The UPSC conducts the CDS exam twice annually to choose candidates for the position of Commissioned Officers in the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. Both male and female candidates are eligible to apply for the CDS Exam. All the candidates who are interested in CDS 1 2026 Exam must bookmark the dates and those who are interested in upcoming CDS Exams must go through the below article for detailed information about the CDS 2026 like selection process, application form, syllabus, exam pattern, eligibility criteria and more.
CDS 1 2026 Notification
CDS 1 2026 Notification PDF Download from here and get detailed information of CDS 2026 Recruitment. The UPSC will release CDS 1 2026 notification on 10th December 2025. And its exam will be conducted on April 12, 2026. Candidates will be able to change the details from 01.01.2026 to 07.01.2026 if they have made mistake during filling online form.
The online registration process for CDS 1 2026 exam will start from 11th Dec, 2025 and will continue till 31st December 2025 at 06:00 PM. All the interested candidate can apply online application form for CDS Exam 2026.
And for CDS 2 2026 notification will be release on May 20, 2025 and CDS 2 2026 exam will be conducted on 13th September, 2026. Students will be able apply online application form from May 20 to June 09, 2026.
CDS Exam Overview
| Conducting Organization | UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) |
| Exam Name | CDS (Combined Defence Services) |
| Exam Level | National Level |
| Exam Mode | Offline |
| Frequency | Twice in a Year (April & September) |
| Exam Phases | Written Test & SSB Interview |
| Type of Questions | Objective Type |
| Language of Question Paper | Hindi and English |
| Total Marks | IMA, INA and AFA – 300 OTA – 200 |
| Time | Two hours for each section of the test |
| Official website | www.upsc.gov.in |
CDS 1 2026 Important Dates
The UPSC has released the CDS 1 2026 exam notification on 11 December 2025. Aspiring candidates should review this information carefully to ensure they are well-prepared for the application process and exam requirements.
| Notification Date | 11 Dec, 2025 |
| Online Application Start Date | 11 Dec, 2025 |
| Application End Date | 31 Dec, 2025 at 06:00 PM |
| Admit Card Release Date | First Week of April, 2026 (Approx.) |
| Exam Date | 12 April, 2026 |
| Result Date | To be Notified |
CDS 1 2026 Age Limit
The Age Limit for CDS 2026 is provided below:
CDS 1 Age Limit 2026
- For Indian Military Academy (IMA), unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 2003, and not later than January 1, 2008, are eligible to apply.
- For the Indian Naval Academy (INA), unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 2003, and not later than January 1, 2008, are eligible to apply
- Candidates applying for the Air Force Academy (AFA), should be between 20 to 24 years, as on January 1, 2026. They must have been born not earlier than January 2, 2003, and not later than January 1, 2007.
- For Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) (SSC Course for men), unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 2002 and not later than January 1, 2008, are eligible to apply.
- For Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) (SSC Women Non-Technical Course), candidates should be unmarried and born not earlier than January 2, 2002, and not later than January 1, 2008.
| IMPORTANT LINKS: | |
| Download CDS 1 2025 Notification PDF | UPSC Official Website |
| Apply Online Application Form | Download CDS Syllabus |
General Eligibility Criteria for CDS Exam
Before applying for CDS recruitment, you must check the detailed CDS exam eligibility criteria. To qualify for the exam, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Candidates must be Indian citizens or meet certain nationality/citizenship criteria, which are listed in detail in the official notification.
- Candidates must be permanently settled in India.
- Candidates must be a graduate or in their final year of graduation.
- The minimum age limit for the exam is 19 years. The maximum age limit for the exam varies based on the academy: 25 years for the Air Force Academy, 24 years for the Indian Military Academy, and 25 years for the Naval Academy.
CDS Exam Pattern
Candidates preparing for the CDS Exam should be deep knowledge about Syllabus and Exam Pattern. The CDS Exam is conducted in three shifts and comprises three subjects: English, General Awareness and Mathematics. Candidates applying for the Officers Training Academy (OTA) are required to take only Papers 1 and 2, while those preparing for the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA) and Air Force Academy (AFA) should have attempt all three papers.
Below is a structured table that outlines the CDS Exam Pattern, including details about the subjects, duration, number of questions, negative marking and maximum marks for each paper.
