UPSC will release the official CDS 1 question papers 2026 online on the official website, upsc.gov.in. The official previous years' UPSC CDS question papers will also be available to download on the official website. Candidates can download the question paper of UPSC CDS exam directly from this page. For the CDS 2026 question papers, various coaching institutes release the unofficial CDS answer key.
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Those who are preparing for the CDS exam are advised to make use of previous years question papers in order to prepare more thoroughly for the exam. Candidates can download the previous years CDS question papers from the links provided below.
You can download UPSC CDS question papers from the links below
Candidates can download the CDS 2 2025 question paper from the table below after the official release.
| Papers | Download link |
| Elementary Maths | Download here |
| English | Download here |
| General Knowledge | Download here |
Candidates can download the CDS 1 2025 question paper from the table below after the official release.
| Papers | Download link |
| Elementary Maths | Download here |
| English | Download here |
| General Knowledge | Download here |
Candidates will be able to download the CDS 2 2024 question paper from the below table after the official release.
| Papers | Download link |
| Elementary Maths | Download here |
| English | Download here |
| General Knowledge | Download here |
Candidates can download the CDS 1 2024 question paper from the below table.
| Papers | Download link |
| Elementary Maths | Download here |
| English | Download here |
| General Knowledge | Download here |
CDS English Question Paper | CDS General Knowledge Question Paper | CDS Mathematics Question Paper | |
CDS Question Papers 2023 | |||
CDS Question Papers 2022 | |||
CDS Question Papers 2021 | |||
CDS Question Papers 2020 | |||
CDS Question Papers 2019 | |||
CDS Question Papers 2018 | |||
CDS Question Papers 2017 | Click Here |
CDS 2 English Question Paper | CDS 2 General Knowledge Question Paper | CDS 2 Mathematics Question Paper | |
CDS Question Papers 2023 | |||
CDS Question Papers 2022 | |||
CDS Question Papers 2021 | |||
CDS Question Papers 2020 | |||
CDS Question Papers 2018 | |||
CDS Question Papers 2017 | |||
CDS Question Papers 2016 |
Candidates attempting the CDS previous year question paper with the solution can benefit aspirants in many ways, some of which are mentioned below -
Practising with past question papers helps gauge the exam's difficulty level.
Candidates can become aware of how important topics in the CDS syllabus will be presented in the exam.
By practising the CDS previous year's question papers, candidates will be able to get an idea of their progress.
Solving past question papers helps candidates understand their weak points so that they can figure out how to improve them.
Solving CDS question papers while keeping a timer will make it easier for candidates to answer questions in the actual CDS exam on time. It has the added benefit of increasing accuracy and question-solving speed.
Also download question papers of other UPSC exams
Visit the UPSC official website - upsc.gov.in
In the header tab, click on "Examination" and select "Previous Year Question Paper" from the dropdown
Select the year for which the CDS question paper needs to be downloaded
Download the CDS question paper and practice daily.
After the exam is conducted, UPSC will provide aspirants with a challenge option which is also known as the "Question Paper Representation Portal" QPRep. Candidates will be able to challenge the CDS 2026 question papers within one week. The steps to challenge are mentioned below -
Visit the official UPSC - upsc.gov.in.
Click on the examination tab and select “Time Frame for Representation”.
A new window will appear. Click on the link given in PDF i.e. https://upsconline.nic.in/miscellaneous/QPRep/.
Click on made representation for CDS question paper.
Fill in all details in the required field and submit the representation.
Check here list of other government exams
CDS written exam is conducted in pen and paper mode. CDS 1 question paper 2026 with answer pdf is MCQ-based. Each section consists of 100 marks with a time duration of 2 hours. There is a negative marking of 1/3rd marks which will be deducted for wrong answers.
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Apart from the question papers, UPSC will also release the CDS 2026 answer key on the official website. The official website will have all the correct answers to the questions asked in the exam. However, as soon as the exam is over, various coaching institutes release the unofficial CDS answer keys 2026, which are memory-based.
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The CDS 2026 syllabus is mentioned in the official notification. The syllabus consists of all the subjects, topics, and sections on which the CDS question paper 2026 will be based. As per the IMA, INA, and AFA syllabus, the subjects are English, GK, and Elementary Knowledge. For OTA, the subjects are English and GK.
To prepare for the CDS 2026 exam, aspirants need to follow the steps mentioned below -
Stick to the official syllabus and CDS 2026 exam pattern.
Download the CDS's previous year's question paper and practise it regularly.
The difficulty level of the exam is graduation level, so just make sure to cover the syllabus topics
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
You can download the CDS question paper 2026 from the official website and from the download links that are mentioned in the article.
The CDS cut off 2026 will be released according to the difficulty level of the CDS question paper.
Yes, there is negative marking in the exam which is 1/3rd mark per wrong attempt.
No, the exam is not very difficult however, the competition is tough due to a lot of candidates applying for few, limited vacancies. If you prepare well you can qualify for the exam.
On Question asked by student community
Yes you're eligible . If you're born on 1 july 2003, you're eligible for UPSC CDS 2 in 2026 for IMA . For IMA the candidate must be born between 2 july 2002 and 1 july 2007
Hello,
This is a minor mistake and it will not affect your selection.
UPSC usually opens a
correction window
after the application closes.
You can edit details like the
issuing authority / degree details
during that time.
So you will be able to correct it.
If not corrected now:
It
Choosing the best CDS coaching in Lucknow really depends on what kind of learning environment you’re looking for. Some students prefer centres with strict discipline and regular mock tests, while others focus more on experienced faculty or smaller batch sizes. From what I’ve observed and heard from fellow aspirants, Shield
Hello aspirant,
No, after tenth grade, you are not eligible to take the CDS exam. Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree in order to sit for the CDS exam. It is intended for people who are in their last year of graduation or who have finished their college education. You
Hey! Since your date of birth is 07 Nov 2006 and you will complete graduation in 2029, here’s how many chances you’ll get for CDS (INA, IMA, AFA) and AFCAT:
For CDS exams, the age limit is usually 19–24 years.
For AFCAT, Flying Branch requires 20–24 years and Ground Duty
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