UPSC announces CDS 2 2026 exam date for September 13

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the official schedule for the Combined Defence Services (II) Examination, 2026. The exam is set to take place on Sunday, 13 September 2026.

The examination will be conducted in three distinct shifts on a single day: English from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM, General Knowledge from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, and Elementary Mathematics from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Candidates applying for the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), and Air Force Academy (AFA) must complete all three papers, while those applying solely for the Officers' Training Academy (OTA) are only required to take the English and General Knowledge exams.

E-admit cards will be made available on the official UPSC website shortly before the examination. Candidates are advised to use only black ballpoint pens when filling out OMR sheets to ensure their responses are valid.