CDS Syllabus and Exam Pattern

CDS Syllabus is discussed in the article

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts "Combined Defence Services"
(CDS) Examination twice a year for recruiting candidates for the Indian Military
Academy, Officers Training Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Indian Air Force
Academy.
The Notification is usually released in the months of October/ November and June/ July,
and the examination is generally 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 examination, first, you
need is the complete information of the pattern, syllabus and previous year exam
analysis so that it would become easy for you to analyse the examination and to
prepare a strategy further.

CDS Syllabus: Overview

Mode of exam Offline

Number of Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA) and Air
sections Force Academy (AFA) – Three Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) –
Two

Total marks of IMA, INA and AFA – 300 OTA - 200

the test

Nature of Objective type

questions
 Language of Hindi and English
question paper

Duration of the 2 hours for each section of test

test

CDS 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 Exam Pattern for OTA

Subject Duration Maximum marks

English 2 hours 100

General Knowledge 2 hours 100

CDS Syllabus: 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: 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 (GK)  * Economics

 * Physics
 * Current Affairs
 * Politics
 * Chemistry
 * Sociology
 * History
 * Defence related Award
 * Geography
 * Environment
 * Sport
 * Biology
 * Cultural
 * Book
 * Statement
 * true/false

Elementary Algebra  * Basic Operations

Mathematics  * 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