The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has declared the CDS 2 Result 2026 on 19 October 2026 for the Combined Defence Services Examination (II), held on 13 September 2026.
A total of 8,956 candidates have qualified for the SSB interview for admission to the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA) and Officers Training Academy (OTA). The result is available as a PDF containing the roll numbers of qualified candidates on the official website, upsc.gov.in.
Candidates can check their results by opening the PDF and searching for their roll number. The next stage is the five-day SSB interview, followed by medical examination and document verification for recommended candidates. The recruitment has 451 vacancies across the four academy courses.
Candidates should check the official result notice for SSB registration instructions, interview schedules and other important updates. Visit firstjob24.com for the latest government job, result and admit card updates.
UPSC CDS 2 Result 2026 Out — 8,956 Candidates Qualified for SSB Interview
Written Result Declared 19 October 2026 | 451 Vacancies | IMA, INA, AFA and OTA
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The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has declared the Combined Defence Services Examination (II), 2026 written result on 19 October 2026. The exam was held on 13 September 2026, and 8,956 candidates have qualified for the Services Selection Board (SSB) interview. The result is a PDF with the roll numbers of qualified candidates, and it is available on upsc.gov.in.
Seeing your roll number in the list is only the first win. This guide explains what the result PDF shows and does not show, how many candidates were qualified in earlier years, how the 451 vacancies are divided, how marks are added in the final merit, what happens at the 5-day SSB, and a 15-week plan to prepare for it.
| Particulars | Details |
| Exam Name | Combined Defence Services Examination (II), 2026 |
| Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Notice Number | 11/2026-CDS-II |
| Courses | IMA, INA, AFA and OTA |
| Total Vacancies | 451 |
| Written Exam Date | 13 September 2026 |
| Written Result Date | 19 October 2026 |
| Candidates Qualified for SSB | 8,956 |
| Result Format | PDF with roll numbers of qualified candidates |
| Next Stage | SSB Interview (5 days), then Medical Examination and Document Verification |
| Official Website | upsc.gov.in |
CDS 2 Result 2026 Key Dates
| Event | Date |
| Notification | 20 May 2026 |
| Application Window | 20 May to 11 June 2026 |
| Written Exam | 13 September 2026 |
| Written Result | 19 October 2026 |
| SSB Interview — IMA, INA, AFA (as per notification schedule) | February to March 2027 |
| SSB Interview — OTA (as per notification schedule) | April to June 2027 |
| Course Start — IMA, INA, AFA | July 2027 |
| Course Start — OTA | October 2027 |
From the result date to the start of SSB for IMA, INA and AFA is about 15 weeks, which is close to 105 days. That is your preparation window, and it is longer than most candidates realise, so use it in a planned way.
How to Check the CDS 2 Result 2026
- Go to the official website upsc.gov.in
- Open the Written Results section on the homepage
- Click the link for Combined Defence Services Examination (II), 2026 result
- Open the PDF file
- Press Ctrl + F and type your roll number to search
- Save the PDF and take a printout
No login is needed to open the PDF.
What the Result PDF Shows and What It Does Not
| The PDF Shows | The PDF Does Not Show |
| Roll numbers of qualified candidates | Your marks or sectional scores |
| Course and SSB related instructions | Candidate names |
| Registration requirements for the SSB | Your rank or the cut off marks |
The marksheet is not available today. UPSC puts the marks of all candidates on its website within 15 days after the final result of the OTA course, which comes after the SSB stage, and keeps them online for 30 days. Websites that say you can download a scorecard now are not correct, so do not wait for one.
How Many Candidates Qualified — Three-Year Trend
| Cycle | Qualified for SSB | Vacancies | Qualified per Vacancy |
| CDS 2 — 2024 | 8,796 | 459 | About 19.2 |
| CDS 2 — 2025 | 9,085 | Not specified | — |
| CDS 2 — 2026 | 8,956 | 451 | About 19.9 |
The 2026 qualified list is 129 candidates smaller than 2025 (about 1.4% lower). With 451 vacancies, roughly 20 qualified candidates compete for every seat. Even if every vacancy is filled, only about 1 in 20 of the 8,956 candidates will reach the final merit list, so the SSB is where the real selection happens.
