CDS Exam Pattern 2026 - Check CDS 1 Exam Pattern, Marking Scheme
The Union Public Service Commission has prescribed the UPSC CDS exam pattern 2026 in the official notification. As per the UPSC CDS 2026 exam pattern, the written exam is conducted for the IMA, INA, AFA and OTA courses. According to the CDS exam pattern, to be eligible for these courses, candidates will have to clear a written exam and the SSB interview. The SSB interview is a personality test to get an idea of the candidate’s intelligence that is conducted as part of the.
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This Story also Contains
- CDS 2026 Exam Pattern: Stages of CDS exam
- CDS Exam Pattern 2026 - For Written Examination
- CDS Exam Pattern 2026 - For SSB Interview
- UPSC CDS Marking Scheme 2026
- CDS Syllabus 2026
- CDS Mock Test 2026
- CDS Question Papers 2026
While preparing for the exam, candidates can make use of the exam pattern in conjunction with the CDS exam syllabus 2026 to better prepare for the exam. The UPSC CDS exam is conducted for the recruitment of Commissioned Officers in the Indian Military Academy, Officers Training Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Indian Air Force Academy.
It is important to consult the detailed CDS exam pattern 2026 to better understand the nuances of the exam, such as the stages of the exam, marking scheme, time duration of the exam, as well as the subjects on which question papers will be based. Candidates must thoroughly go through the CDS 2026 notification for all information. For more information about the CDS 2026 exam pattern, read the full article below.
Highlights of CDS 1 Exam Pattern 2026
Particulars | Details |
Mode of Exam | Offline only |
Number of questions asked IMA, INA and AFA | 300 multiple choice questions |
Number of questions in OTA | 200 multiple choice questions |
Maximum Marks | 300 ( Indian Military, Navy and Air Force) and 200 (OTA) |
Duration of Exam | 2 hours (120 minutes) for each paper |
Medium | Hindi or English |
Negative marking | One-third of marks were deducted for each wrong answer |
CDS 2026 Exam Pattern: Stages of CDS exam
The CDS 2026 exam is conducted in 2 phases-
Written Examination
Interview for intelligence and personality test
CDS Exam Pattern 2026 - For Written Examination
The first stage of the CDS recruitment process is the written exam. According to the UPSC CDS exam pattern, one written exam is conducted for the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Navy Academy (INA) and Air Force Academy (AFA) and another one for the Officers’ Training Academy (OTA). The questions are asked from all three subjects in the written test for IMA, INA, and AFA, whereas there is no mathematics paper for the OTA course.
Hence in the CDS 2026 OTA written exam, the question will be asked from two sections only - English and General Knowledge. The total time duration for the IMA, INA, and AFA written tests is 6 hours whereas for the OTA written test 4 hours is allotted. Candidates can consult the table below for more details regarding the CDS 2026 exam pattern.
CDS Exam Pattern for IMA, INA, and AFA
Subject | Duration | Maximum marks |
English | 2 hours | 100 |
General Knowledge | 2 hours | 100 |
Elementary Mathematics | 2 hours | 100 |
Exam Pattern of CDS 2026 for OTA
From the following table, candidates can check the CDS OTA exam pattern to prepare for the OTA exam.
Subject | Duration | Maximum marks |
English | 2 hours | 100 |
General Knowledge | 2 hours | 100 |
Check Here List of Other Government Exams
CDS Exam Pattern 2026 - For SSB Interview
Candidates who qualify in the CDS written exam are required to appear in the SSB interview. For the CDS interview round, candidates will be called at one of the Services Selection Centres. According to the UPSC CDS exam pattern 2026, the interview will be conducted in two stages. Only those candidates who clear stage I of the CDS interview are permitted to appear for stage II. Check below the details about both stages of the CDS interview.
Stage I: Stage I of the CDS interview consists of Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and Picture Perception and Description Tests (PP and DT).
Stage II: The CDS interview stage II includes a personal interview, Group testing officer tasks, Psychology Tests and the conference.
Following the CDS exam pattern 2026, these tests will be conducted for four days and the personality of a candidate is assessed by three different assessors - The Interviewing Officer (IO), the Group Testing Officer (GTO) and the Psychologist. There is no separate weightage for each test.
