CDS 2 result 2026 out: 8,956 qualify for SSB interviews
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UPSC declared the CDS (II) 2026 written result on October 19, 2026; 8,956 candidates qualify for SSB interviews for about 451 vacancies.
What Happened
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) declared the written result of the Combined Defence Services Examination (II) 2026 on October 19, 2026, and 8,956 candidates have qualified for the next stage, an interview before the Services Selection Board (SSB) of the Ministry of Defence. The written exam was held on September 13, 2026, for about 451 vacancies across the Indian Military Academy, the Indian Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy and the Officers Training Academy. The result lists roll numbers only; marks are not part of this declaration.
Key Facts
- Result declared: October 19, 2026, on the UPSC website, upsc.gov.in.
- Candidates qualified for the SSB interview: 8,956.
- Written exam date: September 13, 2026.
- Vacancies notified: about 451 in total, described as tentative, across IMA, INA, AFA and OTA.
- Courses: those finally selected join courses starting in July 2027 at IMA, INA and AFA, and in October 2027 at OTA.
- Candidates who chose the Army as their first preference must register on joinindianarmy.nic.in to get their SSB interview details.
- All qualified candidates' candidature is provisional; they must produce original certificates for date of birth, educational qualifications and, where claimed, NCC qualifications.
- Individual marks are not released with this written result.
Why It Matters
The CDS exam is one of the main routes for graduates to become commissioned officers in the armed forces. Clearing the written paper is only the first filter. With 8,956 candidates moving ahead for roughly 451 tentative vacancies, nearly 20 candidates will be competing for each seat at the interview stage, so the next few weeks of preparation will decide most of the outcome.
The four academies train officers for different paths. The Indian Military Academy (IMA) trains Army officers. The Indian Naval Academy (INA) trains Navy officers, and the Air Force Academy (AFA) trains Air Force officers. The Officers Training Academy (OTA) runs the short service commission route, which takes both men and women; sources split its seats between men and women differently, so candidates should check the official notification for the exact numbers. Reports also give slightly different figures for how the 451 vacancies are divided among the academies.
The SSB interview is a very different kind of test from the written paper, so candidates who have spent months on mathematics, English and general knowledge now need to shift their focus quickly to the interview stage.
The provisional status also matters. A candidate whose roll number appears on the list can still be ruled out later if their certificates do not match what they declared in the application. Gathering original documents now avoids a last-minute problem.
What should qualified candidates do next? First, confirm your roll number in the official PDF on upsc.gov.in rather than on a third-party site. Second, if the Army is your first choice, register on joinindianarmy.nic.in, because SSB dates and centres are allotted through that portal. Third, arrange originals of your date-of-birth proof, degree or final-year documents and NCC certificates if you claimed NCC benefits. Finally, watch your registered email and the service portals for your call letter, because SSB call-ups are sent separately from the written result.
| Stage | Date or status |
|---|---|
| Written exam | September 13, 2026 |
| Written result | October 19, 2026; 8,956 qualified |
| Next step | SSB interview by the Ministry of Defence |
| Course start | July 2027 (IMA, INA, AFA); October 2027 (OTA) |
Impact
Short-term: 8,956 candidates must register where required, gather original documents and prepare for SSB interviews in the coming weeks.
Long-term: Candidates who clear the SSB and the final merit stage will join officer training in July or October 2027, beginning careers as commissioned officers.
Who is affected: Graduates and final-year students who wrote CDS (II) 2026, their families, coaching institutes, and the selection boards of the Army, Navy and Air Force.
Key Takeaway
UPSC's CDS (II) 2026 written result, declared on October 19, 2026, sends 8,956 candidates to SSB interviews for about 451 tentative officer vacancies.
Questions and Answers
When was the CDS 2 result 2026 declared?
UPSC declared the written result of the Combined Defence Services Examination (II) 2026 on October 19, 2026, on its website upsc.gov.in.
How many candidates qualified in the CDS (II) 2026 written exam?
A total of 8,956 candidates qualified and are eligible to appear before the Services Selection Board for interviews.
Does the CDS 2 2026 result show marks?
No. The written result lists the roll numbers of qualified candidates only. Individual marks are not part of this declaration.
What should a candidate who chose the Army first do now?
Register on joinindianarmy.nic.in to get SSB interview details, keep original certificates ready, and watch for the separate call letter.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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Reported, fact-checked and published by the Peepals Global Editorial Team.
