UPSC CDS-I Recruitment 2026 – Complete Details

Organization: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Exam Name: Combined Defence Services Examination (CDS-I) 2026
Category: Graduate Jobs

UPSC CDS-I Recruitment 2026: UPSC conducts the CDS Exam every year to select candidates for various defence academies. For the year 2026, UPSC will release the CDS-I 2026 Notification, and lakhs of aspirants can apply online from 10 December 2025 to 30 December 2025.
Candidates must check all important details such as eligibility, application fee, age criteria, and exam pattern before applying.

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UPSC CDS-I Recruitment 2026:- Important Dates

Event	Date
Application Start Date	10 December 2025
Last Date to Apply	30 December 2025
Fee Payment Last Date	30 December 2025
Edit / Modify Form	As per UPSC Schedule
CDS-I 2026 Exam Date	12 April 2026
Admit Card Release	Before Exam
Result Declaration	After Exam

Application Fee

Category	Fees
General / OBC	₹200
SC / ST / Female	No Fee

Fee Payment Modes:
Debit Card, Credit Card, Net Banking, UPI, and other online payment methods.

UPSC CDS-I 2026 – Age Limit

Candidates must be born between 02 January 2003 and 01 January 2008.
Age relaxation is applicable as per UPSC rules.

CDS-I 2026 Vacancy Details

UPSC will announce the post-wise vacancy details in the official notification.

Post Name	No. of Posts
Indian Military Academy (IMA)	—
Indian Naval Academy (INA)	—
Air Force Academy	—
Officers Training Academy (OTA)	—
Officers Training Academy (OTA) – Women	—

Educational Qualification

Post Name	Required Qualification
Indian Military Academy (IMA)	Bachelor’s degree in any stream from a recognized university
Indian Naval Academy (INA)	Graduation with Physics & Mathematics at 10+2 level OR Bachelor of Engineering
Air Force Academy	Engineering degree in relevant discipline
Officers Training Academy (OTA)	Bachelor’s degree in any stream from a recognized university

Selection Process

Candidates will be selected through the following stages:

Written Examination
Interview / Personality Test
Skill Test (if applicable)
Document Verification
Medical Examination

How to Apply for UPSC CDS-I 2026

Visit the official website — upsc.gov.in.
Go to the CDS-I 2026 recruitment section.
Complete the One-Time Registration (OTR) if not done earlier.
Fill out the online application form carefully.
Upload the required documents.
Pay the application fee.
Submit the form and take a printout for future reference.

Important Note:
Candidates must read the official notification carefully (age limit, last date, qualification, etc.) before submitting the application form.

Important Links

Description	Link
Apply Online	Link Activate Soon
Download Notification	Link Activate Soon
Official Website (UPSC)	https://upsc.gov.in

Visit Our website Sarkari Job Express Homepage.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When does the UPSC CDS-I 2026 application start?

The online applications begin on 10 December 2025.

What is the last date to apply for CDS-I 2026?

The last date to submit the form is 30 December 2025.

What is the age limit for UPSC CDS-I 2026?

Candidates must be born between 2 January 2003 and 1 January 2008 (post-wise age rules apply).

What is the educational qualification required?

A graduation degree is required. Post-wise qualification is given above.

How can I apply for CDS-I 2026?

You can apply through the official UPSC website or via SarkariExam’s CDS-I page.

How to check CDS-I 2026 results?

After the exam, candidates can download the result using their Roll Number/Registration Number and Date of Birth from the official result link.

Next Read: SLAT 2026 Admit Card – Release Date & Time »