The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has officially released the notification for the UPSC CDS I Recruitment 2026 under Examination Notice No. 04/2026.CDS-I, dated 10 December 2025.

This examination serves as a gateway for admission into India’s most prestigious defence academies, namely the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala, Air Force Academy (AFA), Hyderabad, and the Officers’ Training Academy (OTA), Chennai (for both Men & Women).

The selected candidates will undergo training for courses commencing in January 2027 / April 2027, paving the way for a career as commissioned officers in the Indian Armed Forces.

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UPSC CDS I Recruitment 2026 – Key Highlights

Section	Details (Simplified & Humanized)
Conducting Body	Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Exam Name	Combined Defence Services Examination (CDS) I 2026
Notification No.	04/2026.CDS-I (Released on 10 Dec 2025)
Academies Covered	IMA (Dehradun), INA (Ezhimala), AFA (Hyderabad), OTA (Chennai – Men & Women)
Course Commencement	January 2027 / April 2027
Application Window	10 Dec 2025 – 30 Dec 2025 (till 6 PM)
Exam Date	12 April 2026
Written Result	May 2026 (expected)

UPSC CDS I Recruitment -2026 Application Fee

Category	Fee
General / OBC	₹200
SC / ST	Nil
Female Candidates	Nil

UPSC CDS I Recruitment- 2026 Vacancies & Eligibility

Course	Vacancies	Qualification Required
Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun	100	Graduation in any discipline
Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala	26	Engineering degree
Air Force Academy (AFA), Hyderabad	32	Graduation with Physics & Maths at 12th OR B.E./B.Tech
Officers’ Training Academy (OTA), Chennai (Men)	275	Graduation in any discipline
Officers’ Training Academy (OTA), Chennai (Women)	18	Graduation in any discipline

UPSC CDS I Recruitment 2026 Age Criteria

Academy	Age Limit	Date of Birth Range
IMA / INA	19–24 years	2 Jan 2003 – 1 Jan 2008
AFA	20–24 years	2 Jan 2002 – 1 Jan 2008
OTA (Men & Women)	19–25 years	2 Jan 2001 – 1 Jan 2006

Selection Process UPSC CDS I Recruitment 2026

Stage	Details
Written Exam	Conducted by UPSC
SSB Interview	Conducted by Armed Forces Selection Boards
Document Verification & Medical	Mandatory for shortlisted candidates
Final Merit List	Based on marks from Written Exam + SSB Interview

How to Apply for UPSC CDS I Recruitment -2026

Step	Action
1	Visit upsconline.nic.in
2	Complete Universal Registration Number (URN)
3	Fill the Common Application Form (CAF)
4	Upload photo, signature, and ID proof
5	Pay fee (if applicable)
6	Double-check details before final submission (no corrections allowed later)

Important Links UPSC CDS I Recruitment- 2026

Description	Link
UPSC CDS I Recruitment 2026 Apply Online	CLICK HERE
UPSC CDS I Recruitment 2026 Official Notification	Click Here
UPSC Website	CLICK HERE