CDS Cut Off 2026 Expected, Check Previous Year Cut Off & Trends
CDS 1 Cut Off 2026 will be released by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on its official website after the declaration of the CDS 1 2026 written exam result conducted on April 12, 2026. Candidates will be able to check the cutoff marks in PDF format at upsc.gov.in, which will indicate the minimum qualifying scores required to qualify for the SSB interview stage. The CDS 2 2026 exam is scheduled to be conducted on September 13, 2026.
Factors Affecting CDS 1 2026 Cut Off
- Number of candidates: The more candidates appear for the CDS exam, the higher the cutoff usually is.
- Number of vacancies: If fewer vacancies are available, the cutoff tends to be higher due to competition.
- Difficulty level: A tougher exam generally results in a lower cutoff, while an easier exam raises the cutoff marks.
- Previous year trends: Changes in syllabus, exam pattern, or candidate performance influence the cutoff each year.
- Minimum qualifying marks: Candidates must score at least 20% in each subject to be eligible.
- Negative marking: Wrong answers carry penalties which affect overall scores and thus the cutoff.
- Reservation category: Cutoff marks may vary for different categories like General, OBC, SC, and ST.
- Total marks distribution: Different academies (IMA, INA, AFA, OTA) have varying total marks and cutoff standards.
- Candidate performance: Overall performance of the candidates in that session impacts the cutoff calculation.
- Unfilled vacancies: Sometimes leftover vacancies from previous years can affect current cutoff trends.
CDS 1 2026 Expected CutOff
The expected cutoffs for CDS 1 2026 is given below:
| CDS Posts | Written Exam | Final Exam |
|---|---|---|
| IMA (Indian Military Academy) | 110 – 125 | 245 – 255 |
| INA (Indian Naval Academy) | 108 – 115 | 230 – 244 |
| AFA (Air Force Academy) | 135 – 142 | 260 – 270 |
| OTA (Officers’ Training Academy) - Men | 90 – 94 | 160 – 170 |
| OTA (Officers’ Training Academy) - Women | 90 – 95 | 158 – 165 |
CDS 2 2026 Expected Cutoff
The written and final cutoffs for all the Armed Forces are different. Generally, the cutoffs of AFA go the highest, then IMA, INA, and OTA, respectively.
The expected cutoffs for CDS 2 2026 is given below:
| Armed Force | Expected cutoff |
|---|---|
| AFA | 145-150 |
| IMA | 120-125 |
| INA | 110-125 |
| OTA (Male and Female) | 85-100 |
To qualify the written exam, a candidate must secure the minimum qualifying mark for each subject (i.e., 20% of the total marks allotted for it) and overall cutoff marks.
CDS 2025 Cut Off
The cut-off marks for the Combined Defence Services (CDS) 1 Examination 2025 was released on official website. These marks show the minimum scores required to qualify for the written exam and final selection.
CDS 1 2025 Cut Off
For CDS 1, the written exam required candidates to score above the minimum qualifying marks with at least 20% in each subject. The final cut-off marks represent the scores of the last recommended candidates.
| Academy | Written Exam (Last Qualified) | Final Exam (Last Recommended) |
|---|---|---|
| IMA | 120 (out of 300) | 243 (out of 600) |
| INA | 104 (out of 300) | 230 (out of 600) |
| AFA | 128 (out of 300) | 253 (out of 600) |
| OTA (Men) | 81 (out of 200) | 163 (out of 400) |
| OTA (Women) | 81 (out of 200) | 171 (out of 400) |
Download CDS 1 2025 Cutoff PDF
CDS 2024 Cut Off
The cut-off marks for the Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination 2024 were released separately for CDS 1 and CDS 2. These marks show the minimum scores required to qualify for the written exam and final selection.
