UPSC CDS Syllabus 2024, Subject-wise Detail and Download PDF

UPSC CDS Syllabus 2024

Aspirants must know about the UPSC CDS Syllabus 2024, for the better understanding of the process and be better prepared for the exam. UPSC CDS Syllabus 2024 consists of three papers: English, General Knowledge and Mathematics. For the CDS OTA, there is only 2 papers: General Knowledge and English.

The Combined Defence Services Examination (CDS) is one of the highly competitive examinations. To ace this examination, it is essential for aspirants to have a thorough understanding of the UPSC CDS syllabus. The process concludes in two steps: Written Exam followed by SSB Interview.

UPSC CDS 1 Notification 2024 has been OUT, Click here to know the important dates and apply online

UPSC CDS Syllabus 2024: Overview

CDS 1 exam 2024 will be conducted on 21st April 2024 and CDS 2 exam will be conducted on 1st September 2024. So, it will be better for aspirants who are looking for the positions in CDS, to thoroughly read the UPSC CDS Syllabus and take further actions accordingly. For CDS Written Exam, there are three subjects namely English, General Knowledge and Mathematics. For the CDS Officers Training Academy (OTA), there is no Mathematics. There are only two subjects: English and General Knowledge.

Events	Details
Name of the Exam	Combined Defence Force (CDS)
Conducting Body	Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Frequency	Twice a Year
Mode of Examination	Offline
Type of Questions	Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Medium	Hindi/English
Number of Questions	IMA/INA/AFA – 300 OTA – 200
Time Duration	2 hours for each paper
Negative Marking	1/3 deducted for every wrong answer

UPSC CDS Syllabus: Subject-wise

The CDS Syllabus consists of 3 papers:

• General Knowledge
• English
• Elementary Mathematics

UPSC CDS Syllabus topic wise

CDS Syllabus 2024: English (Code – 01)

In order to enhance their performance in English section, candidates are advised to cultivate a habit of daily newspaper reading. They should identify challenging words and seek their meanings, thereby improving both their vocabulary and comprehension of passages. This section aims to evaluate candidates’ proficiency in English and their capacity to employ language effectively and professionally.

Subject	Topics
ENGLISH	Reading Comprehension. Spotting the Error. Fill in the blanks. Synonyms & Antonyms. Idioms and Phrases. Sentence Arrangement or Jumbled. Ordering of words in Sentence. Sentence Improvement or Sentence Correction.

CDS Syllabus 2024: General Knowledge (Code – 02)

Topic	Description
CURRENT AFFAIRS	Events of national and international importance, sports, awards and honours, books and authors, and major developments in the fields of politics, economics, and social issues
HISTORY	Ancient, medieval, and modern Indian history, Indian national movement, and the growth of nationalism
GEOGRAPHY	Physical, social, and economic aspects of geography, including Indian geography and world geography
INDIAN POLITY and GOVERNANCE	Constitution of India, political system, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
ECONOMIC and SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT	Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY	Developments in the field of science and technology, including space technology, biotechnology, and computer technology
ENVIRONMENTAL ECOLOGY and BIODIVERSITY	Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment, and climate change
DEFENCE and SECURITY ISSUES	Current events related to national security, internal and external threats, and the role of the Armed Forces

CDS Syllabus 2024: Mathematics (Code – 03)

Subject	Topics
ARITHMETIC	Number System—Natural numbers, Integers, Rational and Real numbers. Fundamental operations, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division, Square roots, Decimal fractions. Unitary method, Time and Distance, Time and Work, Percentages, Applications to Simple and Compound Interest, Profit and Loss, Ratio and Proportion, Variation. Elementary Number Theory—Division Algorithm. Prime and Composite numbers. Tests of divisibility by 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, and 11. Multiples and factors. Factorization Theorem. H.C.F. and L.C.M. Euclidean algorithm. Logarithms to base 10, Laws of logarithms, Use of logarithmic tables.
ALGEBRA	Basic Operations, Simple factors, Remainder Theorem, H.C.F., L.C.M., Theory of Polynomials, Solutions of Quadratic Equations, Relation between its roots and coefficients (Only real roots to be considered). Simultaneous linear equations in two unknowns—Analytical and Graphical solutions. Simultaneous linear inequations in two variables and their solutions. Practical problems leading to two simultaneous linear equations or inequations in two variables or quadratic equations in one variable & their solutions. Set language and Set notation, Rational expressions and conditional identities, Laws of indices.
TRIGONOMETRY	Sine ×, Cosine ×, Tangent × when 0° < × < 90° Values of sin ×, cos ×, and tan ×, for × = 0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90° Simple trigonometric identities. Use of trigonometric tables. Simple cases of heights and distances.
GEOMETRY	Lines and angles, Plane and plane figures, Theorems on: Properties of angles at a point, Parallel lines, Sides and angles of a triangle, Congruency of triangles, Similar triangles, Concurrence of medians and altitudes, Properties of angles, sides and diagonals of a parallelogram, rectangle and square, Circles and its properties including tangents and normal, Loci.
MENSURATION	Areas of squares, rectangles, parallelograms, triangle and circle. Areas of figures which can be split up into these figures (Field Book), Surface area and volume of cuboids, lateral surface and volume of right circular cones and cylinders, surface area and volume of spheres.
STATISTICS	Collection and tabulation of statistical data, Graphical representation frequency polygons, histograms, bar charts, pie charts etc. Measures of central tendency.

CDS Exam Pattern 2024

The CDS (Combined Defence Services) exam is the way to get into military academies like the Indian Military Academy and others. It has two parts, with questions in English, General Knowledge, and Mathematics. Each part is two hours long and worth 100 marks. This exam helps pick future officers for the Indian Armed Forces.

After the written exam, there’s a five-day SSB Test/Interview. This part is crucial and evaluates candidates on language skills, general knowledge, and math. It also looks at their overall personality to see if they are suitable for the armed forces. The goal is to understand their abilities and potential to become officers in the Indian Armed Forces.

A) Exam Pattern for Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Air Force Academy – 

Subject	Duration	Maximum Marks
English	2 Hours	100
General Knowledge	2 Hours	100
Mathematics	2 Hours	100
SSB Test/Interview	5 Days	300

B) Exam Pattern for the Officers’ Training Academy – 

Subject	Duration	Maximum Marks
English	2 Hours	100
General Knowledge	2 Hours	100
SSB Test/Interview	5 Days	300

UPSC CDS Syllabus 2024 PDF

Knowing the CDS syllabus is crucial for preparing for the exam. It helps candidates figure out what to study first and what’s most important. Having a detailed understanding of the CDS Exam syllabus is crucial for candidates as it enables them to develop a clear vision and effective action plan for their exam preparation. It makes studying easier and more organized.

Significance of UPSC CDS Exam Syllabus PDF:

1. Downloading the CDS Syllabus PDF is easy and avoids the need to repeatedly search for it online.
2. Printing the PDF allows you to have a physical copy for quick reference while preparing for exams.
3. The provided CDS Syllabus PDF link makes accessing the syllabus simple with just one click.

UPSC CDS Syllabus 2024 FAQs