CDS Selection Process
Last verified 31 Jul 2026
UPSC CDS selection runs through the stages below, each of which must be cleared in sequence.
- Written Examination
- SSB Interview — Stage I screening and Stage II testing
- Medical examination and merit list
Exam pattern by stage
| Paper | Subjects | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-I | English | 120 | 100 | 2 hours |
| Paper-II | General Knowledge | 120 | 100 | 2 hours |
| Paper-III | Elementary Mathematics (IMA, INA and AFA only — not for OTA) | 100 | 100 | 2 hours |
| SSB Interview | Stage I screening and Stage II testing | — | 300 (200 for OTA) | 4 to 5 days |
Document verification
UPSC verifies eligibility against original documents only after a candidate has qualified for the Interview or Personality Test. Until that point, admission to every stage is purely provisional — the issue of an e-Admit Card does not mean your candidature has been cleared. A candidate can therefore sit and clear a paper and still be found ineligible later.
Final merit
Merit is prepared from the marks that count for this examination, and posts are allotted by merit-cum-preference against the confirmed vacancies. Ties are broken by rules published by the Commission — typically the marks in the compulsory papers, and where those are equal, seniority in age.