UPSC CDS 2 2026: 451 Posts, Exam 13 Sep, IMA and OTA

UPSC CDS 2 2026: exam on 13 September

UPSC Combined Defence Services Examination II 2026 is recruiting 451 officer cadets across four academies, and the written examination is on 13 September 2026. UPSC notified it on 20 May 2026 and the application window opened the same day, closing in June 2026.

CDS is the graduate route into the armed forces as an officer. Where the NDA takes candidates straight after Class 12, CDS takes graduates, which makes it the examination most people mean when they ask how to become an army officer after college.

One scheduling note worth flagging early: the NDA and NA II 2026 written examination falls on the same date, 13 September 2026. Candidates in the narrow age band where both are open cannot sit both, so that choice has to be made in advance rather than discovered on the day.

The four academies, and why the choice matters

This examination fills four very different destinations, and candidates routinely apply without understanding the difference.

The distinction that matters most in that table is the last column, and it deserves more than a passing mention because it shapes an entire career.

Permanent Commission versus Short Service Commission

A Permanent Commission through IMA, INA or AFA is a full career. You serve until the retirement age for your rank, you are eligible for pension, and promotion runs the full length of the officer ladder.

A Short Service Commission through OTA is an initial engagement of a defined term, extendable in stages, with the option to apply for a Permanent Commission during service subject to vacancies and selection. Officers who are not granted one leave at the end of their tenure with terminal benefits rather than a full career pension.

That is not a reason to avoid OTA. It is the only route in this examination open to women, it has a wider age band, and the training period is shorter. But a candidate should choose it knowing what it is, rather than discovering the distinction after selection.

The practical guidance: if you are eligible for IMA, INA or AFA and want a full military career, preference those. Take OTA if you specifically want the shorter commitment, if you are a woman candidate, or if you are outside the age or subject requirements for the permanent-commission academies.

Written exam pattern: two different exams

CDS is really two examinations sharing one application, and confusing them costs preparation time.

For IMA, INA and AFA, there are three papers.

For OTA, there are two.

OTA candidates do not sit the Elementary Mathematics paper at all. If you are applying only for OTA, the entire mathematics syllabus is irrelevant to you, which is a substantial saving in preparation time that many candidates fail to take.

Add the SSB interview and the totals become:

Note that the SSB carries the same weight as the entire written examination in both routes. Clearing the written paper gets you to the interview; it does not get you selected.

Negative marking applies at one third of the marks assigned to a question for each wrong answer. With that penalty, blind guessing is close to break-even and adds variance, so answer where you can eliminate at least one option and leave the rest.

Syllabus

English tests comprehension, vocabulary, grammar and usage at graduate level, through reading passages, sentence improvement, error spotting, synonyms and antonyms, and ordering of words and sentences.

General Knowledge covers current affairs, Indian history with emphasis on the freedom movement, geography, Indian polity and the Constitution, economics, general science covering physics, chemistry and biology, and defence-related awareness. The defence portion rewards specific study: ranks and insignia, military exercises, indigenous defence programmes, and recent acquisitions appear regularly and are ignored by candidates preparing from a general competitive syllabus.

Elementary Mathematics, for IMA, INA and AFA only, sits at Class 10 level and covers arithmetic, algebra, trigonometry, geometry, mensuration and statistics. It is the most scoring of the three papers for anyone comfortable with school mathematics, since the questions are direct and the syllabus is closed.

Eligibility

Requirements differ by academy, and applying to one you do not qualify for wastes the attempt.

The exact birth-date windows are fixed in each notification and shift every cycle, so confirm them against the advertisement rather than relying on the approximate bands above.

Two conditions catch people out. INA requires an engineering degree specifically, so an arts or commerce graduate cannot apply there however strong the application. AFA requires Physics and Mathematics at the 10+2 level even for graduates in other subjects, which excludes candidates who dropped those subjects after Class 10.

Final-year students may apply, subject to producing proof of passing by the date specified in the notification.

The SSB interview

The Services Selection Board interview runs over five days and carries the same weight as the entire written examination.

Day one is screening, with an officer intelligence rating test and a picture perception and discussion test, after which a substantial share of candidates are sent home the same day. Day two is the psychology round, covering the thematic apperception test, word association test, situation reaction test and self description. Days three and four cover the group testing officer tasks, including group discussion, group planning, progressive group tasks and command tasks, alongside the personal interview. Day five is the conference at which the board takes its decision.

