CDS Exam Pattern 2026: Check CDS 1 & 2 Paper Pattern
Combined Defence Services Exam 2025 ( CDS )
Registration - 10 Dec '25 - 30 Dec '25
CDS Exam Pattern 2026: The Commission mentions the CDS exam pattern for the written exam and SSB Interview. UPSC lays the best career option for candidates who want to become a commissioned officer in the Indian Defence Forces. Candidate who want to qualify for the CDS exam must go through the exam pattern and syllabus of the CDS exam.
The CDS 1 2026 exam will be held on April 12, 2026. CDS exam patterns for the INA, AFA, and IMA are similar but for the CDS OTA it is slightly different from the other three. The UPSC CDS exam will be conducted in two stages, the written exam and the SSB interview. It is an offline exam conducted in pen paper-based format. The CDS marking scheme, negative marking, total marks, exam timing, and the paper pattern for the IMA, INA, AFA, and OTA are available below for the CDS exam.
Also Read:
- Highlights of CDS Exam Pattern 2026
- CDS Exam Pattern for INA, AFA, IMA
- CDS Exam Pattern OTA
- Structure of CDS Question Paper
- CDS Negative Marking
- CDS Exam Pattern 2026 for SSB Interview
- CDS Previous Years' Paper Analysis
- Instructions to fill CDS Answer Sheet
- CDS Syllabus 2026
- CDS Best Preparation
- CDS Exam Pattern FAQs 2026
Highlights of CDS Exam Pattern 2026
Candidates can check in brief, the exam pattern of the CDS exam as mentioned below:
| Parameters | Details |
|---|---|
| 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-200 |
| Nature of questions |
Objective type |
| Language of question paper |
Hindi and English |
| Duration of the test |
Two hours for each section of the test |
Commonly asked questions
The duration of each subject paper in the CDS 2026 exam is mentioned below:
1. For Admission to Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Air Force Academy:
English: 2 hours duration
General Knowledge: 2 hours duration
Mathematics: 2 hours duration
2. For Officers' Training Academy (OTA)
English: 2 hours duration
General Knowledge: 2 hours duration
In CDS, written exam comprises three papers namely English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics aiming for Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA) and Air Force Academy (AFA). There are two papers for candidates aiming for the Officers Training academy (OTA).
For IMA, INA, AFA: English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics
For OTA: English and General Knowledge
CDS Exam Pattern for INA, AFA, IMA
The candidates appearing for the CDS exam to become defence personnel through INA, IMA and AFA must know the exam pattern. The candidates can understand the exam with a better perspective if they know the exam pattern. The UPSC CDS exam pattern has been given below for INA, IMA, and AFA:
- The written exam for IMA, INA, and AFA comprises three sections: English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics
- The total exam duration for IMA, INA, and AFA is six hours (each section is for two hours)
- The total marks of the test for IMA, INA, and AFA are 300
CDS Exam Pattern for IMA, INA and AFA
Candidates can check below the table to know about the exam pattern.
| Subject | Code | Duration | Maximum Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 11 | 2 Hours | 100 |
| General Knowledge | 12 | 2 Hours | 100 |
| Elemantary Mathematics | 13 | 2 Hours | 100 |
CDS Exam Pattern for Written Test (Overview)
The candidate can check the CDS written test exam pattern in the table below:
| CDS Exam Pattern | |
|---|---|
| Mode of Exam | Offline |
| Number of Subjects | 3 |
| Name of Subjects | English, General Awareness, and Maths |
| Total Marks | 300 marks |
| Time Duration | 6 hours |
| Type of exam | Objective |
| Medium of Exam | Bilingual (Hindi and English) |
Commonly asked questions
In the CDS exam, the General Knowledge section consists of subjects including Current Affairs, History, Geography, Polity, Economics, Defence-related knowledge, Sociology, Science (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology), Environment, Sports, Culture, etc. It is advised to the candidates to analyse the CDS exam and solve previous year question papers.
In the CDS exam (INA, AFA, and IMA), multiple-choice questions are asked in all the papers. The General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics papers will be available in both languages, Hindi and English.
CDS Exam Pattern OTA
OTA (Officers Training Academy) has a different exam pattern as compared to the IMA, INA, and AFA exams. The exam pattern for the UPSC CDS OTA exam has been given below for the candidates to know the intricate pattern of the exam easily:
- The written exam for OTA comprises two sections: English and General Knowledge
- The total exam duration for OTA is four hours (each section is for two hours)
- The total marks of the test for OTA are 200
| Subject | Code | Duration | Maximum Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 11 | 2 Hours | 100 |
| General Knowledge | 12 | 2 Hours | 100 |
Commonly asked questions
The Union Public Service Commission will release the CDS 1 examination 2026 vacancies on the official website. It will be released around for various defence services.
