates outside the age band for their chosen course - even a single day's deviation makes the candidate ineligible, with no relaxation available (unlike civil service exams).
• Married male candidates applying for IMA, INA, or AFA; and married male candidates under 25 years applying for AFA.
• Male divorcees and widowers; they cannot be treated as unmarried and are not eligible for any of the courses.
• Women candidates who wish to join IMA, INA, or AFA - women are eligible only for OTA SSC Women (NT) course.
• Candidates for INA who do not have Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level and a B.Sc. with Physics or an Engineering degree.
• Candidates for AFA who do not have Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level or an Engineering degree; also those who habitually wear spectacles or have previously failed CPSS.
• Candidates who have been removed from any training academy (IMA/INA/AFA/NDA/OTA) on disciplinary grounds or for lack of officer-like qualities.
• Candidates debarred by the Ministry of Defence from holding any type of commission in the Defence Services.
• Candidates unable to meet the physical fitness standards required for reporting to IMA or OTA (e.g. 2.4 km run in 10:30 min for men, push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups as specified).
• Candidates with permanent body tattoos anywhere on the body other than the inner forearm (inside elbow to wrist) or the back/dorsal of palm.

Common mistakes / What to check before applying UPSC CDS 2 2026?

• Entering incorrect date of birth; once submitted to UPSC it cannot be changed at any stage or in any future examination under any circumstances.
• Indicating wrong course preferences or not placing AFA as first choice when competing for the Air Force Academy - AFA as second/third choice is treated as invalid.
• Male candidates placing OTA at a higher preference than IMA/INA/AFA; OTA must always be the last preference, otherwise it is automatically treated as last regardless.
• Not registering on www.joinindianarmy.nic.in before SSB results if Army (IMA/OTA) is the first choice - this is mandatory to receive SSB call-up information.
• Using a different email ID for UPSC and for the DG Recruiting website; both must be identical and unique to the applicant.
• Uploading unclear, blurred, or incorrect photographs or signatures; signatures must be done three times (one below the other) on plain white paper in black ink.
• Not carrying original Matriculation certificate and Degree/Provisional Degree certificate to the SSB centre; candidates without originals are sent back at their own expense.
• Attempting to modify the application after submission; no corrections, alterations, or modifications are allowed in any field once the application is submitted.
• Bringing mobile phones, smart/digital watches, Bluetooth devices, or any electronic gadget to the examination venue; possession even in switched-off mode is grounds for disciplinary action and ban from future examinations.
• Not entering the examination venue at least 30 minutes before commencement; entry is closed 30 minutes prior and no late entry is permitted under any circumstances.

How to Apply for UPSC CDS 2 2026

Candidates must apply online only through https://upsconline.nic.in. No other mode of application is accepted. The Online Application Portal has four modules: Account Creation, Universal Registration (URN - one-time for lifetime), Common Application Form (CAF), and Examination Specific Module. The URN generated is common for all UPSC examinations; the Application Number generated is examination-specific and must be retained.

Candidates in Government Service / Armed Forces must inform their Head of Office / Commanding Officer in writing that they have applied. Armed Forces candidates must also submit NOC at the time of SSB interview. Candidates should also give their consent for the Pratibha Setu Portal (Public Disclosure Scheme) at the time of filling the Examination Specific Module if they wish their details to be shared with registered organisations for employment purposes after final result.

Documents / Details Required While Applying:

• Date of Birth as per Matriculation / Secondary School Examination Certificate
• Educational qualification details and supporting documents
• Aadhaar Card (strongly advised as primary ID; other options: Voter Card/EPIC, PAN Card, Passport, Driving License, or any Photo ID issued by State/Central Government)
• Passport-size photograph (uploaded) and live photograph captured via webcam
• Signature: signed three times (one below the other) on plain white paper with black ink, scanned and uploaded
• URN (Universal Registration Number) - generate once, valid for all UPSC exams for lifetime
• Fee payment via Net Banking / Debit / Credit / Rupay / UPI (Rs. 200/- for General/OBC/EWS Male; NIL for Female and SC/ST)

