UPSC CDS 1 2027 Exam Notification: Official Dates and Details Announced

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is set to conduct the Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2027, commonly known as CDS 1 2027. This examination aims to recruit commissioned officers for the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA), and Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) for both men and women.

According to the official UPSC Annual Calendar 2027, released on May 20, 2026, the important dates for CDS Examination (I), 2027 have been scheduled and align with those for the NDA & NA Examination (I), 2027. The detailed notification, which will include specifics such as final vacancies, date-of-birth ranges, and application instructions, is still pending. These dates are subject to change if necessary.

Official Important Dates for CDS 1 2027

Event	Date
Notification Release	2 December 2026
Online Application Start	2 December 2026
Last Date for Submission of Applications	22 December 2026
Admit Card Release (Expected)	First week of April 2027
Written Examination	11 April 2027 (Sunday)
Written Result (Expected)	May–June 2027
SSB Interviews	From mid-2027 onwards

The dates have been confirmed by the UPSC Annual Calendar 2027 and supported by additional reports based on the official document.

For reference, the CDS Examination (II), 2027 is set to have its notification on May 12, 2027, with the last date for applications on June 1, 2027, and the written exam scheduled for September 19, 2027.

Notification Details

The CDS 1 2027 notification will be made available on the official UPSC website (upsc.gov.in) on December 2, 2026. It will cover:

• Provisional vacancies for IMA, INA, AFA, and OTA (Men & Women).
• Precise age limits and date-of-birth criteria for each academy.
• Educational qualifications.
• Application fee and procedure.
• Exam centres and scheme of examination.
• Physical/medical standards.
• Instructions regarding SSB interviews and final merit.

Candidates are advised to download and thoroughly review the official notification. While secondary websites may summarize the content, the UPSC document remains the definitive source.

Eligibility Criteria (Based on Established Pattern)

The official notification in December 2026 will provide exact wording and date-of-birth ranges. The eligibility criteria are typically aligned year-to-year with the start dates of the courses (January 2028 for IMA/INA/AFA and April 2028 for OTA).

1. Nationality
The criteria remain consistent with other UPSC defence exams: Indian citizens, subjects of Nepal/Bhutan, Tibetan refugees (pre-1 January 1962), or persons of Indian origin who have migrated from specified countries with the intention to settle in India. Certain categories require an eligibility certificate from the Government of India.

2. Age Limit & Marital Status (Expected)

Academy	Approximate Age	Expected Date of Birth Range (both inclusive)	Marital Status & Gender
Indian Military Academy (IMA)	19–24 years	Not earlier than 2 January 2004 and not later than 1 January 2009	Unmarried Male only
Indian Naval Academy (INA)	19–24 years	Not earlier than 2 January 2004 and not later than 1 January 2009	Unmarried Male only
Air Force Academy (AFA)	20–24 years	Not earlier than 2 January 2004 and not later than 1 January 2008	Unmarried Male (married candidates above 25 not eligible in some cases)
Officers’ Training Academy (OTA – Men)	19–25 years	Not earlier than 2 January 2003 and not later than 1 January 2009	Unmarried Male
Officers’ Training Academy (OTA – Women)	19–25 years	Not earlier than 2 January 2003 and not later than 1 January 2009	Unmarried women, issueless widows/divorcees who have not remarried

These age ranges are inferred from the patterns of the CDS 1 2026 and CDS 2 2026 notifications, where ages correlate with course commencement dates.

Generally, no age relaxation is granted. The date of birth must be as recorded in the Matriculation/Secondary School Leaving Certificate.

3. Educational Qualification

• IMA and OTA: A degree from a recognized University or equivalent.
• INA: An engineering degree from a recognized University/Institution.
• AFA: A degree from a recognized University (with Physics and Mathematics at the 10+2 level) or a Bachelor of Engineering.

Final-year students may apply if they can provide proof of passing the degree examination by a specified date, usually before the course starts.

4. Physical & Medical Standards
Candidates must meet the required height, weight, vision, and other medical standards as detailed in the notification appendices. These standards vary slightly by service and gender. A comprehensive medical examination takes place after the SSB.

Application Process (Expected)

• Applications are to be submitted only online via the UPSC website.
• Candidates must complete One-Time Registration (OTR) if not already done.
• The application fee is generally ₹200 for general/OBC male candidates, while women candidates, SC/ST, and certain other categories are exempt.
• Required documents include a photograph, signature, photo ID, educational certificates, etc., as per the specifications.
• A short correction window is typically available post the last application date.

Exam Pattern and Syllabus Overview

The examination is objective type (offline) and varies by academy:

For IMA, INA & AFA (Total 300 marks)

• English – 100 marks (2 hours)
• General Knowledge – 100 marks (2 hours)
• Elementary Mathematics – 100 marks (2 hours)

For OTA (Men & Women) (Total 200 marks)

• English – 100 marks (2 hours)
• General Knowledge – 100 marks (2 hours)

A deduction of one-third of marks applies for incorrect answers. All papers are bilingual (English and Hindi) except for the English paper.

Syllabus highlights:

• English: Grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, sentence improvement, and more.
• General Knowledge: Current affairs, History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Science, and Defence topics.
• Elementary Mathematics: Arithmetic, Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Mensuration, Statistics (equivalent to Class 10 level).

Selection Process

1. Written Examination by UPSC.
2. SSB Interview (Intelligence and Personality Test) for those who pass the written cut-off (approximately 5 days).
3. Medical Examination.
4. Final Merit List based on written and SSB marks (subject to medical fitness and vacancy availability). Separate merit lists are prepared for each academy.

Vacancies

The exact number of vacancies will be announced in December 2026. Previous cycles have seen a provisional total of 400–460 vacancies across all academies, with a smaller proportion for women at OTA. These are provisional figures and may be adjusted according to training capacity.

Preparation Guidance for Aspirants

With the exam scheduled for April 11, 2027, candidates can plan accordingly:

• In December 2026, apply immediately after the notification is released.
• From January to March 2027, focus on intensive revision and mock tests.
• Study previous years' UPSC CDS papers, current affairs (12–18 months), and Class 10 Mathematics.
• Initiate physical fitness training early.
• Focus on relevant papers for targeted academies, especially Mathematics for IMA/INA/AFA.
• For comprehensive preparation from home, consider joining CDS Online Coaching 2027.

Official Sources and Advisory

• UPSC Annual Calendar 2027: Accessible at upsc.gov.in (under Examinations → Exam Calendar).
• All official updates, including notification PDFs, admit cards, results, and cut-offs, will be exclusively available on the UPSC website.

Important: The information provided here is based on the UPSC Calendar 2027 and recent CDS notification patterns. Candidates should refer to the official CDS 1 2027 notification, set for release on December 2, 2026, for definitive details on age limits, vacancies, and eligibility.

The CDS examination remains a key pathway for graduates aspiring to join the Indian Armed Forces as officers. Early preparation, in line with the confirmed schedule, can significantly enhance candidates' chances of success.

Also Check: NDA 1 2027 Notification