UPSC CDS-II Answer Key 2026 – Out, Download English, GK & Maths Answer Key PDF

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) UPSC CDS-II Answer Key 2026 Combined Defence Services Examination (II), 2026 – Provisional Answer Key Out
Important Dates Notification Date: 20/05/2026 Online Application Begin: 20/05/2026 Last Date for Apply Online: 09/06/2026 up to 06:00 PM CDS-II Written Examination: 13/09/2026 Question Papers Uploaded: 14/09/2026 Provisional Answer Key Released: 16/09/2026 Objection / Representation Window: 16/09/2026 to 20/09/2026 up to 06:00 PM Written Result: To Be Announced SSB Interview: After Written Result	Application Fee General / OBC / EWS Male Candidates: ₹200/- SC / ST Candidates: Nil All Female Candidates: Nil Fee Payment Mode: Net Banking / Visa / Master / RuPay Credit or Debit Card / UPI Application Fee is Non-Refundable. The application process for CDS-II 2026 is already closed. No separate fee is charged for downloading the provisional answer key.
UPSC CDS-II Answer Key 2026: Answer Key Details Answer Key Status: Released Answer Key Type: Provisional Answer Key Release Date: 16/09/2026 Examination Date: 13/09/2026 Examination: Combined Defence Services Examination (II), 2026 Examination Notice No.: 11/2026-CDS-II Answer Key Papers: English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics Answer Key Format: PDF Final Answer Key: To Be Released Later Written Result: To Be Announced
UPSC CDS-II Answer Key 2026 – Paper-wise Details English, General Knowledge & Elementary Mathematics
Paper	Answer Key Details
English	Paper Code: 11 Total Marks: 100 Duration: 2 Hours Provisional Answer Key: Released Separate set-wise answer key PDF available from UPSC.
General Knowledge	Paper Code: 12 Total Marks: 100 Duration: 2 Hours Provisional Answer Key: Released Separate set-wise answer key PDF available from UPSC.
Elementary Mathematics	Paper Code: 13 Total Marks: 100 Duration: 2 Hours Provisional Answer Key: Released Separate set-wise answer key PDF available from UPSC.
OTA Candidates	English: 100 Marks General Knowledge: 100 Marks Elementary Mathematics: Not Applicable
UPSC CDS-II Answer Key 2026: Objection Details Representation Start Date: 16/09/2026 Representation Last Date: 20/09/2026 up to 06:00 PM Mode: Online Only Portal: UPSC Online Question Paper Representation Portal Representations can be submitted against the questions asked in the examination and provisional answer keys. Representations sent by email, post, hand delivery or any other mode will not be accepted. No representation will be accepted after the prescribed five-day window closes. Candidates should keep documentary / standard reference support ready wherever required by the representation process.
UPSC CDS-II Vacancy 2026 Academy-wise Vacancy and Eligibility Details
Course / Academy	Vacancy / Eligibility Details
Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun	Course: 163rd (DE) Course Vacancy: 100 Posts Course Commencement: July 2027 NCC C Certificate Reservation: 13 Vacancies
Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala	Course: Executive Branch (General Service) / Hydro Vacancy: 26 Posts Course Commencement: July 2027 NCC C Certificate Reservation: 06 Vacancies Hydro: 01 Vacancy
Air Force Academy (AFA), Hyderabad	Course: 222 F(P) Course Vacancy: 32 Posts Course Commencement: July 2027 NCC C Certificate Reservation: 03 Vacancies
Officers' Training Academy (OTA), Chennai – Men	Course: 126th SSC (Men) NT Vacancy: 275 Posts Course Commencement: October 2027
Officers' Training Academy (OTA), Chennai – Women	Course: 126th SSC Women (Non-Technical) Vacancy: 18 Posts Course Commencement: October 2027
Educational Qualification	IMA & OTA: Degree of a recognized University or equivalent. INA: Degree in Engineering or B.Sc. with Physics as a core / elective subject, with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level. AFA: Degree of a recognized University with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level, or Bachelor of Engineering. Final-year degree students can apply subject to the conditions and deadlines prescribed by UPSC. Note: Candidates must verify the academy-specific educational requirements in the official notification.
