The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released important information for young people aspiring to become officers in the country’s defense services. The UPSC has announced the exam dates for the Combined Defense Services Examination (CDS-I), 2026. For candidates who have applied for this exam, it’s time to finalize their preparations. According to the notice issued by the Commission, the CDS-I 2026 exam will be held on April 12, 2026.
Like every year, the CDS exam will recruit officers for the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. This exam is considered a golden opportunity for young people to serve the country. With the announcement of the exam date, candidates are now eager to prepare. Many are now re-planning their study strategies.
The exam will be conducted in three shifts
The UPSC has clarified that the CDS-I 2026 exam will be conducted in three different shifts on a single day. The exam will be held on Sunday, April 12, 2026, to ensure that as many candidates as possible can appear without any hassle. The exam will be entirely written, and all papers will be conducted on time.
The first paper will be English, which will run from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. This paper will test candidates’ understanding of the English language, vocabulary, and grammar. The second paper will be General Knowledge, which will be held from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM. It will cover questions related to history, geography, politics, science, and current affairs. The third and final paper will be Elementary Mathematics, which will run from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. This paper will cover basic mathematics.
How to download exam schedule
Candidates wishing to view the complete exam schedule can easily download it by visiting the UPSC’s official website, upsc.gov.in. To do this, first visit the website’s home page. Under the “What’s New” section, click on the “Examination Time Table: Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2026” link. Clicking on the link will open the full exam timetable on the screen. Candidates can carefully review it, download it, and print it for future reference.
A total of 451 posts will be recruited.
A total of 451 positions will be filled through this recruitment process. These positions are allocated for various defense academies. The Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, has 100 positions. The Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala, will fill 26 positions. The Air Force Academy (AFA), Hyderabad, has 32 positions. The largest number of positions are for the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai, where candidates will be selected for 293 positions.
