What is CDS?
The Combined Defence Services (CDS) exam is conducted by UPSC twice a year. It enables graduates to join IMA (Indian Military Academy), INA (Indian Naval Academy), AFA (Air Force Academy), and OTA (Officers Training Academy). At Atharva Defence Academy's CDS coaching in Dehradun, our ex-Army faculty prepares graduates for all four academies.
CDS Exam Pattern 2025
- IMA / INA / AFA: English (100 marks), General Knowledge (100 marks), Elementary Mathematics (100 marks) — Total 300 marks
- OTA: English (100 marks), General Knowledge (100 marks) — Total 200 marks (no Maths)
- All papers are 2 hours each. Negative marking: 1/3rd of marks per wrong answer.
CDS Syllabus Breakdown
English (100 marks): Comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, ordering of sentences, and fill in the blanks. Standard is Class 12 level.
General Knowledge (100 marks): Current events, Indian history, Indian polity, geography, economics, science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology), defence knowledge.
Elementary Maths (100 marks): Arithmetic, Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Statistics. Standard is Class 10 level — much easier than NDA Maths.
Preparation Strategy
CDS English demands newspaper-level proficiency. GK requires consistent current affairs tracking (3 months prior). Maths is Class 10 standard — one month of revision is sufficient for most graduates. Join our CDS coaching at Garhi Cantt and apply here.