UPSC Combined Defence Service (CDS) II Examination 2026
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the official notification for the Combined Defence Service (CDS) II Examination 2026. This examination is conducted twice a year for recruitment into the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA), and Officers Training Academy (OTA).
Important Dates
- Application Start Date: 28 May 2026
- Last Date to Apply Online: 17 June 2026
- Last Date for Fee Payment: 17 June 2026
- Application Correction Date: 18-24 June 2026
- Admit Card Release Date: 3-4 weeks before exam
- Written Exam Date: 02 August 2026
- Result Date (Written): October 2026
- SSB Interview Dates: November 2026 to March 2027
- Final Result Date: April 2027
Application Fee
- General / OBC / EWS: ₹ 200/-
- SC / ST / PwD / Female: ₹ 0/- (Exempted)
- Payment Mode: Online (Net Banking, Credit Card, Debit Card, UPI) or Offline (Cash at SBI Bank)
Age Limit (as on 01 January 2027)
- Indian Military Academy (IMA): 19-24 Years (Born between 02 Jan 2003 to 01 Jan 2008)
- Indian Naval Academy (INA): 19-24 Years (Born between 02 Jan 2003 to 01 Jan 2008)
- Air Force Academy (AFA): 19-24 Years (Born between 02 Jan 2003 to 01 Jan 2008)
- Officers Training Academy (OTA): 19-25 Years (Born between 02 Jan 2002 to 01 Jan 2008)
- Age Relaxation: As per government rules for reserved categories
Educational Qualification
Post-Wise Qualification:
- Indian Military Academy (IMA): Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a recognized university
- Indian Naval Academy (INA): B.E./B.Tech in any discipline from a recognized university/institute
- Air Force Academy (AFA): Bachelor's Degree with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level OR B.E./B.Tech in any discipline
- Officers Training Academy (OTA): Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a recognized university
Minimum Marks Required:
- General / OBC / EWS: Pass class (No minimum percentage required)
- SC / ST: Pass class (No minimum percentage required)
Vacancy Details
Total Posts: 451
Academy-wise Vacancy Breakup:
- Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun: 150 Posts (131 General + 19 Reserved)
- Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala: 45 Posts (40 General + 5 Reserved)
- Air Force Academy (AFA), Hyderabad: 36 Posts (30 General + 6 Reserved)
- Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai (SSC Men): 170 Posts (135 General + 35 Reserved)
- Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai (SSC Women): 50 Posts (40 General + 10 Reserved)
Category-wise Vacancy Breakdown (Total 451):
- General (UR): 276 Posts
- OBC: 92 Posts
- SC: 50 Posts
- ST: 33 Posts
- EWS: 40 Posts
Job Location: Across India (Various Defence Academies and Units)
Exam Pattern
For IMA, INA, AFA (Paper I, II, III):
- Paper I - English: 120 Questions, 100 Marks, 2 Hours
- Paper II - General Knowledge: 120 Questions, 100 Marks, 2 Hours
- Paper III - Elementary Mathematics: 100 Questions, 100 Marks, 2 Hours
- Total Marks: 300 Marks
- Negative Marking: 1/3 mark deduction for each wrong answer
For OTA (Paper I & II Only):
- Paper I - English: 120 Questions, 100 Marks, 2 Hours
- Paper II - General Knowledge: 120 Questions, 100 Marks, 2 Hours
- Total Marks: 200 Marks
- Negative Marking: 1/3 mark deduction for each wrong answer
Syllabus Details
English:
- Spotting Errors, Fill in the Blanks, Synonyms/Antonyms
- Comprehension, Cloze Test, Para Jumbles
- One-word Substitution, Idioms & Phrases, Sentence Improvement
General Knowledge:
- Current Events (National & International)
- History of India, Indian Geography, Indian Polity
- Indian Economy, Science & Technology, Environment & Ecology
- Sports, Awards, Books & Authors, Defence related news
Elementary Mathematics (For IMA/INA/AFA):
- Arithmetic (Number System, Percentage, Profit/Loss, Simple/Compound Interest)
- Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Mensuration
- Statistics, Probability, Data Interpretation
Selection Process
The selection will be based on the following stages:
- Written Examination (Objective Type): Conducted by UPSC across various centers in India
- SSB Interview (Services Selection Board): 5-day selection process for candidates who qualify written exam
- Medical Examination: Thorough medical checkup as per defence standards
- Final Merit List: Based on written exam marks + SSB marks + medical fitness
