UPSC CDS II Notification 2026: Vacancies, Eligibility Criteria, Exam Pattern, Selection Process

Defence | 21 May 2026

UPSC CDS II Notification 2026: Vacancies, Eligibility Criteria, Exam Pattern, Selection Process

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the Combined Defence Services Exam Second Examination 2026 Notification. Those candidates who are Interested in this UPSC CDS II Vacancy 2026 can Apply Online from 20/05/2026 to 09/06/2026. Read the notification for recruitment eligibility, post information, selection procedure, pay scale, and all other information.

👉 Click Here To Check The Official Notification

UPSC CDS (2) 2026 Overview

Organization Name	Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Exam Name	Combined Defence Services Examination (CDS) II 2026
Notification Number	11/2026-CDS-II
Total Vacancies	451
Application Mode	Online
Notification Release Date	20 May 2026
Official Website	upsc.gov.in

Important Dates

Event	Date
Notification Release Date	20 May 2026
Application Start Date	20 May 2026
Last Date to Apply Online	09 June 2026, 06:00 pm
Written Examination Date	13 September 2026

Application Fees

Category	Application Fee
General / OBC / EWS	Rs. 200/-
SC / ST / Female Candidates	Nil

Vacancy Details, Age Limit, and Qualification

The age limit to apply for UPSC CDS 2 Recruitment 2026 varies according to the course.

For the Indian Military Academy and the Indian Naval Academy, unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 01 July 2003 and not later than 01 July 2008 are eligible.
For the Air Force Academy, candidates should be born not earlier than 01 July 2003 and not later than 01 July 2007.
For Officers Training Academy (Men and Women), candidates should be born not earlier than 01 July 2002 and not later than 01 July 2008.

Post / Course Name	Vacancy	Qualification
Indian Military Academy (IMA)	100	Any Graduate
Indian Naval Academy (INA)	26	B.Tech or B.Sc. with Physics as core/ elective subject and Physics & Mathematics at 10+2 level
Air Force Academy (AFA)	32	Degree with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level or B.Tech
Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) Men	275	Any Graduate
Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) Women	18	Any Graduate

UPSC CDS (2) 2026 Selection Process

The selection process for UPSC CDS 2 Recruitment 2026 will be completed in multiple stages as mentioned in the official notification.

Written Examination
SSB Interview / Personality Test
Document Verification
Medical Examination

CDS 2 Exam Pattern 2026

The written examination consists of objective-type questions only, to be answered using a black ball pen on OMR sheets. The question papers for General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics are bilingual (Hindi and English). The detailed exam pattern has been provided below:

For IMA, INA, and AFA:

Subject	Subject Code	Duration	Maximum Marks
English	11	2 Hours	100
General Knowledge	12	2 Hours	100
Elementary Mathematics	13	2 Hours	100
Written Total			300
SSB Interview			300
Grand Total			600

For OTA (Men and Women):

Subject	Subject Code	Duration	Maximum Marks
English	11	2 Hours	100
General Knowledge	12	2 Hours	100
Written Total			200
SSB Interview			200
Grand Total			400

Negative Marking

There is a penalty for wrong answers. One-third (0.33) of the marks assigned to a question will be deducted for each incorrect answer. No marks are deducted for unattempted questions.

Tie-Breaking Rules

If two or more candidates have equal final marks:

Higher marks in the written examination total are considered first.
If still tied, higher marks in General Knowledge (Paper II) are taken.
If still tied, the older candidate is ranked higher.
If still tied, the Commission resolves it at its discretion.

CDS 2 Exam 2026: Syllabus

The CDS syllabus outlines the subjects and topics that candidates must study for the written exam. While the mathematics section is based on school-level concepts, the English and General Knowledge sections follow graduation-level standards. A clear understanding of the syllabus helps in focused and effective preparation. The subject-wise syllabus is given in the table below:

Section	Topics Included
English	Ordering of words in a sentence Reading comprehension passages Synonyms and antonyms Idioms and common phrases Spotting grammatical errors Fill-in-the-blanks Sentence arrangement Sentence improvement and correction Choosing the correct word Ordering of jumbled sentences
General Knowledge	History and culture Geography Indian Polity Economics Physics Chemistry Biology Environmental studies Sports Books and authors Defence-related awards and events Sociology Current affairs
Mathematics
Algebra	Basic algebraic operations and simple factors H.C.F. and L.C.M. Polynomials and the remainder theorem Quadratic equations and their roots Solving linear equations in two variables (graphical and analytical) Linear inequalities in two variables Real roots and relations between coefficients and roots Problems involving simultaneous equations and inequalities Set notation and set language Rational expressions and identities Laws of indices
Arithmetic	Number system: natural, whole, integer, rational, and real numbers Fundamental operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division Square roots and decimal fractions Time and work Time, speed, and distance Percentage calculations Profit and loss Interest (simple and compound) Ratio, proportion, and variation Unitary method Prime and composite numbers Divisibility tests (2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 11) Multiples and factors, factorisation theorem Euclidean algorithm H.C.F. and L.C.M. Logarithms (base 10), laws of logarithms, and use of log tables
Trigonometry	Sine, cosine, and tangent for angles between 0° and 90° Standard trigonometric values (0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 90°) Basic trigonometric identities Heights and distances (simple problems) Reading and using trigonometric tables
Geometry	Types of lines and angles Plane figures and basic geometric properties Properties of parallel lines Triangles: sides, angles, congruence, and similarity Concurrence of medians and altitudes Parallelogram, rectangle, and square: sides, angles, and diagonals Circle properties, including tangents and normals Locus (basic concepts)
Mensuration	Area of basic shapes: square, rectangle, triangle, parallelogram, circle Composite figures and field book problems Surface area and volume of cuboids Cone and cylinder: lateral surface area, surface area, and volume Sphere: surface area and volume
Statistics	Collection and classification of data Frequency tables and tabulation Graphical representation: histograms, bar diagrams, polygons, pie charts Measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode)

CDS 2 Salary 2026

Officers commissioned after completing training are entitled to the following pay structure (as per the 7th CPC):

Rank	Level	Pay (₹)
Lieutenant	Level 10	56,100 – 1,77,500
Captain	Level 10 B	61,300 – 1,93,900
Major	Level 11	69,400 – 2,07,200
Lieutenant Colonel	Level 12A	1,21,200 – 2,12,400
Colonel	Level 13	1,30,600 – 2,15,900
Brigadier	Level 13A	1,39,600 – 2,17,600
Major General	Level 14	1,44,200 – 2,18,200
Lieutenant General (HAG Scale)	Level 15	1,82,200 – 2,24,100
HAG+ Scale	Level 16	2,05,400 – 2,24,400
VCOAS/Army Commander/Lieutenant General	Level 17	2,25,000 (fixed)
COAS	Level 18	2,50,000 (fixed)

How to Apply For UPSC CDS (2) 2026

Candidates can apply online for UPSC CDS 2 Recruitment 2026 through the UPSC online application portal before the last date. Applicants should keep all required documents ready before filling out the application form.

Visit the UPSC online application portal.
Complete Universal Registration Number (URN) registration.
Fill the Common Application Form (CAF).
Complete the Examination Specific Module.
Upload a photograph and signature as instructed.
Pay the application fee through the prescribed online mode.
Submit the application form and save the Application Number for future use.

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