CDS

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Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)

CDS (Combined Defence Services Examination) is conducted twice a year by UPSC for graduate entry into the Indian Military Academy, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, and Officers Training Academy.

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Trusted Information

Facts are checked against linked official sources.

Last verified 2026-07-04

About Exam

CDS (Combined Defence Services Examination) is conducted twice a year by UPSC for graduate entry into the Indian Military Academy, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, and Officers Training Academy.

Conducting body: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Eligibility: Graduation
Current cycle: CDS (per UPSC's published annual calendar)
Official source: UPSC official portal

Highlights

Vacancies: Not announced
Application deadline: Not announced
Exam schedule: Not announced
Selection stages: 3 stages in the current guide
Negative marking: Check the current official notification

Important Dates

View full lifecycle

UPSC's Annual Calendar 2027 was uploaded to upsc.gov.in on 20 May 2026 — check it for exact CDS I/II 2027 dates.Notification
Not announcedApplications open
Not announcedLast date to apply
Not announcedTier 1 exam date
Not announcedTier 2 exam date

Prepare for CDS

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CDS (per UPSC's published annual calendar)

Apply onlineNot yet announced

Eligibility summary

Qualification: Bachelor's degree (specific streams required for AFA/technical entries)
Age: Varies by academy — typically 19-24/25 years, check the current notification's academy-wise age chart

Process

Selection process

Written exam — English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics (IMA/INA/AFA); OTA has no Mathematics paper.
SSB interview for written-qualified candidates.
Medical examination, followed by the final merit list and academy allotment.

Exam pattern

Written exam: Objective, papers vary slightly by academy applied for

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Latest

CDS current affairs

US launches fresh strikes on IRGC targets inside Iran

The United States launched fresh airstrikes targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) facilities across multiple locations in Iran, including Bandar Abbas, Hormuz, Asaluyeh, Jiroft, Qeshm Island, Konarak, Chaba…

UN Chief Antonio Guterres to participate in 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, 2025, hosted by India as the current chair at Bharat Mandapam. The summit will convene leaders from BRICS member s…

Money Market Operations as on September 01, 2026

RBI's Money Market Operations on September 1, 2026, show total overnight segment volume at ₹6,60,888.44 crore with weighted average rate of 4.86%. Key RBI operations included a 1-day Variable Rate Reverse Repo of ₹2,59,…

Supreme Court quashes FIRs against against Gen Z NEET-UG protesters under Article 142

The Supreme Court invoked Article 142 to quash FIRs against Gen Z NEET-UG protesters and directed the Centre to formulate a compensation scheme for those injured in police action. This landmark ruling protects students'…

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to participate in BRICS Summit in India

India will host the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12-13, 2025, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi as the current chair. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will participate alongside leaders from BRICS member and partne…

India & US agree to work more closely on critical minerals

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met on the sidelines of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting to strengthen cooperation on critical minerals. The agreem…

Source

Official links

UPSC official portalNotifications, admit card and result links UPSC exam calendarPublished notification/exam dates for the year

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CDS stage guides

CutoffApply onlineAdmit cardResultAnswer keySalaryDefence exam prepCDS preparationCDS previous year papersCDS syllabusDefence: CDS, AFCAT, CAPF & Agniveer

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Common questions

CDS FAQ

Is Mathematics compulsory for CDS?

It's compulsory for IMA, INA and AFA entries but not for OTA (Officers Training Academy, which offers a Short Service Commission).