Academy-Wise Vacancy — Where the 451 Seats Are
| Academy / Course | Vacancies |
| Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun | 100 |
| Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala | 26 |
| Air Force Academy (AFA), Hyderabad | 32 |
| Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai — Men (SSC) | 275 |
| Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai — Women (SSC) | 18 |
| Total | 451 |
OTA alone has 293 of the 451 seats, which is about 65%. IMA has 100 seats (about 22%), and INA and AFA together have only 58. If your rank is average, OTA offers the widest door, while INA and AFA seats are the hardest to get.
Which Academy Suits You? Quick Comparison
| Academy | Qualification | Age (Course Start Date Basis) | Who Can Apply | Type of Entry |
| IMA | Graduate | 19 to 24 years | Unmarried men | Permanent Commission |
| INA | Engineering degree (as per notification) | 19 to 24 years | Unmarried men | Permanent Commission |
| AFA | Degree with Physics and Maths at 10+2, or an engineering degree | 20 to 24 years (up to 26 with a valid commercial pilot licence) | Unmarried men | Permanent Commission |
| OTA (Men) | Graduate | 19 to 25 years | Men | Short Service Commission |
| OTA (Women) | Graduate | 19 to 25 years | Unmarried women | Short Service Commission |
Age is counted as on the course start date, which is 1 July 2027 for IMA, INA and AFA. Candidates who choose IMA, INA or AFA must have taken the Elementary Mathematics paper, which OTA candidates do not write.
You gave your academy preferences in the application, and the final merit is made academy-wise, so the real decision comes after the SSB, when you are recommended and compete in the merit list of an academy. Keep your preference order in mind when you prepare.
Written Exam Pattern and How Marks Are Added
| Paper | IMA / INA / AFA | OTA |
| Paper I — English | 100 marks, 2 hours (120 questions) | 100 marks, 2 hours (120 questions) |
| Paper II — General Knowledge | 100 marks, 2 hours (120 questions) | 100 marks, 2 hours (120 questions) |
| Paper III — Elementary Mathematics | 100 marks, 2 hours (100 questions) | Not applicable |
| Written Total | 300 | 200 |
| SSB Interview | 300 | 200 |
| Final Merit Total | 600 | 400 |
- The papers are objective type, and wrong answers carry negative marking
- Candidates must clear both the minimum marks in each paper and the cut off of the academy they want
- In case of a tie in final marks, higher written marks come first, then higher marks in General Knowledge (Paper II), and then the older candidate
Because SSB carries as many marks as the whole written exam (300 for IMA, INA and AFA, and 200 for OTA), a candidate with average written marks can still reach the final list with a strong SSB. The written exam has already done its job of putting you among the top 8,956.
What Happens Next — Step by Step
| Step | What to Do |
| 1 | Check your roll number in the result PDF and save it |
| 2 | Register for SSB. If Army is your first choice, register on joinindianarmy.nic.in. In earlier cycles this was required within two weeks of the result, so do it now |
| 3 | Watch your registered email. SSB centre and date are sent by email |
| 4 | Prepare for the 5-day SSB (Stage I and Stage II) |
| 5 | Appear for SSB. Those who are recommended go for the Medical Examination |
| 6 | Document verification and the final merit list based on written marks plus SSB marks |
SSB Interview — The 5-Day Process
| Day | Standard Activity |
| Day 1 | Stage I screening: Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and Picture Perception and Discussion Test (PPDT). Only those who pass go ahead |
| Day 2 | Psychology tests: Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), Word Association Test (WAT), Situation Reaction Test (SRT) and Self Description |
| Day 3 to 4 | Group Testing Officer (GTO) tasks: group discussion, group planning exercise, outdoor obstacles and command task. Personal interview with the interviewing officer |
| Day 5 | Conference with all assessors, and announcement of the result |
SSB is a test of your personality, and it is not a test of general knowledge alone. The assessors look for officer-like qualities such as clear thinking, confidence, teamwork, leadership and honesty.
