What is the official website of UPSC CDS syllabus?

The CDS syllabus is available on Official website of UPSC which is upsc.gov.in and upsconline.nic.in and also available in the above article.

How many papers are there in the UPSC CDS exam?

There are 3 Papers for IMA/INA/AFA i.e. General Knowledge, English and Mathematics. There is no Mathematics paper for OTA category.

In which language UPSC CDS exam will be taken?

UPSC CDS will be taken in both Hindi as well as English. Candidates can choose any of the language for giving CDS exam.

Is there negative marking in the CDS exam?

Yes, there is negative marking in the CDS exam. For each incorrect answer, 1/3rd of the marks allotted to that question will be deducted.

How can I prepare for the CDS exam?

To prepare for the CDS exam, it is important to understand the exam pattern and syllabus. It is also recommended to practice time management and develop test-taking strategies

What is the CDS Syllabus 2024 for English?

The CDS Syllabus 2024 for english consists of topics like : Comprehension passages, Synonyms and antonyms, Fill in the blanks, Error spotting, Sentence improvement etc. Read the above article for all the topics.

What is the CDS Syllabus 2024 for GA?

The CDS Syllabus 2024 for GA consists of topics like Current Affairs, History, Geography etc.

CDS exam is online or offline?

The CDS exam is held in pen-and-paper (offline) mode. It lasts for 6 hours for those applying to the Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Air Force Academy. For the Officers Training Academy (OTA), candidates only need to take two papers: English and General Knowledge.

is there time limit for each subject in cds exam?

The UPSC CDS exam pattern for the Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Air Force Academy consists of three sections: English, General Knowledge (GK), and Elementary Mathematics. Each section is worth 100 marks and has a duration of 2 hours.

Does CDS Syllabus change every year?

The UPSC CDS syllabus and exam questions remain consistent over the years. The CDS syllabus does not usually change annually, but the General Awareness section may vary to test candidates knowledge of current events and affairs. Therefore, questions in this section are adjusted based on current happenings.

CDS Syllabus 2024, Subject Wise Exam Pattern For IMA, INA and AFA

Candidates preparing for the upcoming CDS 1 2024 Exam should carefully review the detailed syllabus covering English, General Knowledge, and Mathematics. You can access the complete CDS Exam Syllabus PDF from this article.

The Combined Defence Services Examination is highly competitive, requiring candidates to dedicate themselves to thorough preparation to succeed in each stage of the CDS Selection Process. It’s important to note that the CDS Exam includes two phases: the written examination and the SSB Interview. To qualify, candidates must pass both stages, making it crucial to fully understand the CDS Syllabus to perform effectively in the CDS Exam 2024.

CDS Syllabus 2024

To perform well in the CDS 1 2024 examination and pursue a career in the Indian Armed Forces, candidates must fully understand the CDS Syllabus. This article provides detailed information about the CDS Exam Syllabus, which is essential for candidates preparing for the CDS 2024 Exam. It serves as a roadmap for aspirants aiming to join the armed forces.

CDS Syllabus Key Points

Candidates aiming to join the Defence Forces through CDS are likely to search information about the exam pattern, marking schemes, number of questions, and other relevant details. While the syllabus 2024 has not changed significantly, there are some minor adjustments to be aware of. Below is an overview of the CDS Syllabus 2024.

CDS Exam 2024
Name of the Exam	Combined Defence Forces (CDS)
Mode of Examination	Offline
Type of Questions	Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Medium	Hindi or English
Number of Sections	For Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), and Air Force Academy (AFA) – Three For Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) – Two
Number of Questions	IMA/INA/AFA – 300 OTA – 200
Time Duration	2 hours for each paper
Negative Marking	Yes (1/3rd deducted for every wrong answer)

CDS Exam Pattern 2024

The CDS exam is conducted by UPSC for IMA, INA, AFA, and OTA. It’s a pen and paper test with papers available in Hindi and English. The exam has objective-type questions only. For IMA, INA, and AFA, there are three sections: English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics, totaling six hours and 300 marks. OTA’s exam has two sections: English and General Awareness, lasting four hours and worth 200 marks. Wrong answers are penalized with a deduction of 1/3 marks. Candidates who clear the written exam are called for the SSB interview.

