CDS Exam 2027: Dates, Eligibility, Pattern, Syllabus & Papers
CDS (Combined Defence Services) is the UPSC exam through which graduates join the Army (IMA, OTA), Navy (INA) and Air Force (AFA) as officers. It is held twice a year. CDS (I) 2027: form 2–22 December 2026, exam 11 April 2027. CDS (II) 2027: form 12 May – 1 June, exam 19 September 2027.
CDS forms, dates & results
CDS question papers, answer keys & solutions
Papers for this exam are coming soon. Meanwhile, read the strategy below.
CDS notes
Free CDS notes are coming soon. Meanwhile, see notes for other exams or ask Guru.
CDS exam pattern
CDS is a pen-and-paper exam with objective (MCQ) questions. Each paper is 2 hours and 100 marks. Wrong answers cost one-third of the marks for that question.
| Academy | Papers | Total |
|---|---|---|
| IMA, INA, AFA | English (100) + General Knowledge (100) + Elementary Mathematics (100) | 300 marks |
| OTA (men and women) | English (100) + General Knowledge (100) | 200 marks |
After the written exam, shortlisted candidates face the SSB interview (5 days: 300 marks for IMA/INA/AFA, 200 for OTA), then a medical examination. Final merit = written + SSB.
CDS syllabus in short
- English: reading comprehension, spotting errors, sentence improvement, synonyms/antonyms, ordering of sentences, fill in the blanks, idioms.
- General Knowledge: current affairs (last 12 months), history, geography, polity, economy, general science, defence-related news.
- Elementary Mathematics (Class 10 level): arithmetic (percentage, ratio, time-work, profit-loss), algebra, trigonometry, geometry, mensuration, statistics.
How to prepare for CDS in 5 months (Dec 2026 to April 2027)
- Weeks 1–4: finish Class 10 NCERT Maths and one grammar book. Read a newspaper daily; keep a current-affairs notebook.
- Weeks 5–12: solve 10 years of previous CDS papers topic-wise. Note the GK areas that repeat (polity, Indian history, geography, science).
- Weeks 13–18: one full mock every 3 days under time. Keep accuracy above 80% because of negative marking.
- Last 2 weeks: revise formulas, static GK tables and the last 6 months of current affairs. Do not start new topics.
Start with the free notes and previous year papers, and use the eligibility checker to confirm your age window before the form opens.
CDS 2027 important dates
| Cycle | Notification | Last date | Exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| CDS (I) 2027 | 2 Dec 2026 | 22 Dec 2026 | 11 Apr 2027 |
| CDS (II) 2027 | 12 May 2027 | 1 Jun 2027 | 19 Sep 2027 |
Source: UPSC Programme of Examinations 2027.
CDS FAQs
CDS exam kya hai?
CDS (Combined Defence Services) UPSC dwara saal me do baar hone wala exam hai jisse graduates Army, Navy aur Air Force me officer bante hain. Written exam ke baad SSB interview aur medical hota hai.
CDS 2027 ki dates kya hain?
CDS (I) 2027: form 2–22 December 2026, exam 11 April 2027. CDS (II) 2027: form 12 May – 1 June 2027, exam 19 September 2027.
CDS ke liye kaun apply kar sakta hai?
Unmarried graduates: IMA and OTA any degree, INA engineering degree, AFA degree with Physics and Maths at 10+2 or BE/BTech. Women can apply for OTA. Final-year students are eligible.
CDS me kitne attempts hote hain?
No limit. You can write CDS as many times as you are within the age limit (19–24 for IMA/INA, 20–24 for AFA, 19–25 for OTA) and unmarried.
CDS vs AFCAT: kaunsa dein?
CDS (AFA entry) is for unmarried men aged 20–24 wanting a Permanent Commission in the IAF flying branch; AFCAT is for men and women aged 20–26 and covers Flying and Ground Duty (Short Service). Many candidates write both.
Is CDS tougher than NDA?
The CDS GK and English papers are at graduate level, while NDA Maths is at Class 12 level and carries more weight. CDS Elementary Maths is Class 10 level. Competition per seat is similar; both need 6+ months of steady preparation.