SSB Do’s and Don’ts That Assessors Notice
| Do | Don’t |
| Speak naturally and keep answers short and clear | Memorise answers from books or coaching notes |
| Take part actively in group tasks and support your team | Dominate the group or stay silent through the task |
| Show practical solutions in the command task | Panic when the plan fails; stay calm and adjust |
| Know your own application form details well | Write false facts in the personal information form |
| Stay disciplined and polite from day one | Argue with assessors or other candidates |
Every test at the SSB looks at the same qualities from a different angle, so a fake story in one test usually gets caught in the next. Being honest is the simplest way to stay consistent over five days.
15-Week SSB Preparation Plan
| Weeks | Focus |
| Week 1–2 | Register for SSB. Learn the full SSB process. Start daily running and basic exercises. Practise OIR (verbal and non-verbal reasoning) 30 minutes daily |
| Week 3–5 | PPDT: write one picture story every day in 4 minutes and narrate it in 1 minute. Start reading a newspaper daily |
| Week 6–8 | Psychology tests: practise 10 TAT stories, 20 WAT words and 20 SRT situations each week. Write your self description honestly |
| Week 9–11 | GTO: join group discussions on current affairs. Learn the ground tasks and practise teamwork. Keep building fitness |
| Week 12–13 | Personal interview: prepare answers on your family, studies, hobbies, strengths and weaknesses, and why you want to join the forces |
| Week 14–15 | Mock SSB with a full run of all tests, speaking in front of friends or a mentor, and last revision of current affairs |
- Be honest in every test. SSB assessors notice false or learned answers very quickly
- Fitness matters for the final medical and for GTO tasks, so do not delay your exercise routine
- Sleep and a calm mind in the week before the SSB help more than late-night revision
Documents to Keep Ready
- Original and self-attested copies of Class 10 certificate (for date of birth)
- Graduation degree or provisional certificate as required for your academy
- Government photo ID: Voter ID, Passport, PAN Card or Driving Licence
- NCC ‘C’ certificate, if you are applying for any NCC-related entry
- Caste or category certificate issued by the competent authority, if applicable
- Application form, e-admit card and a printout of the written result
- Passport size photographs
If Your Roll Number Is Not in the List
- Do not lose heart. The written exam is held twice a year, and there is no limit on attempts within the age window
- The notification for the next exam, CDS (I) 2027, is reported to be due on 2 December 2026, so start your English and General Knowledge revision now
- Use your marksheet, when UPSC releases it, to find which paper cost you the most and fix that first
- Keep your English and Elementary Mathematics practice going, because both are needed again
Mistakes to Avoid After the Result
- Waiting for a scorecard before registering for SSB
- Checking only one website and missing the official instruction in the result notice
- Giving a wrong or unused email ID, because SSB dates come by email
- Starting SSB preparation only a few days before the call letter arrives
- Believing coaching claims about guaranteed selection
Important Links |
|
| Download CDS 2 Written Result 2026 PDF | click here |
| UPSC Official Website | click here |
| Army SSB Registration (Army as First Choice) | click here |
| UPSC Online Portal (Marksheet After Final Result) | click here |
| firstjob24 jobs | click here |
| Join WhatsApp Channel | click here |
| Subscribe on YouTube | click here |
UPSC CDS 2 Result 2026 — FAQs
Q. When was the CDS 2 result 2026 declared?
UPSC declared the written result on 19 October 2026.
Q. How many candidates qualified?
8,956 candidates qualified for the SSB interview.
Q. Where can I check the result?
On the official website upsc.gov.in, in the Written Results section. The PDF has roll numbers only.
Q. Can I see my marks now?
No. Marks are published on the UPSC website within 15 days after the final result of the OTA course, and they stay online for 30 days.
Q. How many vacancies are there?
451: IMA 100, INA 26, AFA 32 and OTA 293 (275 men and 18 women).
Q. What is the next stage?
The SSB interview, followed by medical examination and document verification.
Q. When will the SSB interviews happen?
As per the notification schedule, February to March 2027 for IMA, INA and AFA and April to June 2027 for OTA. These dates are tentative.
Q. How many marks does the SSB carry?
300 marks for IMA, INA and AFA, and 200 marks for OTA.
Q. How do I get the SSB call letter?
Dates and centres are sent by email to the registered email ID. Candidates with Army as the first choice must also register on joinindianarmy.nic.in.
Q. How is the final merit made?
By adding written marks and SSB marks. If there is a tie, higher written marks, then General Knowledge marks, then the older candidate is preferred.
