• Updated on 24 Sept, 2026 by Diksha Kumari
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CDS Exam cutoff 2026 is expected to be released by October 15-20 2026 (Tentative). The CDS 2 Expected Cut Off 2026 is 110-135 marks for IMA (Indian Military Academy), 104-125 marks for INA (Indian Naval Academy), 108-155 marks for AFA (Air Force Academy), 73-110 marks for OTA (Men), and 75-85 marks for OTA (Women). The official cutoff will be updated when released.
The written CDS cut off 2025 were 124.11 for IMA, 109.23 for INA, 132.51 for AFA, 80.01 for OTA (Men), and 98.06 for OTA (Women). While the final cutoffs for the academies were 249.61, 238.50, 263.67, 162.84, and 193.01, respectively. For CDS 2 2026, UPSC will publish the cutoff separately for the written examination and final selection after completion of the recruitment process.
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CDS Cut Off 2026 (Expected)
The CDS Cut Off is determined based on the previous year's cutoff trends and exam difficulty analysis. The values are indicative in nature, which means these are just probable in nature and help candidates analyse the anticipated cutoff trends. Candidates can also compare the expected marks with the CDS previous year cut off to understand the likely range for the upcoming examination.
CDS Cut Off for Written Examination (Expected)
The CDS Cutoff 2026 will be released by UPSC after the completion of the written examination and SSB Interview. The cut off of CDS 2 written exam is scheduled for September 13, 2026, and UPSC will publish separate cutoff marks for the written stage and final selection. The CDS 1 2026 exam was held on April 12, 2026. Below is the expected CDS 1 Written Exam Cutoff 2026:
CDS Cut Off for SSB Interview (Expected)
The CDS 2 Cutoff 2026 will be announced by UPSC after the written examination and the SSB Interview process is completed. Candidates qualifying the written examination cutoff would be shortlisted for the SSB Interview stage, post which UPSC releases the combined cutoff out of 600 marks. Below is the expected CDS 1 SSB Interview Cutoff 2026:
CDS Cutoff 2026
CDS Previous Year Cutoffs help the candidates understand the expected competition level and safe score range, which is to be targeted for the upcoming recruitment cycles. Through the previous year's cutoff, candidates can evaluate how cutoffs vary across defence academies. The previous-year data is also useful for candidates searching for the CDS previous year cut off and comparing it with the expected cutoff for 2026.
CDS 2 Cutoff 2025
The CDS 2 Cutoff 2025 was released by UPSC on August 14, 2026, in PDF format, with separate cutoff marks for the written examination and final selection. The written cutoffs were 124.11 for IMA, 109.23 for INA, 132.51 for AFA, 80.01 for OTA (Men), and 98.06 for OTA (Women). The corresponding final cutoffs were 249.61, 238.50, 263.67, 162.84, and 193.01, respectively. Candidates can check the academy-wise CDS 2 2025 cut off in the table below.
Note: The CDS 2 2025 written cut off was different for each academy, with AFA recording the highest written cutoff among IMA, INA, AFA and OTA (Men), while OTA (Women) had a written cutoff of 98.06 marks.
CDS 1 Cutoff 2025
CDS 2025 Cutoff marks for CDS 1 have been officially released on the official UPSC website in the PDF format, containing separate cutoff marks for the written exam and final exam. Below is the official CDS 1 Cutoff 2025 released by the commission:
CDS 2 Cutoff 2024
CDS 2024 Cutoff marks for CDS 2 have been officially released on the official UPSC website in the PDF format, containing separate cutoff marks for the written exam and final exam. Below is the official CDS 2 Cutoff 2024 released by the commission:
CDS 1 Cutoff 2024
CDS 2024 Cutoff marks for CDS 1 have been officially released on the official UPSC website in the PDF format, containing separate cutoff marks for the written exam and final exam. Below is the official CDS 1 Cutoff 2024 released by the commission:
Candidates can also check CDS 2 Answer Key 2026 to compare their answers and calculate expected scores.
Factors Affecting CDS Cutoff 2026
CDS Cutoff varies each year, depending on certain influencing factors. Understanding how these would affect the cutoff helps the candidates anticipate cutoff trends and prepare accordingly for the examination. Some of the influencing factors are:
- Difficulty level of the examination: A greater difficulty level of the examination leads to a lower cutoff for the candidates.
- Number of Vacancies: More vacancies may lower the cutoff for the candidates.
- Number of Candidates: Higher competition for a specified number of vacancies may increase the cutoff for the candidates.
- Performance of the Candidates: Better is the average performance of the candidates, the higher the cutoff level for the examination.
CDS Cutoff 2026 FAQs
When will the CDS Cutoff 2026 be released?
The CDS Cutoff 2026 will be released by UPSC after the completion of the respective examination and selection process.
What are the types of CDS cutoffs?
UPSC releases separate cutoffs for the written examination and final selection.
Is the CDS cutoff released category-wise?
The cutoff data is released academy-wise for IMA, INA, AFA and OTA.
Which academy has the highest CDS cutoff?
The cutoff varies from one examination cycle to another depending on factors such as difficulty level, vacancies and candidate performance.
What is a safe score to clear the CDS cutoff 2026?
Candidates can use the expected cutoff and previous-year cutoff trends to set a target score, but the actual cutoff will be known only after UPSC releases it.
Are CDS cutoffs the same for OTA men and women?
No. The cutoff can vary between OTA (Men) and OTA (Women), as reflected in previous-year cutoff data.
What factors affect the CDS cutoff every year?
The difficulty level of the examination, number of vacancies, number of candidates and overall candidate performance can affect the cutoff.
Can candidates clear CDS with a low Mathematics score?
Candidates must meet the prescribed qualifying requirements and the overall written cutoff applicable to their academy.
Is there a sectional cutoff in the CDS exam?
The previous-year cutoff tables include minimum qualifying marks in each subject along with the aggregate written cutoff.
How is the final CDS merit list prepared?
The final selection is based on the candidate's performance in the written examination and SSB Interview, subject to the applicable selection requirements.
Where can candidates check the official CDS cutoff?
Candidates can check the official CDS cutoff on the UPSC website after it is released.
Rank vs Rank Predictor
Estimated rank
0
General qualifying cutoff
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Likely Colleges (Sample)
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FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is CDS cutoff 0?
Latest available cutoff year for CDS is 0. Cutoffs vary by college, course and category (General, OBC, SC/ST, EWS).
How much rank is enough for CDS?
There is no single fixed rank for CDS because cutoffs depend on your category (General, OBC, SC/ST, EWS), target college/course and counselling round. In our latest cutoff dataset, the primary cutoff type is cutoff, so compare your value using the same metric. For a genuine estimate, check the cutoff trend (last 3–5 years) and shortlist options where your value is better than (or close to) the latest closing cutoff.
Which colleges accept CDS?
Multiple colleges accept CDS. Check the college list and then filter by course/category for a precise shortlist.
Which categories are available in CDS cutoff?
Categories depend on counselling. Use category-wise cutoff summary to see available categories for the latest year.
Which courses are most common for CDS accepting colleges?
Courses vary by college. Use course-wise keys and filters to find the most common courses for this exam.
Which states and college categories are common in CDS cutoff data?
State-wise and college-category-wise distribution depends on the accepting colleges. Use cutoff-wise keys for the latest available distribution.