Documents to be Kept Ready after Written Result (for SSB):

• Original Matriculation / Secondary School Examination Certificate showing date of birth
• Original Degree / Provisional Degree Certificate and mark sheets of all years/semesters
• Final year students: Bonafide certificate from Principal/College stating candidate will pass degree exam by specified date
• NCC 'C' Certificate (Army / Naval / Air Wing) for candidates applying under NCC reserved vacancies, to be submitted by 13-05-2027
• NOC from Commanding Officer (for Armed Forces candidates) to be submitted at SSB

Apply Online at: https://upsconline.nic.in

For queries: Call 011-24041001 / 011-40303444 (10:00 AM to 5:30 PM, working days, 20-05-2026 to 09-06-2026) or email [email protected]. All communications must include Name & Year of Exam, URN, Application Number, Roll Number (if received), full name, complete postal address, and registered email ID / mobile number.

Important Instructions for UPSC CDS 2 2026 Candidates

• Applications once submitted cannot be withdrawn. No correction/alteration/modification in any field of the application is allowed after submission under any circumstances.
• The URN Profile provides a one-time edit facility; changes to URN profile do not reflect in applications already submitted and apply only to future applications.
• Candidates must indicate course preferences carefully; no addition/alteration in preferences is entertained after submission. When first choice is offered and a candidate declines, candidature is cancelled for all other choices for regular commission.
• AFA must compulsorily be indicated as first choice if the candidate wishes to join the Air Force Academy; choice for AFA as second/third etc. is invalid.
• OTA must always be the last preference for male candidates competing for both Permanent Commission (IMA/INA/AFA) and Short Service Commission (OTA) courses.
• e-Admit Cards are available only on the Commission's website for download. No admit card is sent by post or email. Candidates must enter the venue at least 30 minutes before commencement; entry is closed 30 minutes prior.
• Face authentication is mandatory at the examination venue for all candidates.
• Use Black Ball Pen only for all writing/marking in OMR sheets. Any omission/mistake in encoding Roll Number or Test Booklet Series Code will render the answer sheet liable for rejection.
• Negative marking applies: 1/3rd of marks deducted for each wrong answer. Marking more than one answer is also treated as wrong.
• Mobile phones, smart/digital watches, pagers, Bluetooth devices, calculators, and any electronic equipment are strictly banned inside the examination premises even in switched-off mode. Infringement entails disciplinary action including permanent/specified-period ban from UPSC examinations.
• Candidates who qualify at the written exam and have Army (IMA/OTA) as first choice must register on www.joinindianarmy.nic.in to receive SSB call-up information. The email ID used there must be the same as registered with UPSC.
• Candidates will appear for SSB at their own risk and are not entitled to compensation for any injury sustained during SSB tests.
• Candidates who were previously removed from any Service Academy on disciplinary grounds or for lack of officer-like qualities are not eligible to apply.
• Marriage subsequent to the date of application will disqualify the candidate even if successful in the examination. A candidate who marries during training will be discharged and must refund all expenditure incurred by the Government.
• After admission to IMA / INA / AFA, candidates will not be considered for any other commission and will not be permitted to appear for any other interview or examination.
• Representations on question papers and provisional answer keys can be submitted only through the Commission's website within 5 days of the examination (Day 3 to Day 7 up to 6:00 PM). No representation by email/post/hand or any other mode is accepted.
• All revisions/corrigendum (if any) will be hosted on the UPSC website only - candidates should visit regularly.
• Government strives to have a workforce that reflects gender balance; women candidates are encouraged to apply.

UPSC CDS 2 2026 - Important Links

• Apply Online: Click here
• Official Notification PDF: Click here
• Official Website: Click here 
• Join Arattai Channel: Click Here
• Join Telegram Channel: Click Here
• Join WhatsApp Channel: Click Here
• Sarkari Result: Click Here
• Download Mobile App: Click Here