In this article, we have provided the last five years’ trends analysis of the CDS Exam to assist the candidates to get an idea about the topic-wise questions asked in the exam. It is one of the prestigious exams conducted by UPSC, twice a year for the Grade-A Gazetted post in Indian Air Force, Indian Navy and Indian Army.
CDS is considered as one of the toughest written exams in India, which is also followed by SSB Interviews and medical tests. The CDS Trend Analysis over the previous 5 years can be very helpful to candidates appearing in CDS 2023. The applicants will benefit from having a better understanding of the expected number of questions, key subjects, and degree of difficulty for each topic. The upcoming CDS 2023 exam will be conducted on 16 April 2023 in various exam centres in the country to fill out a total of 341 vacancies.
Read the article below and check CDS Exam Last 5 Years Trends Analysis to better understand the CDS Exam Pattern, topics covered and difficulty level.
CDS Exam Last 5 Years Trends Analysis – Paper Pattern
Here is a complete list of exam patterns along with the trends analysis. There are 3 exam sections for AFA, INA and IMA. But in OTA, there are 2 papers including the English and GK.
Note the table below to get an updated exam pattern for CDS for AFA, INA and IMA.
| Section | No. of Questions | Marks |
| English | 120 | 100 |
| General Knowledge | 120 | 100 |
| Elementary Mathematics | 100 | 100 |
| Total Marks | 300 | |
Note the table below for the CDS paper pattern for the OTA exam.
| Section | No. of Questions | Marks |
| English | 120 | 100 |
| General Knowledge | 120 | 100 |
| Total Marks | 200 | |
CDS Exam Pattern Trends Analysis for English Paper
In the table below we have shared the CDA Exam Last Five Years Trends Analysis for English paper.
| Year | Ordering of Sentence | Error Spotting and Sentence Improvement | Reading Comprehension | Cloze Comprehension | One word substitution | Antonym and Synonym | Reported Speech | Parts of Speech | Parts of Speech | Other Topics |
| CDS 2 2020 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 20 | — | 20 | — | 10 | 10 | 30 |
| CDS 1 2020 | 10 | 10 | 10 | — | — | 20 | 10 | 10 | — | 50 |
| CDS 2 2019 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 19 | — | 20 | — | 10 | 10 | 16 |
| CDS 1 2019 | 10 | 20 | 20 | 15 | — | 20 | — | 10 | 10 | 15 |
| CDS 2 2018 | 20 | 10 | 18 | 15 | — | 21 | 6 | — | 10 | 20 |
| CDS 1 2018 | 10 | 20 | 20 | 15 | — | 20 | — | — | — | 35 |
| CDS 2 2017 | 20 | 25 | 21 | 10 | 6 | 8 | — | — | — | 30 |
| CDS 1 2017 | 20 | 46 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 32 |
| CDS 2 2016 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Average | 14 | 20 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 18-20 | 8-10 | 10 | 10 | — |
Watch Videos on Last Five Years Trends Analysis for CDS
CDS Exam Pattern Trends Analysis for Mathematics Paper
Note the table below CDA Exam Last Five Years Trends Analysis for Elementary Mathematics paper.
| Year | Statistics | Mensuration | Algebra | Trigonometry | Number System | Geometry | Arithmetic |
| CDS 2 2020 | 10 | 23 | 11 | 11 | 18 | 13 | 14 |
| CDS 1 2020 | 11 | 17 | 9 | 13 | 26 | 10 | 14 |
| CDS 2 2019 | 11 | 24 | 20 | 5 | 17 | 13 | 10 |
| CDS 1 2019 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 17 | 20 | 20 |
| CDS 2 2018 | 5 | 16 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 18 |
| CDS 1 2018 | 3 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 20 | 25 |
| CDS 2 2017 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 20 | 20 |
| CDS 1 2017 | 7 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 20 |
| CDS 2 2016 | 8 | 20 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 5 | 17 |
| Average | 10 | 17 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 13 | 18 |
CDS Exam Pattern Trends Analysis for GK Paper
The topic-wise analysis for past 5 years for CDS GK exam paper.
| Year | Polity | History | Geography & Environment | Economics | Current Affairs | Science |
| CDS 2 2020 | 17 | 20 | 21 | 9 | 23 | 30 |
| CDS 1 2020 | 17 | 17 | 11 | 8 | 22 | 25 |
| CDS 2 2019 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 6 | 21 | 29 |
| CDS 1 2019 | 10 | 18 | 21 | 11 | 26 | 34 |
| CDS 2 2018 | 15 | 23 | 19 | 10 | — | — |
| CDS 1 2018 | 10 | 21 | 19 | 5 | — | — |
| CDS 2 2017 | 22 | 19 | 20 | 5 | — | — |
| CDS 1 2017 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CDS 2 2016 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Average | 15 | 20 | 18 | 8 | 23 | 30 |
Hopefully, this article will help you to get an understanding for the CDS Exam Last Five Years Trends Analysis. It will help you to analyse the expected number of questions, key subjects, and degree of difficulty per topic. To help you pass the CDS on your first attempt, have a look at our English, Arithmetic, and General Knowledge CDS 2023 preparation method.
