CDS Syllabus 2021: Get CDS Syllabus 2021, Read CDS Syllabus 2021 here in detail. The “Combined Defence Services” (CDS) Examination is conducted twice a year by the Union Public Service Commission for recruitment into the Indian Military Academy, Officers Training Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Indian Air Force Academy.
The Notification for the examination is usually released with the CDS Syllabus in October/November and June/July, and the examinations are conducted in February and November respectively. Only unmarried graduates are eligible to sit for the exam. Successful candidates are admitted into the respective Academies after an interview conducted by the Services Selection Board (SSB).
To clear the CDS examination, first, you need is the complete information of the pattern, syllabus, and previous year exam analysis of CDS along with CDS Syllabus 2021 so that it would become easy for you to analyze the examination and to prepare a strategy further.
CDS Syllabus 2021: Overview
Mode of exam |
Offline |
Number of sections |
Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), and Air Force Academy (AFA) – Three
Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) – Two |
Total marks of the test |
IMA, INA, and AFA – 300
OTA –Â 200 |
Nature of questions |
Objective type |
Language of question paper |
Hindi and English |
Duration of the test |
2 hours for each section of the test |
CDS Syllabus 2021: Exam Pattern for IMA, INA, AFA
Subject |
Duration |
Maximum marks |
English |
2 hours |
100 |
General Knowledge |
2 hours |
100 |
Elementary Mathematics |
2 hours |
100 |

CDS Syllabus 2021: Exam Pattern for OTA
Subject |
Duration |
Maximum marks |
English |
2 hours |
100 |
General Knowledge |
2 hours |
100 |
The Elementary Mathematics exam is not applicable for the candidates appearing for OTA.
CDS Syllabus 2021: Marking Scheme
Negative marking is applicable for every wrong marked answer. In CDS paper, each question carries 4 options and out of which only 1 option is correct. For each incorrect answer, 1/3 of the marks will be deducted. More than one option marked is treated as incorrect. However, if a question is left unanswered there will be no negative marking.
CDS Syllabus 2021: Subject-Wise Syllabus
Candidates can check the UPSC CDS Syllabus in the table given below.
Sections |
Topics |
English |
- Spotting Errors Questions
- Sentence Arrangement Questions
- Synonyms & Antonyms
- Selecting Words
- Ordering of Sentence
- Comprehension Questions
- Ordering of words in a sentence
- Fill in the blanks questions
- Idioms and Phrases
|
General Awareness |
- Economics
- Physics
- Current Awareness
- Politics
- Chemistry
- Sociology
- History
- Defence related Award
- Geography
- Environment
- Sport
- Biology
- Cultural
- Book
- Statement
- true/false
|
Elementary Mathematics |
Algebra |
- Basic Operations
- simple factors
- Remainder Theorem
- H.C.F.
- L.C.M.
- Theory of polynomials
- solutions of quadratic equations
- relation between its roots and coefficients (Only real roots to be considered)
- Simultaneous linear equations in two unknowns—analytical and graphical solutions
- Simultaneous linear inequations in two variables and their solutions
- Practical problems leading to two simultaneous linear equations or inequations in two variables or quadratic equations in one variable & their solutions
- Set language and set notation
- Rational expressions and conditional identities
- Laws of indices
|
Arithematic |
- Number System: Natural numbers, Integers, Rational and Real numbers.
- Fundamental operations: addition, substraction, 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. Factorisation Theorem
- H.C.F. and L.C.M.
- Euclidean algorithm
- Logarithms to base 10
- laws of logarithms
- use of logarithmic tables
|
Trigonometry |
- Sine ×, cosine ×, Tangent × when 0° < × < 90°
- Values of sin ×, cos × and tan ×, for ×= 0°, 30°, 45°, 60° and 90°
- 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 a Parallelogram
- rectangle and square
- Circles and its properties including tangents and normals
- Loci
|
Mensuration |
- Areas of squares
- rectangles
- parallelograms
- triangle and circle
- Areas of figures which can be split up into these figures (Field Book)
- Surface area and volume of cuboids
- lateral surface and volume of right circular cones and cylinders
- surface area and volume of spheres
|
Statistics |
- Collection and tabulation of statistical data
- Graphical representation frequency polygons
- histograms
- bar charts
- pie charts etc
- Measures of central tendency
|

CDS Syllabus 2021: FAQs
Q 1. How many stages CDS exam have?
Ans. There are only two stages, written exam and SSB exam
Q 2. Does CDS OTA and CDS IMA have different exam?
Ans. Yes, OTA and IMA have different exam with different sections.
Q 3. Is there any negative marking in the CDS?
Ans. Yes, there is a negative marking in prelims of 1/3 marks.
Q 4. How many sections CDS IMA paper have?
Ans. There are 3 sections in CDS IMA paper.
Q 5. How many sections CDS OTA paper have?
Ans. There are only 2 sections in CDS OTA paper.
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