Exam scheduledNotice verifiedCentral · All India11/2026-CDS-II

Union Public Service Commission

UPSC Combined Defence Services Examination II 2026

Officer-entry examination for IMA, INA, Air Force Academy and Officers’ Training Academy courses.

01

At a glance

The facts most likely to change your decision.

Vacancies
451 tentative vacancies
The total is split by academy and course; use the official PDF for the current allocation.
Education
Graduate · Professional degree
Graduate for IMA/OTA; engineering for INA; degree with Physics and Mathematics conditions for AFA.
Age
Course-specific birth-date, marital-status and gender conditions apply.
Relaxations and cut-off dates are category-specific.
Application fee
₹200; women and SC/ST candidates are exempt
Use the official payment instructions only.
Pay
Stipend/pay follows the academy and commissioned rank rules.
Gross and in-hand pay vary by posting and allowance.
Recruitment cycle
2026
Central · All India
02

Vacancies & reservation

What is known, what overlaps and what remains unreported.

Current published count451 tentative vacancies
Check source ↗

Category table not available here

Check the latest official notice for the post- and category-wise distribution.

How to read reservation: UR, EWS, OBC, SC and ST are vertical categories. PwBD, women, ex-servicemen and similar horizontal reservations can overlap them and must not be added again to the total.

03

Complete timeline

One record from notification to final outcome.

  1. Notification

    20 May 2026

    completed
  2. Applications closed

    11 Jun 2026, 6 PM

    completed
  3. Written exam

    13 Sep 2026

    current
  4. Written result

    To be announced

    tentative
04

Who can apply?

A readable first check—not a legal eligibility decision.

Basic eligibility paths

  • Qualification, date-of-birth window and marital status depend on the academy selected.
  • Candidates awaiting a degree result should follow the proof deadlines in the notice.
  • Successful candidates must meet Services Selection Board and medical standards.

Relaxations & certificates

  • SC/ST, OBC-NCL, PwBD and ex-servicemen relaxations follow the applicable notification.
  • Always check the certificate format and cut-off date in the official notice.
If your degree title, age, domicile or category certificate is unusual, mark yourself “check required” and read the official wording.
05

Selection process & syllabus

Stage by stage, without mixing recruitment years.

Selection stages

  1. 1Written exam
  2. 2Services Selection Board interview
  3. 3Medical examination
  4. 4Final merit

Syllabus snapshot

  • IMA/INA/AFA: English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics.
  • OTA: English and General Knowledge.
  • Papers are objective; the official notice defines level, duration and negative marking.
06

Application document checklist

Prepare before the portal gets busy.

Recent passport-size photograph and scanned signature

Government photo ID with the same name used in the application

Education certificates and marksheets

Category, EWS, PwBD or ex-serviceman certificate, if claimed

Domicile or language proof where the notification requires it

07

Official links & source record

Go straight to the recruiting body.

Primary source
UPSC notification archive and CDS II 2026 detailed notice
Published / changed
Notice 20 May 2026; archive deadline updated to 11 Jun 2026
Last checked
4 Aug 2026, 11:10 IST

Official notices, corrigenda and recruiting-body pages have final authority. This page is a reading aid.