CDS exam 2026: As per the latest update, Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) released the notification for CDS II exam on May 20, 2026. The online portal for registration and filling up of application form for the Combined Defence Services Examination - II, 2026 began on May 20, 2026 and will continue till June 9, 2026 (6 PM), on its official website - upsconline.nic.in. The CDS II exam is scheduled to be held on September 13, 2026. The UPSC CDS II exam 2026 consists of 3 papers - English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics, which will be conducted in different shifts.
Earlier, UPSC released the UPSC CDS 2026 detailed exam time table on its official website - upsc.gov.in. The UPSC CDS 2026 exam consists of 3 papers - English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics. The CDS exam was conducted in offline mode. The English paper took place from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM, whereas the General Knowledge exam was held from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM and lastly the Elementary Mathematics paper was conducted from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. The UPSC CDS exam 2026 was successfully conducted on April 12, 2026 in pen and paper mode.
Before filling out the UPSC CDS exam 2026 application form candidates must go through the UPSC CDS 2026 eligibility criteria. The duration of the exam is 6 hours for admission to the Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Airforce Academy. For admission to the Officers' Training Academy (OTA), candidates have to appear for two papers only - English & General Knowledge. The duration of the exam is 4 hours. The CDS exam 2026 papers of all subjects will only consist of objective type questions. The question papers of General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics will be set bilingually in Hindi as well as English. Candidates eligible for the UPSC CDS 1 exam 2026 were able to apply for the exam till December 30 by 6:00 PM.
Latest Update:
- The UPSC CDS 2 exam 2026 notification released on May 20, 2026.
- The UPSC CDS 2 registration process started on May 20, 2026, and will conclude on June 9, 2026.
- The UPSC CDS 2 exam 2026 is scheduled to be held on September 13, 2026.
- UPSC has released the CDS 1 exam 2026 detailed exam schedule on the official website.
- The last date to apply for UPSC CDS 1 exam 2026 registration process was December 30..
- The UPSC CDS 1 exam 2026 will be held on April 12, 2026.
CDS Exam 2026: Highlights
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Particulars
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Details
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Name of the Exam
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Combined Defence Services Examination (CDSE)
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Conducting Authority
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Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
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Frequency of the Exam
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Twice a year
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Mode of the Exam
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Offline
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Duration of the Exam
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6 Hours (For IMA, INA & AFA) & 4 Hours (For OTA)
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Medium of Language
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English and Hindi
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What is CDS Exam 2026?
The Combined Defence Services examination, also known as the CDS examination, is conducted by UPSC for students who are willing to join the Indian Military Academy, Indian Air Force Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Officers’ Training Academy. The exam is conducted for students who are either graduated or in the final year/semester of their graduation. The CDS exam is conducted twice a year in April and September.
CDS Notification 2026
The UPSC has released the CDS 2 notification on May 20, 2026, on its official website. The CDS notification is important for candidates who are appearing for the examination as it contains all important details relevant to the exam. Candidates must download and read the CDS notification PDF to make sure they do not miss out on any important information or changes done by UPSC.
The notification contains information on the CDS eligibility criteria, exam pattern, and syllabus. Candidates should be aware that any modifications to any of the aforementioned will be indicated in the notification. The official notification also lists the physical and medical requirements that each applicant must fulfil in order to join the Indian Armed Forces. Last year, CDS 1 exam 2026 notification released on December 10.
CDS Exam Dates 2026
Students can check the exam dates for CDS 1 & CDS 2 in tables below:
CDS 1 Exam Dates 2026
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Particulars
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Details
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Application Form Starts
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December 10, 2025
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Application Form Ends
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December 30, 2025
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Admit Card
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Released
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CDS 1 Exam Date
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April 12, 2026
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CDS 1 Result date
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May 8, 2026 |
CDS 2 Exam Dates 2026
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Particulars
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Details
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Application Form Starts
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May 20, 2026
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Application Form Ends
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June 9, 2026
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Admit Card
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To be notified
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Exam Date
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September 13, 2026
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Result
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To be notified
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CDS Eligibility Criteria 2026
The CDS eligibility criteria include a list of requirements that applicants must meet in order to be considered for the CDS examination. Candidates must meet the criteria related to educational qualifications, age limit, and nationality in order to take the CDS exam.
CDS Eligibility Criteria: Nationality
A candidate must either be a:
(i) Citizen of India
(ii) a Subject of Nepal
(iii) a person of Indian origin who has moved to India from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, and the East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, and Ethiopia, or Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India
CDS Eligibility Criteria: Educational Qualification
Candidates preparing for the CDS exam must have graduated or at the very least be taking the final year exam. The following are the specific CDS educational eligibility requirements:
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Academies
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Educational Qualification
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Indian Air Force Academy
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Candidates must have a degree from a recognized University (with Physics and
Mathematics at 10+2 level) or Bachelor of Engineering.
