The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination for recruitment into the following academies:
- Indian Military Academy (IMA)
- Indian Naval Academy (INA)
- Air Force Academy (AFA)
- Officers Training Academy (OTA)
Below is the detailed syllabus for the CDS Examination.
PAPER – 1: ENGLISH
The English paper is designed to test the candidate’s understanding of the language, grammar, and vocabulary. It evaluates:
- Comprehension ability
- Workmanlike use of words
- Sentence formation
- Synonyms and antonyms
- Fill in the blanks
- Spotting errors
- Sentence improvement
- Para jumbles
PAPER – 2: GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
The General Knowledge paper tests the candidate’s awareness of current events, general science, and historical and geographical knowledge. The syllabus includes:
- Current Affairs – National and international events, government schemes, and important personalities
- History of India – Ancient, medieval, and modern history, including freedom movements
- Geography – Indian and world geography, including physical and economic aspects
- General Science – Basic physics, chemistry, and biology concepts relevant to daily life
PAPER – 3: ELEMENTARY MATHEMATICS
1. Arithmetic
- Number System – Natural numbers, integers, rational and real numbers
- Basic Operations – Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division
- Square Roots and Decimal Fractions
- Unitary Method – Time and distance, time and work
- Percentages – Applications in simple and compound interest
- Profit and Loss, Ratio and Proportion, Variation
2. Elementary Number Theory
- Division Algorithm – Prime and composite numbers
- Divisibility Rules – Tests for 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, and 11
- Multiples and Factors – Factorization theorem
- HCF and LCM – Euclidean algorithm
- Logarithms – Base 10, laws of logarithms, and use of logarithmic tables
3. Trigonometry
- Basic trigonometric functions: sine (sin), cosine (cos), tangent (tan)
- Values of sin, cos, and tan for angles 0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90°
- Trigonometric identities
- Use of trigonometric tables
- Simple applications of heights and distances
4. Geometry
- Lines and Angles – Basic properties
- Plane Figures – Theorems on:
- Properties of angles at a point
- Parallel lines
- Sides and angles of a triangle
- Congruency and similarity of triangles
- Medians and altitudes of a triangle
- Properties of quadrilaterals (parallelogram, rectangle, square)
- Circle properties including tangents and normals
- Locus problems
5. Mensuration
- Areas of basic geometric shapes:
- Squares, rectangles, parallelograms, triangles, and circles
- Surface area and volume of:
- Cuboids, right circular cones, cylinders, and spheres
- Applications in real-world field measurements
6. Statistics
- Collection and Tabulation of Data
- Graphical Representation:
- Frequency polygons
- Histograms
- Bar charts
- Pie charts
- Measures of Central Tendency – Mean, median, and mode
Click Here For Exam Pattern of CDS
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