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CDS IMA, INA and AFA Exam Pattern

The CDS Exam pattern for the IMA, INA and AFA consists of three subjects and the duration for each subject is 2 hours and the marks allocated to each section is 100. The detailed exam pattern is given below.

Subject	Duration	Maximum Marks
English	2 Hours	100
General Knowledge	2 Hours	100
Mathematics	2 Hours	100
SSB Test/Interview	5 Days	300

CDS Exam Pattern for OTA

The CDS Exam pattern for the OTA is given below.

Subject	Duration	Maximum Marks
English	2 Hours	100
General Knowledge	2 Hours	100
SSB Test/Interview	5 days	300

Revised Syllabus for CDS

To perform well in the CDS exam, candidates need to understand the CDS syllabus 2024. The syllabus covers three main subjects: General Knowledge, English, and Elementary Mathematics. The General Knowledge section focuses on current events, history, politics, geography, science, and defense-related topics. The English section tests grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing skills. The Elementary Mathematics section assesses arithmetic, algebra, trigonometry, mensuration, and statistics.

English Syllabus For CDS Exam 2024

The CDS Syllabus 2024 for English consists subsequent subjects. The complexity of the questions will be like that of secondary school education. Applicants are recommended to engage in consistent reading of newspapers, books, and magazines to enhance both their reading and writing proficiencies.

Section	Topics	Description
Vocabulary	Basic Grammar Idioms & Phrases Synonyms & Antonyms Sentence Completion, etc.	This section tests the candidate’s knowledge of English vocabulary.
Reading Passage	Reading Comprehension Solving Para Jumbles Understanding the main idea and supporting details Answering questions based on the passage, etc.	This section tests the candidate’s ability to understand and interpret written English.
Grammar	Error Spotting Sentence Improvement Cloze test Active and passive voice Direct and indirect speech Transformation of sentences, etc.	This section tests the candidate’s knowledge of English grammar.

To prepare for the English section, we have provided you with the best Test series prepared by professionals. You should solve the practice sets that are available. It will also help you to know where you stand in your preparation. Read the Newspaper daily and note difficult words and find their meaning to improve your vocabulary. Go through the grammar part and learn all the basic rules. It will help you in detecting errors in sentencing and even in sentence completion.

Maths Syllabus For CDS 2024

The CDS syllabus 2024 for Mathematics subject for the exam, conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in India for recruitment in the Indian Army, Navy, and Airforce, includes the following topics:

Topic	Description
Number System	Natural numbers, integers, rational and real numbers. Fundamental operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division), square roots, decimal fractions, unitary method, time and distance, time and work, percentages, applications to simple and compound interest, profit and loss, ratio and proportion, variation
Elementary Number Theory	Division algorithm, prime and composite numbers, tests of divisibility by 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, and 11, multiples and factors, factorization theorem, H.C.F. and L.C.M., Euclidean algorithm, logarithms to base 10, laws of logarithms, use of logarithmic tables
Algebra	Basic operations, simple factors, remainder theorem, HCF & LCM, theory of polynomials, solutions of quadratic equations, relations between roots and coefficients, simultaneous linear equations (analytical and graphical solutions), simultaneous linear inequations in two variables and their solutions, practical problems involving equations and inequalities
Trigonometry	Sine, cosine, tangent, simple trigonometric identities, use of trigonometric tables, simple cases of heights and distances
Geometry	Lines and angles, plane and plane figures, theorems on properties of angles at a point, parallel lines, sides and angles of a triangle, congruency of triangles, similar triangles, concurrence of medians and altitudes, properties of angles, sides, and diagonals of parallelograms, rectangles, and squares, circles and their properties including tangents, normals, and loci
Mensuration	Areas of squares, rectangles, parallelograms, triangles, and circles, surface area and volume of cuboids, lateral surface area and volume of right circular cones and cylinders, surface area and volume of spheres

Maths Question Weightage

This table provides an overview of the topics covered in the CDS syllabus 2024 for Maths and their approximate weightage in terms of the number of questions asked in the exam.

