CDS (2) 2026 Question Paper and Answer Key [Download PDF]

With the Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination’s second cycle for this year coming to an end, candidates have been very eager to tally their marks and estimate their chances of making it through. However, for this, they need a trusted CDS 2 2026 answer key. With so many sources available online, they require a credible sources. Thereby this blog.

What is CDS 2 2026?

To begin with, CDS 2 2026 is the second cycle of the CDS exam conducted twice a year by UPSC. The first cycle happens in April every year, whereas the second one takes place in September. Those who aspire to join the Indian Armed Forces, that is, the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, sit for this exam.

Before you know about the CDS 2 2026 answer key, please know that the exam follows a specific pattern. While filling the online application form candidates can give a preference between four military academies, namely:

• Indian Military Academy or IMA
• Air Force Academy or AFA
• Indian Naval Academy or INA
• Officers Training Academy or OTA

If you place OTA as your first preference, you will only have two papers for the day: English and General Knowledge. However, if you place IMA, AFA, or INA as your first preference, you will have to mandatorily sit for the Mathematics paper along with the first two.

Need For CDS 2 2026 Answer Key

You might wonder why you need the CDS 2 2026 answer key. The answer is based on reliability. We admit that you can find numerous answer keys online that will help you out, but you can only rely on the official sources for this. Here are some obvious reasons for having the CDS 2 2026 answer key:

• Tallying total marks scored
• Estimating cutoff marks and probability of upcoming SSB
• Raising objections, if any
• Assessing your overall performance including weak and strong areas

Hence, you must have access to the CDS 2 2026 answer key officially released by the Union Public Service Commission.

CDS 2 2026 Question Paper

Now, just before we share the CDS 2 2026 answer key, let us also look at the question paper. This is for the convenience of those who did not sit for the exam this year, but will be sitting in the next attempt.

We have included all three papers that were conducted on the 13th of September 2026 as shared by the commission on its official website. If you are appearing for OTA, you can skip the Mathematics paper as suggested above.

CDS 2 2026 Answer Key

Finally, we are at the CDS 2 2026 answer key. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the official CDS 2 2026 answer key. Candidates can now check the official answer key using the links provided below. We recommend referring to the UPSC-released answer key rather than relying on unofficial or random sources to avoid any confusion.

Please note that based on the give CDS 2 2026 answer key you can calculate your total marks in each paper. For English and General Knowledge, the marking scheme is as follows:

• 0.83 marks awarded for each correct answer
• 0.27 marks deducted for each incorrect answer
• 0 marks awarded/deducted for each unattempted answer

Similarly, Mathematics follows the given marking scheme:

• 1 mark awarded for each correct answer
• 0.27 marks deducted for each incorrect answer
• 0 marks awarded or deducted for each unattempted answer

You can also find the details on sectional cutoffs by clicking here. This will give you a good idea about whether you will be able to clear CDS 2 2026 or not. Based on this, you can start preparing for your SSB interview and work on your fitness as well. Best of luck!