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100+ Free CDS (I) Practice Questions

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Choose the correct meaning of the idiom: 'to throw in the towel'.

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B
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Key Facts: CDS (I) Exam

300 marks

Total Written Marks (IMA/INA/AFA)

UPSC CDS Notification

3 papers

English, GK, and Maths

UPSC CDS Exam Pattern

2 hours

Duration Per Paper

UPSC CDS Notification

1/3 mark

Negative Marking Per Wrong Answer

UPSC CDS Notification

Rs 200

Application Fee (male Gen/OBC)

UPSC CDS Notification

4 academies

IMA, INA, AFA, and OTA

UPSC

The UPSC CDS (I) is an offline objective written exam for officer entry into India's defence academies. IMA, INA, and AFA candidates sit three papers — English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics — each 100 marks and 2 hours, totalling 300 marks; OTA candidates take only English and GK for 200 marks. Wrong answers carry a one-third penalty, and clearing the written stage leads to the SSB interview.

Sample CDS (I) Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your CDS (I) exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Spot the error in the following sentence: 'The teacher along with her students / are going to attend / the science exhibition / next week.'
A.The teacher along with her students
B.are going to attend
C.the science exhibition
D.next week
Explanation: When a singular subject is joined to other nouns by 'along with', 'as well as', or 'together with', the verb agrees with the singular subject. 'The teacher' is singular, so the verb must be 'is going', not 'are going'.
2Choose the word most nearly OPPOSITE in meaning to 'BENEVOLENT'.
A.Generous
B.Malevolent
C.Charitable
D.Kind
Explanation: 'Benevolent' means well-meaning and kindly. Its antonym is 'malevolent', which means having or showing a wish to do evil to others. CDS antonym questions test precise vocabulary discrimination.
3Choose the word most nearly SIMILAR in meaning to 'ABATE'.
A.Intensify
B.Diminish
C.Provoke
D.Expand
Explanation: 'Abate' means to become less intense or widespread; to lessen. 'Diminish' carries the same meaning. Synonym questions in CDS English reward exact knowledge of register and connotation.
4Choose the correct meaning of the idiom: 'to bite the bullet'.
A.To act recklessly and endanger oneself
B.To force someone into silence
C.To endure a painful situation with courage
D.To waste resources foolishly
Explanation: 'To bite the bullet' means to face a difficult or unpleasant situation bravely and stoically. The phrase derives from soldiers biting on a bullet to endure pain during surgery before anaesthesia.
5Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word: 'Despite the heavy rain, the soldiers continued their march with unwavering ______.'
A.lethargy
B.resolve
C.hesitation
D.indifference
Explanation: The sentence describes soldiers persisting despite difficulty, so a word denoting firm determination is needed. 'Resolve' means firm determination to do something and fits the positive, persevering tone.
6Rearrange the parts P, Q, R, S to form a meaningful sentence: 'The committee (P) before reaching (Q) all the evidence (R) carefully examined (S) its final verdict.'
A.P-R-Q-S
B.R-S-P-Q
C.P-Q-R-S
D.P-S-R-Q
Explanation: The parts are P='The committee', Q='before reaching', R='all the evidence', S='carefully examined'. The grammatical order is subject (P) + verb phrase (S) + object (R) + adverbial (Q): 'The committee carefully examined all the evidence before reaching its final verdict.' This is P-S-R-Q.
7Spot the error: 'Neither the captain / nor his soldiers / was aware / of the ambush.'
A.Neither the captain
B.nor his soldiers
C.was aware
D.of the ambush
Explanation: In 'neither...nor' constructions, the verb agrees with the subject nearest to it. The nearest subject is 'soldiers' (plural), so the verb should be 'were aware', not 'was aware'.
8Choose the word most nearly OPPOSITE in meaning to 'FRUGAL'.
A.Thrifty
B.Economical
C.Extravagant
D.Sparing
Explanation: 'Frugal' means sparing or economical with money or resources. Its antonym is 'extravagant', meaning lacking restraint in spending. The other choices are all synonyms of frugal.
9Choose the word most nearly SIMILAR in meaning to 'METICULOUS'.
A.Careless
B.Scrupulous
C.Hasty
D.Negligent
Explanation: 'Meticulous' means showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise. 'Scrupulous' shares this meaning of diligent thoroughness, making it the best synonym.
10Choose the correct meaning of the idiom: 'to throw in the towel'.
A.To clean up after a task
B.To admit defeat and give up
C.To start a fight
D.To celebrate a victory
Explanation: 'To throw in the towel' means to give up or surrender, conceding that one cannot win. It originates from boxing, where a trainer threw a towel into the ring to stop the fight.

