The CDS 1 Exam Analysis for the CDS Maths, CDS English, and General Knowledge Exam has been discussed in the article. The candidates can check the CDS 1 Exam analysis for English and GK Paper in the article along with the CDS expected cut off and answer key.
The Union Public Service Commission took the CDS 1 English exam on April 16, 2023 (today) from 9.00 am to 11.00 am whereas the GK exam is conducted from 12.00 pm to 2.00 pm and CDS 1 Maths exam was conducted between 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. The analysis of the CDS 1 exam for the English and GK paper has been shared with the aspirants. The candidates can check the expected cut off for the English and GK paper in the article.
- CDS 1&2 Exam
- CDS 1 Exam Timings 2022
- CDS 1 English Exam Analysis 2023
- CDS 1 General Knowledge Exam Analysis 2023
- CDS 1 Elementary Maths Exam Analysis 2023
- CDS Student's Review
- Students Reaction Video
- CDS Exam Cut Off: Good Attempts
- CDS Marking Scheme
CDS 1&2 Exam
The UPSC conducts the CDS exams twice a year, namely CDS 1 and CDS 2. The CDS 1 exam, is held for courses beginning in January at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, the Air Force Academy in Hyderabad, and the Indian Naval Academy in Ezhimala, as well as courses beginning in April at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai. CDS 2 is, on the other hand, conducted for courses beginning in July at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, the Air Force Academy in Hyderabad, the Indian Naval Academy in Ezhimala, and the Officers Training Academy in Chennai.
Commonly asked questions
The CDS exam pattern has been divided into two categories- Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA) and Air Force Academy (AFA) and Officers Training Academy (OTA). The exam taken for the IMA, INA, AFA is taken for three subjects- General Awareness, Mathematics and English. On the other hand, the OTA exam is taken for two subjects- English . and General Awareness. The exam pattern for these categories have been given below for the candidates: For IMA, INA and AFA: a)Total Number of Subjects: English. Elementary Mathematics and General Knowledge b) Time Duration: Six hours (2 hours for each paper) c) Maximum Marks: 300 marks (100 marks for each paper) For OTA: a) Total Number of Subjects: English . and General Knowledge b) Time Duration: Four hours (2 hours for each paper) c) Maximum Marks: 200 Marks (100 marks for each paper). .
CDS 1 Exam Timings 2022
As per the CDS 1 shift timings, candidates need to enter the examination hall at least 30 minutes prior to the scheduled commencement of the examination. Entry to the venue of the examination closes 10 minutes prior to the scheduled commencement of the exam in each session. The exam timing for CDS 2 for English, GK, and Elementary Mathematics is provided below:
| Paper |
Exam Timings |
|---|---|
| English |
9.00 am to 11.00 am |
| GK |
12.00 pm to 2.00 pm |
| Elementary Mathematics |
3.00 pm to 5.00 pm |
CDS 1 English Exam Analysis 2023
The CDS 1 2023 exam analysis for the CDS English Paper has been shared below for the candidates. The can check the CDS Exam analysis and difficulty level of the question paper in the article. Check the topic-wise weightage in the CDS English Exam:
- The English Paper was Moderate in Nature
- The Questions were asked about Idioms and Phrases, Figures of speech, Gerund and Participle, Adjective, etc
- Ten questions were asked from each section mentioned-Figure of Speech, Spotting Errors, Filling in the blanks, Completion of Sentences, Cloze Test, Ordering Sentences
CDS 1 General Knowledge Exam Analysis 2023
The CDS 1 Exam analysis for general knowledge has been given below for the candidates. The candidates can check the difficulty level and question paper in the article:
The overall CDS General Knowledge paper was Moderate in nature
There GK Sections were asked in depth.
The Science section was dominant in the paper
Also Read: CDS 1 2023 Exam Cut Off
CDS 1 Elementary Maths Exam Analysis 2023
- The CDS 1 exam for elementary mathematics has been given below for the candidates. Check the difficulty level of the CDS maths paper below:
- The CDS Maths Paper was moderate in nature and comprised the previous year's questions.
- The question was asked about ratio and proportion, time and work, distance and speed, HCF and LCM, Algebra, Cube and Cub roots, Factorial, etc.
CDS Student's Review
The candidates who appeared for the CDS 1 exam gave their reviews of the exam:
- Pradeep said,' The difficulty level of English and GK was moderate nature. In English Paper question paper was asked from Jumble words, Spotting Errors, Determiners, etc. whereas in the General paper question were from current affairs, Geography, History, etc.
- Santosh Said, " The overall difficulty for the OTA exam was moderate. The questions were majorly asked about current affairs, history, etc. The expected cut off for the CDS exam will be around 105 marks."
Students Reaction Video
CDS Exam Analysis Shorts
CDS Exam Cut Off: Good Attempts
The candidates can check the good attempts in the CDS 1 exam for IMA, INA, AFA and OTA in the table below:
| Academies |
Good Attempts |
|---|---|
| AFA |
134-138 |
| IMA |
120-124 |
| INA |
113-118 |
| OTA (female) |
80-87 |
| OTA (male) |
82-90 |
CDS Marking Scheme
CDS marking scheme is such that for the incorrect answer, 1/3 marks are deducted. Candidates marking more than one option are treated as incorrect. If a question is left unanswered, there is no negative marking. The table below shows CDS Marking scheme.
| Specifications | English | GK | Mathematics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum marks |
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Marks for the correct answer |
1 mark for each correct option |
1 mark for each correct option |
1 mark for each correct option |
| Negative marking |
-0.33 marks for each wrong answer |
-0.33 marks for each wrong answer |
-0.33 marks for each wrong answer |
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Student Forum
Answered 3 weeks ago
There are various coaching institutes for CDS in Dehradun. Some of them are Doon Defence Dreamers, Centurion Defence Academy, Brigadier Defence Academy, etc. It will be better to visit personally to the coaching institutes in Dehradun, take the reviews regarding faculties, infrastructure, requiremen
C
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 3 weeks ago
Doon Defence Dreamers as per the results and reputation is considered to be the top choice institute for the CDS preparation. But before joining any institute, it will be better to visit the campus in Dehradun, evaluate the faculty, infrastructure and the guidance provided there.
M
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 weeks ago
There are several CDS coaching institutes in Dehradun which provides comprehensive written and SSB guidance. Some of the academies are mentioned below:
Centurion Defence Academy
Prasad's Banking SSC and CDS Coaching Institution
Major Kalshi Classes
Dehradun Defence School, etc.
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 3 weeks ago
The top CDS coaching institute in Dehradun include Cadets Defence Academy, often recognised for high selection rates and tailored SSB training, and Dehradun National Academy of Defence (DNAD). Candidates can check below for some of the other notable institutes -
1. Centurion Defence Academy
2. Doon De
T
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
In the CDS exam, a good score varies as per the academy. Generally as per the experts, 120 to 150+ in the written exam for IMA/INA/AFA and 90 to 110+ for OTA are considered to be the good score along with the strong SSB performance. Also, cutoff changes every year and candidates required a minimum
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 months ago
Generally, the CDS 1 exam is considered to be moderate to difficult level as the syllabus is vast and consists of challenges which are subject specific. But as per the previous year trend it is moderate in difficulty level. With proper strategy, consistency and hard work exam can be cracked by the c
C
Contributor-Level 6

Can anyone share honest reviews about CDS coaching in Dehradun? Are there better options for best CDS coaching in Dehradun?