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    CDS Mock Test Free 2026 — IMA, INA, AFA, OTA Pattern & Syllabus

    May 7, 20268 min read

    The Combined Defence Services (CDS) exam is conducted by UPSC twice a year (February and November) for recruitment to the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA), and Officers Training Academy (OTA — Chennai).

    CDS is a graduate-level entry path to officer-cadre defence careers. Unlike NDA (which is for 10+2 candidates), CDS is for graduates and candidates pursuing their final-year graduation. IMA / INA / AFA recruit for permanent commission, while OTA is for short-service commission (with separate gates for men and women).

    Selection has two stages — Written Exam (3 papers for IMA/INA/AFA: English + GK + Elementary Maths; 2 papers for OTA: English + GK) and the SSB Interview.

    संक्षिप्त परिचय

    CDS परीक्षा UPSC द्वारा साल में दो बार आयोजित की जाती है — IMA, INA, AFA और OTA में अधिकारी भर्ती के लिए। यह स्नातक स्तर की परीक्षा है।

    IMA/INA/AFA के लिए तीन पेपर — English (100), GK (100), Elementary Maths (100)। OTA के लिए केवल English + GK।

    IMA/INA/AFA के लिए स्थायी कमीशन; OTA के लिए शॉर्ट सर्विस कमीशन। महिलाएं केवल OTA में पात्र (स्थायी कमीशन के लिए NDA या SSC entry)।

    Exam Pattern

    CDS written exam has 3 papers (English + GK + Elementary Mathematics) for IMA/INA/AFA candidates, and only 2 papers (English + GK) for OTA candidates. Each paper is 100 marks with 2-hour duration.

    Subject / SectionQuestionsMarks / Time
    Paper I — English120 (MCQ)100 marks · 120 min
    Paper II — General Knowledge120 (MCQ)100 marks · 120 min
    Paper III — Elementary Mathematics (IMA/INA/AFA only)100 (MCQ)100 marks · 120 min
    Total — IMA / INA / AFA340300 marks · 360 min
    Total — OTA240200 marks · 240 min
    SSB Interview5-day testing300 marks (IMA/INA/AFA) or 200 marks (OTA)

    Negative marking: 1/3rd of the marks allotted to the question are deducted for every wrong answer. Maths level: Class 10 (Matriculation level), not Class 12. Mode: Offline pen-and-paper, OMR-based. Final merit: Written marks + SSB marks combined.

    Syllabus — Topic-wise Breakdown

    English (100 marks)

    Spotting Errors, Sentence Correction, Sentence Improvement, Para Jumbles (Ordering of Sentences), Cloze Test, Fill in the Blanks (single & double), Synonyms, Antonyms, Idioms & Phrases, One-word Substitution, Reading Comprehension (multiple passages — usually 8–10 questions per passage), Spelling Correction, Sentence Completion.

    General Knowledge (100 marks)

    Indian History (Ancient, Medieval, Modern, Freedom Movement), Geography (India + World — physical, climate, agriculture, industry), Indian Polity (Constitution, Parliament, Judiciary, Federalism, Panchayati Raj), Economics (planning, budget, banking, growth indicators), General Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology — Class 9–10 level), Defence-related current affairs (defence exercises, weapons, missiles, recent appointments in armed forces, defence equipment inductions), Sports, Awards, Books, Important Days, Summits.

    Elementary Mathematics — Class 10 Level (100 marks, IMA/INA/AFA only)

    Arithmetic (Number System, HCF & LCM, Simplification, Decimal Fractions, Square Roots & Cube Roots, Percentage, Profit & Loss, Simple & Compound Interest, Time-Work-Distance, Average, Ratio & Proportion), Algebra (Polynomials, Quadratic Equations, Linear Equations in 2 variables, Set Theory), Trigonometry (Trigonometric Ratios, Heights & Distances), Geometry (Lines, Angles, Triangles, Circles, Parallelograms), Mensuration (Areas, Volumes), Statistics (Tabulation, Bar Graphs, Pie Charts, Frequency Distribution, Mean/Median/Mode).

    SSB Interview Process

    The SSB Interview is the same 5-day process as for NDA — Stage 1 (OIR + PPDT screening), Stage 2 (Psychology tests, GTO tasks, Personal Interview, and Conference). It carries 300 marks for IMA/INA/AFA candidates and 200 marks for OTA candidates. SSB tests Officer-Like Qualities (OLQs) — courage, initiative, planning, social adaptability, leadership.

    Preparation Tips & Strategy

    1. Math is the Marks-Differentiator for IMA/INA/AFA

    CDS Maths is Class 10 level — much easier than NDA Maths (Class 11–12). Most candidates who score well in Maths clear the cut-off comfortably. Focus on Arithmetic (60% of Maths section), then Geometry, Trigonometry, Algebra. NCERT 9–10 Maths + R.S. Aggarwal (Quant) is enough.

