The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has conducted the UPSC Combined Defence Service (CDS) 1 Examination on 12th April 2026 in offline mode for candidates to get admission in the Indian Air Force, Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Officers’ Training Academy. Candidates who appeared for the 3-subject exam can now download the set-wise answer keys from the official website https://www.upsc.gov.in.
CDS Answer Key 2026 Out
UPSC has uploaded the CDS 1 answer key in PDF format for English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics subjects. From this answer key, candidates can check the correct answers for all the questions asked in the OMR- based exam. After cross-checking with the officially provided answers, candidates can calculate their tentative marks in the CDS exam by using the marking scheme prescribed by the UPSC.
| UPSC CDS 1 Answer Key 2026- Highlights | |
| Organisation Name | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Exam Name | Combined Defence Service (CDS) 1 Examination 2026 |
| Vacancy | 451 |
| Exam Date | 12th April 2026 |
| Answer Key Date | 16th April 2026 |
| Objection Date | 18th to 22nd April 2026 |
| Marking Scheme | Correct: 1 mark Incorrect: 0.33 mark |
| Official website | www.upsc.gov.in |
UPSC CDS 1 Answer Key 2026 Download Link
The link to download the official answer key has been activated by the Union Public Service Commission on the official portal www.upsc.gov.in. The answer key will help candidates to review their marked responses in the exam. Candidates who attended the exam can now use this link to download the answer key by clicking on the link below.
| Subjects | Answer Key |
| CDS 1 Answer Key 2026 for English | Download PDF |
| CDS 1 Answer Key 2026 for General Knowledge | Download PDF |
| CDS 1 Answer Key 2026 for Elementary Mathematics | Download PDF |
Steps to Download CDS 1 Answer Key 2026
After downloading the CDS 1 answer key from the official website, candidates can compare their attempted answers and get an idea about their probable score before the official result is declared. To download the answer key, candidates must follow the steps discussed below:
- Open the official website of UPSC www.upsc.gov.in.
- On the homepage, go to the “Examination” section, which is located at the top.
- From the drop-down menu of the Examination section, select the “Answer Key” option.
- Then, search for a link titled “CDS 1 Answer Key” and select it.
- Now select the subject-wise answer keys and download them in PDF format.
- Now, compare these answers with your responses and calculate your marks.
UPSC CDS 1 Answer Key 2026 Raise Objection
Candidates who appeared for the Combined Defence Service Examination 1 can raise objections against the provisional answer key and the question paper through the official representation portal. The Commission will open an objection window for a period of 5 days from 18th April 2026 at 6 pm to 22nd April 2026. To submit the objection, candidates need to use the Representations on the Question Paper and Provisional Answer Key section available on the official website.
How to Raise Objections Against CDS 1 Answer Key 2026?
Candidates can raise challenges for any incorrect answer and disputed questions only through the online mode. UPSC will not accept representations sent via email, post, or any offline mode. The Commission will not charge any objection fee. To raise objections, candidates can follow the steps given below:
- Visit the official UPSC online portal, www.upsc.gov.in.
- On the homepage, select the Examination section.
- From the drop-down menu, select the Representations on the Question Paper.
- Now login using your registered credentials and select CDS 1 Examination 2026 from the exam list.
- Then fill the detaisl of exam date, subject, paper series and question number.
- Now enter the reason for your objection clearly in the representation box, up to 1500 characters.
- To support your claim, you can upload a PDF document of a maximum size of 2 MB.
- Now, click on Save Draft, and after reviewing, submit the objection.


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