UPSC Combined Defence Services (UPSC CDS) 2026: Official Notification, Pattern, Syllabus & Mock Tests

Examination Overview

UPSC CDS recruits commissioned officers into Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA), and Officers Training Academy (OTA) for men and women.

Exam Name	UPSC Combined Defence Services (UPSC CDS)
Conducting Authority	Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Exam Level	National
Frequency	Twice a Year
Mode of Examination	Computer Based Test (CBT) / Written Examination
Language of Exam	English, Hindi & State Regional Languages
Official Website	https://upsc.gov.in/ ↗

Important Dates & Events

Timeline confirmed from official notices issued by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Event / Milestone	Important Date / Status
CDS I Notification	December (Exam in April)
CDS II Notification	May (Exam in September)

Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme

For IMA, INA, AFA: 3 Papers (English: 100 M, General Knowledge: 100 M, Elementary Mathematics: 100 M), 2 Hours each, Total 300 Marks. For OTA: 2 Papers (English: 100 M, GK: 100 M), Total 200 Marks. Negative marking: 1/3rd (0.33) mark. Followed by 5-day SSB Interview.

Examination Parameter	Scheme Details	Remarks / Evaluation
Question Format	Multiple Choice Questions (Objective MCQs)	4 or 5 options per question
Evaluation Mode	Computer Based Test (CBT) / Offline OMR Sheet	Centralized Evaluation System
Negative Marking Scheme	Standard 1/3rd or 1/4th negative deduction	Penalized for incorrect responses
Language Medium	Bilingual (English & Hindi) + Regional State Languages	Language toggle available in CBT
Normalization	Equipercentile or Percentile method across shifts	Multi-shift normalization applied

Selection Process & Stages

Candidate progression through sequential recruitment tiers:

Stage 1

Preliminary / Tier 1 Examination

Comprehensive objective screening test covering core aptitude, reasoning, general knowledge and language skills.

Stage 2

Mains / Tier 2 / Skill Test

Advanced written assessment or post-specific technical/descriptive examination determining the final merit order.

Stage 3

Document Verification & Medical

Scrutiny of original certificates, category credentials, age proofs and required medical fitness examination.

Eligibility Criteria (Age & Educational Qualification)

IMA & OTA: Degree of a recognized University. INA: Degree in Engineering. AFA: Degree with Physics & Math at 10+2 or Bachelor of Engg. Age: 19 to 24 years (unmarried for IMA/INA/AFA).

Parameter	Eligibility Condition	Relaxation Norms
Educational Criteria	IMA & OTA: Degree of a recognized University. INA: Degree in Engineering. AFA: Degree with Physics & Math at 10+2 or Bachelor of Engg. Age: 19 to 24 years (unmarried for IMA/INA/AFA).	Recognized Board / University required
Age Requirement	As specified in official notification (General Category)	SC/ST: +5 Years \| OBC: +3 Years \| PwD: +10 Years
Citizenship	Citizen of India	Subject of Nepal/Bhutan as per Central/State rules
Language Proficiency	Regional / English & Hindi working knowledge	Applicable as per State / National jurisdiction

Detailed Syllabus by Subject

English (Vocabulary, Comprehension), General Knowledge (Defense, History, Geography, Polity, Current Affairs), Mathematics (Arithmetic, Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Mensuration, Statistics).

📖 General Studies & Current Affairs

Current National & International Events
Indian History & Freedom Struggle
Indian & World Geography
General Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology)
Indian Polity, Constitution & Governance
Basic Economic Concepts & Budget Highlights

🔢 Quantitative & Numerical Aptitude

Simplification, Number System, HCF & LCM
Percentage, Ratio & Proportion, Profit & Loss
Simple & Compound Interest
Time, Speed & Distance, Time & Work
Data Interpretation (Tables, Bar & Pie Charts)

🧩 Reasoning & Mental Ability

Analogies, Classification & Series Completion
Coding-Decoding & Blood Relations
Direction Sense Test & Ranking Order
Syllogisms, Statements & Assumptions
Non-Verbal Reasoning & Figure Counting

📝 Language Comprehension

Reading Comprehension Passages
Vocabulary, Synonyms & Antonyms
Grammar, Error Spotting & Sentence Correction
Cloze Test, Idioms & Phrases
One Word Substitutions & Spelling Check

Preparation Strategy & Cut-Off Trends

Historical scoring benchmarks and safe score targets for UPSC Combined Defence Services (UPSC CDS) based on competitive trends:

Category	Safe Target Percentage	Preparation Focus	Benchmark Accuracy
General (UR)	75% - 82%	Speed + Negative Control in Reasoning & Quant	90%+ Accuracy
OBC / EWS	70% - 76%	High Scoring in Current Affairs & Language	88%+ Accuracy
SC / ST	62% - 70%	Syllabus Coverage & Previous Year Papers	85%+ Accuracy
PwD / Ex-SM	55% - 65%	Sectional Cut-Off clearance + Accuracy	82%+ Accuracy

Official Mock Test Series & CBT Practice

Practice full-length CBT tests matching the exact UPSC CDS pattern with bilingual questions and instant rank analysis.

UPSC Combined Defence Services (UPSC CDS) 2027 Official Practice Series

8 Total Tests • 1 Free Tests • English, Hindi, Bengali

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2027 Official Practice Series & Question Bank

2027 CYCLE READY

Targeted subject-wise and topic-wise practice series for UPSC Combined Defence Services (UPSC CDS). Featuring expected question predictions, pattern mastery, and instant step-by-step CBT solutions.

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