CDS 1 2024 Cut Off
For CDS 1, the written exam required candidates to score above the minimum qualifying marks with at least 18% in each subject. The final cut-off marks represent the scores of the last recommended candidates.
| Academy | Written Exam (Last Qualified) | Final Exam (Last Recommended) |
|---|---|---|
| IMA | 120 (out of 300) | 244 (out of 600) |
| INA | 100 (out of 300) | 230 (out of 600) |
| AFA | 128 (out of 300) | 250 (out of 600) |
| OTA (Men) | 87 (out of 200) | 168 (out of 400) |
| OTA (Women) | 87 (out of 200) | 168 (out of 400) |
Download CDS 1 2024 Cut Off PDF
CDS 2 2024 Cut Off
For CDS 2, the minimum qualifying marks were fixed at 20% in each subject. The written and final cut-off marks highlight the scores of the last candidates who cleared the exam and got recommended.
| Academy | Written Exam (Last Qualified) | Final Exam (Last Recommended) |
|---|---|---|
| IMA | 117 (out of 300) | 241 (out of 600) |
| INA | 90 (out of 300) | 220 (out of 600) |
| AFA | 126 (out of 300) | 248 (out of 600) |
| OTA (Men) | 81 (out of 200) | 161 (out of 400) |
| OTA (Women) | 81 (out of 200) | 166 (out of 400) |
CDS 2023 Cut Off
The cut-off marks for the Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination 2023 were declared separately for CDS 1 and CDS 2. These cut-offs show the minimum marks needed to qualify in the written exam and the marks of the last recommended candidates.
CDS 1 2023 Cut Off
For CDS 1, candidates needed to secure at least 20% in each subject. The following table shows the written and final cut-off marks for different academies.
| Academy | Written Exam (Last Qualified) | Final Exam (Last Recommended) |
|---|---|---|
| IMA | 132 (out of 300) | 257 (out of 600) |
| INA | 122 (out of 300) | 247 (out of 600) |
| AFA | 142 (out of 300) | 266 (out of 600) |
| OTA (Men) | 101 (out of 200) | 181 (out of 400) |
| OTA (Women) | 101 (out of 200) | 184 (out of 400) |
Download CDS 1 2023 Cut Off PDF
CDS 2 2023 Cut Off
For CDS 2, the minimum qualifying marks were 20% in each subject. The table below lists the written exam cut-offs and final selection marks.
| Academy | Written Exam (Last Qualified) | Final Exam (Last Recommended) |
|---|---|---|
| IMA | 127 (out of 300) | 250 (out of 600) |
| INA | 110 (out of 300) | 237 (out of 600) |
| AFA | 136 (out of 300) | 259 (out of 600) |
| OTA (Men) | 104 (out of 200) | 185 (out of 400) |
| OTA (Women) | 104 (out of 200) | 188 (out of 400) |
CDS 2022 Cut Off
The cut-off marks for the Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination 2022 were announced separately for CDS 1 and CDS 2. These include both written exam qualifying marks and the marks of the last recommended candidates.
CDS 1 2022 Cut Off
For CDS 1, candidates needed to score at least 20% in each paper. The table below shows the written and final cut-off marks.
| Academy | Written Exam (Last Qualified) | Final Exam (Last Recommended) |
|---|---|---|
| IMA | 136 (out of 300) | 258 (out of 600) |
| INA | 128 (out of 300) | 256 (out of 600) |
| AFA | 147 (out of 300) | 269 (out of 600) |
| OTA (Men) | 100 (out of 200) | 181 (out of 400) |
| OTA (Women) | 100 (out of 200) | 184 (out of 400) |
Download CDS 1 2022 Cut Off PDF
CDS 2 2022 Cut Off
For CDS 2, the minimum qualifying marks were also fixed at 20% in each subject. The following table shows the written and final exam cut-offs.
| Academy | Written Exam (Last Qualified) | Final Exam (Last Recommended) |
|---|---|---|
| IMA | 126 (out of 300) | 249 (out of 600) |
| INA | 118 (out of 300) | 248 (out of 600) |
| AFA | 136 (out of 300) | 258 (out of 600) |
| OTA (Men) | 98 (out of 200) | 180 (out of 400) |
| OTA (Women) | 98 (out of 200) | 179 (out of 400) |
CDS 2021 Cut Off
The cut-off marks for the Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination 2021 were released separately for CDS 1 and CDS 2. These cut-offs show the minimum written exam scores and the marks of the last recommended candidates for final selection.
