CDS Cut Off 2026
CDS Cut Off 2026: Expected Cutoff, Previous Year Cutoff & Safe Score
The CDS Cut Off 2026 refers to the minimum marks a candidate must score in the written examination to be shortlisted for the SSB (Services Selection Board) interview. UPSC releases the official cutoff marks along with the written exam result on upsc.gov.in. The cutoff is declared separately for each academy — IMA, INA, AFA, and OTA — and is determined after the examination, based on multiple factors.
Understanding the previous year cutoff trends helps candidates set realistic score targets and calibrate their preparation accordingly.
What is CDS Cutoff?
The CDS cutoff is the minimum aggregate score required to qualify the written examination and proceed to the SSB stage. There are two types of cutoffs:
|
Cutoff Type |
Description |
|
Written Exam Cutoff |
Minimum marks to qualify the written test and get SSB call |
|
Final Cutoff (Merit Cutoff) |
Minimum combined score (written + SSB) of the last recommended candidate |
UPSC also sets subject-wise qualifying marks in addition to the aggregate cutoff. A candidate must clear both — the subject-wise minimum and the overall aggregate — to be shortlisted.
CDS Previous Year Cutoff – Written Exam (Aggregate)
The following table shows the written exam cutoff trends (aggregate marks of the last qualified candidate) for different academies:
|
Exam Cycle |
IMA |
INA |
AFA |
OTA (Men) |
OTA (Women) |
|
CDS 1 2025 |
~115 |
~115 |
~115 |
~85 |
~85 |
|
CDS 2 2024 |
~113 |
~112 |
~112 |
~83 |
~80 |
|
CDS 1 2024 |
~116 |
~117 |
~116 |
~86 |
~83 |
|
CDS 2 2023 |
~110 |
~110 |
~108 |
~80 |
~78 |
|
CDS 1 2023 |
~118 |
~119 |
~118 |
~88 |
~85 |
Note: Exact cutoff figures vary slightly by source. Official cutoff PDFs are published by UPSC. Marks above are approximate and for indicative guidance only. Always refer to the official UPSC result PDFs.
CDS Final Cutoff (Last Recommended Candidate) – Previous Years
The final cutoff includes both written exam marks and SSB interview scores. It is released after the complete selection process:
|
Exam Cycle |
IMA Final Cutoff |
INA Final Cutoff |
AFA Final Cutoff |
OTA Final Cutoff |
|
CDS 1 2024 |
~312 (out of 450) |
~325 |
~308 |
~192 (out of 300) |
|
CDS 2 2023 |
~305 |
~315 |
~300 |
~185 |
|
CDS 1 2023 |
~318 |
~320 |
~312 |
~195 |
SSB marks are not disclosed publicly by UPSC. The above figures represent combined scores as reported by coaching institutes and candidates. These are approximate and indicative.
CDS Expected Cutoff 2026
Based on the difficulty analysis of the CDS 1 2026 paper (conducted on 12 April 2026) and previous year trends, the expected written exam cutoff for CDS 1 2026 is:
|
Academy |
Expected Written Cutoff 2026 (Out of 300) |
Expected Written Cutoff OTA (Out of 200) |
|
IMA |
110–120 marks |
— |
|
INA |
110–120 marks |
— |
|
AFA |
108–118 marks |
— |
|
OTA (Men) |
— |
82–90 marks |
|
OTA (Women) |
— |
78–86 marks |
These are expected figures based on trends and difficulty level analysis. The official cutoff will be announced by UPSC with the written result.
Factors That Affect CDS Cutoff Marks
|
Factor |
Impact on Cutoff |
|
Difficulty of Paper |
Harder paper → lower cutoff; easier paper → higher cutoff |
|
Number of Candidates Appeared |
More candidates → higher competition → potentially higher cutoff |
|
Number of Vacancies |
Fewer vacancies → higher cutoff |
|
Category-Wise Competition |
No category-based cutoff relaxation in CDS |
|
Negative Marking Behaviour |
High negative marking across candidates → lower average scores |
CDS Safe Score 2026 – What Should You Target?
To clear the written exam comfortably and improve chances of final selection:
|
Academy |
Safe Score Target (Written Exam) |
|
IMA |
130–150 out of 300 |
|
INA |
130–150 out of 300 |
|
AFA |
125–145 out of 300 |
|
OTA (Men) |
95–110 out of 200 |
|
OTA (Women) |
90–105 out of 200 |
CDS Qualifying Marks – Subject-Wise Strategy
While UPSC does not officially publish subject-wise cutoffs before the exam, candidates should aim for a balanced score across all papers to avoid subject-wise disqualification:
|
Paper |
Suggested Minimum Target |
|
English (100 marks) |
40–50 marks |
|
General Knowledge (100 marks) |
40–55 marks |
|
Mathematics (100 marks) |
35–45 marks |
A strong performance in GK and English can compensate for relatively lower scores in Maths, and vice versa. However, do not neglect any subject entirely, as UPSC may apply minimum qualifying marks per subject.
The official CDS 1 2026 cutoff will be published on upsc.gov.in along with the written result, expected in May–June 2026.
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