Age Limit	IMA: 19 to 24 Years; unmarried male candidates born between 01/07/2003 and 01/07/2008. INA: 19 to 24 Years; unmarried male candidates born between 01/07/2003 and 01/07/2008. AFA: 20 to 24 Years; candidates born between 01/07/2003 and 01/07/2007. AFA candidates holding a valid current DGCA Commercial Pilot Licence may be eligible up to 26 Years, subject to the prescribed DOB conditions. OTA Men: 19 to 25 Years; unmarried male candidates born between 01/07/2002 and 01/07/2008. OTA Women: 19 to 25 Years; eligible unmarried women, issueless widows and issueless divorcees who have not remarried, born between 01/07/2002 and 01/07/2008. Marital-status conditions apply according to the course and official CDS rules.
Total Vacancy: 451 Posts UPSC CDS-II 2026 includes 451 tentative vacancies across IMA, INA, AFA and OTA. The vacancy numbers may change according to the requirements of Services Headquarters.
UPSC CDS-II Examination 2026: Exam Pattern Exam Mode: Offline / OMR-Based Written Examination IMA / INA / AFA: English – 100 Marks, General Knowledge – 100 Marks, Elementary Mathematics – 100 Marks OTA: English – 100 Marks, General Knowledge – 100 Marks Duration of Each Paper: 2 Hours Question Type: Objective Type General Knowledge and Mathematics papers are set bilingually in Hindi and English. Negative Marking: One-third of the marks assigned to the question for a wrong answer. Calculators are not permitted in the examination.
UPSC CDS-II Selection Process 2026 Written Examination. Shortlisting of candidates for the SSB Interview / Intelligence and Personality Test. SSB Interview. Medical Examination. Final merit is prepared based on the written examination and SSB performance, subject to medical fitness and available vacancies. For IMA, INA and AFA, the written and interview stages carry 300 marks each. For OTA, the written examination and interview carry 200 marks each.
How to Download UPSC CDS-II Answer Key 2026 Visit the official UPSC website. Open the What's New section or the CDS-II 2026 examination page. Click on Combined Defence Services Examination (II), 2026 – Provisional Answer Key. Select the required paper: English, General Knowledge or Elementary Mathematics. Open the relevant PDF. Check the Series A, B, C or D corresponding to your question booklet. Match your answers with the provisional key. Download and save the answer key PDF for future reference.
How to Calculate UPSC CDS-II Expected Marks 2026 Match your answers with the correct answers in the provisional UPSC answer key. Add the prescribed marks for every correct answer. Deduct one-third of the marks assigned to the question for each incorrect answer. Do not award marks for unanswered questions. Calculate the score separately for each paper. The self-calculated score is only an estimated score and is not the official UPSC result. UPSC's final evaluation will use the applicable final answer key and examination rules.
Important Instructions for Candidates The UPSC CDS-II provisional answer key was released on 16/09/2026. The CDS-II written examination was conducted on 13/09/2026. Three answer key PDFs have been released: English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics. Match the answer key with the correct question booklet series. The current answer key is provisional and may be revised after valid representations are considered. Representations must be submitted only through the UPSC Online Question Paper Representation Portal. The representation window is available until 20/09/2026 at 06:00 PM. Email, post and offline representations will not be accepted. The written result is expected separately after completion of the answer-key process. Candidates shortlisted in the written result will proceed to the SSB Interview / Personality Test according to UPSC rules.
Interested Candidates Can Read the Full Answer Key Notice Before Checking Their Marks.
Some Useful Important Links
Download CDS-II Answer Key 2026	Click Here
Raise Objection / Representation	Click Here
Download CDS-II Notification 2026	Click Here
Check CDS-II Written Result	To Be Updated
UPSC Active Examinations	Click Here
Official Website	UPSC Official Website