CDS Cut-off: IMA, INA, AFA and OTA Marks from UPSC

UPSC publishes the CDS cut-off academy by academy, in a one-page file called “Recommendation Details and Cut-Off Marks”. For each academy it gives the marks of the last candidate who qualified in the written examination and the aggregate marks of the last candidate who was recommended in the final result. For CDS (II) 2025 the IMA figures were 124.11 out of 300 and 249.61 out of 600, and the OTA figures for men were 80.01 out of 200 and 162.84 out of 400.

Every number on this page is copied from those UPSC files, with the date the file went up. There are no predicted cut-offs here. UPSC posts these files months after the final result, and that gap is where most unofficial tables creep in. Checked on UPSC’s website on 12 October 2026.

CDS written cut-off by academy

These are the marks obtained by the last qualified candidate in the written examination, as UPSC prints them. IMA, INA and AFA are out of 300 (three papers). OTA is out of 200 (two papers).

CDS final cut-off by academy

These are the aggregate marks of the last recommended candidate, that is, the written marks and the SSB marks together. IMA, INA and AFA are out of 600 (300 written and 300 SSB). OTA is out of 400 (200 and 200).

Each file also sets a floor for every subject. The CDS (I) 2024 file says candidates needed at least 18% marks in each subject, and the other three files say 20%. A candidate can therefore clear the aggregate and still be out on one paper.

When UPSC published each file

The dates are those shown on UPSC’s own exam pages. The gap between the final result and the cut-off file is the point to notice.

For CDS (II) 2025, the cut-off file appeared more than four months after the final result. For CDS (I) 2025 the gap was about three months. If a site shows you a “CDS final cut-off” soon after a result, it did not come from UPSC’s file.

How to read the two columns

• Written column. It is the marks of the last candidate UPSC qualified for the SSB. It is not the qualifying floor, which UPSC states separately as a percentage in each subject.
• Final column. It is the lowest aggregate among recommended candidates. Written and SSB marks carry equal weight for each academy: 300 and 300 for IMA, INA and AFA, and 200 and 200 for OTA.
• Different totals. OTA candidates take English and General Knowledge only, so their totals are out of 200 and 400. Do not compare an OTA figure with an IMA figure without allowing for that.
• Men and women at OTA. UPSC prepares written results and final merit lists for men and women separately, against separate vacancies. In the CDS (II) 2026 notice the OTA vacancies are 275 for men and 18 for women. The two sets of figures need not match, and in 2025 they did not.

CDS cut-off 2026 and CDS 1 2027

UPSC has not yet published a cut-off file for any 2026 CDS examination. Where each stands on 12 October 2026:

• CDS (I) 2026: examination on 12 April 2026. UPSC uploaded the written result roll list on 8 May 2026 and the list with names on 20 May 2026. No final result is listed yet.
• CDS (II) 2026: examination on 13 September 2026. UPSC’s page lists the question papers and the admit card, and no written result yet. The notice says candidates who qualify for IMA, INA or AFA will be called for SSB in February and March 2027, and those who qualify only for OTA in April to June 2027.
• CDS (I) 2027: UPSC’s 2027 calendar lists the notification on 2 December 2026, last date for applications on 22 December 2026 and the examination on 11 April 2027, subject to change.

The CDS (II) 2026 notice lists 451 vacancies in all: IMA 100, INA 26, AFA 32, OTA men 275 and OTA women 18. These are approximate and can change at any stage, as the notice says.

Is there a CDS cut-off by category or for the SSB?

The four files carry no category-wise split and no separate SSB cut-off. UPSC’s files do not print an SSB pass mark. The notice says the Services Selection Board fixes its minimum qualifying marks at its own discretion, and that candidates must qualify separately in the written examination and in the SSB. That is why written marks alone do not tell you whether you will be recommended.

Using the figures in your preparation

Use these tables to understand how much of the paper you need to get right, not to aim for the line. Because UPSC deducts one-third of a question’s marks for a wrong answer, a candidate who attempts everything without accuracy can lose more than they gain. Practise on UPSC’s own question papers, which we index on the CDS previous year papers page. Build a plan around them with our guide on how to prepare for CDS. If you are choosing between academies, our OTA Chennai vs IMA Dehradun page sets out the differences, and the CDS eligibility guide covers age and qualification.

Not sure which academy to target or how much time you have left? Call or WhatsApp +91 70170 31757 for free counselling, and we will go through your own situation against the official numbers.

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What was the CDS cut-off in the latest result?

For CDS (II) 2025 UPSC's file shows IMA 124.11 out of 300 in the written exam and 249.61 out of 600 in the final result. For INA the figures are 109.23 and 238.50, for AFA 132.51 and 263.67, for OTA men 80.01 and 162.84 (out of 200 and 400) and for OTA women 98.06 and 193.01.

Is there a different CDS cut-off for IMA and OTA?

Yes. UPSC lists each academy separately, and OTA is also split into men and women. OTA candidates take two papers, so its totals are out of 200 and 400 against 300 and 600 for IMA, INA and AFA.

Is there a minimum percentage per subject in CDS?

Yes. The CDS (I) 2024 file says at least 18% in each subject, and the CDS (II) 2024, (I) 2025 and (II) 2025 files say at least 20%.

When does UPSC publish the CDS cut-off?

After the final result, often by several months. The CDS (II) 2025 final result was uploaded on 30 March 2026 and the cut-off file on 14 August 2026.

Can I find the CDS cut-off for earlier years on UPSC's site?

UPSC's Cut-off Marks page currently lists CDS files for 2024 and 2025. For earlier examinations UPSC's Marks of Recommended Candidates archive lists each recommended candidate's marks, but that is a list of marks and not a cut-off summary, and we do not derive cut-offs from it.

Can women apply to IMA through the CDS?

In the CDS (II) 2026 notice, women candidates are considered only for the Short Service Commission at OTA. Women reach IMA through other entries.

Aiming for IMA, INA, AFA or OTA? GS India Defence Academy runs classroom CDS coaching in Dehradun, with SSB-focused preparation, separate hostels for boys and girls and a mess. The fee structure page shows the current options.

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