CDS Exam Pattern 2023: Check Exam Pattern, Section-Wise Marks & Duration

CDS Exam Pattern 2023 for the Indian Military, Indian Navy, and Air Force Academy Exam is divided into 3 sections, whereas the Officers’ Training Academy Exam is divided into 2 sections – each comprises a total of 100 questions. Each question carries 1 mark. There was a negative marking of 1/3^rd of the total mark for each wrong answer. The exam duration was 2 hours. The conducting body releases the CDS answer key on its official website after the commencement of the exam. Also, do more CDS previous year’s papers to boost the exam preparations.

CDS Exam Pattern for Written Test

The written test for IMA, INA, and AFA consists of 3 sections – English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics. Whereas the written paper for OTA consists of 2 sections – English and General Knowledge. The structure of the question paper is shown in the table below-

Mode of Exam: Offline i.e. candidates will be allocated an OMR sheet wherein they must color the appropriate response.

Type of Questions: Objective Type i.e. each question will have four options. A candidate must choose the most appropriate response.

The medium of Exam: Bilingual in Hindi as well as English

CDS Exam Pattern for For IMA, INA, AFA

CDS Exam Pattern for OTA

Standard of Questions

Given below is the expected standard of each section in the CDS Exam:

• The standard of the papers in Elementary Mathematics will be of Matriculation level. The standard of papers in other subjects will approximately be such as may be expected of a graduate of an Indian University.
• English: The question paper will be designed to test the candidates’ understanding of English and workmanlike use of words.

• General Knowledge: 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 who has not made a special study of any scientific subject. The paper will also include questions on History of India and Geography of a nature which candidate should be able to answer without special study.

CDS Exam Pattern for SSB Interview

The selection of the candidates is on the basis of marks scored in the interviews. Total marks for the interview for Indian Military Academy, Naval Academy, and Air Force Academy is 300 marks, whereas 200 marks are allotted for interview of OTA.

SSB Interview will contain two stages i.e. Stage 1 and Stage 2. Candidates who qualify the stage 1 exam will be called for stage 2.

Stage 1: It is an OIR (Officer Intelligence Rating) Test which contains Picture Perception and Description Test (PP & DT). Candidates will be shortlisted as per their performance in the OIR Test and PP and DT.

Stage 2: Candidates passing stage 1 will be called for this stage. This part consists of Group Testing Officer Tasks, Interview, Conference, and Psychology Test. These tests are organized in four days.

UPSC CDS Marking Scheme

Negative marking is applicable for every wrong marked answer. In CDS paper, each question carries 4 options and out of which only 1 option is correct. For each incorrect answer, 1/3 of the marks will be deducted. More than one option marked is treated as incorrect. However, if a question is left unanswered there will be no negative marking.

The following table explains the detailed marking scheme of the exam.

CDS Marking Scheme for IMA, INA, AFA

CDS Marking Scheme for OTA

The following table shows Marking scheme for Officer Training Academy (OTA):

CDS Previous Year Paper Analysis – Subject-wise

Here are the exam paper analysis of all subjects:

CDS English

The English question paper will be designed to test the candidates' understanding of the English language. As per the previous year's analysis, the following are the important topics asked in English paper.

CDS General Knowledge

As per previous year analysis following are the important topics for GK paper:

CDS Elementary Mathematics

In the following table, the previous year's paper analysis of mathematics paper is mentioned.

Instructions to Fill CDS Answer Sheet

Candidates are advised to follow the instructions to fill the OMR sheet very carefully as the answer sheets are to be evaluated on the machine and any violation of these instructions may result in the reduction of scores. Before marking responses on the Answer Sheet, aspirants have to fill in various particulars in it.

After receiving CDS 2019 Answer Sheet, candidates have to check that it is numbered at the bottom. If it is un-numbered, it has to be replaced by a numbered one. The top of the answer sheet will have the particulars shown in the figure below.

The following points should be kept in mind while filling CDS answer sheet:

• Write with black ball pen only.
• The test Booklet Series will be indicated by Alphabets A, B, C or D at the top right-hand corner of the Booklet.
• Find out the appropriate subject code from the test booklet. Thereafter, encode the test booklet series, subject code and the roll number by using black pen.
• Write and encode test booklet series after receiving the Test Booklet. For example, for English paper of ‘A’ Test Booklet Series you have to encode the subject code, which is 01 as shown below:

• In the next step, you have to encode the Roll No. An example to encode the Roll Number is shown below.

• Candidates have to make sure that they have carefully encoded their subject Test Booklet series and Roll Number.

Along with knowing the latest CDS exam pattern, candidates must also check the revised CDS syllabus and plan their studies accordingly.

Download CDS 2023 Study Material