UPSC CDS II Exam Schedule 2026 Out: Check Your Exam Date Direct Link

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has announced a total of 451 vacancies for the CDS II 2026 recruitment. These posts are distributed across different wings: 100 for the Indian Military Academy (IMA), 293 for the Officers Training Academy (OTA), 32 for the Air Force Academy, and 26 for the Indian Naval Academy.

As per the official notification, the UPSC CDS II 2026 examination is scheduled to take place on September 13, 2026. Candidates are advised to complete their preparation early and keep an eye on the official portal or Indiansarkari.com
for any further schedule updates or exam-day guidelines.

Eligible candidates can apply online for the UPSC CDS II 2026 starting from May 20, 2026. The last date to submit the application form and pay the exam fee is June 11, 2026. It is highly recommended to apply well before the deadline to avoid any last-minute technical issues.

For IMA and OTA, you need a Bachelor’s degree in any stream. For the Naval Academy, a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering is mandatory. For the Air Force Academy, you must have a Bachelor’s degree with Physics and Mathematics at the 10+2 level from a recognized board or university.

As of July 1, 2027, candidates must be between the minimum age of 20 years and the maximum age of 24 years. Age relaxation is also applicable for specific categories as per the official recruitment rules. Make sure to check the full notification for detailed post-wise age criteria and relaxation guidelines.

General, OBC, and EWS candidates are required to pay an application fee of ₹200. However, SC, ST, and Female candidates are completely exempted from paying any fee. You can pay through online modes like Debit/Credit cards and Net Banking, or via E-Challan.

The UPSC CDS II 2026 admit cards will be released shortly before the exam date of September 13, 2026. Candidates should keep their registration details handy and regularly visit Indiansarkari.com or the official UPSC portal to access the direct download link once it becomes available.

The Officers Training Academy (OTA) has the highest number of vacancies in this recruitment cycle, with a total of 293 posts available. To qualify for OTA, candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline and meet the required age and physical fitness standards specified in the official notification.

Yes, candidates must complete the One Time Registration (OTR) process on the official UPSC website before applying for the CDS II 2026 exam. This registration simplifies the application process for multiple UPSC exams, and candidates must ensure all basic details entered in the OTR profile are accurate before proceeding.

First, complete your OTR registration on the UPSC website. Then, fill out the application form with basic details and upload scanned documents like your photo, signature, and ID proof. Pay the fee if required, review all information carefully in the preview, and finally, take a printout of the submitted form.

For the Naval Academy, a specialized degree in Engineering is required. For the Air Force Academy, you can have any degree, but you must have studied Physics and Math in Class 12. If you have a general degree without those subjects, you are eligible to apply for IMA and OTA.

You can find the official notification and direct application links on the UPSC official website. For quick updates and a user-friendly experience, you can also visit IndianSarkari.com, which has been providing reliable recruitment information since 2012 and offers a mobile app for both Android and iOS users.