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UPSC CDS-I 2026 | Vacancy Update.in

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)

Exam Name: Combined Defence Services Examination (CDS-I) 2026

Course Name: IMA, INA, AFA, OTA

Total Seats: 451

Advt No.: 04/2026.CDS-I

📘 Official Notification

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the official notification for the Combined Defence Services Examination (CDS) I 2026 under Examination Notice No. 04/2026.CDS-I, dated 10 December 2025.

This examination is being conducted for admission to the following prestigious defence academies for the courses commencing in January 2027 / April 2027:

Indian Military Academy (IMA)
Indian Naval Academy (INA)
Air Force Academy (AFA)
Officers’ Training Academy (OTA)

The online application process is open from 10 December 2025 to 30 December 2025 (6 PM). Candidates are advised to carefully verify their eligibility, including age, educational qualifications, and marital status, before applying.

The written examination will be conducted on 12 April 2026, followed by SSB interviews for candidates who qualify the written test.

Important Dates

Application Start	:	10 Dec 2025
Last Date	:	30 Dec 2025 06:00PM
Application Fees Last Date	:	30 Dec 2025
Exam Date	:	12 April 2026
Admitcard	:	Before the Written Test

Application Fee

UR / OBC	:	200 ₹
SC / ST / Female	:	0 ₹
Wards of JCOs/NCOs/ORs (as per rules)	:	0 ₹
Payment Mode	:	Debit Card, Credit Card, Net Banking, UPI Mode

Eligibility Details

Course	Vacancies	Qualification
Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun	100	Must hold a Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a recognized university.
Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala	26	Must possess a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from a recognized institution.
Air Force Academy (AFA), Hyderabad	32	Must have a Bachelor's Degree with Physics and Mathematics at the 10+2 level, or a B.E./B.Tech degree.
Officers’ Training Academy (OTA), Chennai (Men)	275	Must hold a Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a recognized university.
Officers’ Training Academy (OTA), Chennai (Women)	18	Must hold a Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a recognized university.

Age Limit

Course	Age Limit	Date of Birth Range
Indian Military Academy (IMA)	19 to 24 years	2 January 2003 to 1 January 2008
Indian Naval Academy (INA)	19 to 24 years	2 January 2003 to 1 January 2008
Air Force Academy (AFA)	20 to 24 years	2 January 2002 to 1 January 2008
Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) – Men & Women	19 to 25 years	2 January 2001 to 1 January 2006

Selection Proccess

S.No.	The selection process for the post will consist of Five stages:
1	Written Examination by UPSC
2	SSB Interview by Armed Forces Selection Boards
3	Document Verification
4	Medical Examination
5	Final Merit List based on marks in written exam + SSB interview

Exam Pattern

For IMA, INA, AFA
Negative Marking: 1/3rd
Subject	Marks	Duration
English	100	02 Hours
General Knowledge	100	02 Hours
Elementary Mathematics	100	02 Hours
Total	300	06 Hours

For OTA
Negative Marking: 1/3rd
Subject	Marks	Duration
English	100	02 Hours
General Knowledge	100	02 Hours
Total	200	04 Hours

For SSB / Interview Marks
Academy Name	SSB Marks
Indian Military Academy	300
Indian Naval Academy	300
Indian Air Force Academy	300
Officers’ Training Academy	200

Preparation for Application

UPSC CDS-I Recruitment 2026 Application Steps :-
Read The Notification :	First of All Read the Complete Official Notification Carefully and Check Qualification, Application Fees, Important Dates, Age Limit & Relaxation, Selection Process Etc.
Collect Required Documents :	Collect The Required Documents Like Eligibility Proof, Mark Sheet, Photo, Signature, Identity Proof, Address Details and All The Basic Information For Application.
Prepare Scanned Documents :	Scan The Documents You Have Collected, Including Your Photo, Signature, Identity Proof, Mark Sheet, Address Details and All Others in the Specified Format.
Fill The Application Form :	Fill out the Form With Accurate & Updated Information. While Filling The Form, Double Check All The Columns Whether All Your Information is Entered Correctly.
Check Application Preview :	Before Final Submission, Please Preview Your Application Form. Verify That All Details Provided are Accurate and Complete. After This Go To The Next Step.
Pay The Application Fees :	If Any Fee is Applicable for the Application, Follow The Instructions to Make The Payment. Payment Can be Made Online / Offline as per the Given Steps.
Submit Application Form :	Once You Have Reviewed The Application Form and Made The Required Fees Payments, Submit the Final Application Form as per the Instructions Given.
Print Final Application Form :	Follow All The Instructions & After Successfully Submitting Your Application Form, Do Not Forget to Take a Printout Of The Final Submitted Form For Your Records.

Important Links

Exam Date Notice	Click Here
Apply Online	Click Here
Registration	Click Here
Official Website	Click Here

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Disclaimer: This website is not an official government portal. The information provided here is for general informational purposes only. Applicants are advised to refer to the respective official website or notification for authentic and up-to-date details.