Follow these steps in case of a low CDS score

By: T. Deepthi

Focus on giving the exam again by working on the mistakes committed earlier. Learn from the failure and prepare with complete determination and commitment to crack the exam.

Every year Union Public Service Commission conducts Combined Defence Service (CDS) examination twice a year for the recruitment of defence forces such as Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, and Officers Training Academy. CDS examination is conducted across India. This is one of the most important and toughest exams in the country. UPSC is like a boon to the aspirants who are willing to join the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force and Officers Training Academies as Officers.

Right Approach to deal with the failure

Every individual should understand that failure is a part of success. Hence, everyone should try to learn from their mistakes. Since this examination is conducted twice a year, so if a candidate is failed in the first attempt then they should appear for the exam again.  For reattempting CDS, the candidate should formulate a proper study plan covering every topic in the syllabus. Revise previous years question papers to get an idea about the important topics. Also, know the complete pattern of the examination.  To cover current affairs, read newspapers daily and note down important topics. collect study materials from coaching centres, if possible as the right study material and reference books are crucial for the preparation of CDS examination. Refer to some standard textbooks like Lakshmikanth Polity, etc. Practising previous year question papers and sample papers and writing mock test regularly is also very important.

Details of CDS examination

The CDS examination has two phases. Phase-1 is Written Exam and Phase-2 is Personality Test (Interview). The selection of candidates is based on both the Written Test and the SSB Interview for intelligence & personality test. Moreover, the shortlisted candidates get admission in the respective academies based on their preference and score. Here, the Merit List plays a crucial role. The shortlisted candidates might be placed in the following training institutes.

     No. Name of the Academy                                           City

1. Indian Military Academy                                            Dehradun
2. Indian Naval Academy                                              Ezhimala
3. Air force Academy                                                     Hyderabad
4. Officers Training Academy (SSC Men)                     Chennai
5. Officers Training Academy (SSC women)                Chennai

There are technical and non-technical courses offered during the training. Moreover, female candidates give the examination of Officers Training Academy SSC Women.

Tips to increase the score

Some of the tips and tricks to increase the score in CDS examination are given below:

• Formulate a good study schedule before the notification of the examination and start the preparation. This would give time to complete the syllabus on time and revise all the topics.
• Proper planning and dedication are required to crack this exam. The study plan should be clear and followed strictly to cover all topics in the syllabus.
• Choose the right materials and standard textbooks to prepare for this exam. Also, it is always better to watch online videos, write quizzes, give mock tests, etc.,
• Revising all the topics thoroughly is as important as covering all the topics in the syllabus. Revise as many times as possible. The thorough revision would help in remembering all the topics without a scope of any doubt.
• Try to attempt maximum mock tests. Writing mock tests and avoiding repeated mistakes could help in increasing the score. Evaluate the mock tests and its score as this would help in identifying the weak areas.
• Work on improving the accuracy and speed every day as time management is also very important in every competitive exam.
• Try to avoid guesswork as there is negative marking in this examination. This would increase the chances of losing marks.
• Refer to NCERT books to clear the fundamentals and make short notes of the important topics and events for future reference.
• Write down basic formulae and revise them every day. Practice last year question papers to get an idea about important topics and repeated questions.

About the Author:

T. Deepthi is a student at Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam pursuing Bachelor in Technology (B.Tech) with a specialisation in Electronics and Communication Engineering.