- By Sarju Saran Tiwari
- Thu, 11 Dec 2025 01:50 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
CDS 1 2026 Recruitment: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the CDS 1 2026 notification on its official portal on December 10, 2025. Interested candidates can nowfill out and submit their CDS 1 2025 application form online. The last date to apply for the CDS 1 exam is December 30, 2025.
The application fee is INR 200, with SC/ST/PWD/female candidates exempted. Candidates must create a one-time registration ID before submitting the online form. After creating it, candidates can apply for the CDS exam. This is a one-time process. This ID will be valid for applying to exams conducted by the UPSC. The CDS 1 exam will be held on April 12, 2026.
CDS 1 2026 Recruitment: Important Dates
Online Apply Start Date: 10 December 2025
Online Apply Last Date: 30 December 2025
Last Date For Fee Payment: 30 December 2025
Exam Date: 12 April 2026
Admit Card: Before Exam
Candidates are advised to confirm from the official website.
UPSC CDS Vacancies For Courses Commencing in 2027:
| No. | Course Name | Details / Session | Vacancies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indian Military Academy, Dehradun – 162nd (DE) Course | Starts January 2027; includes 13 NCC Army Wing seats | 100 |
| 2 | Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala – Executive/GS/Hydro | Starts January 2027; includes 6 NCC Naval Wing + 1 Hydro seat | 26 |
| 3 | Air Force Academy, Hyderabad – 221 F(P) Course | Starts January 2027; includes 3 NCC Air Wing seats | 32 |
| 4 | OTA Chennai – 125th SSC (Men) (Non-Technical) | Starts April 2027 | 275 |
| 5 | OTA Chennai – 125th SSC (Women) (Non-Technical) | Starts April 2027 | 18 |
| Total | 451 |
CDS 1 Notification 2026: Overview
Refer to the table below for an overview of the CDS 1 Eligibility 2026.
| Event | Perticulars |
| Exam name | Combined Defence Services Examination |
| Conducting body | Union Public Service Commission |
| Frequency of exam | Twice a year |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Number of Attempts | Unlimited; Till Age Allows |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Any Experience | Not Required |
| CDS Age limit | Between 19 to 25 years |
| Application Fee | - Rs 200 For UR, OBC -SC/ST/PWD/Female Candidates are exempted from the fees |
| Educational Qualification | Graduation in any discipline from recognized university |
| Mode of exam | Online |
CDS 1 2026 Recruitment: Written Exam Pattern
The CDS 1 2026 written exam pattern involves objective (MCQ) papers in English, General Knowledge (GK), and Elementary Mathematics (for IMA/INA/AFA), each 2 hours long with 100 marks (except English/GK with 120 questions), with negative marking (1/3rd), while OTA has English & GK only (200 marks total), all offline and with Hindi/English options.
For IMA, INA & AFA:
Subject | Marks | Duration |
English | 100 | 2 hours |
General Knowledge | 100 | 2 hours |
Mathematics | 100 | 2 hours |
For OTA:
Subject | Marks | Duration |
English | 100 | 2 hours |
General Knowledge | 100 | 2 hours |
CDS 1 2026 Registration: Steps To Apply (Once Link Activated)
When UPSC activates the link, you can follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Visit the official UPSC website: upsc.gov.in
Step 2: Click on “CDS 1 2026 Registration.”
Step 3: Complete Part 1 registration with basic details.
Step 4: Fill Part 2 with documents, fee, and exam centre.
Step 5: Submit the form and download the confirmation page.
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