UPSC CDS (II) 2026

The Union Public Service Commission notified the examination on 20 May 2026 under Examination Notice No. 11/2026-CDS-II. Applications close on 9 June 2026 and the written examination is held on 13 September 2026.

The notice lists 451 approximate vacancies across five courses: 100 at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun (163rd DE Course), 26 at the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala (Executive Branch), 32 at the Air Force Academy, Hyderabad (222 F(P) pre-flying course), 275 at the Officers' Training Academy, Chennai (126th SSC Men) and 18 at the Officers' Training Academy for the 126th SSC Women course. Several of these include vacancies reserved for NCC 'C' Certificate holders. UPSC describes the figures as approximate.

A candidate must be a citizen of India, a subject of Nepal, or a person of Indian origin who has migrated from one of the countries named in the notice with the intention of settling permanently in India. Candidates in the latter two categories need a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India.

Age limits differ by academy. The Indian Military Academy and Indian Naval Academy entries are for unmarried men aged 19 to 24. The Air Force Academy entry is for candidates aged 20 to 24 as on 1 July 2027, relaxable up to 26 for candidates holding a commercial pilot licence issued by the DGCA. The Officers' Training Academy men's course is for unmarried men aged 19 to 25. The women's course is open to unmarried women, and to issueless widows who have not remarried and issueless divorcees. UPSC states that a candidate below 25 must be unmarried and that marriage is not permitted during training.

Educational qualifications also differ by academy. The Indian Military Academy and Officers' Training Academy require a degree from a recognised university. The Indian Naval Academy requires a degree in engineering, or a B.Sc. with Physics as a core or elective subject. The Air Force Academy requires a degree with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level, or a Bachelor of Engineering.

The examination fee is Rs. 200. All female candidates and candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are exempt from paying it.

Selection is by written examination followed by an interview for intelligence and personality at a Services Selection Centre. For the Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Air Force Academy the written examination has three papers: English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics, each of 100 marks and two hours. The Officers' Training Academy course has two papers, English and General Knowledge, on the same terms. All papers are objective, and the General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics papers are set in both Hindi and English. Written and interview marks carry equal weight, totalling 300 each for the first three academies and 200 each for the Officers' Training Academy.

Detailed eligibility conditions, physical standards, the syllabus, examination centres and application instructions are set out in full in the official notice on the UPSC website.