CDS 2 Notification 2026: Check Eligibility, Age Limit, Exam Date and Other Details, Apply Online Starts on May 20 at upsc.gov.in
CDS 2 Notification 2026: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will release the CDS 2 notification 2026 on May 20 on its official website. Keep checking this article for the latest updates on the CDS notification, including key details like exam date, age limit, vacancy, etc.
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CDS 2 Recruitment 2026: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will release the much-awaited CDS 2 Notification on its official website- upsc.gov.in on May 20, 2026. The UPSC conducts the Combined Defence Services (CDS) exam to recruit candidates for officer posts in the Indian Military Academy (IMA), the Indian Naval Academy (INA), the Air Force Academy (AFA) and the Officers Training Academy (OTA). The UPSC conducts the offline exam twice a year in Arpil and September. For CDS 2 the registration process will be started from May 20 and the candidates can apply online by June 9, 2026. Check this article for the latest updates on CDS 2 notification like exam date, age limit, vacancy, etc.
CDS 2 Exam 2026 Highlights
The Combined Defence Services (CDS) is a national examination conducted to recruit officers in India Armed Forces. Here is an overview of the CDS 2 2026
| Exam Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission |
| Exam Name | Combined Defence Services (CDS) |
| Vacancies | to be announced |
| CDS 2 Application 2026 Start Date | May 20, 2026 |
| CDS 2 Application 2026 End Date | June 09, 2026 |
| CDS 2 Exam Date 2026 | September 13, 2026 |
| Exam Type | National Level |
| Mode of Application | Online |
| Selection Process |
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| Official Website | www.upsc.gov.in |
CDS 2 Eligibility Criteria 2026
Educational Qualification: A graduate degree from a recognised university is mandatory. However, it varies according to the academy for which the candidate is applying.
(i) For IMA and Officers Training Academy, Chennai — Degree of a recognised University or equivalent.
(ii) For Indian Naval Academy— Degree in Engineering from a recognised University/Institution
(iii) For Air Force Academy—Degree of a recognised University (with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level) or Bachelor of Engineering.
Age Limit: The minimum and maximum age limit varies depending on the course. Generally, it ranges from 19 to 24 years. Candidate must be an Indian citizen.
| Academy | Age Limit |
| Indian Military Academy (IMA) | 19 to 24 years |
| Indian Naval Academy (INA) | 19 to 24 years |
| Air Force Academy (AFA) | 19 to 24 years |
| Officers' Training Academy (OTA) | 19 to 25 years |
CDS 1 2026 Notification PDF
Candidates can download the PDF of the official notification of CDS 1 through the direct link provided below. Candidates are advised to read the official advertisement properly before applying for the CDS exam. Download the official notification using the link below.
| CDS 1 2026 Notification PDF |
CDS 1 2026 Vacancies
Candidates can check the course-wise vacancy details for the CDS 1 2026 exam from the table given below. The number of vacancies has been announced along with the notification.
| Name of the Posts | No. of Vacancies |
| Indian Military Academy, Dehradun | 100 |
| Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala | 26 |
| Air Force Academy, Hyderabad | 32 |
| Officers’ Training Academy 125th SSC (Men) | 275 |
| Officers’ Training Academy 125th SSC Women (NT) | 18 |
| Total | 451 |
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Sunil Sharma is an edtech professional with over 12 years of experience in the education domain. He holds an M.Sc. in Mathematics from Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut. He has worked as an Subject Matter Expert (SME) at Vriti Infocom Private Limited. and later joined Aakash Edutech Private Limited. At Jagran New Media, he writes for the Exam Prep section of JagranJosh.com.
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