UPSC Releases NDA, CDS Exam (II) 2026 Admit Cards

UPSC has released e-Admit Cards for the NDA and CDS Exam (II) 2026 ahead of examinations scheduled across India on September 13, 2026.

By Career Ahead AI · India — AI-assisted, fact-verified against cited sources. Readers should verify key facts.

Download the card and check the assigned centre

UPSC has released e-Admit Cards for the NDA and CDS Exam (II) 2026. The examinations are scheduled at various centres across India on September 13, 2026. The release covers both examinations, so candidates should use the card for the examination in which they are appearing and follow the venue and entry details printed on it.^¹²³⁴

Candidates admitted to the examination can download their hall tickets from the official UPSC online portal, upsconline.nic.in. Candidates may appear only at the examination centre assigned to them and mentioned on their e-Admit Card. The centre listed on the card is therefore the venue candidates must report to; they cannot choose a different examination centre.^¹²³⁴⁵

Candidates who find a discrepancy in their e-Admit Card have been asked to inform UPSC immediately by email at usnda-upsc@nic.in. The instruction applies when details on the card do not match what the candidate believes is correct. Candidates should use the specified email address to raise that issue rather than relying on a different venue or attempting to resolve it at the examination centre.^¹²³⁴⁵

The centre listed on the card is therefore the venue candidates must report to; they cannot choose a different examination centre.¹²³⁴⁵

Carry a printout and arrive before entry closes

Candidates must carry a printed copy of the e-Admit Card to the examination centre. A digital copy on a phone or another device will not be permitted inside the centre, and a candidate who does not produce the card for checking at the allotted venue will not be allowed to take the examination. Downloading the card is not a substitute for bringing its printed copy on exam day.^¹²³⁴⁵

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Candidates must also bring the photo identity card whose number is specified on the e-Admit Card. The requirement links the identity document to the number recorded on the admit card, so candidates should carry that specified card along with the printout. The entry instructions require both documents at the examination centre: the printed e-Admit Card and the matching-number photo identity card.^¹²³⁴⁵

Entry to the venue closes 30 minutes before the scheduled start of each session. For the forenoon session, candidates must enter by 9:30 AM; the afternoon session entry deadline is 1:30 PM. These are venue-entry cut-offs, not suggested arrival times. Candidates who reach the venue after the relevant cut-off will miss the permitted entry window, even if they have brought the required documents.^¹²³⁵

NDA candidates face two shifts and equipment restrictions

The NDA 2 examination is scheduled in two shifts. Shift 1 is the Morning Session, from 10 am to 12:30 pm, and Shift 2 is the Afternoon Session, from 2 pm to 4:30 pm. Candidates should identify their session and use its corresponding entry deadline: the morning schedule aligns with the forenoon cut-off, while the afternoon schedule aligns with the afternoon cut-off.^¹²³⁴⁵

Candidates should identify their session and use its corresponding entry deadline: the morning schedule aligns with the forenoon cut-off, while the afternoon schedule aligns with the afternoon cut-off.¹²³⁴⁵

The NDA test has two papers: Maths and GAT. The total marks allotted to the test are 900. These details describe the examination structure: candidates sit papers in Maths and GAT, and the combined test carries the stated total. The shift timings set out above distinguish the two sessions; the papers and total marks describe the test itself.^¹²³⁴⁵

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UPSC has prohibited mobile phones and other electronic or communication devices inside the examination premises. The restriction also covers smart watches, digital watches, AI-enabled glasses and other IT gadgets. Normal or simple wrist watches are permitted inside the examination rooms. Candidates should distinguish those permitted watches from digital and smart devices, which remain prohibited, and leave the barred equipment outside the examination premises.^¹²⁴⁵

CMS candidates have a separate post-result deadline

UPSC also announced the written examination results for the Combined Medical Services (CMS) Examination 2026 on Tuesday. The CMS examination was conducted on August 2. Candidates who qualified in that written examination must submit or update their details and educational qualification information within fifteen days of the written result being declared. This is a separate deadline for CMS candidates, distinct from the NDA and CDS examination-day entry rules.^¹²³⁴

Plan Around Fixed Deadlines

If you are sitting for the NDA or CDS exams, treat the admit card rules as a hard checklist. You must print the card and bring the matching photo ID, since a digital copy is not accepted at the venue. Entry closes 30 minutes before each session starts, so arriving by 9:30 AM for the morning shift or 1:30 PM for the afternoon shift is a requirement, not a suggestion. Also, you can only appear at the centre printed on your card, so verify that location early and plan travel accordingly.^¹²³⁵

For those who cleared the CMS written exam, the window to update your details is tight: fifteen days from the result declaration. That means you should gather your educational qualification documents now, not later. The NDA test itself carries 900 marks across Maths and GAT, so your preparation should reflect that weight. Also, leave your phone, smartwatch, and AI-enabled glasses at home, since only a simple wristwatch is allowed inside the exam room.^¹⁴⁵

That means you should gather your educational qualification documents now, not later.