UPSC CDS II 2026 — Apply Online for 451 Vacancies

Quick Highlights — UPSC CDS II Vacancy 2026

• Organization: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
• Examination Notice No.: 11/2026-CDS-II | Date: 20.05.2026
• Post Name: Defence Officer — IMA, INA, AFA, OTA (Men and Women)
• Total Vacancies: 451 Posts (Tentative)
• Application Mode: Online Only
• Notification Date: 20 May 2026
• Last Date to Apply (UPSC CDS II 2026): 09 June 2026 (06:00 PM)
• Date of Examination: 13 September 2026
• Official Website: upsc.gov.in | Apply at: upsconline.nic.in

Important Dates — UPSC CDS II Examination 2026

Note: The date of examination may be changed at the discretion of the Commission. Always verify dates at upsc.gov.in.

Application Fee — UPSC CDS II Online Form 2026

• Fee can be paid via Net Banking or Visa / Master / RuPay Credit / Debit Card / UPI.
• No fee exemption for OBC/EWS male candidates — they must pay the full fee of Rs. 200/-.
• Fee once paid is non-refundable and cannot be held in reserve for any other examination.
• Applications without the prescribed fee (unless exempted) will be summarily rejected.

Vacancy Details — UPSC CDS II 2026 (Course-Wise)

Important Notes on Vacancies:

• The number of vacancies is tentative and may be changed at any stage of the selection process by Services HQ.
• Women candidates are being considered only for Short Service Commission at OTA. They should indicate OTA as the only choice.
• Candidates wishing to join AFA must indicate AFA as the first choice. AFA given as second/third preference will be treated as invalid.
• Male candidates competing only for OTA should indicate OTA as the one and only choice.

Eligibility Criteria — UPSC CDS II Recruitment 2026

Nationality

A candidate must be a Citizen of India, or a subject of Nepal, or a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African Countries, or Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India. Candidates belonging to Nepal/migrated category must produce a certificate of eligibility from the Government of India.

Educational Qualification

Note: Candidates studying in the final year / semester of their degree course are also eligible to apply. They must submit proof of passing the degree examination on or before the prescribed dates.

Age Limit and Sex Conditions

Important: Male divorcees / widowers cannot be treated as unmarried males for IMA / INA / AFA / OTA courses and are therefore not eligible. Marriage is not permitted during training at any academy.

Physical Standards

Candidates must be physically fit as per the physical standards for admission to CDS Examination II, 2026. Detailed medical standards are governed by the "Joint Order Manual of Medical Standards for Entry into Armed Forces (1st Edition)" available at joinindianarmy.nic.in.

• Permanent body tattoos are permitted only on the inner face of the forearm (inside of elbow to wrist) and on the dorsal side of the hand. Tattoos on any other body part will disqualify the candidate.
• Candidates who habitually wear spectacles are not eligible for Air Force Academy.
• Candidates who have previously failed Indian Navy CPSS and/or PABT are not eligible for Air Force flying branch.

UPSC CDS II 2026 Syllabus and Exam Pattern

For IMA, Indian Naval Academy, and Air Force Academy

For Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai — Men and Women

• All question papers consist of objective type questions only.
• General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics papers are set bilingually in Hindi and English.
• Negative Marking: 1/3rd (0.33) of marks assigned for each wrong answer will be deducted.
• If more than one answer is marked, it will be treated as a wrong answer.
• No penalty for unanswered questions.
• Candidates must use Black Ball Pen only for writing and marking answers in the OMR sheet.
• Calculators are NOT permitted inside the examination hall.
• The standard of Elementary Mathematics is of Matriculation level. Other subjects are of graduation level.

UPSC CDS II 2026 Syllabus Overview

• English: Understanding of English language and workmanlike use of words.
• General Knowledge: Current events, everyday observation, History of India, Geography. No special scientific study required.
• Elementary Mathematics: Arithmetic (Number Systems, HCF, LCM, Percentages, Profit/Loss, Simple/Compound Interest, Time-Distance-Work), Algebra (Quadratic Equations, Simultaneous Linear Equations), Trigonometry, Geometry (Lines, Angles, Triangles, Circles), Mensuration (Areas and Volumes), Statistics (Data Representation, Measures of Central Tendency).

Selection Process — UPSC CDS II 2026

The selection for CDS II 2026 consists of two stages:

Stage 1 — Written Examination (by UPSC)

• Objective type written examination conducted on 13 September 2026.
• UPSC prepares a merit list of candidates scoring the minimum qualifying marks.
• Written result is tentatively expected in October 2026.

Stage 2 — Intelligence and Personality Test (SSB Interview by Services HQ)

Candidates who qualify the written examination are detailed for SSB (Services Selection Board) interview by the respective Service HQ. SSB follows a two-stage process:

SSB Stage I:

• Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) Tests
• Picture Perception and Description Test (PP&DT)
• Only candidates who clear Stage I are admitted to Stage II.

