The Union Public Service Commission has released the provisional UPSC CDS 2 Answer Key 2026 on its official website, upsc.gov.in. The answer key has been issued for all candidates who appeared in the Combined Defence Services Examination (II), 2026, held on 13 September 2026. Unlike the response sheet, the provisional key is a free, open PDF — no login or registration number is required to view it.
The Commission has released separate set-wise keys for all three papers: Paper I (English), Paper II (General Knowledge) and Paper III (Elementary Mathematics). Each paper has been published for Series A, B, C and D, so candidates must first confirm the series code printed on their question booklet before matching answers. CDS (II) 2026 was notified under Notification No. 11/2026-CDS-II for a total of 451 vacancies across the Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Air Force Academy and Officers’ Training Academy.
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UPSC CDS 2 Answer Key 2026 Download Link
The provisional answer key PDFs for the CDS (II) Examination 2026 are available in the Examination section of the official UPSC portal. Candidates can download the subject-wise key from the direct links shared below.
| Paper | Subject | Download Link |
|---|---|---|
| Paper I | English | UPSC CDS 2 English Answer Key 2026 – Click to Download |
| Paper II | General Knowledge | UPSC CDS 2 GK Answer Key 2026 – Click to Download |
| Paper III | Elementary Mathematics | UPSC CDS 2 Elementary Mathematics Answer Key 2026 – Click to Download |
Current Status: The provisional answer keys for CDS (II) Examination 2026 have been released on 16 September 2026 at upsc.gov.in. The representation window against the question papers and the provisional keys will open on the Online Question Paper Representation Portal (QPRep) at upsconline.nic.in. The final answer key will be published only after the entire selection process is over.
UPSC CDS 2 Answer Key 2026: Key Highlights
One important detail candidates should note before calculating marks is that one question has been dropped in the General Knowledge paper. The English and Elementary Mathematics papers have no dropped questions.
| Particulars | Paper I – English | Paper II – General Knowledge | Paper III – El. Mathematics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Questions | 120 | 120 | 100 |
| Maximum Marks | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Questions Dropped | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Questions Taken for Scoring | 120 | 119 | 100 |
| Series Released | A, B, C, D | A, B, C, D | A, B, C, D |
How to Download UPSC CDS 2 Answer Key 2026?
Candidates can follow the steps given below to download the CDS 2 provisional answer key:
- Visit the official UPSC website at https://www.upsc.gov.in.
- Click on the Examination tab in the top menu.
- Select Answer Keys from the drop-down menu.
- Locate the link for Combined Defence Services Examination (II), 2026.
- Click on the paper you want — English, General Knowledge or Elementary Mathematics.
- The provisional answer key PDF will open on the screen, showing keys for Series A, B, C and D.
- Download the PDF and save or print it for future reference.
- Match your marked responses against the key for your own series code only.
- Calculate your estimated score using the prescribed marking scheme.
UPSC CDS 2 Exam 2026 Overview
The Combined Defence Services Examination (II), 2026 was conducted in three sittings on a single day, 13 September 2026, for 451 vacancies. The provisional answer key has been released three days after the exam, allowing candidates to estimate their written score well before the result is declared.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Organisation Name | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Exam Name | Combined Defence Services Examination (II), 2026 |
| Notification Number | 11/2026-CDS-II |
| Total Vacancies | 451 |
| Notification Release Date | 20 May 2026 |
| Application Window | 20 May 2026 to 11 June 2026 (06:00 pm) |
| Admit Card Release Date | 3 September 2026 |
| Exam Date | 13 September 2026 |
| Answer Key Release Date | 16 September 2026 |
| Exam Mode | Offline (OMR-based, pen and paper) |
| Answer Key Status | Released (Provisional) |
| Answer Key Format | PDF (Series A, B, C, D) |
| Final Answer Key | To Be Released |
| Official Website | upsc.gov.in |
UPSC CDS 2 Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme 2026
Before calculating marks, candidates should be clear about the paper structure, since IMA/INA/AFA aspirants write three papers while OTA aspirants write only two.
| Academy | Subject | Duration | Maximum Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| IMA, INA & AFA | English | 2 Hours | 100 |
| IMA, INA & AFA | General Knowledge | 2 Hours | 100 |
| IMA, INA & AFA | Elementary Mathematics | 2 Hours | 100 |
| Total (IMA/INA/AFA) | — | — | 300 |
| OTA | English | 2 Hours | 100 |
| OTA | General Knowledge | 2 Hours | 100 |
| Total (OTA) | — | — | 200 |
UPSC applies negative marking in the CDS examination. One-third of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for every wrong answer. If a candidate marks more than one option for a question, it is treated as a wrong answer even if one of the marked options is correct. No marks are deducted for questions left blank.
How to Calculate UPSC CDS 2 Marks 2026?
Because the number of questions is not the same as the maximum marks in English and GK, each question carries a fractional value. The table below shows the per-question value and the penalty for each paper in CDS (II) 2026.
| Paper | Questions for Scoring | Marks per Correct Answer | Deduction per Wrong Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 120 | 100 ÷ 120 = 0.83 | 0.28 |
| General Knowledge | 119 | 100 ÷ 119 = 0.84 | 0.28 |
| Elementary Mathematics | 100 | 100 ÷ 100 = 1.00 | 0.33 |
Formula: Estimated Marks = (Number of Correct Answers × Marks per Question) − (Number of Wrong Answers × Deduction per Question)
Example (Elementary Mathematics): Suppose a candidate attempts 80 questions, of which 65 are correct and 15 are wrong.
Estimated Marks = (65 × 1) − (15 × 0.33) = 65 − 4.95 = 60.05 marks
Example (English): Suppose a candidate attempts 100 questions, of which 78 are correct and 22 are wrong.
Estimated Marks = (78 × 0.83) − (22 × 0.28) = 64.74 − 6.16 = 58.58 marks
Candidates writing for IMA, INA or AFA should add the scores of all three papers to arrive at the total out of 300, while OTA candidates should add only English and GK for a total out of 200.
FAQs
When was the UPSC CDS 2 Answer Key 2026 released?
The provisional answer key for CDS (II) Examination 2026 was released on 16 September 2026 at upsc.gov.in, three days after the exam held on 13 September 2026.
Do I need a login to download the UPSC CDS 2 answer key 2026?
No. The provisional answer key is a public PDF available in the Answer Keys section of the UPSC website. Login credentials are required only for the response sheet and for submitting representations.
How many questions have been dropped in UPSC CDS 2 2026?
One question has been dropped in the General Knowledge paper, so 119 of the 120 questions are taken for scoring. No questions have been dropped in English or Elementary Mathematics.
Which question has been dropped in the GK paper?
It varies by series — Q. 84 in Series A, Q. 34 in Series B, Q. 99 in Series C and Q. 9 in Series D. The dropped question is marked “X” in the official key.
Is there negative marking in the CDS exam?
Yes. One-third of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer. Marking more than one option is also treated as a wrong answer.