Exam Pattern for IMA, INA and AFA
| Subjects / Section | Duration | No. of Questions | Max. Marks | Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | 2 Hrs | 120 | 100 | -0.33 marks for each wrong answer |
| General Knowledge | 2 Hrs | 120 | 100 | -0.33 marks for each wrong answer |
| Elementary Mathematics | 2 Hrs | 100 | 100 | -0.33 marks for each wrong answer |
Exam Pattern for OTA
| Subjects / Section | Duration | No. of Questions | Max. Marks | Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | 2 Hrs | 120 | 100 | -0.33 marks for each wrong answer |
| General Knowledge | 2 Hrs | 120 | 100 | -0.33 marks for each wrong answe |
CDS 2026 Syllabus
CDS Syllabus English (Code No. 1)
| Section | Topic |
|---|---|
| Vocabulary | Basic Grammar, Idioms & Phrases, Synonyms & Antonyms, Sentence Completion, etc. |
| Reading Passage | Reading Comprehension Solving, Para Jumbles, Understanding the main idea and supporting details, Answering questions based on the passage, etc. |
| Grammar | Error Spotting, Sentence Improvement, Cloze test, Active and passive voice, Direct and indirect speech, Transformation of sentences, etc. |
CDS Syllabus General Knowledge (Code No. 2)
| Topic | Description |
|---|---|
| Geography | Physical, Social and Economic aspects of Geography, including Indian Geography and World Geography |
| History | Ancient, Medieval and Modern Indian History, Indian National Movement and the Growth of Nationalism |
| Current Affairs | Important National and International Events, Sports, Appointment, Awards and Honours, Books and Authors and major Developments in the fields of Economics, Politics and Social Issues |
| Indian Polity | Constitution of India, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, DPSP, etc. |
| Defence and Security Issues | Current Events related to National Security, Internal and External Threats, Military Exercises and role of Armed Forces |
| Science and Technology | Developments in the field of Technology and Science, including Space Technology, Biotechnology, and Computer Technology |
| Environmental Ecology and Biodiversity | Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment, and Climate Change |
CDS Syllabus Mathematics (Code No. 3)
| Section | Topic |
|---|---|
| Arithmetic | Number System: Natural numbers, Rational & Real numbers, Integers Fundamental operation: Subtraction, multiplication, addition, division, Square Roots, Decimal fractions Time and Work Percentage Time and Distance Simple and Compound Interest Ratio and Proportion Profit and Loss Elementary Number Theory: Division algorithm Prime and Composite Numbers: Tests of divisibility by 2, 3, 4, 5, 9 and 11. Multiples and factors Factorisation Theorem L.C.M. and H.C.F. Euclidean Algorithm Logarithms to base 10, use of logarithmic tables Laws of logarithms |
| Algebra | Basic Operations Simple factors H.C.F. and L.C.M. Remainder Theorem Theory of polynomials Solutions of quadratic equations, the relation between its roots and coefficients (Only real roots to be considered) Linear inequalities in two variables and their solutions Linear equations in two unknowns – analytical and graphical solutions Practical problems leading to two simultaneous linear equations or inequalities in two variables or quadratic equations in one variable and their solutions Rational expressions and conditional identities Set Language and Set Notation Laws of indices. |
| Trigonometry | Sine ×, cosine ×, Tangent × when 0° < × < 90° Values of sin ×, cos × and tan ×, for × = 0°, 30°, 45°, 60° and 90° Simple trigonometric identities. Use of trigonometric tables. Simple cases of heights and distances. |
| Geometry | Plane and plane figures, Lines and angles Theorems on: Properties of angles at a point Parallel lines Sides and angles of a triangle Congruency of triangles Similar triangles Concurrence of medians and altitudes Properties of angles, sides and diagonals of a parallelogram, square and rectangle Circles and their properties including tangents and normals Loci |
| Mensuration | Areas of squares, rectangles, parallelograms, triangles and circles. Surface area and volume of cuboids, lateral surface and volume of right circular cones and cylinders, Areas of figures which can be split up into these figures (Field Book), surface area and volume of spheres |
| Statistics | Collection and tabulation of statistical data Graphical representation frequency: Polygons, Histograms, Bar charts, Pie charts Measures of central tendency |
Aspirants can download CDS Syllabus PDF from here.
Conclusion
I hope this article about CDS Notification, Age Limit, Eligibility, Exam Pattern, Syllabus definitely will be helpful for you. If you want to know more about CDS Exam i.e. Selection Process, Educational Qualification, Preparation Tips and Career Prospects then you can check Complete Information about CDS. If you are planning to prepare for NDA Written Exam as well as SSB Interview then can join Target Defence Academy, Lucknow, UP. For more details about Target Defence Academy call on 8953532115.