Candidates who wish to serve their country by joining the Indian Army, Navy, or Air Force should pay close attention to the CDS exam pattern 2023, which is of paramount importance. In exchange for their interest in pursuing a career in the defence industry, candidates are given an exceptional chance with the Combined Defence Services.
In light of the intense competition in this exam, it is absolutely critical for candidates to achieve exceptional results in order to realise their ambitions. Having a thorough understanding of the UPSC CDS exam pattern would aid applicants in devising an effective plan to succeed in the examination.
The CDS paper pattern 2023 of the IMA, INA, and AFA are very similar, while the CDS OTA exam pattern is a little bit different. In order to pass the CDS exam, candidates must pass both the written test and the SSB interview phase. This is a pen-and-paper exam that will be administered in a traditional setting. Before you begin your preparation, familiarise yourself with all of the characteristics of the UPSC CDS test pattern 2023 so that you can outperform your peers. Learn about the total CDS marks, the marking scheme, and the paper design for the OTA, INA, IMA, and AFA exams.
Table of Contents
CDS 2023 Exam Pattern
For the CDS paper pattern, the Combined Defence Services has created a way to recognise the intellect of applicants and filter them on the basis of their performance. Before beginning with the preparations, make sure you have gone through the entire paper pattern.
Knowing the CDS test pattern 2023 scoring scheme and total marks will assist you in developing an accurate strategy for preparing for and taking the exam in the best possible way. IMA, INA, and AFA CDS paper patterns have three major subjects: English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics. The Indian Military Academy [IMA], Indian Naval Academy [INA], and Air Force Academy [AFA] CDS paper pattern has three major subjects: English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics.
See the overview table below for additional information on the CDS exam pattern 2023 and how to get in touch with all the intricacies of the CDS exam pattern 2023.
|
Particulars |
Details |
|
Organization |
Combined Defence Services |
|
Exam Name |
CDS |
|
Time Duration |
For IMA, INA and AFA- 6 hours For OTA- 4 Hours |
|
Exam Mode |
Offline (pen and paper) |
|
Maximum Marks |
For IMA, INA and AFA- 300 For OTA- 200 |
|
Standard of the Papers |
For Maths- Matriculation level Other subjects- Graduation level |
|
Language of Paper |
Bilingual [Hindi and English] except English Paper |
|
Questions Type |
Objective (Multiple Choice Questions) |
CDS 2023 Exam Pattern for IMA, AFA and INA
The UPSC CDS exam pattern for the Indian Naval Academy, Indian Military Academy, and Air Force Academy consists of three main subjects: English Language, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics. The UPSC CDS exam pattern for the Indian Naval Academy, Indian Military Academy, and Air Force Academy consists of three main subjects: English Language, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics.
While the standard of questions for the English language is expected to be at the graduation level, the standard of questions for mathematics will be at the matriculation level. The entire time required is 6 hours, and the total number of points awarded is 300. The time frame that is assigned to each segment is determined in the table that is schematized beneath it.
Take a look at the table below to get a hold of all the information you need about the Combined Defence Services exam pattern for the INA, IMA, and AFA. Obtain information such as the total CDS marks, the time, the number of questions, and so forth.
|
Subject |
Time Duration |
Number of Questions |
Maximum Marks |
|
English |
2 hours |
120 |
100 |
|
General Knowledge |
2 hours |
120 |
100 |
|
Mathematics |
2 hours |
100 |
100 |
CDS 2023 Exam Pattern for OTA
The CDS paper pattern 2023 for Officers Training Academy consists of questions from the English language and general knowledge sections of the exam. The time allotted for answering the questions is four hours and thirty minutes. The maximum possible score on the OTA is 240, and the total time allotted is 4 hours. The CDS OTA pattern is illustrated in detail in the following table, which contains all of the necessary information.
|
Subject |
Time Duration |
Number of Questions |
Maximum Marks |
|
English |
2 hours |
120 |
100 |
|
General Knowledge |
2 hours |
120 |
100 |
Standard of Questions
The expected standard for each section of the CDS Exam is listed below:
Mathematics: The Elementary Mathematics papers will be at Matriculation level standard. The standard of papers in other courses will be about equivalent to that of an Indian university graduate.
English: The question paper will be designed to assess the candidates’ command of the English language as well as their ability to use words in a professional manner.
General Knowledge: Knowledge of current events and such topics of everyday observation and experience in their scientific aspects as may be expected of an educated individual who has not studied any scientific subject in depth. The paper will also feature questions on Indian history and geography that candidates should be able to answer without having to do any further research.
