The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Combined Defence Services (CDS) examination in an objective-type offline (OMR) format. The exam pattern varies slightly based on the academy the candidate has applied for.
1. For Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), and Air Force Academy (AFA)
| Subject | Duration | Maximum Marks |
|---|---|---|
| English | 2 Hours | 100 |
| General Knowledge | 2 Hours | 100 |
| Elementary Mathematics | 2 Hours | 100 |
| Total Marks: | 300 | |
2. For Officers' Training Academy (OTA - Men & Women)
| Subject | Duration | Maximum Marks |
|---|---|---|
| English | 2 Hours | 100 |
| General Knowledge | 2 Hours | 100 |
| Total Marks: | 200 | |
Important Exam Rules & Marking Scheme
- Question Type: All questions will be Objective Type (Multiple Choice Questions).
- Medium of Exam: The question papers (Test Booklets) of General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics will be set bilingually in Hindi as well as English. The English paper will be in English only.
- Negative Marking: There will be a penalty for wrong answers. One-third (0.33) of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted for every incorrect response.
- Unanswered Questions: No marks will be deducted for questions left blank.
- Selection Tool: Candidates must use a Black Ball Point Pen only for marking the OMR sheet.
Detailed Subject-Wise Syllabus
English (Common for All)
The English paper is designed to test the candidate's understanding of English and workmanlike use of words. Topics include:
- Spotting Errors
- Sentence Arrangement (Jumbled Sentences)
- Synonyms and Antonyms
- Selecting Words (Fill in the blanks)
- Ordering of Sentences
- Comprehension Passages
- Idioms and Phrases
- Parts of Speech
- Cloze Test
General Knowledge (Common for All)
General Knowledge including knowledge of current events and of such matters of everyday observation and experience in their scientific aspects as may be expected of an educated person.
- History: History of India including the Indian National Movement, Culture, and Heritage.
- Geography: Physical, Social, and Economic Geography of India and the World.
- Polity: Constitution of India, Governance, Political System, and Panchayati Raj.
- Economics: Basic concepts of Indian Economy, Sustainable Development, and Budget.
- Science: Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (Class 10th level basics).
- Current Affairs: National and International events, Defence-related news, Sports, Awards, and Summits.
Elementary Mathematics (IMA, INA, AFA Only)
The standard of the papers in Elementary Mathematics will be of Matriculation (Class 10th) level.
- Arithmetic: Number System (Natural numbers, Integers, Rational and Real numbers), Fundamental operations (Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division), Square roots, Decimal fractions, Unitary method, Time and distance, Time and work, Percentages, Profit and Loss, Simple and Compound Interest.
- Algebra: Basic Operations, LCM and HCF, Theory of Polynomials, Solutions of quadratic equations, Relation between its roots and coefficients, Simultaneous linear equations in two unknowns, Set language and set notation.
- Trigonometry: Sine x, cosine x, Tangent x when 0 < x < 90; Values of sin, cos, tan for 0, 30, 45, 60, and 90 degrees; Simple trigonometric identities; Use of trigonometric tables; Heights and Distances.
- Geometry: Lines and angles, Plane and plane figures, Theorems on properties of angles at a point, Parallel lines, Congruence of triangles, Similar triangles, Concurrence of medians and altitudes, Properties of angles, sides and diagonals of a parallelogram, rectangle and square, Circles and its properties.
- Mensuration: Areas of squares, rectangles, parallelograms, triangle and circle. Surface area and volume of cuboids, lateral surface and volume of right circular cones and cylinders, surface area and volume of spheres.
- Statistics: Collection and tabulation of statistical data, Graphical representation frequency polygons, histograms, bar charts, pie charts etc. Measures of central tendency.
Intelligence and Personality Test (SSB Interview)
Candidates who clear the written examination are called for the SSB Interview process, which carries equal marks to the written examination (300 for IMA/INA/AFA and 200 for OTA).
- Stage I: Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and Picture Perception & Description Test (PP&DT).
- Stage II: Interview, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests, and the Conference.