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Indian Military Academy & Officers’ Training Academy
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Candidates must have a degree or equivalent from a recognized university
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Indian Naval Academy
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Candidates must have an engineering degree or B.Sc. with Physics as core or elective subject from a recognized university or institute (with Physics and Mathematics in 10+2 level).
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CDS Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit
The age limit criteria must be strictly met by candidates who are seeking admission to any of the four academies of the Indian Armed Forces. The CDS age limit criteria as per the CDS 2 notification 2026 are as follows:
| Academy/Course |
Age Limit |
Eligibility Criteria |
| Indian Military Academy |
19 to 24 years |
Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than July 1, 2003, and not later than July 1, 2008, are eligible. |
| Indian Naval Academy |
19 to 24 years |
Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than July 1, 2003, and not later than July 1, 2008, are eligible. |
| Indian Air Force Academy |
20 to 24 years |
Candidates must be 20 to 24 years as on July 1, 2027, i.e., born not earlier than July 1, 2003, and not later than July 1, 2007. |
| Officers’ Training Academy (SSC Course for Men) |
19 to 25 years |
Unmarried male candidates not born earlier than 1st July 2002 and not later than 1st July, 2008 only are eligible. |
| Officers’ Training Academy (SSC Women Non-Technical Course) |
19 to 25 years |
Unmarried women, issueless widows who have not remarried and issueless divorcees who have not remarried are eligible. Candidates should have been born not earlier than 1st July, 2002 and not later than 1st July, 2008 are eligibile. |
CDS Exam Pattern 2026
Candidates must have knowledge of the CDS exam pattern if they are seeking admission to Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Indian Air Force Academy, and Officers’ Training Academy. The exam pattern for the CDS exam is tabulated below:
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Particulars
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Details
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Exam Name
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Central Defence Services (CDS)
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Exam Duration
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IMA, INA and AFA - 6 hours
OTA - 4 Hours
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Exam Mode
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Offline
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Type of Questions
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Objective
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Maximum Marks
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IMA, INA and AFA - 300
OTA - 200
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Language
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Both Hindi & English
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CDS Marking Scheme
Check out the table below to learn about the CDS marking scheme.
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Particulars
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Details
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English Language
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For every correct answer, 0.83 marks will be awarded.
For every incorrect answer, 0.27 marks will be deducted.
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General Knowledge
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For every correct answer, 0.83 marks will be awarded.
For every incorrect answer, 0.27 marks will be deducted.
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Elementary Mathematics
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For every correct answer, 1 mark will be awarded.
For every incorrect answer, 0.33 marks will be deducted.
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SSB Interview Marks
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For IMA, INA, and AFA, the CDS SSB interview carries 300 marks, and for OTA, 200 marks.
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CDS Syllabus 2026
The detailed CDS syllabus 2026 is outlined in the official notification of the exam released by UPSC. Candidates must download the CDS syllabus PDF to make sure they have in their mind what topics must be covered for the exam. Aspirants can check the syllabus for the CDS exam in the table below:
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Subjects
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Topics
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Mathematics
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Arithmetic, Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Mensuration, Statistics
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English Language
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Reading Comprehension, Sentence Improvement, Jumbled Sentence, Vocabulary (Synonym/Antonym), Fill in the blanks, Spot the Error
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General Knowledge
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Indian Polity, Indian History, Economics, General Science, Current Affairs
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With the official notification comes the release of the CDS II application form. The CDS 2 application form was made available on May 20, 2026, and the deadline to submit the application is June 9, 2026.
How to Fill the CDS Application Form 2026?
The steps to fill out the CDS application form are stated below:
- Visit the official website of UPSC
- Go to Part I of the CDS registration form
- Fill out the personal information, contact details, and preference of academies.
- Submit it and the registration ID will be generated
- Login to the Part II of the CDS online registration with registration credentials.
- Upload scanned images of the photograph and signature
- Select the exam centre and pay the application fee
- Submit the application form
CDS Admit Card 2026
The CDS 2 exam 2026 is scheduled to be conducted on September 13, 2026. The admit card for the same will be released tentatively in the first week of September 2026. The CDS 2 admit card will contain the following details:
- Name of the Candidate
- Date of Birth
- Roll Number
- Category
- Exam Center
- Exam Date
- Exam Timings
- Signature & Photograph
How to Download CDS 2 Admit Card 2026?
To download the CDS 2 admit card, check out the steps below:
- Visit the official UPSC website.
- Candidates will find a link to the CDS E-Admit Card on the home page.
- Candidates must read and accept the instructions page that appears after clicking the link.
- Candidates can then use their Registration ID or Roll Number to download their admit cards.
- Select one of them, then fill out the information as required.
- When you submit your information, the UPSC CDS admit card will show up on the screen.
- For future use, download and print the admit card.
Read More: CDS Admit Card 2026
CDS Exam Centre 2026
The CDS examination is conducted across multiple exam centres in India. Candidates will be able to check the list of CDS exam centres on the official notification. Candidates will have the opportunity to indicate their preferred exam centre on the application form.