CDS 2023 SSB Interview
The interview stage for the selection of INA, IMA, and AFA candidates carries a maximum score of 300 points. When it comes to the interview process, there are two primary stages. The Officer Intelligence Rating [OIR]. This test is used to screen candidates based on their perception of the situation. There will be a test of picture perception as well as a test of description. Applicants will be shortlisted based on how well they perform in the OIR Test, as well as in the PPT and the DT. After the interview, there will be a psychological exam and a conference, which will make up the second stage of the interview. Candidates who have passed stage 1 will be invited to participate in this round. It consists of group tasks (Group Testing Officer Tasks), interviews, conferences, and psychological tests. These tests are scheduled to take place over the course of four days.
CDS Marking Scheme
The CDS marking scheme, as well as the paper pattern for OTA, IMA, INA, and AFA, are described in detail here. It is critical for applicants to keep the negative marking in mind as they answer the questions on the application form. Avoid losing marks by trying to mould your technique around their marking scheme. –
A negative marking system is in place for every incorrectly marked answer. Each question in the CDS paper has four possible answers, with only one of them being correct. For each erroneous response, one-third of the total points will be subtracted. When more than one choice is selected, the selection is considered wrong. No negative marking will be awarded if a question is left unanswered, on the other hand.
The entire marking scheme for the exam is explained in detail in the following table.
IMA, AFA, INA Marking Scheme
| CDS Paper | English | GK | Mathematics |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Maximum Marks |
100 | 100 | 100 |
|
Marks for each Correct answer |
+1 mark for each correct option | +1 mark for each correct option | +1 mark for each correct option |
|
Negative marking |
-0.33 marks for each wrong answer | -0.33 marks for each wrong answer | -0.33 marks for each wrong answer |
OTA Marking Scheme
| CDS Paper | English | GK |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum Marks | 100 | 100 |
| Marks for each Correct answer | +1 mark for each correct option | +1 mark for each correct option |
| Negative marking | -0.33 marks for each wrong answer | -0.33 marks for each wrong answer |
CDS Previous Year Papers Subject-Wise Analysis
English
The English question paper will be constructed in such a way that it will assess the candidates’ command of the English language. According to the results of the previous year’s analysis, the following are the most frequently asked questions in the English paper.
|
Topic |
Number of Questions | Level of Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
|
Spot the Error |
20 | Easy |
| Cloze Test | 20 |
Easy |
|
Sentence-Jumble |
7 | Moderate |
|
Antonyms |
7 | Easy |
|
Synonyms |
8 | Moderate |
|
Sentence Improvement |
20 | Easy |
|
Reading Comprehension |
23 (5 passages) | Easy to Moderate |
|
One Word Substitution |
5 | Moderate |
|
Para-Jumble |
10 | Easy to Moderate |
General Knowledge
|
Topic |
Number of Questions | Level of Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
|
History |
19 | Difficult |
|
Polity |
20 | Easy to Moderate |
|
Geography |
22 | Moderate (Analytical based questions) |
|
Economy/Trade |
11 | Moderate (Fact-based questions) |
|
Ecology |
06 | Moderate (Fact-based questions) |
|
Science |
27 | Easy (Concept-based questions) |
|
Miscellaneous /Armed Forces |
15 | Moderate (Fact-based questions) |
Elementary Mathematics
|
Topic |
Number of Questions | Level of Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
|
Mensuration |
14 | Easy |
|
Algebra |
7 | Easy to Moderate |
|
Geometry |
20 | Easy to Moderate |
|
Simple interest/Compound interest |
5 | Easy |
|
Time speed and Distance |
6 | Easy |
|
Number System |
20 | Easy to Moderate |
|
Percentage |
2 | Easy |
|
Profit/Loss |
1 | Easy |
|
Mixture |
1 | Easy |
|
Time and Work |
3 | Easy |
|
Trigonometry |
14 | Moderate to Difficult |
|
Set Theory |
1 | Easy |
|
Clock |
2 | Easy |
|
Mean-Median-Mode (Frequency Distribution Table) |
4 | Easy |
CDS 2023 Exam Pattern FAQs
For each incorrect answer, one-third of the total marks allocated to the question will be deducted in accordance with the CDS grading scheme. The questions that were not attempted will receive no credit.
The interview round for the positions of INA, IMA, and AFA is worth 300 points, while the OTA is worth 200 points. The interview is divided into two parts and analyses applicants based on their intelligence and personality.
The English subject carries a total of 100 points in the CDS exam schedule for both categories. Candidates must answer 120 questions in the allotted time of two hours.
No, according to the CDS exam pattern criteria, you will not be given a mark if you have marked two answers for one question.
No, according to the authorities’ instructions, applicants must take the CDS exam 2023 with a black ballpoint pen.