CDS · Cutoff
CDS cutoff: expected score and rank bands
No official CDS cutoff is published on Shishya yet — the score bands below are indicative, not official. Official cutoffs are published at upsc.gov.in.
AI-curated from historic cutoff patterns. Indicative, not official. Always verify with the latest official notification.
Category-wise expected cutoff (indicative)
| Category | Expected cutoff (indicative) |
|---|---|
| **General** | 115-125 marks (38-42%) |
| **EWS** | 110-120 marks (37-40%) |
| **OBC** | 105-115 marks (35-38%) |
| **SC** | 95-105 marks (32-35%) |
| **ST** | 90-100 marks (30-33%) |
| **PwD** | 85-95 marks (28-32%) |
- Category differential: General cutoffs typically run 8-12% higher than OBC and 15-20% higher than SC/ST categories, reflecting reservation policy in defence recruitment.
- Shifting factors: CDS cutoffs fluctuate with vacancy announcements (IMA/OTA/AFA/NA variations), paper difficulty (English often proves decisive), and SSB interview capacity—higher vacancies may lower written cutoffs by 2-5%.
- Critical context: These are *written exam qualifying cutoffs* only; final merit depends heavily on SSB interview performance (900 marks total including written + SSB), so candidates in the 35-50% range regularly secure commissions with strong SSB scores.
What does your score in Combined Defence Services Examination actually get you? These bands map a mock or exam percentage to the rank window and the outcomes that score range has typically achieved.
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Elite scorers — Merit list toppers
88–100%
- Indian Military Academy (IMA) — top merit positions, first choice of arms/services
- Air Force Academy (AFA) — strong position for Flying branch
- Indian Naval Academy (INA) — Executive and Technical branch preference
- Officers Training Academy (OTA) — merit list topper range
- SSB performance becomes primary selection criteria
- Historically, top 5-10% scorers dominate final merit lists post-SSB
Top tier — All academies accessible
78–88%
- Indian Military Academy (IMA) — strong contender, all branches open
- Indian Naval Academy (INA) — excellent position for preferred branches
- Air Force Academy (AFA) — competitive for flying and technical branches
- Officers Training Academy (OTA) — top percentile position
- Multiple academy options post-SSB clearance
- Merit list positioning allows choice flexibility
Strong IMA/INA contention
68–78%
- Indian Military Academy (IMA) — competitive position for General category
- Indian Naval Academy (INA) — good prospects across categories
- Air Force Academy (AFA) — reasonable chance, subject to vacancies
- Officers Training Academy (OTA) — very strong position
- Choice of preferred academy improves significantly
- SSB interview becomes the deciding factor
OTA and moderate IMA range
55–68%
- Officers Training Academy (OTA) — Short Service Commission, competitive position
- Indian Military Academy (IMA) — possible for reserved categories, marginal for General
- Indian Naval Academy (INA) — depends on vacancy, competitive for OBC/SC/ST
- Air Force Academy (AFA) — borderline, variable by intake
- SSB interview call likely across multiple academies
Marginal qualifying range
40–55%
- May qualify for SSB interview in OTA (Officers Training Academy)
- Limited options, primarily OTA for non-technical entries
- Competitive for Women's entry schemes
- Borderline for IMA/INA/AFA — depends on vacancy and category
- Recommended to improve score for better academy choice
Below qualifying threshold
0–40%
- Unlikely to clear minimum cut-off marks
- Focus on strengthening fundamentals in English, GK and Mathematics
- Consider additional preparation time before next attempt
- Review previous year question patterns
Where would your score land?
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