UPSC Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination Syllabus 2026
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
The UPSC Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for admission to the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA), and Officers Training Academy (OTA). Candidates for IMA, INA, and AFA appear in three papers—English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics. Candidates applying for OTA appear only in English and General Knowledge. Candidates qualifying the written examination are shortlisted for the Services Selection Board (SSB) Interview, followed by a Medical Examination. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
Duration
English: 2 Hours General Knowledge: 2 Hours Elementary Mathematics: 2 Hours
Marking
* English: 120 questions carrying 100 marks. * General Knowledge: 120 questions carrying 100 marks. * Elementary Mathematics: 100 questions carrying 100 marks. * Total Written Examination: * IMA / INA / AFA: 300 marks * OTA: 200 marks.
Negative marking
One-third (1/3) of the marks assigned to a question are deducted for every incorrect answer. There is no penalty for unanswered questions.
Exam Pattern
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | Questions | Marks |
| English | 120 | 100 |
| General Knowledge | 120 | 100 |
| Elementary Mathematics *(IMA, INA & AFA only)* | 100 | 100 |
Subject-wise Syllabus
English
Spotting Errors, Sentence Improvement, Fill in the Blanks, Synonyms & Antonyms, Idioms & Phrases, One Word Substitution, Ordering of Words in a Sentence, Sentence Arrangement, Para Jumbles, Cloze Test, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Grammar, Active & Passive Voice, Direct & Indirect Speech
General Knowledge
### Current Affairs, National Current Affairs, International Current Affairs, Defence Exercises, Government Schemes, Awards & Honours, Sports, Science & Technology, ### History, Ancient India, Medieval India, Modern India, Indian Freedom Movement, World History (Basic), ### Geography, Physical Geography, Indian Geography, World Geography, Climate, Rivers, Mountains, Natural Resources, ### Indian Polity, Constitution, Fundamental Rights, Parliament, Judiciary, President & Prime Minister, Panchayati Raj, ### Economy, Indian Economy, Banking Basics, Inflation, Budget, Economic Development, ### General Science, #### Physics, Motion, Force, Work, Energy & Power, Heat, Light, Sound, Electricity, Magnetism, #### Chemistry, Atomic Structure, Acids, Bases & Salts, Metals & Non-Metals, Chemical Reactions, Everyday Chemistry, #### Biology, Human Body, Nutrition, Diseases, Plant & Animal Kingdom, Environment & Ecology
Elementary Mathematics
### Arithmetic, Number System, HCF & LCM, Simplification, Percentage, Ratio & Proportion, Average, Profit & Loss, Simple & Compound Interest, Time & Work, Pipes & Cistern, Time, Speed & Distance, ### Algebra, Basic Algebra, Linear Equations, Quadratic Equations, Identities, Surds, Logarithms, ### Geometry, Lines & Angles, Triangles, Circles, Quadrilaterals, Polygons, Coordinate Geometry, ### Mensuration, Areas, Volumes, Surface Area, Prism, Cylinder, Cone, Sphere, ### Trigonometry, Trigonometric Ratios, Heights & Distances, Trigonometric Identities, ### Statistics, Data Interpretation, Tables, Bar Graphs, Pie Charts, Mean, Median, Mode
Preparation Tips
- Strengthen English grammar and vocabulary through daily practice.
- Revise NCERT books (Classes 6–10) for History, Geography, Science, and Polity.
- Read newspapers regularly to improve Current Affairs and Defence awareness.
- Practice Class 10-level Mathematics concepts thoroughly.
- Solve previous years' UPSC CDS question papers to understand the exam pattern.
- Attempt full-length mock tests to improve speed, accuracy, and time management.
- Prepare simultaneously for the SSB Interview by improving communication skills, leadership qualities, and general awareness.