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CDS papers, 2016 – 2025
All three written papers for every year: English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics. Two hours each, one-third negative marking, and an explanation for every answer. OTA candidates can skip Maths.
| Exam | Papers |
|---|---|
| CDS (II) 2025 | |
| CDS (II) 2024 | |
| CDS (II) 2023 | |
| CDS (II) 2022 | |
| CDS (II) 2021 | |
| CDS (II) 2020 | |
| CDS (II) 2019 | |
| CDS (II) 2018 | |
| CDS (II) 2017 | |
| CDS (II) 2016 |
CDS exam pattern
Three objective papers of 2 hours each, one-third negative marking. OTA candidates take only English and General Knowledge.
| Paper | Questions | Marks | Who takes it |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 120 | 100 | IMA, INA, AFA, OTA |
| General Knowledge | 120 | 100 | IMA, INA, AFA, OTA |
| Elementary Mathematics | 100 | 100 | IMA, INA, AFA only |
CDS at a glance
CDS is a UPSC written exam for graduates who want to become commissioned officers in the Army, Navy or Air Force. It is held twice a year, as CDS (I) in April and CDS (II) in September. Candidates who pass the written test go to a 5-day SSB interview and a medical, and then join IMA, INA, AFA or OTA for officer training.
| Conducted by | UPSC (SSB interviews by the Services) |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Twice a year: CDS (I) and CDS (II) |
| Academies | IMA Dehradun, INA Ezhimala, AFA Hyderabad, OTA Chennai |
| Qualification | Graduate (engineering for INA; Physics and Maths in Class 12 or engineering for AFA) |
| Age | 19–24 for IMA/INA, 20–24 for AFA, 19–25 for OTA |
| Mode | Offline, OMR-based objective papers |
| Papers | English, GK, Elementary Maths (OTA: English and GK only) |
| Negative marking | One-third of the marks for that question |
| Vacancies (CDS II 2026) | 451 (tentative) |
| Fee | Rs 200; nil for women, SC and ST candidates |
- 2 Dec 2026 CDS (I) 2027 notification and registration opens
- 22 Dec 2026 CDS (I) 2027 last date to apply
- 11 Apr 2027 CDS (I) 2027 written exam
- May 2027 CDS (I) 2027 written result (expected)
- 12 May 2027 CDS (II) 2027 notification and registration opens
CDS guides
CDS questions
What is the CDS exam pattern?
Candidates for IMA, INA and AFA write three papers of 2 hours each: English (120 questions, 100 marks), General Knowledge (120 questions, 100 marks) and Elementary Mathematics (100 questions, 100 marks), a total of 300. OTA candidates write only English and General Knowledge, a total of 200.
Is there negative marking in CDS?
Yes. One-third of the marks for that question is deducted for each wrong answer. Unanswered questions score zero.
What level is CDS Elementary Mathematics?
Matriculation level: arithmetic, algebra, trigonometry, geometry, mensuration and statistics. The difficulty lies in speed: 100 questions in 120 minutes, without a calculator.
What does CDS General Knowledge cover?
Current events and everyday science, plus History, Geography, Polity and Economy, with questions on defence and security as well.
Are these the official CDS question papers?
No. The questions are original and written to match the official UPSC pattern, syllabus and difficulty. Use them alongside the official UPSC papers.