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UPSC CDS 2026 – Previous Year Cutoff Trends & Expected Cutoff

UPSC CDS 2026

Union Public Service CommissionGraduate medium
OverviewSyllabusEligibilityExam PatternSelectionHow to ApplyCutoffBooksPrep TipsPapers

CDS cutoffs are published at two stages: written exam cutoff (for SSB shortlisting) and final cutoff (written + SSB combined). AFA consistently has the highest written cutoff due to fewest vacancies; OTA has the lowest due to the largest pool.

CDS Written Exam Cutoff – Academy Wise

ExamIMA (/300)INA (/300)AFA (/300)OTA Male (/200)OTA Female (/200)
CDS I 202499851337868
CDS II 2024100881307667
CDS I 202396811287565
CDS II 202397831257464
CDS I 202291771247262

CDS Final Cutoff (Written + SSB) – IMA Reference

ExamIMA Final (/600)
CDS I 2024356
CDS I 2023348
CDS I 2022342

Expected CDS 2026 Written Cutoff (Projected)

AcademyExpected Cutoff
IMA (out of 300)96–104
INA (out of 300)83–91
AFA (out of 300)128–136
OTA Male (out of 200)74–82
OTA Female (out of 200)64–72

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.Why is AFA's cutoff always the highest?

AFA has the fewest vacancies (~32–50 per cycle) among all CDS academies, plus strict physical and vision requirements, making competition intense and driving the written cutoff significantly higher.

Q.What written score is safe for IMA (General category)?

Scoring above 120 out of 300 (40%) is generally competitive for IMA SSB shortlisting. Candidates targeting above the safe zone typically aim for 130–150+ to ensure a comfortable buffer.

Q.Is there a separate cutoff for each UPSC CDS academy?

Yes. UPSC publishes separate written cutoffs and final cutoffs for each academy (IMA, INA, AFA, OTA Male, OTA Female) along with the respective shortlist and recommended lists on upsc.gov.in.

Q.Does UPSC release final CDS cutoffs publicly?

Yes. UPSC releases the final recommended list with minimum qualifying marks for each academy on upsc.gov.in after the complete process concludes. Prelims written cutoffs are released when the SSB shortlist is published.

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