The last list is out. On 2 November 2026, the Union Public Service Commission declared the final result of the Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2026 — the merit lists that decide who actually walks into the Indian Military Academy, the Indian Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy. If you cleared the written exam in April and then went through the SSB interviews, this is the document you’ve been waiting months for.
Let’s be real about what this result is and isn’t. It is not a fresh exam result — it’s the end of a chain. Written exam, SSB interview, and now a merit list built on both. And the headline number needs reading carefully, because it counts places on lists, not people.
The Merit Lists, Academy by Academy
| Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun — 162nd (DE) Course | 155 candidates |
| Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala, Kerala | 63 candidates |
| Air Force Academy (AFA), Hyderabad — 221 F(P) Course (Pre-Flying) | 25 candidates |
| Total places across the three lists | 243 |
Why “places” and not “candidates”? Because some candidates appear on more than one list — the UPSC release itself notes common candidates across the three lists. So 243 is the count of list entries; the number of individual people is lower. Either way, this is a brutally selective finish: UPSC had recommended 2,601 candidates for IMA, 770 for INA and 640 for AFA after the written test. The SSB stage cut that field down to these lists.
CDS I 2026: The Journey in Dates
| Notification (Advt. No. 04/2026) | 10 December 2025 |
| Written examination | 12 April 2026 |
| Written result declared | 8 May 2026 |
| SSB interviews | Held by the Services Selection Board, Ministry of Defence |
| Final result declared | 2 November 2026 (PIB release, 8:27 PM) |
| Total vacancies in the exam (all academies including OTA) | 451 |
How to Check Your Name in the Final Merit List
- Open the UPSC website at upsc.gov.in.
- Go to the Examination / Results section and find “Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2026 — Declaration of Final Result”.
- Download the final result PDF (also linked directly from the UPSC site).
- Search your roll number with Ctrl+F — the lists are in order of merit, academy by academy.
- Save a copy of the PDF. You’ll want it for the joining formalities.
Don’t rely on screenshots forwarded in groups. Download the PDF from upsc.gov.in yourself and check your own roll number. A forwarded image is exactly how false celebrations start.
What the SSB Stage Actually Tested
Between the written result in May and this final list, candidates faced the Services Selection Board interviews run by the Ministry of Defence — days of psychological tests, group tasks, personal interviews and physical assessments designed to judge officer-like qualities, not textbook recall. That’s why the written merit order doesn’t simply carry over: a candidate who topped the written paper but didn’t clear the SSB doesn’t appear here, while a mid-ranked written candidate who impressed the board does. The final merit list blends both stages, which is exactly why UPSC publishes it as a separate, final document rather than updating the May list.
Three Caveats You Shouldn’t Skip
First, the results of the medical examination have not been taken into account in preparing these lists — medicals are a separate stage, and clearing the merit list is not the same as clearing medicals. Second, verification of date of birth and educational qualifications is still under process by Army Headquarters, so every candidature on these lists is provisional on that score. If your documents don’t match your application, sort it out now, not at reporting time. Third, the Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) course result from the same CDS I exam is separate and still to come — and UPSC will publish candidates’ marks on its website only after that OTA final result is declared. So if you’re an OTA candidate, or if you’re waiting for your marks, this list isn’t your endpoint yet.
What Comes Next for Selected Candidates
If your roll number is on a list, the next steps run through the respective academy and Army Headquarters: document verification, medical examination formalities, and joining instructions for your course. Keep your original certificates, your CDS admit card and your SSB documents ready, and watch upsc.gov.in plus the official joining instructions rather than rumour channels. Courses at IMA, INA and AFA don’t wait for candidates who missed a reporting date because they were following a Telegram group.
And if your number isn’t there? That’s a hard result to read, honestly. But CDS runs twice a year, and the written-plus-SSB pattern doesn’t change — the next cycle rewards the candidates who treat this one as a diagnostic, not a verdict.
Important Links
| Download CDS I Final Result PDF | UPSC final result PDF |
| UPSC official website | upsc.gov.in |
| More results on this site | Result updates |
FAQs
When was the UPSC CDS I Final Result 2026 declared?
On 2 November 2026, through a UPSC release published by PIB at 8:27 PM, with the merit lists on upsc.gov.in.
How many candidates qualified in the CDS I final result?
243 places across the three lists: 155 for IMA, 63 for INA and 25 for AFA. Some candidates appear on more than one list.
Is the OTA result included in this list?
No. The Officers’ Training Academy course result for CDS I 2026 is declared separately, and marks will be published only after it.
Does making the merit list mean I am finally selected?
Not quite yet. Medical examination results were not factored into these lists, and date-of-birth and qualification verification by Army Headquarters is still pending — candidatures remain provisional on that score.