Topic	Weightage in CDS Maths Section (Approximate Number of Questions)
Number System	20-22 questions
Mensuration	14-16 questions
Geometry	10-12 questions
Trigonometry	10-12 questions
Algebra	10-11 questions

CDS General Knowledge Syllabus 2024

General Knowledge including knowledge of current events and of such matters of everyday observation and experience in their scientific aspects as may be expected of an educated person who has not made a special study of any scientific subject. The paper will also include questions on the History of India and the Geography of a nature which candidates should be able to answer without special study.

General Knowledge Syllabus For CDS
Current Affairs	Events of national and international importance Sports, awards and honours Books and authors Major developments in the fields of politics, economics, and social issues.
History	Ancient Medieval and modern Indian history Indian national movement Growth of nationalism.
Geography	Physical, Social and economic aspects of geography Indian geography and world geography.
Indian Polity and Governance	Constitution of India Political system Panchayati Raj Public Policy Rights Issues, etc.
Economic and Social Development	Sustainable Development Poverty Inclusion Demographics Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
Science and Technology	Developments in the field of science and technology Space technology Biotechnology Computer technology.
Environmental Ecology and Biodiversity	Conservation Environmental pollution and degradation Environmental impact assessment Climate change.
Defence and Security Issues	Current events related to national security Internal and external threats Role of Armed Forces.

Apart from self preparation, you can also take online course from Adda247 for the same. This helps in clearing doubts. Professional guidance will boost your Josh for the exam preparation. Be true to yourself and give your best efforts for the exam as the competition is tough.

CDS Syllabus 2024 For OTA

The CDS Syllabus 2024 OTA is the same as the syllabus for the other two academies, namely Indian Military Academy (IMA) and Indian Naval Academy (INA) except for one Mathematics paper. CDS Official Training Academy(OTA) syllabus has only two papers English and General knowledge. Check CDS OTA Subject-wise Syllabus below.

OTA English Syllabus For CDS Exam

To crack the English section you just need to learn some basic grammar rules and practice as many previous year questions as possible of various types. The topics which includes in the CDS OTA English Syllabus are tabulated below:

OTA English Syllabus For CDS

Sentence arrangement

Spotting Error

Selecting words

Synonyms and Antonyms

Comprehension

Ordering of Sentence

Ordering of words

Idioms and Phrases

Fill in the blanks

CDS Syllabus 2024 OTA General Ability Test

General Awareness consists of a lot more than we can study so the best can we do is to have the right approach. Team of DefenceAdda helps you to target that quality-based content.

CDS Syllabus 2024 OTA General Ability Test

Current Affairs

Physics

Chemistry

Biology

Geography

History

Politics

Sociology

Economics

Defence Related Awards

Sports and Culture

Environmental Science

CDS SSB Syllabus 2024

The SSB selection process involves two stages: I and II. Those who clear stage I proceed to stage II. Three assessors – Interviewing Officer (IO), Group Testing Officer (GTO), and Psychologist – evaluate candidates’ personalities. There is no individual test weightage; marks depend on overall performance, including the Conference. The IO, GTO, and Psych tests aim to identify Officer Like Qualities and trainability. Recommendations are made based on candidates’ SSB performance.

