Mantras to ace English segment of CDS
The Combined Defence Services (CDS) is considered a doorway to enter the Indian Defence forces. This examination is conducted for admission into the Officer's Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai and the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehra Dun in February/ March and August/September every year.
Conducted twice a year, this examination can be taken by young individuals aspiring to enter OTA and IMA. Pursuing a career in the defence forces is a matter of prestige. Apart from the status and security it offers, it has numerous challenges and opportunities that one has to face to discover their hidden potential and shape their personality.
The examination for the OTA comprises two papers - Test of English language and test of general knowledge/general awareness, including current affairs. On the other hand, examination for the IMA consists of one more paper - tests of mathematical ability.(Read more)
Getting through the English paper is compulsory. In spite of being capable, many students fail to qualify this paper because of their poor English. So make sure you have a command over this language.
Let's take a look at few tips and tricks to crack the English section of this examination:
- The English language basically has two main components: vocabulary and grammar.
- The vocabulary part begins with important words, their meanings, and usage, followed by synonyms and antonyms. All these are quite essential to make the writing impressive and interesting.
- Developing an interest for vocabulary building is a must. Vocabulary building deals with important idioms and phrases in order to impart the finishing touch to the student's language. Some special words signifying some specific occupations, professions, trades, phobias, and manias need to be mastered as it demands repeated and regular practice.
- It's important to build on your vocabulary by taking practice tests having multiple-choice questions.
- Vocabulary building consists of 10 verticals namely :
- Words and their meanings -their usage
- Synonyms
- Antonyms
- Idioms and phrases
- One word substitution
- Word formation
- Specific words
- Spelling of words
- Multiple-choice questions
- The grammar part again consists of 10 verticals which includes:
- Parts of speech (number/gender form of noun, degrees of comparison, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions, and other cases)
- Tenses
- Voice
- Narration
- Right understanding of modals and determiners and non-finites
- Knowledge of common errors
- Reading comprehension
- Sentence completion
- Sentence correction
- For the general knowledge segment one must focus on history, polity, geography, science, general awareness, and current affairs. Reading of class X science textbooks, along with a monthly current affairs magazine to keep in touch with current affairs, will meet the requirements.
- The test of mathematical ability segment tests a candidate's intelligence-quotient level and speed. To crack this segment, one must able to use matriculation-level mathematical formulae, their applications, tricks and short cuts to solve problems in the specified time.(Read complete story)
Some useful success tips:
- Build up your Vocab and brush up the fundamentals of English
- Prepare brief notes in general knowledge
- To update your knowledge of current affairs, reading one monthly magazine is a must
- Practicing and answering MCQs is surely going to help
- Solve previous years' question papers
- Take mock tests
- Read the NCERT mathematics textbooks for the ninth and 10th standards.
Other Interesting Reads:
-Private universities on a high in India
-IIM-Shillong to launch executive MBA
