The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has declared the final result of the Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2026, on November 2, 2026. The merit lists cover candidates who cleared the written examination and then the Services Selection Board (SSB) interviews, and they decide admission to three of India’s premier defence academies.
A total of 243 names appear across the three lists. The Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun accounts for 155 names, the Indian Naval Academy (INA) at Ezhimala in Kerala for 63, and the Air Force Academy (AFA) in Hyderabad for 25. UPSC has made it clear that some candidates appear on more than one list, so the 243 figure counts places on the lists, not separate individuals.
For thousands of aspirants who began this journey with the written examination on April 12, 2026, this is the moment the long selection process finally turns into a concrete outcome. The final lists are published in order of merit, and candidates can search them by roll number on the Commission’s official website, upsc.gov.in.
What the CDS 1 final result covers
The Combined Defence Services Examination is UPSC’s gateway to officer training in the armed forces. The CDS 1 cycle began with a notification on December 10, 2025, followed by the written test in April. Candidates who qualified in the written stage were called for SSB interviews, which test personality, leadership potential and fitness for service life through psychological tests, group tasks and personal interviews.
The final result declared on November 2 brings together both stages. Only candidates who cleared the written examination and the SSB interviews feature in these lists. The result does not yet cover the Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) course from the same examination. That final list will be declared separately, and UPSC has said candidates’ marks will be published only after the OTA final result is out.
Academy-wise break-up of the 243 names
- Indian Military Academy, Dehradun: 155 names, for 100 vacancies in this cycle’s IMA intake.
- Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala: 63 names, for 26 vacancies.
- Air Force Academy, Hyderabad: 25 names, for 32 vacancies.
The overall CDS 1, 2026 recruitment covers 451 vacancies across all four academies, including 275 OTA seats for men and 18 for women. The lists declared on November 2 deal with the three permanent commission
academies, IMA, INA and AFA, while the OTA outcome is still to come.
How to check the CDS 1 final merit list
- Visit the official UPSC website, upsc.gov.in.
- Go to the Examination or Results section and look for the Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2026 final result link.
- Open the merit list PDF, which carries separate lists for IMA, INA and AFA.
- Press Ctrl+F and type your roll number to search the PDF.
- Download and save a copy of the PDF for future reference.
What selected candidates must do next
Selection in the merit list is a major milestone, but it is not the end of the process. UPSC has stated that the results of the medical examination have not been taken into account while preparing these lists. Selected candidates will therefore still need to meet the medical standards prescribed for their service.
Army Headquarters is also verifying the date of birth and educational qualifications of every candidate, and all candidatures remain provisional on that count. Candidates should keep their original certificates, degree documents and identity proof ready, and respond promptly to any communication from the concerned headquarters.
What about OTA candidates and marks?
Candidates who applied for the Officers’ Training Academy should not treat this result as their verdict. The OTA final result for CDS 1, 2026 is a separate declaration and has not been released yet. Similarly, UPSC will publish the marks of candidates only after the OTA final result, so aspirants waiting for their scores will need a little more patience.
For now, the message for CDS 1 aspirants is simple: check the official merit list carefully, confirm which academy list carries your roll number, and keep your documents in order while the medical and verification stages run their course.
FAQs
When was the UPSC CDS 1 final result 2026 declared?
The final result was declared on November 2, 2026, for the IMA, INA and AFA lists.
How many candidates qualified in the CDS 1 final result?
A total of 243 names appear across the three academy lists: 155 for IMA, 63 for INA and 25 for AFA. Some candidates appear on more than one list.
Where can I check the CDS 1 final merit list?
On the official UPSC website, upsc.gov.in, in the merit list PDF for the Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2026.
Is the CDS 1 final result the same as final selection?
Not quite. Medical standards still apply, and Army Headquarters is verifying date of birth and educational qualifications, so candidatures remain provisional on those counts.
When will the OTA result and marks be released?
The OTA final result is yet to be declared, and UPSC will publish candidates’ marks only after that result.
The road from a written examination hall in April to a merit list in November is long, and for the candidates on these lists, the next chapter begins at Dehradun, Ezhimala or Hyderabad.
