If you're aiming to become a commissioned officer in the Indian Armed Forces, UPSC just opened its second recruitment window of the year for both entry routes — one for candidates straight out of school, the other for graduates. Here's how each actually works.
Two Different Exams, Two Different Entry Points
UPSC runs two separate defence recruitment exams that often get mentioned together but serve genuinely different candidates. The National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (NDA & NA) recruits candidates at the 12th-pass level, straight after school, for training at the NDA or the Naval Academy's 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme. The Combined Defence Services Examination (CDS) recruits graduates specifically, for entry as commissioned officers into the Indian Armed Forces (PW Live) through training at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA), or Officers' Training Academy (OTA) (PW Live).
CDS 2 2026: The Graduate Entry Route
UPSC officially released the CDS 2 2026 Notification on May 20, 2026 (PW Live), announcing 451 vacancies across IMA, INA, AFA, and OTA combined (PW Live). The written exam is scheduled for September 13, 2026 (PW Live).
NDA 2 2026: The 12th-Pass Entry Route
The NDA (2) 2026 notification — formally "National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination-II, 2026," Notification Number 10/2026-NDA-II — was also released, offering 394 total vacancies for the post of Lieutenant (selfstudys). Interestingly, both NDA 2 and CDS 2 share the exact same written exam date this cycle: September 13, 2026 (selfstudys; PW Live) — worth knowing if you were somehow considering both exams for the same cycle, since you can't physically sit both on the same day.
The application window for NDA 2 2026 opened alongside the notification on May 20, 2026, and closed June 9, 2026 (selfstudys).
How NDA's Vacancies Break Down by Wing
NDA 2 2026's 394 vacancies split across several distinct wings, each with its own qualification requirement worth checking carefully before you apply. The NDA Army Wing offers the largest share at 208 seats, requiring only a 12th pass with no specific subject requirement (selfstudys). Every other wing, by contrast, requires 12th pass specifically with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (PCM): the Navy Wing offers 42 seats, Air Force Flying offers 92, Air Force Ground Duties (Technical) offers 18, Air Force Ground Duties (Non-Technical) offers 10, and the Naval Academy's 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme offers 24 (selfstudys). If you didn't take PCM in Class 12, the Army Wing is effectively your only NDA entry point this cycle — every other wing specifically requires that science combination.
The Selection Process
Both exams follow a broadly similar multi-stage process. For NDA 2 2026, selection runs through a Written Examination, followed by an SSB Interview (Services Selection Board Personality Test), Document Verification, and a Medical Examination (selfstudys). This is worth understanding clearly if you're new to defence exams: clearing the written test alone doesn't get you a seat — the SSB interview, which assesses officer-like qualities over several days of psychological and group tasks, and the medical examination, are equally decisive stages that come after.
What This Means If You're Applying
If you're a 12th-pass candidate with PCM, you have five different wing options under NDA 2 2026 to weigh, each with its own vacancy count and specific career track — Army, Navy, or Air Force (Flying, Technical, or Non-Technical Ground Duties). If you don't have PCM, the Army Wing's 208 seats are your route in. If you're a graduate instead, CDS 2 2026's 451 vacancies across IMA, INA, AFA, and OTA are your equivalent path. Either way, mark September 13, 2026 clearly on your calendar as your written exam date, and start structuring your preparation now around both the written test and the SSB interview stage that follows — since for these particular exams, the interview is just as make-or-break as the written paper itself.