CDS Official Question Paper 2026: Download Subject-wise Previous Year Question Papers PDFs
Combined Defence Services Exam 2026 ( CDS )
Exam On - 12 Apr '26
The CDS 1 Question Papers 2026 for English, Maths and General Knowledge will be released on the examination day. The authority will also release the question papers officially. The PDFs of question papers for the respective subjects will also be provided here on this page. Alob with the question paper, the CDS Answer Key. will also be announced. The CDS 1 exam will be conducted on April 12, 2026
Candidates will be able to download thePDFs of CDS question paper 2026 to know the level of difficulty of the exam, important topics, nature of questions asked in the examination. Solving CDS question papers will help aspirants to know the questions asked in the CDS exam, the difficulty level, the CDS exam pattern weightage given to the topics, and important segments of the syllabus.Here, we have provided the previous year question papers PDFs. Scroll down to know more about it.
Also Read: CDS Preparation Tips
- CDS 1 & 2 2026 English, GK & Maths Question Paper (Official)
- CDS Previous Years Question Papers
- What is CDS Previous Year Paper?
- CDS Previous Year Question Paper
- Importance of UPSC CDS Question Papers
- How to Challenge CDS Question Papers 2026?
- CDS Exam Pattern 2026
- CDS Syllabus 2026
- CDS Sample Paper FAQs 2026
CDS 1 & 2 2026 English, GK & Maths Question Paper (Official)
Candidates will be able to check the UPSC CDS 1 & 2 2026 Question papers below once released officially. Till then candidates can check below the 2025 and 2024 question papers.
CDS 2 2025 English, GK & Maths Official Question Papers
Candidates can check here the CDS 2 2025 English, GK and Maths official question paper pdf.
| Paper | Download PDF |
|---|---|
| CDS 2 English Paper 2025 PDF (Set A) | Download Here |
| CDS 2 GK Paper 2025 PDF (Set A) | Download Here |
| CDS 2 Maths Paper 2025 PDF (Set A) | Download Here |
CDS 1 2025 English, GK & Maths Official Question Papers
Candidates can check here the CDS 1 2025 English, GK and Maths official question paper pdf.
| Paper | Download PDF |
|---|---|
| CDS 1 English Paper 2025 PDF (Set A) | Download Here |
| CDS 1 GK Paper 2025 PDF (Set A) | Download Here |
| CDS 1 Maths Paper 2025 PDF (Set A) | Download Here |
CDS 2 2024 English, GK and Maths question paper
Candidates can check here the CDS 2 2024 English, GK and Maths question paper pdf officially.
| Paper | Download PDF |
|---|---|
| CDS 2 English Paper 2024 PDF (Set A) | Download Here |
| CDS 2 GK Paper 2024 PDF (Set A) | Download Here |
| CDS 2 Maths Paper 2024 PDF (Set A) | Download Here |
Commonly asked questions
Candidates can check below the methods 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.
Download previous year CDS question papers and sample papers. Use them for practice and improve your speed and accuracy. You can download CDS previous year question papers and the preparation guides for free.
CDS Previous Years Question Papers
CDS 1 2024 Question Papers
CDS 2 2023 Question Papers
CDS 1 2023 Question Papers
CDS 2022 Question Papers
CDS 2021 Question Papers
CDS 2020 Question Papers
CDS 2019 Question Papers
CDS 2017 Question Papers
CDS 2018 Question Papers
CDS 2016 Question Papers
CDS 2015 Question Papers
What is CDS Previous Year Paper?
Do CDS Questions Repeat?
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
CDS Previous Year Question Paper
When beginning with the preparation, it is important to go through CDS previous years' question papers to know the pattern of questions asked in the exam. Solving them help candidates to understand the types of questions, nature and difficulty level asked in the examination.
Related Links: CDS Admit Card
Commonly asked questions
The CDS 2026 exam dates were released by the authority. In the last month of the preparation, candidates should focus more on revision of all the important topics. Give test regulary. Revise and update yourself with current affairs. Maintain physical and mental health. Take proper sleep. Revise and practice previous year question papers. Also, focus on time management, etc.
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, General Knowledge and Mathematics all have two hours duration.
2. For Officers' Training Academy (OTA)-English and GK for both separately 2 hours duration
Importance of UPSC CDS Question Papers
Commonly asked questions
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.
Candidates can check below the methods 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.
How to Challenge CDS Question Papers 2026?
Candidates have facility to challenge CDS question papers released by UPSC. The process is given below:
- Candidates can challenge question papers through Online Question Paper Representation Portal
- For each exam, the commission has fixed a time frame of seven days
- To raise objections, enter details like roll number, date of birth, and random image
- After entering these details, candidates must submit their challenges
Commonly asked questions
In the CDS exam, the GK subject consists of Current Affairs, History, Geography, Polity, Sociology, Science (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology), Environment, Sports etc. It is advised to the candidates to know about the exam and solve previous year question papers.
CDS Exam Pattern 2026
CDS 1 exam 2026 will be conducted offline. The exam for the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), and Air Force Academy (AFA) comprises three sections. The test for these academies carries 300 marks. The exam pattern of the Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) has two sections. The total marks for the exam are 200. Candidates qualifying for the written exam are called for SSB Interview.
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
In the CDS exam, the GK subject consists of Current Affairs, History, Geography, Polity, Sociology, Science (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology), Environment, Sports etc. It is advised to the candidates to know about the exam and solve previous year question papers.
CDS Syllabus 2026
To solve CDS's previous year's question paper, candidates need to be well aware of the syllabus. We have provided below the syllabus for English, GK and Maths.
| Subjects | Topics |
|---|---|
| English |
Antonyms, Sentence improvement, Comprehension, Synonyms, Spotting Errors, etc. |
| General Knowledge |
Economics, Current Awareness, Defence, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, etc. |
| Elementary Maths |
Arithmetic, Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Mensuration, and Statistics, etc. |
Read More: CDS Books
Commonly asked questions
The General Knowledge syllabus of CDS exam consists of History, Polity, Economics, Geography, Science, etc. The subject requires the knowledge of current events whether national or international. The CDS 1 2026 notification will be released on December 10.
The syllabus of Mathematics consists of Arithmetic, Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Mensuration, and Statistics.
CDS Sample Paper FAQs 2026
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 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
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.
Some of the books, help candidates in their CDS preparation are given below:
- 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
Candidates can download the UPSC CDS 2026 recommended marks by the following manner:
- Visit at upsc.gov.in.
- Click on the CDS 2026 recommended marks link.
- Click on the PDF link.
- The marks PDF will appear on the screen.
- Download and save it for later use.
The CDS exam is conducted offline or pen and paper mode. Objective questions will be asked in the examination. Candidates need to mark their choices of answers in the sheet that was provided during the exam. CDS 1 2026 notification released on December 10.
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, General Knowledge and Mathematics all have two hours duration.
2. For Officers' Training Academy (OTA)-English and GK for both separately 2 hours duration
CDS Exam
Student Forum
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After qualifying the SSB round, the selected candidates need to undergo a medical examination. A candidate is declared medically fit or unfit after the result announcement. After qualifying all the selection rounds they will go for training.
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