UPSC CDS I Answer Key 2026: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the answer key for the Combined Defence Services (CDS-I) Examination 2026 on 16 April 2026. The written examination was conducted on 12 April 2026. Candidates can now download the answer key PDF from the official website, upsc.gov.in, or through the direct link provided below.
UPSC CDS-I Recruitment 2026 Overview
| Organization | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Examination Name | CDS I 2026 |
| Adv. No. | 04/2026.CDS-I |
| Vacancies | 451 |
| Job Location | All India |
| Pay Scale | Rs. 56100-177500/- |
| Category | UPSC CDS I Answer Key 2026 |
| Official Website | upsc.gov.in |
UPSC CDS-I Recruitment 2026 Important Dates
- Application Start Date: 10 December 2025
- Last Date to Apply: 30 December 2025
- Fee Payment Last Date:Â 30 December 2025
- Admit Card Date: 02 April 2026
- Exam Date: 12 April 2026
- Answer Key Date: 16 April 2026
UPSC CDS-I Recruitment 2026 Application Fees
- General / OBC / EWS: â‚ą200/-
- SC / ST / Sons of JCOs / ORs: â‚ą0/-
- All Female Candidates: â‚ą0/-
- Payment Mode: Online
UPSC CDS-I Recruitment 2026 Age Limit
- Indian Military Academy (IMA): Born between 02/01/2003 and 01/01/2008
- Indian Naval Academy (INA): Born between 02/01/2003 and 01/01/2008
- Air Force Academy (AFA): Born between 02/01/2003 and 01/01/2007
- Officers’ Training Academy (OTA): Born between 02/01/2002 and 01/01/2008
UPSC CDS-I Recruitment 2026 Educational Qualification
- Indian Military Academy (IMA): Bachelor’s Degree
- Indian Naval Academy (INA): B.E./B.Tech Degree
- Air Force Academy (AFA): Class 12 with Physics & Mathematics + Graduation in any discipline OR a B.E./B.Tech Degree
- Officers’ Training Academy (Men & Women): Bachelor’s Degree
UPSC CDS-I Recruitment 2026 Vacancy Total : 451 Posts
| Post Name | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun | 100 |
| Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala | 26 |
| Air Force Academy, Hyderabad | 32 |
| Officers Training Academy (Men), Chennai | 275 |
| Officers Training Academy (Women), Chennai | 18 |
UPSC CDS-I Recruitment 2026 Selection Process
The selection will be done in the following stages:
- Written Examination
- SSB Interview
- Document Verification
- Medical Examination
UPSC CDS-I Recruitment 2026 Exam Pattern
Exam Pattern – IMA, INA, AFA – Negative Marking: 1/3rd
| Subject | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| English | 100 | 2 Hours |
| General Knowledge | 100 | 2 Hours |
| Elementary Mathematics | 100 | 2 Hours |
| Total | 300 | 6 Hours |
Exam Pattern – OTA – Negative Marking: 1/3rd
| Subject | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| English | 100 | 2 Hours |
| General Knowledge | 100 | 2 Hours |
| Total | 200 | 4 Hours |
SSB / Interview Marks:
| Academy Name | SSB Marks |
| Indian Military Academy | 300 |
| Indian Naval Academy | 300 |
| Indian Air Force Academy | 300 |
| Officers’ Training Academy | 200 |
UPSC CDS-I Recruitment 2026 Download Answer Key PDF
| Download Answer Key | English | GK | Math |
| Download Admit Card | Click Here |
| Notification PDF | Click Here |