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UPSC CDS Marking Scheme 2026
As per the CDS 2026 exam pattern, candidates are awarded one mark for each correct answer whereas 0,33 marks will be deducted for every wrong answer. There is no negative marking for un-attempted questions, Check below the table to learn more about the CDS marking scheme.
CDS Marking Scheme
Specifications | English | GK | Mathematics |
Maximum marks | 100 | 100 | 100 |
Marks for the correct answer | +1 mark for each correct option | +1 mark for each correct option | +1 mark for each correct option |
Negative marking | -0.33 marks for each wrong answer | -0.33 marks for each wrong answer | -0.33 marks for each wrong answer |
CDS Syllabus 2026
UPSC has provided the CDS 2026 syllabus in the official CDS notification at upsc.gov.in. The written exam is divided into three sections. In the English sections of the CDS syllabus, candidates need to prepare more with grammar and increase their word power. In order to crack the Maths section of the CDS exam syllabus, the only key is practice.
Read the newspaper daily and keep yourself updated with current affairs for the general awareness section. It is important to go through the entire CDS syllabus before starting the preparation as this will give you a better idea about your weaker and stronger section.
Also read: Basic Information about category-wise career exams
CDS Mock Test 2026
Candidates preparing for the UPSC CDS 2026 exam must attain the CDS mock tests. The mock test helps the students to know the exact exam pattern of CDS 2026. Candidates can know the CDS exam pressure and the environment of the exam hall. With the help of mock tests, candidates can assess their level of CDS 2026 preparation. There are numerous online mock tests available.
CDS Question Papers 2026
For better preparation for the exam, candidates must solve the previous year's CDS 2026 question paper to understand the important topics. Manage the time in a way so that 2-3 CDS sample question papers can be solved every day.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: How many questions will be asked in the CDS exam 2026?
A:
As per the CDS 2026 exam pattern, there will be questions in the IMA, INA, and AFA written exams and 200 questions in the OTA written exam.
Q: What will be the maximum marks for the CDS question paper?
A:
The maximum marks for the CDS IMA, INA, and AFA question paper is 300 whereas marks for the OTA question paper is 200.
Q: How can I prepare for the CDS 2026 exam?
A:
Solve the question papers based on the syllabus and exam pattern of CDS. Manage your time as per the syllabus of CDS.
Q: Is the CDS exam tough?
A:
Yes, it is a bit tough, but if candidates have prepared for the exam efficiently, they can qualify for the exam.
Q: When will the CDS 1 2026 notification be released?
A:
CDS 1 notification 2026 has been released online on December 10, 2025.
Q: When is the CDS 1 2026 exam?
A:
The CDS 1 2026 written exam will be conducted on April 12, 2026.
Q: Is the exam pattern of CDS 2026 the same for IMA, INA, AFA written exam and OTS written exam?
A:
No, the UPSC CDS exam pattern 2025 for the IMA, INA, AFA written exam and OTS written exam is not the same. Check the details in the above article.
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Have a question related to CDS ?
Choosing the best CDS coaching in Lucknow really depends on what kind of learning environment you’re looking for. Some students prefer centres with strict discipline and regular mock tests, while others focus more on experienced faculty or smaller batch sizes. From what I’ve observed and heard from fellow aspirants, Shield
Hello aspirant,
No, after tenth grade, you are not eligible to take the CDS exam. Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree in order to sit for the CDS exam. It is intended for people who are in their last year of graduation or who have finished their college education. You
Hey! Since your date of birth is 07 Nov 2006 and you will complete graduation in 2029, here’s how many chances you’ll get for CDS (INA, IMA, AFA) and AFCAT:
For CDS exams, the age limit is usually 19–24 years.
For AFCAT, Flying Branch requires 20–24 years and Ground Duty
Dear Candidate,
You are eligible for CDS 2026, but for IMA, INA and AFA post, you must be born between 2 Jan 2003 – 1 Jan 2008.
For OTA ( male and female ), all 2003 born candidates are eligible.
Hi dear candidate,
The age limit for various roles in CDS are:
1) IMA: 19 to 24 years of age, 8 to 9 attempts.
2) INA: 19 to 24 years of age, 8 to 9 attempts.
3) OTA: 19 TO 25 years of age, 10 to 11 attempts.
This is
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