243 make it: UPSC CDS I final result 2026 out, Lohitaksh Mahajan tops all three academy lists

The Union Public Service Commission has declared the CDS I final result 2026, and 243 entries made it to the merit lists for the Indian Military Academy, the Indian Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy. Lohitaksh Mahajan topped all three lists, taking the first rank for IMA, INA and AFA alike. Candidates who cleared the written test and the Services Selection Board interview can now check the UPSC CDS I final result 2026 merit list on the official UPSC portal.

The result was declared on 2 November 2026. It covers only the IMA, INA and AFA courses for now. The final result for the Officers’ Training Academy course under the same examination will come separately, so candidates waiting for OTA should keep watching the UPSC website.

155 for IMA, 63 for INA, 25 for AFA

The merit lists break down as 155 entries for the 162nd (DE) Course at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, 63 for the Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala in Kerala, and 25 for the Air Force Academy in Hyderabad for the Pre-Flying Training Course, known as the No. 221 F(P) Course. Together, these add up to 243.

One point needs care while reading the lists. A candidate can appear on more than one academy list, so 243 is the total of entries across the three lists, not a count of 243 different people. Check every list you are eligible for, and do not stop at the first one.

The written examination for CDS I 2026 was held on 12 April 2026 in three papers: English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics. From that stage, 2,601 candidates had qualified for IMA, 770 for INA and 610 for AFA. Those who cleared the written test then faced the SSB interview conducted by the Services Selection Board of the Ministry of Defence. The final lists reflect performance in both stages together.

“The results of the medical examination have not been taken into account in preparing these lists.”

That line from the UPSC notice matters for every selected candidate. A place on the merit list does not mean the medical stage is over or cleared. It only means the written test and interview stages are done.

What provisional selection means for you

UPSC has made it clear that the candidature of all recommended candidates is provisional for now. Verification of date of birth and educational qualifications is still going on at the Army Headquarters. Until that check is complete, no selection should be treated as fully confirmed.

Selected candidates should keep their original documents ready and in order. Marksheets, certificates and identity proof will be checked against the details given in the application. Any mismatch in name, date of birth or qualification can hold up the process, so it is worth sorting out such issues early rather than waiting for a call from the authorities.

Marks will not come out with this result. UPSC will publish candidates’ marks on its website only after the OTA final result is declared. That is the usual pattern for CDS, and there is no separate marks link to chase in the meantime.

How to check your roll number in the merit list

The result is a PDF merit list, not a login-based scorecard. Follow these steps:

• Go to the official UPSC website at upsc.gov.in.
• Look for the link titled “Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2026 - Final Result” in the What’s New section.
• Open the PDF. The direct result file is hosted at the official UPSC CDS I final result PDF.
• Use Ctrl+F or the search option in your PDF reader and type your roll number.
• Download and save a copy of the PDF for your own record, even if you find your roll number at once.

If your roll number is not there, do not panic and do not trust screenshots shared on social media. The PDF on upsc.gov.in is the only list that counts. Double-check the roll number digit by digit, and check all three academy lists before giving up.

Students tracking other big result announcements this week should also note that the CAT 2026 admit card is out for the 29 November exam, while this CDS result is a different stage of a different exam. The earlier UPSC CDS 2 written result was also a separate announcement, for the second CDS exam of the year, so do not mix up the two merit lists.

What happens next

For the 243 entries on these lists, the next steps are document verification and the joining process for the respective academies, as per instructions from the Army Headquarters and the academies. UPSC has asked candidates to keep checking its website for further announcements, and that advice is worth following closely in the coming days.

OTA candidates, meanwhile, are still waiting. Their final result has not been announced yet, and the marks for all CDS I candidates will follow only after that list comes out. Until then, the smart move is simple: download the official PDF, confirm your roll number from the source, keep your documents ready, and ignore any unofficial list doing the rounds online.