SSB Stage II (conducted over 4 days):

• Interview by the Interviewing Officer (IO)
• Group Testing Officer (GTO) Tasks
• Psychology Tests
• Conference

Candidates are assessed by three independent assessors: IO, GTO, and Psychologist. All assessors carry equal weightage. The SSB tests bring out the presence or absence of Officer-Like Qualities (OLQ).

Final Selection

• Candidates must secure minimum qualifying marks separately in the Written Examination and the SSB test.
• Final merit is based on total marks (Written + SSB).
• Final selection is subject to Medical Fitness and suitability in all other respects.

Pay Scale — Indian Army Officers (CDS II 2026)

• Military Service Pay (MSP): Rs. 15,500/- per month (fixed) for Lieutenant to Brigadier.
• Training Stipend (Officer Cadets at IMA, INA, AFA, OTA): Rs. 56,100/- per month.
• Dearness Allowance: As applicable to Central Government civilian personnel from time to time.
• Dress Allowance: Rs. 20,000/- per year.
• Transport Allowance: Rs. 7,200 + DA per month (Higher TPTA Cities) or Rs. 3,600 + DA (Other Places) for Pay Level 10 and above.
• Children Education Allowance: Rs. 2,250/- per month per child.
• Free Ration in kind, Free Accommodation (or HRA), Medical facilities for self and family, Canteen facilities, Army Group Insurance, and other perks are also provided.

Examination Centres — UPSC CDS II 2026

The written examination will be held at 84 centres across India. Key centres include:

Agartala, Agra, Ahmedabad, Aizawl, Ajmer, Aligarh, Almora, Alwar, Ananthapuramu, Aurangabad, Bareilly, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Bilaspur (CG), Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore, Cuttack, Dehradun, Delhi, Dharamshala, Dharwad, Dispur, Faridabad, Gangtok, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Gaya, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Gurugram, Gwalior, Hyderabad, Imphal, Indore, Itanagar, Jabalpur, Jaipur, Jammu, Jodhpur, Jorhat, Kanpur, Kargil, Kochi, Kohima, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Leh, Lucknow, Ludhiana, Madurai, Mandi (HP), Meerut, Mumbai, Mysuru, Nagpur, Nasik, Navi Mumbai, Panaji (Goa), Patna, Port Blair, Prayagraj, Puducherry, Pune, Raipur, Rajkot, Ranchi, Sambalpur, Shillong, Shimla, Siliguri, Srinagar (J&K), Srinagar (Uttarakhand), Surat, Thane, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchirapalli, Tirupati, Udaipur, Varanasi, Vellore, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Warangal.

Important Rules on Exam Centre:

• Centre allotment is on a first-apply-first-allot basis. Apply early to get your preferred centre.
• There is a ceiling on the number of candidates at each centre (except Chennai, Dispur, Kolkata, and Nagpur).
• No request for change of examination centre will be entertained after submission.
• If a candidate appears at a venue other than that indicated in the e-Admit Card, their papers will not be evaluated.

How to Apply Online for UPSC CDS II 2026

Applications must be submitted online only at upsconline.nic.in. The portal has four modules:

1. Visit the official UPSC online application portal at upsconline.nic.in and go through the General Instructions and Profile/Module-wise instructions carefully.
2. Complete Module 1 — Account Creation: Create your account on the portal using a valid email ID and mobile number.
3. Complete Module 2 — Universal Registration: Fill in your Universal Registration Number (URN) Profile with personal details, date of birth (as per Matriculation Certificate), and Photo ID details (Aadhaar Card recommended). URN is registered only once in a lifetime.
4. Complete Module 3 — Common Application Form (CAF): Upload your scanned photograph, capture a live photograph via webcam or mobile, and upload your signature (sign three times on plain white paper with black ink, one below the other).
5. Complete Module 4 — Examination Specific Module: Select the CDS II 2026 examination, choose your preferred examination centre, indicate your service preference (IMA/INA/AFA/OTA) carefully in the correct order, and pay the application fee of Rs. 200/- online (exempted for Female/SC/ST candidates).
6. Submit the application form. An Application Number will be generated — note it down along with your URN for all future correspondence with UPSC.
7. Download the e-Admit Card from upsconline.nic.in on the last working day of the week preceding the exam date. Carry it along with the same Photo ID to the examination venue on 13 September 2026.

Important Points:

• Candidates already in Government Service / Armed Forces must inform their Head of Office / Commanding Officer in writing about their application.
• No withdrawal of application is allowed after submission. No correction/modification in any field is permitted.
• Service preferences once indicated cannot be changed. Enter them carefully and in the correct priority order.
• Helpdesk: 011-24041001 / 011-40303444 (10:00 AM to 5:30 PM on working days from 20.05.2026 to 09.06.2026) or email at upscsoap@nic.in.

