Editorial review: 9 October 2026
Prepare for the CDS written papers using the correct route
CDS preparation begins with identifying which written-paper route applies to your intended course. The dated official scheme includes a three-paper route for IMA, INA and AFA and a two-paper route for OTA. A plan that treats mathematics as universal, or says there is no negative marking, misrepresents that scheme.
This guide uses the official CDS II 2026 notice, dated 20 May 2026, and original worked exercises. It is a written-preparation reference, not confirmation that applications are currently open or that you meet eligibility, medical or selection requirements. The older year in the preserved URL does not define the rules applicable to a reader.
The official examination page provides the associated notices and paper resources. Check the applicable official material for your actual examination rather than assuming every future cycle has identical instructions.
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Appendix I of the notice gives these papers:
| Course route | Written papers | Maximum written marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| IMA, INA and AFA | English, General Knowledge, Elementary Mathematics | 100 per paper; 300 total | 2 hours per paper |
| OTA | English and General Knowledge | 100 per paper; 200 total | 2 hours per paper |
The interview maximum equals the written maximum for the respective course: 300 for the first route and 200 for OTA. Do not assign a universal 300 interview marks to OTA. Written practice does not complete the separate SSB assessment.
The written papers are objective. General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics are Hindi–English; this does not mean the English paper is bilingual. Calculators are not permitted. The notice describes mathematics at matriculation standard and other subjects at approximately graduate standard of an Indian university.
Choosing a preparation route is distinct from determining personal eligibility. This article does not assess degree requirements, age, marital status, medical standards or course allocation. Those questions require the applicable official conditions and processes.
Correct the negative-marking misconception
Appendix II specifies a deduction of one-third of the marks assigned to a question for a wrong answer. Marking more than one answer is treated as wrong even if one of them is correct. A blank answer receives no penalty under that instruction.
Consequently, “attempt everything because there is no penalty” is an incorrect description of the official scheme. Do not assume a fixed numerical penalty per question without the actual question weight. A paper's total marks alone does not establish every question's value or its question count.
For an original arithmetic illustration, suppose a practice set expressly assigns three marks to each question. Four correct answers earn 12 marks. Two wrong answers deduct one mark each, leaving 10. One additional blank contributes zero and has no deduction. These weights and counts are invented for the exercise; this is not an actual CDS paper score or official key.
Match practice to the official subject headings
The notice describes English through understanding and workmanlike use of words. Its GK description includes current events, everyday scientific observation, Indian history and geography. Elementary Mathematics has arithmetic, algebra, trigonometry, geometry, mensuration and statistics headings.
A useful practice record names the branch, the actual question, your method and a checked result. “Completed mathematics” is not supported by solving one algebra question. Likewise, answering one passage question does not cover all English or GK.
Keep the route distinction visible. An OTA written plan has English and GK; the algebra exercise below illustrates the three-paper route's mathematics practice and is not an additional OTA written-paper requirement. Other preparation needs can exist, but they should not be confused with the official written-paper list.
Original mathematics question: solve two equations
Question: In an invented exercise, two numbers satisfy x + y = 14 and x − y = 4. Find both numbers and check them in both equations.
Add the equations to eliminate y:
x + y = 14
x - y = 4
-----------
2x = 18
x = 9
y = 14 - 9 = 5
The result is x = 9 and y = 5. Substitution checks both original conditions: 9 + 5 = 14 and 9 − 5 = 4. Reporting both checks establishes that the pair satisfies this supplied system.
In the fictional learner record, Imran first writes x = 7, y = 7. That pair satisfies the sum equation, but 7 − 7 = 0, not 4. The specific error is accepting a pair after checking only one of two conditions. “Revise algebra” is less useful than “substitute the proposed values into both equations.”
Check a distinct changed-input problem
A separate exercise gives x + y = 18 and x − y = 6. Adding yields 2x = 24, so x = 12. Substitution gives y = 6. Checks: 12 + 6 = 18 and 12 − 6 = 6.
This new result is 12 and 6, not the earlier 9 and 5. It tests the same solving method with different supplied inputs. It is a worked variation, not a claim that Imran subsequently answered it correctly or improved an actual examination score.
A next independent attempt could change both constants and ask the learner to write both substitution checks without looking at the worked answer. Record what they actually produce rather than claiming mastery from the existence of an answer key.
Original English practice: subject and verb
Question: Choose the grammatically consistent completion: “Each of the three folders ___ a label.” Options: “has” or “have.”
The intended subject is “Each,” singular, so the completion is has: “Each of the three folders has a label.” The plural noun inside “of the three folders” does not change that singular subject in this supplied sentence.
For a separate variation, “The three folders ___ labels” takes have, because “The three folders” is the plural subject. These are original grammar exercises, not actual CDS questions or evidence that a particular grammar topic has a guaranteed weight in a future paper.
Explain the reason rather than memorising one answer. Changing the subject changes the grammatical choice. This practice checks a small usage distinction, not the full English syllabus.
Original GK preparation exercise: read a dated source accurately
Factual preparation includes identifying what a source actually states. Use this invented passage for a reading exercise:
The district library announced a new reading room on 2 March. Its notice says the room opened on 5 March. The passage gives no visitor total and no information about other districts.
Question one: On which supplied date did the room open? 5 March, not the announcement date of 2 March.
Question two: How many people visited? Not stated. The existence of an opening does not provide a visitor number.
Question three: Did every district open a room? Not established by this passage. It describes one district library only.
The passage is fictional and is not itself a current-affairs fact to memorise. Its purpose is to practise distinguishing announcement, event date and unsupported extrapolation. For actual GK facts, record the real source and date. The current-affairs hub provides a reading route; official sources remain necessary for recruitment instructions.
Build a practical review cycle
Begin by recording your route and the paper you are practising. Work through a defined set, check the actual answers and classify errors you can explain. In these examples, the algebra error omitted a second-condition check, the English distinction concerns the subject, and the passage exercise separates stated dates from missing quantities.
Choose the next practice task from those identified gaps. Broaden coverage by returning to the official headings, not by repeating one solved question until it feels familiar. A timetable should fit your actual available time; this article does not prescribe a universal six-month schedule or physical-training routine.
When using any mock, check its displayed question weights, timing and scoring before treating it as an exact reproduction of an official paper. A practice raw score does not establish a qualifying mark, recommendation or selection outcome. Official assessment instructions and results govern those questions.
For a related but different examination, the NDA preparation guide includes its own dated scheme and original mathematics/GAT exercises. Do not transfer NDA paper marks or mathematics topics automatically to CDS.
Frequently asked questions
Is there no negative marking in CDS? The cited official notice specifies one-third of the question's assigned marks for a wrong answer. Multiple answers are treated as wrong; blanks have no penalty.
Does OTA have Elementary Mathematics in this written scheme? No. Its listed written papers are English and General Knowledge.
Are these previous-year questions? No. Every worked exercise here is original and carries its own supplied assumptions.
Does this guide confirm eligibility or current applications? No. It supports dated written preparation. Consult the applicable official notice and processes for those separate questions.