The UPSC Combined Defence Services Examination I 2026 was successfully conducted on 12 April 2026 (Sunday) across various centres in India. The exam covered 451 vacancies for IMA, INA, Air Force Academy, and OTA. The provisional answer key was released on 16 April 2026 and the objection window closed on 22 April 2026. The written result is now expected in the last week of April or early May 2026 at upsc.gov.in. Qualified candidates will then be called for the SSB Interview.
Check Result on upsc.gov.in ↗📌 Exam Held: 12 April 2026 | Answer Key: 16 April 2026 | Last Updated: 28 April 2026 | Source: upsc.gov.in
| Course | Subjects | Marks Each | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| IMA / INA / AFA | English, General Knowledge, Elementary Mathematics | 100 marks each | 300 marks |
| OTA | English, General Knowledge | 100 marks each | 200 marks |
| Duration | 2 hours per paper | ||
| Negative Marking | 1/3 marks deducted for each wrong answer | ||
| Question Type | Objective (MCQ) — Paper in both Hindi & English (except English paper) | ||
| Stage | Details | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 — Written Exam | English, GK, Maths (IMA/INA/AFA) or English + GK (OTA) | Completed ✅ (12 Apr 2026) |
| Stage 2 — Written Result | Shortlist for SSB based on written marks + UPSC merit | Expected Soon ⏳ |
| Stage 3 — SSB Interview | 5-day Intelligence & Personality Test at SSB centres | After Result |
| Stage 4 — Medical Examination | Medical fitness test at Military/Naval/Air Force hospitals | After SSB |
| Stage 5 — Final Merit List | Based on Written + SSB scores. Allocation to respective academy. | After Medical |
| Written Result | Expected Soon | Check Here ↗ |
| Provisional Answer Key | Released ✅ | View ↗ |
| Official Notification PDF | Download ↗ | |
| UPSC Official Website | upsc.gov.in ↗ | |
| UPSC Helpline | 011-23385271 |