UPSC CDS syllabus

The written examination for the Indian Military Academy, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy and the Officers' Training Academy. IMA, INA and AFA have three objective papers; OTA has English and General Knowledge only.

Written examination for IMA, INA and AFA

English

120 questions, 100 marks · 2 hours

Subject code 11. 100/120 marks for a right answer, taken here as 0.8333. A wrong answer takes away one-third of that, taken here as 0.2778. Four options. The paper is in English. All items carry equal marks.

Understanding of English
Workmanlike use of words
Grammar and sentence structure
Vocabulary, idioms and usage
Ordering of sentences and words
Cloze and reading

General Knowledge

120 questions, 100 marks · 2 hours

Subject code 12. 100/120 marks for a right answer, taken here as 0.8333. A wrong answer takes away 0.2778. Four options. Set in Hindi and English. The syllabus also names current events; this practice set uses stable facts only.

Current events of the kind an educated person follows
Everyday science
History of India
Geography

Elementary Mathematics

100 questions, 100 marks · 2 hours

Subject code 13. 1 mark for a right answer. A wrong answer takes away one-third of a mark, taken here as 0.3333. Four options. Matriculation standard. Set in Hindi and English. Not taken by candidates for the Officers' Training Academy.

Arithmetic
Elementary number theory
Algebra
Trigonometry
Geometry
Mensuration
Statistics

Written examination for the Officers' Training Academy

English

120 questions, 100 marks · 2 hours

Same English paper as for IMA, INA and AFA. 0.8333 for a right answer and 0.2778 taken away for a wrong one.

Understanding of English
Workmanlike use of words

General Knowledge

120 questions, 100 marks · 2 hours

Same General Knowledge paper as for IMA, INA and AFA. Set in Hindi and English. 0.8333 for a right answer and 0.2778 taken away for a wrong one.

Current events
Everyday science
History of India
Geography