Important Rules and Restrictions

• Candidates who were previously admitted to NDA / IMA / AFA / INA / OTA but removed on disciplinary grounds are not eligible.
• Candidates debarred by the Ministry of Defence from holding any commission are not eligible.
• Marriage is strictly prohibited during training. A candidate who marries after the date of application but before selection will not be selected. Marriage during training will lead to discharge and recovery of training expenses.
• After joining IMA, INA, or AFA, candidates will not be considered for any other commission and cannot appear for any other interview or examination.
• Candidates who qualify for Army (IMA/OTA) must register on joinindianarmy.nic.in to receive SSB call-up information.
• Mobile phones, pagers, smart watches, Bluetooth devices, or any electronic equipment are strictly banned inside the examination hall — even in switched-off mode.
• Entry into the examination venue is closed 30 minutes before commencement of each session.
• All candidates must undergo Face Authentication at the examination venue mandatorily.
• Women candidates are encouraged to apply — Government strives to have a workforce reflecting gender balance.

Training Duration and Physical Standards

Minimum Physical Standards for IMA and OTA Reporting

Frequently Asked Questions — UPSC CDS II 2026

What is the Total Number of Vacancies in UPSC CDS II 2026?

UPSC has announced a total of 451 vacancies for CDS II 2026. These are distributed as: IMA Dehradun — 100 posts (including 13 for NCC C Certificate Army Wing holders), Indian Naval Academy Ezhimala — 26 posts, Air Force Academy Hyderabad — 32 posts, OTA Chennai SSC Men — 275 posts, and OTA Chennai SSC Women — 18 posts. The number of vacancies is tentative and may change at any stage.

What is the Last Date to Apply for UPSC CDS II 2026?

The last date for filling up the online application is 09 June 2026 up to 06:00 PM. The notification was released on 20 May 2026. Candidates are advised to apply early as exam centre allotment is on a first-apply-first-allot basis.

What is the Educational Qualification for UPSC CDS II 2026?

For IMA and OTA: Degree from a recognized University or equivalent. For Indian Naval Academy: Degree in Engineering or B.Sc. with Physics as core or elective subject (with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level). For Air Force Academy: Degree from a recognized University with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level or Bachelor of Engineering. Final year degree students can also apply.

What is the Age Limit for UPSC CDS II 2026?

Age limits vary by course. For IMA and INA: 19 to 24 years (born between 01.07.2003 and 01.07.2008), unmarried males only. For Air Force Academy: 20 to 24 years as on 01.07.2027 (born between 01.07.2003 and 01.07.2007). For OTA SSC Men: 19 to 25 years (born between 01.07.2002 and 01.07.2008), unmarried males. For OTA SSC Women: 19 to 25 years (born between 01.07.2002 and 01.07.2008), unmarried women, issueless widows, or issueless divorcees.

What is the Application Fee for UPSC CDS II 2026?

The application fee is Rs. 200/- for General, OBC, and EWS male candidates. All female candidates and SC/ST candidates are fully exempted from paying any fee. Fee can be paid through Net Banking or Visa/Master/RuPay Credit/Debit Card/UPI. Fee once paid is non-refundable.

What is the Exam Pattern for UPSC CDS II 2026?

For IMA, INA, and AFA: Three papers — English (100 marks, 2 hours), General Knowledge (100 marks, 2 hours), and Elementary Mathematics (100 marks, 2 hours). Total 300 marks. For OTA: Two papers — English (100 marks, 2 hours) and General Knowledge (100 marks, 2 hours). Total 200 marks. All papers are objective type. Negative marking: 1/3rd mark deducted for each wrong answer.

What is the Selection Process for UPSC CDS II 2026?

The selection process has two stages. Stage 1 is the Written Examination conducted by UPSC on 13 September 2026. Candidates who qualify the written exam are detailed for Stage 2 — Intelligence and Personality Test (SSB Interview) conducted by Services Selection Board. The SSB includes two stages: Stage I with Officer Intelligence Rating tests and Picture Perception and Description Test; Stage II with Interview, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests, and Conference over 4 days. Final merit is based on combined written and SSB marks, subject to medical fitness.

How to Apply Online for UPSC CDS II 2026?

Visit upsconline.nic.in and complete the four-module application process: Account Creation, Universal Registration (URN), Common Application Form (CAF), and the Examination Specific Module. Upload photograph (live and scanned), sign three times on white paper with black ink for signature upload, provide Photo ID details, pay the fee online, and submit before 09 June 2026 at 06:00 PM. No other mode of application is accepted.

Source

All information on this page is sourced directly from the official UPSC Combined Defence Services Examination II, 2026 Notification (Examination Notice No. 11/2026-CDS-II, dated 20.05.2026) published by the Union Public Service Commission. For complete and accurate details, refer to the official UPSC website and the online application portal.

Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only. VacancyPage does not guarantee selection or commission. Candidates are advised to verify all details from the official UPSC notification before applying. VacancyPage is not responsible for any discrepancy in information.