The board assesses officer-like qualities rather than knowledge: reasoning, decision-making under pressure, initiative, responsibility, and the ability to work within and lead a group. Preparation for it is unlike exam study, and it rewards mock SSB sessions, honest self-assessment, and genuine familiarity with your own background, since the interview draws heavily on what you say about yourself.

A medical examination follows selection, and the standards are strict, particularly on vision for the Air Force route.

Training after selection

Selection leads to training rather than a posting, and the length differs by academy.

Cadets selected for IMA undergo about 18 months of training at Dehradun before being commissioned as Lieutenants in the Army. INA cadets train at Ezhimala, AFA cadets at Dundigal near Hyderabad, and the duration varies by branch and specialisation, with flying training for the Air Force running longer than ground branches.

OTA cadets at Chennai complete a shorter course, around 49 weeks, reflecting the Short Service Commission structure.

Training is residential, physically demanding and academically structured, covering military tactics, weapons handling, drill, physical conditioning, map reading, and service-specific technical subjects. Cadets receive a stipend during the pre-commission training year, and full officer pay begins on commissioning rather than on joining the academy, which is a distinction worth understanding before you plan finances around selection.

Comparing CDS with the other officer routes

Graduates aiming at a uniformed officer career usually have several options, and they differ in more than the syllabus.

CDS and NDA both go through the SSB and both lead to the same three services, differing in entry point. CAPF Assistant Commandant leads into the paramilitary rather than the armed forces and carries a heavier physical component. AFCAT is the Air Force's own examination and is worth sitting alongside CDS if the Air Force is the target, since it offers a second route to the same destination.

A candidate serious about a commission should generally sit more than one of these in a cycle. The SSB preparation is common to CDS, NDA and AFCAT, so the marginal cost of an extra application is small and the additional chance is real. The one constraint to check is the calendar: where two written examinations fall on the same date, as CDS II and NDA II do this cycle on 13 September 2026, the choice has to be made at application stage rather than left open.

Salary and career

Officers commissioned through CDS enter at Level 10 of the pay matrix with a basic pay of Rs 56,100, plus Military Service Pay of Rs 15,500 a month and dearness allowance, which brings in-hand pay at commissioning to roughly Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 1,25,000 depending on posting and allowances.

Progression runs through the officer ranks: Lieutenant at Level 10, Captain at Level 10B, Major at Level 11, Lieutenant Colonel at Level 12A, Colonel at Level 13, Brigadier at Level 13A and Major General at Level 14, with Military Service Pay applying throughout. Promotion to Captain and Major is time-bound; above Lieutenant Colonel it becomes selective.

Beyond pay, the package includes subsidised accommodation, ration entitlements, medical cover for the officer and dependants including ECHS after retirement, group insurance, leave travel concession and pension for permanent commission officers.

Preparing in the remaining weeks

With the written examination on 13 September, there are about six weeks from the time of writing.

Work out first which papers you actually need. An OTA-only candidate preparing Elementary Mathematics is wasting a third of their effort.

Prioritise General Knowledge, since it is the paper with the widest range and the one where a systematic approach separates candidates most. Cover current affairs of the past year and give specific attention to defence awareness, which is high-yield and neglected.

Treat Elementary Mathematics as the scoring paper if you are sitting it. The syllabus is closed and at Class 10 level, so practice converts directly into marks in a way that General Knowledge does not.

For English, read and practise rather than study grammar theory. Comprehension and usage questions reward familiarity, and a candidate who reads a newspaper daily and works one practice set a day will outperform one who studies grammar rules in isolation.

Work past papers under the two-hour clock for each paper, and train the marking decision: with a one third penalty, know your own accuracy rate on questions where you have eliminated one option.

Begin SSB preparation in parallel rather than after the result. It carries half the total marks, it cannot be crammed, and the gap between the written result and the interview call is not long enough to build officer-like qualities from scratch.

How to apply in the next cycle

Applications are filed on the UPSC portal at upsconline.nic.in.

