The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination twice every year to recruit officers for the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, and Officers’ Training Academy (OTA).

The UPSC CDS 2026 exam is one of India’s most prestigious defence entry examinations for graduates aiming to join the Armed Forces as commissioned officers.

This article provides a complete CDS 2026 syllabus, exam pattern, selection process, preparation tips, and official links

🧭 2. UPSC CDS 2026 Selection Process

The selection procedure for CDS includes:

Written Examination
SSB Interview (5-Day Selection Process)
Medical Examination
Final Merit List

📘 3. UPSC CDS 2026 Exam Pattern (Updated)

3.1 Written Exam Pattern – For IMA, INA & AFA

Subject	Duration	Marks
English	2 Hours	100
General Knowledge	2 Hours	100
Elementary Mathematics	2 Hours	100
Total	—	300 Marks

3.2 Written Exam Pattern – For OTA

Subject	Duration	Marks
English	2 Hours	100
General Knowledge	2 Hours	100
Total	—	200 Marks

Negative Marking: Yes (⅓ marks deducted for every wrong answer).

3.3 SSB Interview Pattern (5 Days)

Stages	Components
Stage-I	OIR Test, PPDT
Stage-II	Psychology Tests, GTO Tasks, Personal Interview
Medical	Physical standards, medical tests

📚 4. UPSC CDS 2026 Syllabus (Section-Wise)

4.1 English

Vocabulary usage
Reading comprehension
Sentence improvement
Synonyms/antonyms
Spotting errors
Ordering of sentences

4.2 General Knowledge

Current events (National & International)
Indian polity & constitution
Indian economy
History & freedom movement
Geography (India & World)
Defence-related knowledge
Environmental science
Science & technology basics

4.3 Elementary Mathematics (IMA/INA/AFA only)

Arithmetic
Algebra
Geometry
Trigonometry
Mensuration
Statistics

📝 5. Final Selection & Marks Weightage

Stage	Marks
Written Exam	300 (IMA/INA/AFA) / 200 (OTA)
SSB Interview	300
Total	600 (IMA/INA/AFA) / 500 (OTA)

Final selection depends on:

Written score
SSB performance
Medical fitness
Preference of academy
Vacancy availability

✅ 6. Practical Preparation Tips for UPSC CDS 2026

Study NCERT books (6th–12th) for GK basics
Read daily newspapers (PIB, AIR, Government updates)
Practice UPSC CDS previous year papers (last 10 years)
Improve vocabulary & comprehension skills
Maintain a formula notebook for mathematics
Practice mock tests to enhance speed & accuracy
Prepare for SSB including psychology, GTO tasks, and communication skills
Maintain physical fitness for SSB and Medical rounds

🔗 7. Useful Resource Links (Official Only)

UPSC Official Website: https://upsc.gov.in
CDS 2026 Notification (PDF): https://upsc.gov.in/examinations
UPSC CDS Previous Year Question Papers: https://upsc.gov.in/examinations/question-papers
UPSC Syllabus (Official): https://upsc.gov.in/examinations/syllabus

Combined Defence Services Examination ...

UPSC Combined Defence Services (CDS) – 2026 Exam Complete Guide