CDS 1 2021 Cut Off
For CDS 1, candidates had to score a minimum of 20% in each paper. The table below shows the written exam and final cut-off marks.
| Academy | Written Exam (Last Qualified) | Final Exam (Last Recommended) |
|---|---|---|
| IMA | 145 (out of 300) | 268 (out of 600) |
| INA | 136 (out of 300) | 260 (out of 600) |
| AFA | 158 (out of 300) | 281 (out of 600) |
| OTA (Men) | 107 (out of 200) | 189 (out of 400) |
| OTA (Women) | 107 (out of 200) | 191 (out of 400) |
Download CDS 1 2021 Cut Off PDF
CDS 2 2021 Cut Off
For CDS 2, the minimum qualifying marks were 20% in each subject. The following table shows the cut-off marks for the written and final results.
| Academy | Written Exam (Last Qualified) | Final Exam (Last Recommended) |
|---|---|---|
| IMA | 138 (out of 300) | 263 (out of 600) |
| INA | 132 (out of 300) | 256 (out of 600) |
| AFA | 148 (out of 300) | 270 (out of 600) |
| OTA (Men) | 102 (out of 200) | 183 (out of 400) |
| OTA (Women) | 102 (out of 200) | 184 (out of 400) |
CDS Exam Previous Year Cutoffs
Here is a table for the past year's cutoffs (2017-2020) of CDS 1 and CDS 2 written exams:
| Year | Exam | AFA | IMA | INA | OTA (Male) | OTA (Female) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | CDS 1 | 143 | 130 | 118 | 93 | 93 |
| CDS 2 | 152 | 139 | 134 | 97 | 97 | |
| 2019 | CDS 1 | 129 | 116 | 105 | 78 | 78 |
| CDS 2 | 148 | 134 | 122 | 95 | 95 | |
| 2018 | CDS 1 | 138 | 118 | 98 | 69 | 69 |
| CDS 2 | 131 | 116 | 102 | 80 | 80 | |
| 2017 | CDS 1 | 118 | 125 | 144 | 82 | 82 |
| CDS 2 | 86 | 120 | 86 | 111 | 135 |
Here is a table for the past years' (2017-2020) cutoffs of CDS 1 and CDS 2 final cutoff (Written + SSB):
| Year | Exam | AFA | IMA | INA | OTA (Male) | OTA (Female) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | CDS 1 | 274 | 250 | 242 | 173 | 177 |
| CDS 2 | 279 | 263 | 257 | 179 | 178 | |
| 2019 | CDS 1 | 264 | 242 | 233 | 160 | 162 |
| CDS 2 | 272 | 258 | 245 | 176 | 179 | |
| 2018 | CDS 1 | 279 | 240 | 225 | 154 | 150 |
| CDS 2 | 253 | 242 | 228 | 162 | 163 | |
| 2017 | CDS 1 | 241 | 248 | 268 | 163 | 164 |
| CDS 2 | 171 | 244 | 167 | 237 | 260 |
CDS Cut Off 2026 FAQs
Ques: How can I check CDS cutoff for 2026 exam?
Ans: Candidates can check CDS 2026 cutoff on the UPSC website by downloading the PDF link available under the exam section after the cutoff is published.
Ques: Are cutoff marks same for all academies in CDS exam 2026?
Ans: No, the cutoff marks vary for different academies like IMA, INA, AFA, and OTA because each has different vacancy and exam standards.
Ques: Can CDS 2026 cutoff marks change every year?
Ans: Yes, CDS cutoff changes every year based on exam difficulty, candidate performance, and vacancy count.
Ques: Will UPSC release separate cutoffs for the written exam and final selection?
Ans: Yes, UPSC releases separate cutoff marks for the written exam and the final selection including the SSB interview scores.
Ques: What happens if I score below CDS cutoff in 2026?
Ans: If a candidate scores below CDS 2026 cutoff, they will not be eligible for the SSB interview or further selection processes.
Ques: How can CDS cutoff 2026 help candidates?
Ans: CDS cutoff 2026 helps candidates understand the competition level and set a target score to clear the written exam successfully.
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