1. Complete the One Time Registration if you have not already, since it is reused across UPSC examinations.
2. Open the CDS application when the notification appears and select your academy preferences in order, checking the education and age conditions for each before selecting it.
3. Fill personal and educational details exactly as on your certificates.
4. Choose your examination centre early, since centres fill on a first-apply basis.
5. Upload photograph and signature in the specified format.
6. Pay the fee of Rs 200. SC, ST and female candidates are exempt.
7. Submit and save the registration number and application PDF.

UPSC runs CDS twice a year, as CDS I and CDS II, so a missed window is a six-month wait rather than a year.

Frequently asked questions

When is the UPSC CDS 2 2026 exam? The written examination is on 13 September 2026. UPSC notified the examination on 20 May 2026 for 451 vacancies and the application window opened the same day, closing in June 2026. Note that the NDA and NA II 2026 written examination falls on the same date, so candidates eligible for both must choose between them.

How many vacancies are in CDS 2 2026? There are 451 vacancies across the Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Air Force Academy and Officers Training Academy for both men and women. The academy-wise split is set out in the notification, and IMA and OTA typically account for the largest shares.

What is the difference between IMA, INA, AFA and OTA in CDS? IMA at Dehradun leads to an Army officer commission, INA at Ezhimala to the Navy, and AFA at Hyderabad to the Air Force, and all three grant a Permanent Commission. OTA at Chennai leads to an Army officer commission under a Short Service Commission and is the only route in this examination open to women. The commission type is the most consequential difference: a Permanent Commission is a full career with pension, while a Short Service Commission is a defined engagement with the option to apply for a permanent one during service.

Is the CDS exam pattern different for OTA? Yes. IMA, INA and AFA candidates sit three papers, English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics, at 100 marks each for a written total of 300. OTA candidates sit only English and General Knowledge for a written total of 200 and do not take the mathematics paper at all. Each paper is two hours. An OTA-only candidate preparing mathematics is wasting a third of their effort.

What are the total marks in CDS? For IMA, INA and AFA the written examination is 300 marks and the SSB interview 300, for a total of 600. For OTA the written examination is 200 and the SSB 200, for a total of 400. In both routes the SSB carries the same weight as the entire written paper, so clearing the written examination gets you to the interview rather than to selection.

Is there negative marking in CDS? Yes, one third of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer. With that penalty, blind guessing is close to break-even and adds variance, so the sensible approach is to answer where you can eliminate at least one option and leave alone the questions where you have no basis.

What is the age limit for CDS 2 2026? The bands vary by academy, running approximately 19 to 24 years for IMA and INA, about 20 to 24 for AFA, and about 19 to 25 for OTA for both men and women. Exact birth-date windows are fixed in each notification and shift every cycle, so confirm them against the advertisement rather than an approximate band.

Can women apply for CDS? Yes, through the Officers Training Academy route, which leads to a Short Service Commission in the Army. The IMA, INA and AFA routes in this examination are for unmarried male candidates. Women candidates sit the two-paper OTA written examination of English and General Knowledge, followed by the SSB interview.

What qualification is needed for CDS? IMA and OTA require a graduate degree in any discipline. INA requires an engineering degree specifically, so arts and commerce graduates cannot apply there. AFA requires a graduate degree with Physics and Mathematics studied at the 10+2 level, or an engineering degree. Final-year students may apply subject to producing proof of passing by the date specified in the notification.

What is the salary of an officer selected through CDS? Commissioning is at Level 10 of the pay matrix with a basic pay of Rs 56,100, plus Military Service Pay of Rs 15,500 a month and dearness allowance, giving in-hand pay of roughly Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 1,25,000 depending on posting and allowances. Subsidised accommodation, rations, medical cover including ECHS after retirement, group insurance and pension for permanent commission officers apply on top.

How is CDS different from NDA? NDA is the officer entry straight after Class 12, at 16.5 to 19.5 years, with a written examination of 900 marks plus a 900-mark SSB. CDS is the graduate route, at roughly 19 to 25 years depending on academy, with a written examination of 300 or 200 marks plus an SSB of matching weight. Both use the five-day SSB interview. For the 2026 cycle both written examinations fall on 13 September, so they cannot both be attempted.

How many times a year is CDS conducted? Twice, as CDS I and CDS II, so a missed application window means roughly a six-month wait rather than a full year. That cadence also means a candidate within the age band typically gets several attempts, unlike recruitments held once annually.