Stage	Test
Stage 1	Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR)
Stage 1	Picture Prescription and Descriptive Test
Stage 2	Interview
	Group Testing Officer (GTO) Tasks
	Psychology Test
	Conference
Stage 3	Group Discussion

CDS Intelligence and Personality Test

The SSB process has two stages: stage I and stage II. Only candidates who clear stage I can move on to stage II. Here are the details:

Stage	Description
Stage I	Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests: Evaluates intelligence through various tests.
	Picture Perception & Description Test (PP&DT): Assesses candidate’s perception and expression.
	Candidates shortlisted based on combined performance in these tests.
Stage II	Interview: Assesses candidate’s personality and suitability for the role.
	Group Testing Officer Tasks: Involves group activities to evaluate teamwork and leadership skills.
	Psychology Tests: Assesses mental attributes and psychological suitability.
	Conference: Final assessment based on candidate’s performance in all previous tests.

The tests conducted by IO, GTO, and Psych aim to determine if the candidate possesses Officer Like Qualities and if they are trainable. Based on these assessments, candidates are either Recommended or Not Recommended at the SSB.

CDS Syllabus 2024 In Hindi

सीडीएस (Combined Defence Services) परीक्षा का सिलेबस तीन खंडों में बाँटा गया है –

सामान्य जागरूकता और विज्ञान (General Knowledge and Science): इस खंड में आर्थिक, सामाजिक और सामान्य ज्ञान के प्रश्न शामिल होते हैं, साथ ही विज्ञान के बुनियादी विषयों पर प्रश्नों का अध्ययन किया जाता है।
अंग्रेजी भाषा (English Language): इस खंड में व्याकरण, वाक्य रचना, वाक्य सुधार, अनुवाद, विविध विषयों पर प्रश्न शामिल होते हैं।
गणित (Mathematics): इस खंड में सांख्यिकी, बीजगणित, त्रिकोणमिति, बहुपद, रेखीय समीकरण, और विभिन्न गणितीय विषयों पर प्रश्नों का अध्ययन किया जाता है।

CDS Exam Important Instructions

The candidates preparing for the CDS exam must keep in mind the Important instructions that will help them in their preparation and also having an knowledge about the CDS exam 2024. Given below are some important instructions:

Use a black ballpoint pen to fill in your center, subject, CDS 2024 test booklet series, subject code, and exam roll number in the provided spaces on the answer sheet.
Encode your CDS 2024 booklet series (A, B, C, or D), subject code, and roll number in the circles on the answer sheet.
If the booklet series is missing or the answer sheet is unnumbered, inform the invigilator for a replacement.
Any mistakes in encoding details may lead to rejection, especially for Roll Number and Test Booklet Series Code.
Check your test booklet for completeness and report any issues to the invigilator.
Only provide the requested information on the CDS answer sheet; no names or additional details.
Keep the answer sheet intact; avoid folding, damaging, or marking on the reverse side.

How To Prepare for CDS Syllabus?

Candidates must prepare effectively for the exam to excel and become an officer in the Indian Army. Here are essential tips shared by experts to guide candidates:

Understand the latest CDS syllabus and exam pattern.
Develop a strategy focusing on important topics and find out your weaknesses.
Practice CDS Previous Year Papers regularly to assess and improve preparation.
Revise concepts consistently to stronger the learning.
Strengthen fundamental knowledge to improve speed and accuracy in solving question papers within time limits.

Can I Complete CDS Syllabus in 1 Month?

Preparing for the CDS exam in just one month is feasible but requires a structured approach. Here are steps to help you:

Learn about the exam format and what topics it covers.
Focus on key subjects like English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics.
Make a study plan that allocates enough time to each subject based on your strengths and weaknesses.
Solve old exam papers to understand the exam’s format and identify important topics.
Practice mock exams to improve your time management and test-taking skills.
Stay committed and motivated during your preparation.

CDS Preparation Tips 2024

Candidates should follow these steps for effective preparation for the CDS exam:

Study the CDS syllabus mentioned in the official UPSC notification.
Learn about the CDS Exam Pattern to understand its structure.
Use books suggested by teachers, toppers, and experts for preparation.
Break down the CDS syllabus into manageable topics and cover them one by one.
Read the newspaper regularly to stay informed about current affairs and enhance English skills.
Consult NCERT textbooks to clarify any concepts.
Practice extensively with sample test papers and previous year’s question papers.