About the CDS (I) Exam

The Combined Defence Services Examination (I) is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission to recruit officers into the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA), and Officers' Training Academy (OTA). For IMA, INA, and AFA the written test has three objective papers — English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics — each carrying 100 marks and lasting 2 hours, for a total of 300 marks. OTA candidates take only English and General Knowledge, for 200 marks. Every wrong answer attracts a penalty of one-third of the marks assigned to that question, and questions are set in both English and Hindi. Candidates who clear the written exam proceed to the SSB interview, a separate non-MCQ assessment stage.

Questions

340 scored questions

Time Limit

2 hours per paper (three papers for IMA/INA/AFA)

Passing Score

Section-wise and aggregate qualifying cut-offs set by UPSC each cycle

Exam Fee

Rs 200 (male General/OBC); SC/ST and all female candidates exempt (Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), conducted at designated centres across India)

CDS (I) Exam Content Outline

~33%

English

Spotting errors, synonyms and antonyms, idioms and phrases, sentence completion, ordering of words and sentences, and reading comprehension at graduate level (120 questions, 100 marks).

~33%

General Knowledge

Current events, Indian history, geography, polity, economy, general science, and defence affairs of everyday observation (120 questions, 100 marks).

~33%

Elementary Mathematics

Matriculation-level arithmetic, number system, algebra, trigonometry, geometry, mensuration, and statistics (100 questions, 100 marks; IMA/INA/AFA only, not OTA).

How to Pass the CDS (I) Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Section-wise and aggregate qualifying cut-offs set by UPSC each cycle
  • Exam length: 340 questions
  • Time limit: 2 hours per paper (three papers for IMA/INA/AFA)
  • Exam fee: Rs 200 (male General/OBC); SC/ST and all female candidates exempt

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

CDS (I) Study Tips from Top Performers

1Master the one-third negative-marking maths: skip questions where you cannot eliminate at least two options, since blind guessing erodes your score.
2Build English vocabulary daily through synonyms, antonyms, and idioms, and practise spotting-errors sets to internalise common grammar traps.
3Read a quality newspaper and a monthly current-affairs digest to cover the General Knowledge current-events component reliably.
4Revise matriculation-level mathematics formulas for arithmetic, algebra, trigonometry, geometry, and mensuration, then drill speed with timed sets.
5Solve previous years' CDS papers under the strict 2-hour-per-paper limit to build exam stamina and pacing.
6Anchor General Knowledge revision in Indian history, polity and the Constitution, geography, economy, general science, and defence affairs.
7Begin SSB interview preparation early, since the written exam is only the qualifying stage before the personality assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the UPSC CDS (I) examination?

The Combined Defence Services Examination (I) is a UPSC-conducted written exam that selects officers for the IMA, INA, AFA, and OTA. It is an objective multiple-choice test, and successful candidates go on to the SSB interview, a separate non-MCQ stage.

What is the CDS exam pattern and how many questions are there?

For IMA, INA, and AFA there are three papers: English (120 questions, 100 marks), General Knowledge (120 questions, 100 marks), and Elementary Mathematics (100 questions, 100 marks). OTA candidates take only English and General Knowledge. Each paper lasts 2 hours.

Is there negative marking in the CDS exam?

Yes. For every wrong answer, one-third (about 0.33) of the marks assigned to that question is deducted. Marking more than one option also attracts the penalty, while unattempted questions carry no penalty.

How much is the CDS application fee?

The application fee is Rs 200 for male General and OBC candidates, payable online or via SBI challan. SC, ST, and all female candidates are exempt from the fee.

Who administers the CDS exam and how often is it held?

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the CDS exam. It is held twice a year, as CDS (I) and CDS (II), with notifications released roughly six months apart.

What is the difference between IMA/INA/AFA and OTA in the CDS exam?

IMA, INA, and AFA candidates must take all three papers including Elementary Mathematics and lead to a Permanent Commission (or flying entry for AFA). OTA candidates take only English and General Knowledge and lead to a Short Service Commission. Women are eligible only for OTA.

What comes after passing the CDS written exam?

Candidates who meet the qualifying cut-offs are called for the SSB interview, a multi-day assessment of officer-like qualities that is not a multiple-choice test. This is followed by a medical examination and merit-based selection before joining the academy.

Can women apply through the CDS exam?

Women can apply for the Officers' Training Academy (OTA) Short Service Commission (non-technical) entry through the CDS exam. The IMA, INA, and AFA entries through CDS are currently for male candidates.