Structure of CDS Question Paper
The structure of the CDS question paper for IMA, INA, AFA, and OTA is as follows:
IMA, INA, AFA |
||
|---|---|---|
| Subject |
Duration (In hours) |
Maximum Marks |
| English |
2 |
100 |
| General Knowledge |
2 |
100 |
| Elementary Mathematics |
2 |
100 |
OTA |
||
|---|---|---|
| Subject | Duration (In hours) | Maximum Marks |
| English |
2 |
100 |
| General Knowledge |
2 |
100 |
Commonly asked questions
The CDS exam is conducted in two stages, the written exam and the SSB interview. The CDS exam is an offline exam conducted in pen paper-based format. The CDS marking scheme, negative marking, total marks, exam timing, and the paper pattern for the IMA, INA, AFA, and OTA are available on this page for the CDS exam.
The Commission released the CDS 1 and 2 2026 notification, application process and exam dates on the official website at upsc.gov.in. The CDS 1 2026 notification will be released on December 10, 2025. The CDS 1 2026 application dates are December 12 to December 30, 2025. The CDS 1 2026 exam will be held on April 12, 2026. On the other hand, CDS 2 2026 notification will be announced on May 20, 2026 and the last date to apply will be June 9, 2026. The CDS 2 2026 exam will be conducted on September 13, 2026.
CDS Negative Marking
Commonly asked questions
The CDS exam is conducted in an offline mode that is in a pen-paper mode. The exam consists of objective type questions and need to mark their answers in an OMR sheet.
Yes. In the CDS exam there is a negative marking. One-third mark will be deducted for an incorrect answer. No mark will be deducted for unanswered questions.
CDS Exam Pattern 2026 for SSB Interview
The SSB Interview for IMA, INA, and AFA is for 300 marks each while for OTA, it is 200. The SSB Interview procedure consists of two stages: I and II. Only those candidates who qualify the stage I are permitted to appear in stage II. The details of both stages are given below:
- Stage I comprises Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and Picture Perception Description Test (PP&DT)
- Stage II comprises Interviews, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests, and Conferences. These tests are conducted over days
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Commonly asked questions
CDS full form is the Combined Defence Services Examination. While some people also refer CDS full form as Chief of Defence Staff, this rank is given to the head of the Indian Armed Forces. It is conducted twice a year in April and September. It is a national-level exam conducted to recruit candidates for officer posts. The selection process comprises written exam and SSB interview. The minimum educational qualification needed to appear for CDS exam is graduation from a recognised Indian university.
Yes, the authority released the CDS 2 exam dates, notification dates on the official website. The CDS 2 exam 2025 will be conducted on September 14, 2025. Also, the CDS 2 2025 notification will be released on May 28, 2025. The last date to apply for CDS 2 2025 is June 17, 2025.
CDS Previous Years' Paper Analysis
The previous years' paper analysis for the CDS exam is given below. This analysis will help candidates to know the types of questions asked in the exam.
English
The English question paper is designed to test the candidates' understanding of the English language.
| English | No. of Questions |
|---|---|
| Cloze Test |
10 |
| Preposition & Determinants |
10 |
| Completion of Sentence |
10 |
| Antonyms |
10 |
| Part of Speech |
10 |
| Spotting Error |
10 |
| Ordering of Word in a Sentence |
10 |
| Fill in the Blanks |
10 |
| Synonyms |
10 |
| Idioms & Phrases |
10 |
| Ordering of Sentences |
10 |
| Total |
120 |
Elementary Maths
The distribution of questions in this subject is given below.
| Topic | No. of Questions |
|---|---|
| Mensuration |
14 |
| Geometry |
20 |
| Algebra |
7 |
| Number system |
20 |
| Trigonometry |
14 |
| Average/Statistics |
4 |
| Time and Work |
3 |
| Speed & Distance |
6 |
| Simple Interest and Compound Interest |
5 |
| Percentage |
2 |
| Clock |
2 |
| Profit and Loss |
1 |
| Mixture and allegation |
1 |
| Set Theory |
1 |
| Total |
100 |
General Awareness
The distribution of questions in GK paper is given below.
| Subjects | No. Of Questions |
|---|---|
| Geography |
16 |
| History |
24 |
| Economy |
11 |
| Polity |
17 |
| Physics |
11 |
| Chemistry |
17 |
| Biology |
7 |
| Current Affairs |
18 |
| Static/Misc. |
2 |
| Total |
120 |
Also Read: CDS Exam Analysis
Commonly asked questions
Candidates can check below the steps to download the CDS question papers for free.
- Visit our website; Shiksha.com.
- Create your profile by mentioning certain details.