CDS Exam Day Guidelines
Candidates who will receive their CDS admit card will be allowed to take the examination. However, aspirants must follow certain exam day guidelines otherwise they will be barred from taking the exam. It is important that candidates have beforehand knowledge of the guidelines/instructions. The following are exam day guidelines:
- Candidates must mandatorily bring their CDS admit card to the exam centre.
- To make sure there are no mistakes, carefully check your admit card.
- Bring identification documents like an Aadhar card, a driver's license, or a voter ID card along with the admit card.
- No books, papers, calculators, or other items should be brought into the exam room.
- Candidates should refrain from bringing their own rough sheets because the exam centre will provide them.
CDS Result 2026
The CDS result for the written exam is released after the exam is successfully concluded. The CDS result PDF is released by UPSC on its official website. The PDF contains the roll number and names of the candidates who passed the CDS written exam.
SSB Interview Result 2026
On the final day of the interview process, the results of the SSB Interview are released. Candidates are recommended for the academy of their choice if they successfully passed the SSB interview round, which includes a medical examination. It should be noted that the commission might not recommend as many candidates to fill all the positions that were initially advertised.
Read More: CDS Result 2026
CDS Cutoff 2026
After the exam and SSB interview process are successfully completed, the Union Public Service Commission announces the CDS cutoff. The written exam and SSB interview results are taken into consideration when determining the CDS final cutoff. To be placed on the merit list or the list of recommended candidates, candidates must meet the final cutoff.
The CDS cutoff 2026 has not been released yet. Meanwhile, candidates can check the CDS 1 & CDS 2 cutoff for 2023 below:
CDS 1 Cutoff 2023
| Academy |
Written Exam |
Final Cut off |
| IMA |
132 |
257 |
| INA |
122 |
247 |
| AFA |
142 |
266 |
| OTA (Men) |
101 |
181 |
| OTA (Women) |
101 |
184 |
Note: To qualify for the written exam, candidates must score at least 20% in each paper.
CDS 2 Cutoff 2023
| Academy |
Written Exam |
Final Cut off |
| IMA |
127 |
250 |
| INA |
110 |
237 |
| AFA |
136 |
259 |
| OTA (Men) |
104 |
185 |
| OTA (Women) |
104 |
188 |
Read More: CDS Cutoff 2026
CDS Vacancy 2026
CDS Vacancy 2026 is released by UPSC along with the official notification. Interested candidates can check the table below detailing the number of vacancies released for the CDS 2 exam 2026.
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Academy
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CDS 1 Vacancy
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Indian Military Academy (IMA)
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100
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Indian Naval Academy (INA)
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26
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Air Force Academy (AFA)
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32
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Officer Training Academy - Men (OTA)
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275
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Officer Training Academy - Women (OTA)
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18
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Total
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451
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CDS Salary 2026
The CDS salary includes a number of benefits and allowances, including perks, reimbursements, and other benefits. Depending on the rank and location, a serviceman may receive different benefits and allowances.
Students receive an INR 56,100 stipend during their training period. Once they are commissioned into various wings, trainees are compensated with government-specified salaries.
Candidates can refer to the following table for more details on CDS pay:
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Ranks
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Salary (Per Month)
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Lieutenant
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INR 56,100/- to INR 1,77, 500/-
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Captain
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INR 61,300/- to 01,93,900/-
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Major
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INR 69,400/- to 2,07,200/-
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Lieutenant Colonel
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INR 1,21,200/- to 2,12,400/-
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Colonel
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INR 1,30,600/- to 2,15,900/-
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Brigadier
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INR 1,39,600/- to 2,17,600/-
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Major General
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INR 1,44,200/- to 2,18,200/-
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Lt. General HAG Scale
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INR 1,82,200/- to 2,24,100/-
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HAG+ Scale
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INR 2,05,400/- to 2,24,400/-
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VCOAS/ Army Cdr/ Lt Gen (NFSG)
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INR 2,25,000/- Fixed
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COAS
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INR 2,50,000/- Fixed
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Read More: CDS Salary 2026
CDS Previous Years’ Question Papers
CDS previous years’ question papers allow them to know the level of questions asked in the exam in the last few years. Aspirants who are preparing for the CDS exam must practice the previous year's question papers as a part of their CDS preparation. The previous year's exam questions also aid candidates in understanding the relevance of question types that are frequently asked in exams.
CDS Mock Test Papers
By solving CDS mock test papers, candidates can learn about their strengths and weaknesses. Practising mock test papers will allow candidates to formulate their CDS preparation strategy based on their performance.
Conclusion
For graduates who want to join the Indian Armed Forces, the CDS defence examination is the most highly coveted. The aforementioned article provides comprehensive details on the CDS exam format, syllabus, and other crucial exam components. To ace the CDS exam, candidates must possess a thorough understanding of every component.
