UPSC releases CDS 2 2025 admit card: Know exam schedule, instructions, prep topics, marking scheme, and more

UPSC releases CDS 2 2025 admit card: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the admit card for the Combined Defence Services (CDS) II 2025 examination on its official website — upsc.gov.in.

The admit card was issued on September 4, 2025, and is now available for all registered candidates to download.The CDS 2 2025 examination will be held on September 14, 2025. Candidates who have successfully applied can access their e-admit card using their registration number, roll number, or other personal credentials. The UPSC will not send hard copies of the admit card by post. Without the admit card, candidates will not be allowed to enter the examination hall.Details mentioned on the UPSC CDS 2 2025 admit cardThe e-admit card for CDS 2 2025 contains important information, including:• Roll number• Application number• Candidate’s full name• Father’s name• Scanned photograph and signature• Test centre address• Category• Date and time of examination• Reporting time• Exam day guidelinesCandidates are advised to read the instructions mentioned on the admit card carefully and keep a printed copy safely for future reference.

How to download the UPSC CDS 2 2025 admit cardCandidates can follow the steps below to download the CDS 2 2025 admit card from the official UPSC website:Step 1: Visit the official UPSC website: upsc.gov.inStep 2: On the homepage, click on the link that reads ‘e-Admit Card Combined Defence Services II 2025’Step 3: A login page will open in a new tab. Read all instructions carefully and click on the ‘Yes’ button to proceedStep 4: Enter either the Registration Number and Date of Birth, or Roll Number and Date of Birth, or Name, Father’s Name, and Date of BirthStep 5: Click ‘Submit’ and download the CDS admit card. Take a printout for exam dayExam schedule for UPSC CDS 2 2025The UPSC CDS 2 2025 examination will be conducted in offline mode. The duration of each paper is 2 hours. Below is the schedule for the examination:

The exam pattern varies based on the course applied for:• For IMA, INA, and AFA: There are three papers – English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics.

Each paper carries 100 marks.• For OTA (Officers' Training Academy): There are two papers – English and General Knowledge. Each carries 100 marks.All papers are of 2 hours’ duration. The questions will be objective in nature and available in both English and Hindi (except for the English paper).Marking scheme:• Each correct answer: +1 mark• Each incorrect answer: -0.33 marks (one-third negative marking)• Unanswered questions: No negative markingTopic-wise syllabus and important topics for preparationThe CDS syllabus includes three core subjects — English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics.English• Antonyms• Synonyms• Sentence improvement• Spotting errors• Comprehension passagesGeneral Knowledge• Current Affairs• Defence-related topics• Indian and World Geography• History, Polity, and Economics• Physics, Chemistry, and Biology• Elementary Mathematics:• Arithmetic• Algebra• Trigonometry• Geometry• Mensuration• StatisticsImportant topics under Geometry include• Lines and angles• Plane figures• Angles at a point• Triangle properties• Congruence and similarity of triangles• Parallelograms, rectangles, and squares• Circles, tangents, normals, and lociMensuration topics include• Areas of squares, rectangles, triangles, and circles• Surface area and volume of cuboids, spheres, cones, and cylindersExam day instructions for candidatesThe UPSC has issued the following guidelines for candidates appearing for CDS 2 2025:• Admit card is mandatory for entry into the examination hall• Candidates must report before the gate closing time (10 minutes before the exam begins)• No electronic devices such as calculators, mobile phones, or pagers are allowed• Candidates are not allowed to leave the centre before the completion of the exam• Candidates must maintain social distancing and wear masks• The admit card must be preserved until the recruitment process concludesUPSC CDS 2 2025 allowances for selected candidatesCandidates selected through the CDS 2 2025 exam will be eligible for various allowances, including:• Flying Allowance• Dearness Allowance (DA)• House Rent Allowance (HRA)• Kit Maintenance Allowance• Field Area Allowance• High Altitude Allowance• Siachen Allowance• Uniform Allowance• Free Rations• Transport Allowance• Children's Education AllowanceDirect link to download UPSC CDS 2 2025 hall ticketAbout the UPSC CDS examThe Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination is conducted by the UPSC twice every year for recruitment of Commissioned Officers into the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. The CDS II 2025 is the second session of the year for eligible graduates seeking a career in the defence services.Candidates are advised to regularly check the official website upsc.gov.in for updates, notices, and further instructions related to the CDS 2 2025 examination.