UPSC CDS 1 Final Result 2026: 243 Recommended, IMA INA AFA
UPSC has put the CDS (I) 2026 final result on its website. As per published reports, 243 candidates are recommended for IMA, INA and AFA. How to check your roll number, what happens next, and why the OTA result is separate.
UPSC declared the final result of the Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2026 on 2 November 2026, as per published reports. 243 candidates are recommended: 155 for the Indian Military Academy (IMA), 63 for the Indian Naval Academy (INA) and 25 for the Air Force Academy (AFA). The Officers Training Academy (OTA) result is separate and not yet out. Check your roll number in the PDF under What's New on upsc.gov.in.
The result uses your written exam marks and your SSB interview marks together.
What was released
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Exam | Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2026 |
| Written exam date | 12 April 2026, as per published reports |
| Written result | 8 May 2026, as per published reports |
| Final result | Listed on upsc.gov.in, declared 2 November 2026 as per published reports |
| Covers | IMA, INA and AFA |
| Not covered | Officers Training Academy (OTA), result is separate |
Recommended candidates by academy
As per published reports, the numbers are:
| Academy | Recommended |
|---|---|
| Indian Military Academy (IMA) | 155 |
| Indian Naval Academy (INA) | 63 |
| Air Force Academy (AFA) | 25 |
| Total | 243 |
We could not open the result PDF to check these figures line by line. Confirm your own status only on the official PDF.
How to check the result
- Go to upsc.gov.in.
- Click What's New on the home page.
- Open Final Result: Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2026.
- Open the PDF and press Ctrl+F.
- Search for your roll number. The PDF lists roll numbers by academy.
- Save the PDF and take a print.
Candidates recommended for more than one academy usually appear in more than one list. Your joining is decided by your rank and the vacancies.
What happens next
- Wait for the Ministry of Defence. The Army, Navy and Air Force send joining details to recommended candidates. UPSC does not do this.
- Keep your documents ready. Keep your Class 10 and graduation certificates, identity proof and photos in originals.
- Expect a medical check. Joining is subject to being medically fit.
- Marks come later. UPSC normally puts up the marks of recommended candidates some time after the result. Watch What's New for it.
For the full merit list, UPSC prepares a separate order of merit for each academy. Your rank in one academy does not carry over to another.
What does recommended mean?
Being recommended means UPSC has placed your roll number in the merit list for an academy. It is not a joining letter. Joining depends on your rank, the vacancies, a medical fitness check and document checks, and the joining instructions come from the Ministry of Defence. If you see your roll number in more than one academy list, your rank in each list is separate.
Which documents should you keep ready?
Keep these in original, plus a few photographs, until the joining instructions arrive:
- Class 10 certificate
- Graduation certificate or marksheet
- Identity proof
- Passport-size photos
The exact list will be in the joining instructions, so follow that over this page.
The OTA result is separate
The Officers Training Academy (OTA) course has its own merit list and its own result. As per published reports, the OTA final result for CDS (I) 2026 is not out yet. Check What's New on upsc.gov.in for it.
If you appeared for OTA only, this result does not tell you anything about your status.
For other UPSC notices open now, see UPSC Advertisement 12/2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. UPSC lists 'Final Result: Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2026' under What's New on upsc.gov.in. As per published reports, it was declared on 2 November 2026.
As per published reports, 243 candidates are recommended: 155 for the Indian Military Academy (IMA), 63 for the Indian Naval Academy (INA) and 25 for the Air Force Academy (AFA). Check the number in the official PDF.
No. The Officers Training Academy (OTA) result is declared separately, and as per published reports it has not been released yet.
Open upsc.gov.in, click What's New, open the CDS (I) 2026 Final Result link and search the PDF for your roll number.
As per published reports, the written result was declared on 8 May 2026 and the final result, after the SSB interview, on 2 November 2026.
From your written exam marks and your SSB interview marks together. UPSC prepares a separate order of merit for each academy.
Then you are not recommended in this cycle. UPSC releases the marks of recommended candidates later, so you can see how you scored. You can apply again for the next CDS exam.
Not yet. Joining depends on the vacancies, a medical fitness check and document checks. Wait for the joining instructions from the Ministry of Defence.
Keshav founded StudentUpdate.in and edits every recruitment notice, syllabus page and practice set the site publishes. Each notice is read from the issuing body's PDF or portal before it goes live; dates, fees, vacancy tables and eligibility rules are copied from that document, not from other websites.