- Once a profile is generated, you will be able to download the question papers for free.
- Download and save it.
Yes, the examination authority will release the CDS Question Papers 2026 officially at upsc.gov.in. The question papers will be released in the form of PDF. Candidates can download the CDS question papers 2026 from this page also for free. The question papers will help candidates to check the difficulty level of the exam, questions asked, pattern changed or not, etc.
Instructions to fill CDS Answer Sheet
Commonly asked questions
In CDS, written exam comprises three papers namely English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics aiming for Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA) and Air Force Academy (AFA). There are two papers for candidates aiming for the Officers Training academy (OTA).
For IMA, INA, AFA: English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics
For OTA: English and General Knowledge
The duration of each subject paper in the CDS 2026 exam is mentioned below:
1. For Admission to Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Air Force Academy:
English: 2 hours duration
General Knowledge: 2 hours duration
Mathematics: 2 hours duration
2. For Officers' Training Academy (OTA)
English: 2 hours duration
General Knowledge: 2 hours duration
CDS Syllabus 2026
Commonly asked questions
In the last month of preparation for CDS 1 2026, candidates should focus on comprehensive revision of all the key topics, practice mock tests regularly, Work on weak areas, frequent revision, update yourself with current affairs, maintain physical and mental health, focus on areas in which you feel less confident, go through previous year question papers, analyse performance after each mock test, focus on time management, etc.
General Knowledge section test awareness of current events and general knowledge of the candidates. Important topics include history of India, Geography, Current Affairs, Indian Polity, Economy, Science and Technology, Defence news, etc.
CDS Best Preparation
Commonly asked questions
The syllabus of Mathematics consists of Arithmetic, Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Mensuration, and Statistics.
It is important for a candidate to clear basics and concepts. Questions asked in this section are of Class 10 standard. Candidates can check below CDS Maths books that will help in the preparation:
- Mathematics for CDS by RS Aggarwal
- Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by RS Aggarwal
- Pathfinder for CDS by Arihant Publications
CDS Exam Pattern FAQs 2026
Commonly asked questions
Here are the list of some of the books which can help candidates in their preparation.
- High School English Grammar & Composition Edition by Wren and Martin
- Objective General English by SP Bakshi
- Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
- English Grammar & Composition by S.C Gupta
The CDS exam is conducted twice a year for admission to IMA, Indian Naval Academy, and Air Force Academy. Basically, it works as a tool for students to prepare for an upcoming exam. Candidate will get an idea of the actual examination. Mock tests make candidates realise their mistakes that must be taken care of before going to the exam.
CDS Exam
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 2 weeks ago
Here are the list of some of the books which can help candidates in their preparation.
- High School English Grammar & Composition Edition by Wren and Martin
- Objective General English by SP Bakshi
- Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
- English Grammar & Composition by S.C Gupta
J
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 weeks ago
The authority released a total of 453 vacancies for the CDS 2 exam 2025 for admission to the Indian Air Force, Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Officers’ Training Academy for courses.
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 weeks ago
It is recommended to the candidates to reach the CDS exam centre at least one hour prior to the reporting time. The CDS exam centre allotment is done on a first-apply-first-allot basis.
C
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 weeks ago
Yes, the English section of the CDS exam is scorable if it is prepared properly. Usually the difficulty level of the exam is moderate.
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 weeks ago
Candidates can check the cut off marks for the CDS exam by visiting the official website at upsc.gov.in. The UPSC will release the cutoff according to the academy or course.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
The steps to check the CDS cut off marks is provided below:
- Visit at upsc.gov.in
- Click on the :Examination" tab
- Go to the "Cut Off Marks" dropdown menu.
- Click on the download link and save it for future reference
I
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 4 weeks ago
Yes. In the CDS exam there is a negative marking. One-third mark will be deducted for an incorrect answer. No mark will be deducted for unanswered questions.
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 4 weeks ago
The CDS exam is conducted in an offline mode that is in a pen-paper mode. The exam consists of objective type questions and need to mark their answers in an OMR sheet.
J
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 months ago
Apart from the salary, CDS officers receive several allowances, including DA, high altitude allowance, uniform allowance, transport allowance, medical aid, accommodation, children's education allowance, etc. It depends upon the amount of salary, and it varies depending on the designation and academy
G
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 months ago
Candidates can check below the CDS 2 2025 age limit:
- IMA: Candidates for IMA should be unmarried and must have been born not earlier than July 2, 2002, and not later than July 1, 2007.
- INA: Unmarried male candidates born not earlier than July 2, 2002, and not later than July 1, 2007, can apply for INA
N
Contributor-Level 6
Upcoming Sarkari Exam Dates
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What are the best books for the English subject for CDS preparation?