Summary
The exam is complete and the students are out of the examination hall, and the question in the mind of every aspirant is a simple one, what is the cut off? How many marks are enough to get to the next round? This article give an idea about CDS 2 Expected Cut off 2026 based on official cut-off trends from previous years cycles, explains how UPSC actually calculates the cut-off, and gives you a realistic CDS 2 Safe Score 2026 for each academy.
One important thing you should keep in mind before reading further is that every expected figure here is an estimate built from past data. The official cut-off comes from UPSC officially, and it arrives in the later stages after the cds examination is over.
1. How the CDS Cut Off Actually calculated
There are actually two separate hurdles in the written exam, and the first one is generally overlooked by the candidate.
Minimum marks in each subject: UPSC usually keeps the minimum at 20% in each paper. If you fall below this mark in even one paper, you can be disqualified, even if your overall score is otherwise good.
Overall written cut-off: This is the total score of the last candidate who qualifies after meeting the subject-wise minimum. The written exam is scored out of 300 for IMA, INA and AFA, and out of 200 for OTA.
Clearing the written stage means you move on to the SSB interview. The final cut-off is announced much later and is calculated out of 600 for IMA, INA and AFA, taking both your written exam and SSB performance into account.
2. Official Cut Off Trends from Previous Years
| Academy | CDS 2 2024 (Written) | CDS 1 2025 (Written) |
| IMA | 117 out of 300 | 120 out of 300 |
| INA | 90 out of 300 | 104 out of 300 |
| AFA | 126 out of 300 | Highest of the academies |
| OTA (Men) | Around 85 to 90 out of 200 | Around 85 to 90 out of 200 |
Two patterns are consistently observed. The AFA has the highest cut-off, then comes IMA, followed by INA, with OTA Men having the lowest. Also, the written cut-off is much lower than the majority of the candidates anticipate, generally being about 40 per cent of the total.
3. CDS 2 Expected Cut Off 2026
Going by the trend above and the 451 vacancies announced this year, these are the cut-off ranges you can use for now. The final numbers, of course, will only be clear once UPSC releases the official figures.
| Academy | Expected Written Cut Off |
| IMA | 110 to 125 out of 300 |
| INA | 90 to 105 out of 300 |
| AFA | 120 to 135 out of 300 |
| OTA (Men) | 80 to 95 out of 200 |
| OTA (Women) | 80 to 95 out of 200 |
It’s also worth remembering that cut-offs don’t stay the same every year. They depend on factors like how difficult the paper was, how many candidates appeared and the number of vacancies. A tougher paper usually means a lower cut-off, while an easier paper can push it higher.
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4. CDS 2 Expected Cut Off 2026: What Counts as a Safe Score
If your score is only around the expected cut-off, don’t consider yourself completely safe. These cut-off estimates can vary, so it’s always better to keep a decent buffer above the expected range rather than aim for the bare minimum.
| Academy | Safe Score Target |
| IMA | 140 and above out of 300 |
| INA | 125 and above out of 300 |
| AFA | 150 and above out of 300 |
| OTA | 105 and above out of 200 |
As a general rule, being around 15–25 marks above the expected cut-off gives you a comfortable cushion. If your score falls below the expected range, though, don’t lose hope just yet. In years when the paper has been particularly difficult, cut-offs can fall quite a bit.
5. When the Official Cut-off Arrives
UPSC does not announce the cut-off along with the written result. The result is released first, and the official cut-off marks are published only after the complete selection process has ended. This means you may have to wait a few months before the final cut-off is available.
In the meantime, you can get a rough idea of your score by checking answer keys released by reputed coaching institutes. When calculating your marks, remember to deduct one-third of a mark for every wrong answer. Questions that you leave unanswered do not carry any penalty.
6. What to Do the night after your CDS 2 exam?
- Calculate your rough score honestly. Don’t round it up just to make the number look better.
- If your score is comfortably above the expected range, start preparing for SSB now instead of waiting for the result.
- If you’re somewhere around the CDS 2 expected cut off, prepare for SSB anyway. The result may take time, and the preparation will still be useful.
- If your score is clearly below the expected range, take a look at where you lost marks and start planning for CDS 1 2027.
For the night just after the exam, it’s probably best to stay away from comment sections and score-comparison threads. They’re often full of guesswork and conflicting numbers, and checking them won’t change your result.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the CDS 2 Expected Cut off 2026 for IMA?
- Based on previous years’ trends, the written cut-off for IMA is expected to be somewhere around 110–125 marks out of 300.
- However, the final cut-off will be known only after UPSC releases the official figures following the completion of the selection process.
What is a safe score in CDS 2 2026?
- For IMA, a score of around 140 out of 300 can be considered a comfortable target.
- For AFA, aim for around 150, while 125 for INA and 105 out of 200 for OTA would give you some breathing room above the expected cut-off ranges.
Do I need to clear the minimum marks in each paper separately?
- Yes. UPSC requires candidates to score at least 20% in each paper.
- So, even if your overall score is good, falling short of the minimum in any one paper can make you ineligible for the next round.
Is the cut-off different for each academy?
- Yes. The cut-off varies across academies.
- AFA generally has the highest cut-off, followed by IMA and INA, while OTA usually has the lowest cutoff.
- UPSC publishes separate cut-offs for each academy.
When will UPSC release the official CDS 2 2026 cut-off?
- The written result is always released first.
- The official cut-off marks are published in the stage later, after the complete selection process has been concluded.
- So, candidates should always wait for some time before the final figures are available.
Is there negative marking in CDS 2 2026?
- Yes, one-third of the marks assigned for each question shall be deducted as penalty for every wrong answer, which means that the benefit of accuracy outweighs any advantage of attempting all questions.