SSB Interview Details
The SSB Interview is a 5-day process:
- Day 1 (Screening): OIR Test (Officer Intelligence Rating) + PPDT (Picture Perception & Discussion Test)
- Day 2 (Psychological Tests): TAT (Thematic Apperception Test), WAT (Word Association Test), SRT (Situation Reaction Test), SDT (Self Description Test)
- Day 3 (Group Tasks - GTO): GD (Group Discussion), GPE (Group Planning Exercise), PGT (Progressive Group Task), HGT (Half Group Task), IOT (Individual Obstacles), Command Task, Lecturette
- Day 4 (Personal Interview): Detailed interview with the board members
- Day 5 (Conference): Final assessment and result declaration
Physical Standards
For IMA, INA, AFA:
- Height (Male): Minimum 157 cms (162 cms for AFA)
- Height (Female): Minimum 152 cms (For OTA Women)
- Weight: Proportionate to height and age
- Chest (Male): Minimum expansion of 5 cms
- Eye Sight: 6/6 (without glasses) for AFA; 6/12 for others
- BMI: Within normal range (18-24)
- No Color Blindness, No Tattoos (except permitted areas)
Training Details
- IMA, Dehradun: 1.5 Years Training (Gentlemen Cadets)
- INA, Ezhimala: 1.5 Years Training (Naval Cadets)
- AFA, Hyderabad: 1.5 Years Training (Flight Cadets)
- OTA, Chennai (Men & Women): 49 Weeks Training (SSC Officers)
Salary & Benefits
- Stipend during Training (IMA/INA/AFA): ₹ 56,100/- per month
- Stipend during Training (OTA): ₹ 56,100/- per month
- After Commission (Level 10): ₹ 61,300 - ₹ 1,93,100
- Military Service Pay (MSP): ₹ 15,500/- per month
- Dearness Allowance (DA): As per government norms (currently 50%)
- Free Accommodation: Government quarters/Single accommodation provided
- Medical Facilities: Free medical treatment for self and dependents
- Leave: 60 days annual leave + 20 days casual leave + 30 days sick leave
- Other Allowances: Flying Allowance (for AFA), Submarine Allowance (for Navy), Sea Duty Allowance, Field Area Allowance, High Altitude Allowance, etc.
How to Apply for UPSC CDS II 2026
Candidates can apply online through the official UPSC website. Follow these steps:
- Visit the official UPSC website: https://upsconline.nic.in
- Click on "Online Application for Various Examinations"
- Select "Combined Defence Services Examination (CDS) II 2026"
- Register with your email ID and mobile number (Part I Registration)
- Fill the detailed application form with personal, educational, and contact details (Part II Registration)
- Upload scanned photo, signature, and other required documents
- Pay application fee online (₹ 200 for General/OBC/EWS) or select offline payment option
- Submit the application form and take a printout for future reference
Documents Required
- 10th Mark Sheet & Certificate (for date of birth proof)
- 12th Mark Sheet & Certificate
- Graduation Degree Certificate & Mark Sheets (all semesters/years)
- Recent Passport Size Photograph (10-50 KB, JPEG format)
- Signature (10-20 KB, JPEG format)
- Caste Certificate (OBC/SC/ST/EWS, if applicable)
- PwD Certificate (if applicable)
- NCC Certificate (if applicable for bonus marks)
Important Information
- Marital Status (IMA/INA/AFA): Only unmarried male candidates are eligible
- Marital Status (OTA Men): Unmarried male candidates only
- Marital Status (OTA Women): Unmarried female candidates, widows without encumbrance, or divorced without encumbrance
- Citizenship: Must be a citizen of India
- Number of Attempts: No limit on attempts (age limit applicable)
- Service Commitment (IMA/INA/AFA): Permanent Commission - Minimum 15-20 years service
- Service Commitment (OTA): Short Service Commission - 10 years extendable to 14 years
Exam Centers (Major Cities)
Ahmedabad, Aizawl, Allahabad, Bengaluru, Bareilly, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cuttack, Dehradun, Delhi, Dharwad, Dispur, Gangtok, Hyderabad, Imphal, Itanagar, Jaipur, Jammu, Jorhat, Kochi, Kohima, Kolkata, Leh, Lucknow, Madurai, Mumbai, Nagpur, Panaji, Patna, Port Blair, Raipur, Ranchi, Sambalpur, Shillong, Shimla, Srinagar, Thiruvananthapuram, Tirupati, Udaipur, Vishakhapatnam
Important Links:
Apply Online (UPSC Website)
Download Official Notification PDF
Download Syllabus PDF
UPSC Official Website
SSB Official Website
Tags: UPSC CDS 2026, CDS II Recruitment, Combined Defence Service, Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, Officers Training Academy, Defence Jobs, UPSC Exam, SSB Interview, CDS Notification, Sarkari Result