UPSC CDS 2 GK Question Paper 2024 OUT: Pattern, Marking Scheme, PDF Link & More
Combined Defence Services Exam 2025 ( CDS )
Registration - 10 Dec '25 - 30 Dec '25
The Union Public Service Commission released the CDS 2 GK question paper on September 1, 2024. Check the complete details of the CDS exam in the article.
UPSC CDS 2 GK Question Paper 2024 at upsc.gov.in
The UPSC conducted the CDS 2 question paper for the General Knowledge (GK) on September 1, 2024. The candidates can download the question paper here. However, the candidates can download the CDS GK previous years' question papers for preparation, to understand the exam pattern, weightage given to sections, repeated questions, and more.
The exam is taken twice a year to enroll cadets for the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA), and Officers' Training Academy (OTA). The candidates qualifying for the CDS 2024 will be called for the SSB Interview.
To clear the CDS exam a candidate needs practice and patience and one of the best ways to practice is solving the previous years' question paper. We have provided the GK previous years' question paper PDF for the candidates in the article below.
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.
- GK Exam Shift Timing 2024
- UPSC CDS GK Question Paper 2024
- UPSC CDS GK Previous Year Question Paper
- UPSC CDS Answer Key 2024
- UPSC CDS Exam Pattern 2024
- CDS Exam Pattern 2024 for SSB Interview
- UPSC CDS Negative Marking 2024
GK Exam Shift Timing 2024
The GK exam will be conducted in the first shift along with the English exam. The shift timing for the CDS exam is provided in the table below:
| English |
General Knowledge |
|---|---|
| 9.00 am to 11.00 am |
12.00 pm to 2.00 pm |
UPSC CDS GK Question Paper 2024
Candidates can download the question paper for from the table provided below.
Upcoming Sarkari Exam Dates
IBPS
9 Nov '25 - 30 Nov '25
24 Nov '25 - 30 Nov '25
30 Nov '25
30 Nov '25
28 Oct '25 - 4 Dec '25
7 Nov '25 - 6 Dec '25
7 Dec '25
30 Nov '25 - 7 Dec '25
| CDS 2 General Knowledge Question Paper 2024 | |
|---|---|
| CDS 2 GK Question Paper 2024 | Click Here |
The candidates can download the CDS 1 question paper for GK is provided in the table below after the exam was concluded on April 21, 2024:
| CDS 1 General Knowledge Question Paper 2024 | |
|---|---|
| CDS 1 GK Question Paper 2024 | Click Here |
CDS 2 English and GK Exam Analysis 2024
UPSC CDS GK Previous Year Question Paper
The candidates preparing for the CDS exam can download the CDS GK question paper in the table below. The question paper will help the candidate understand the CDS exam pattern, repeated question paper, and more:
| UPSC CDS GK Previous Year Question Paper | |
|---|---|
| CDS 1 GK Question Paper 2023 | Click Her |
| CDS 2 GK Question Paper 2023 | Click Here |
| CDS 1 GK Question Paper 2022 | Click Here |
| CDS 1 GK Question Paper 2021 | Click Here |
UPSC CDS Answer Key 2024
The candidates preparing for the CDS exam using the previous years' question paper will need the answer key to analyse their performance in the exam. The candidates can download the CDS answer key through the link given below. The candidates have to compare their responses with the answer key to get the marks.
Yes, sometimes questions do get repeated in the CDS exam. However, the UPSC does not directly repeat the question word for word; instead, the basic part gets repeated. For example, you can SEE questions on Article 32 in different years framed differently. From the analysis of the previous year's question paper, it can be concluded that important themes get revisited in CDS. This is the same for GK, math, and English papers. This is why experts and toppers always suggest analyzing the previous year's question paper. By analyzing previous year's question Sets you can not just make a list of such repetitive themes but also understand the patterns in which questions can be framed. Hence, you must start CDS preparation by solving PYQ.
CDS Answer Key Download Link: Year Wise CDS Answer Key
UPSC CDS Exam Pattern 2024
CDS exam pattern 2024 is divided into a written exam and SSB Interview. The written exam for IMA, INA, and AFA comprises three sections: English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics. The test paper for admission to OTA comprises two sections: English and General Knowledge. Each section is held for two hours. The total marks of the test for IMA, INA, and AFA are 300, while it is 200 for OTA. The SSB Interview for IMA, INA, and AFA carries 300 marks each while it is 200 marks for OTA. The SSB Interview procedure consists of two stages: I and II. Stage I of the SSB Interview comprises Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and Picture Perception Description Test (PP&DT) and Interviews, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests, and Conferences.
Also Read: CDS Syllabus 2024
CDS Exam Pattern 2024 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
UPSC CDS Negative Marking 2024
- For the incorrect answer, 1/3 mark is deducted
- Candidates marking more than one option are treated as incorrect
- If a question is left unanswered, there will be no negative marking
Read More: UPSC CDS English Question Paper 2024
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered a month ago
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
J
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month 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 a month ago
It is advised to the candidates to reach the CDS exam centre one hour before the given time. They should carry hall ticket along with them otherwise they will not be able to give the exam.
C
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month 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 a month 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 a month ago
The methods 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 2 months 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 2 months ago
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 will be released on December 10.
J
Contributor-Level 6
The CDS question paper for Mathematics carries a total of 100 questions. The section from which the questions are asked has been given below for the candidates: a) Profit and loss b) Elementary Number Theory: Division algorithm c) Prime and composite numbers: Tests of divisibility by 2, 3, 4, 5, 9 and 11. d) Multiples and factors e) Factorisation Theorem, etc. The candidates must go through these Maths section to secure maximum marks as these section comprise maximum marks in the question paper in the Maths section.