CDS Exam Pattern 2026: Check CDS 1 & 2 Paper Pattern

The CDS exam pattern consists of a written exam and an interview. It includes papers subjects English, General Knowledge and Mathematics. Candidates can check in brief, the exam pattern of the UPSC CDS exam as mentioned below:

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 exam carries 300 marks for the IMA, INA, and AFA 

CDS Exam Pattern for IMA, INA and AFA

Candidates can check below the table to know about the exam pattern.

CDS Exam Pattern for Written Test (Overview)

The candidate can check the CDS written test exam pattern in the table below:

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 exam carries 300 marks for OTA

For a better understanding of the marking system of the CDS exam, the marking scheme of the CDS exam is given below. The candidates can go through the points to understand the exam marking scheme. The section-wise marking scheme has also been given for the candidate's ease on the page below.

SSB Interview for IMA, INA, and AFA is for 300 marks each while for OTA, it is 200. 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

Related Links:

• CDS Preparation Tips 
• CDS books

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. 

Elementary Maths

The distribution of questions in this subject is given below.

General Awareness

The distribution of questions in GK paper is given below.

Also Read: CDS Exam Analysis 

The candidates appearing for the CDS exam must know the instructions to fill out the exam answer sheet so that they do not make any mistakes while filling out the OMR answer sheet. The instructions to fill out the answer sheet are given below. 

• As soon as the candidate receives the answer sheet, they should check that it is numbered at the bottom. If it is found un-numbered they should at once get it replaced by a numbered one.
• Candidates should write with a black ball pen the name of the centre and subject in English or Hindi.
• The test booklet series is indicated by Alphabets A, B, C, or D at the top right-hand corner of the booklet.
• Write roll numbers exactly as it is in your e-Admission Certificate with a black ball pen in the boxes provided for this purpose. Do not omit any zero(s) which may be there.
  The next step is to find out the appropriate subject code from the Time Table.
• Encode the Test Booklet Series, Subject Code, and Roll Number in the circles provided for this purpose. Do the encoding with a black ball pen. The name of the Centre need not be encoded.
  Writing and encoding of the Test Booklet Series is to be done after receiving the Test Booklet and confirming the Booklet Series from the same.