    2. English — Reading Comprehension Weighs Heavy

    About 30+ questions out of 120 in English are RC-based. Speed reading is critical — you have 60 seconds per question. Daily 2 RC passages from CDS PYQs. Build vocabulary with 10 new words/day from a Norman Lewis word power book.

    3. GK — Use NCERT 6–10 + Defence-Specific Compendium

    Start with NCERTs (6–10) for History, Geography, Polity, Science. Add a defence-focused current affairs PDF — recent defence exercises (Yudh Abhyas, Vajra Prahar, Tarang Shakti), missile tests (Agni, BrahMos), inductions (Tejas, Rafale, INS Vikrant), and defence appointments. CDS GK has 8–12 defence-specific questions every paper.

    4. PYQ Practice — Last 12 Years Subject-Wise

    CDS repeats themes — solve last 12 years' papers subject-wise. The pattern of trap questions in English and the depth of Maths topics becomes clear. Aim for 80%+ accuracy in PYQ practice within 2 attempts before moving to mocks.

    5. SSB Preparation Cannot Be Last-Minute

    Build SSB readiness through the year — physical fitness (5km run, push-ups), reading newspapers daily for opinions, public speaking, current affairs, group discussions. Books: Cdr Bakshi's "Let's Crack SSB Interview", Dr Cdr Natarajan's OIR. Watch official SSB experience videos.

    Ready to Test Your Preparation?

    Free mock tests on ParikshaExamPrep — no signup, instant score, available in Hindi & English. Practice with the latest exam pattern.

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is the CDS 2026 exam pattern?

    CDS written exam has 3 papers for IMA/INA/AFA candidates (English 100 + GK 100 + Elementary Maths 100 = 300 marks), and 2 papers for OTA candidates (English 100 + GK 100 = 200 marks). Each paper is 2 hours. Negative marking is 1/3rd. SSB Interview adds 300 marks (IMA/INA/AFA) or 200 marks (OTA).

    What is the difference between NDA and CDS?

    NDA is for 10+2 candidates (age 16.5–19.5), commissioned after 4 years of training (3 at NDA + 1 at IMA/INA/AFA). CDS is for graduates (age 19–25 for IMA, 19–24 for INA & AFA, 19–25 for OTA), commissioned faster (1.5 years training). CDS Maths is Class 10 level; NDA Maths is Class 11–12 level.

    Are women eligible for CDS?

    Women are eligible only for OTA (Officers Training Academy — Chennai) under CDS, leading to Short Service Commission. They are not eligible for IMA, INA, or AFA through CDS. For Permanent Commission, women now apply via NDA (since 2022) or SSC Tech / NCC Entry.

    What is the age limit for CDS?

    IMA: 19–24 years (unmarried male). INA: 19–24 years (unmarried male). AFA: 20–24 years (unmarried male). OTA Men: 19–25 years (unmarried male). OTA Women: 19–25 years (unmarried, divorced, or widow without dependents). All ages as on the cut-off date in the notification.

    What is the salary of a CDS-recruited officer?

    Officers commissioned through CDS start as Lieutenants (Army) / Sub-Lieutenants (Navy) / Flying Officers (Air Force) at Pay Level 10 (₹56,100 basic) under the 7th CPC. With Military Service Pay (MSP) of ₹15,500 plus DA, HRA and other allowances, gross monthly pay is approximately ₹85,000–₹1,00,000. Annual CTC is ~₹12–14 lakh.

    अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले प्रश्न (हिंदी में)

    CDS 2026 परीक्षा पैटर्न क्या है?

    IMA/INA/AFA के लिए 3 पेपर (English 100 + GK 100 + Elementary Maths 100 = 300 अंक)। OTA के लिए 2 पेपर (English 100 + GK 100 = 200 अंक)। प्रत्येक पेपर 2 घंटे का। नेगेटिव मार्किंग 1/3 अंक।

    NDA और CDS में क्या अंतर है?

    NDA 12वीं के बाद (आयु 16.5–19.5), 4 साल का प्रशिक्षण। CDS स्नातक के बाद (आयु 19–25), 1.5 साल का प्रशिक्षण। CDS Maths कक्षा 10 स्तर का; NDA Maths कक्षा 11–12 स्तर का।

    क्या महिलाएं CDS में पात्र हैं?

    महिलाएं केवल OTA (शॉर्ट सर्विस कमीशन) में पात्र हैं। IMA, INA, AFA में नहीं। स्थायी कमीशन के लिए महिलाएं NDA (2022 से) या SSC Tech में आवेदन कर सकती हैं।

    CDS के लिए आयु सीमा क्या है?

    IMA: 19–24 वर्ष। INA: 19–24 वर्ष। AFA: 20–24 वर्ष। OTA पुरुष: 19–25 वर्ष। OTA महिला: 19–25 वर्ष।

    CDS से चुने अधिकारी का वेतन क्या है?

    शुरुआती बेसिक ₹56,100 (Pay Level 10)। MSP ₹15,500 + DA + HRA = कुल gross ₹85,000–₹1 लाख प्रति माह। वार्षिक CTC ~₹12–14 लाख।

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