How to Prepare for CDS exam - Defence Guru Tips

EXCEPTIONAL CATALOGUE TO MASTER CDS

Your first love- your career demands utmost attention. It cannot be taken for granted. When the career is as prestigious as CDS then highway is your only way for there is no shortcut to success!

To brief a little, Combined Defence Service Examination (CDS) is a nationalistic exam.

The exam is held twice a year, with an aim of recruiting individuals for Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Indian Air Force Academy, and Officers Training Academy.

Candidates who have pursued graduation and range between 19 to 25 years of age are eligible for CDS.

UPSC written exam and SSB interview are the two stages of this process.

Written paper incorporates objective questions from English, General Knowledge and elementary Maths.

G.K and Maths has bilingual (Hindi and English) pattern of questions

0.33 marks are deducted for every wrong answer.

Under this light, I present to you a well framed checklist of tactics to triumph CDS:

• The foremost step is to make sure that you comply with the physical criteria. For detailed criteria check the official website.
• Strategize your time table as per the syllabus. Download detailed syllabus beforehand.
• Unlike other competitive exams, CDS lies on an easier side. But but but… the number of competitors is a lot. Hence pre- preparation is imperative.
• Understand the score game and play accordingly:
• Except in OTA (officers training academy), all other fields have English, G.K and Maths. Aggregate marks are 300. Each paper is of 2 hour. English and G.K has 120 questions and 100 marks each. Maths has 100 questions and 100 marks.

          Simple logic: 120 questions and 100 marks mean 0.833 for each question and -0.33 for 1 wrong answer. Even if there are wrong answers only 0.277 will be deducted. So follow the bottom line- attempt most of the questions!

          In OTA only English and G.K are included. Each paper is of 2 hour, with 120 questions and 100 marks which makes this paper quite easy.

• Tackle each subject separately. Tip: English is quite scoring so have a good hold of this master card.
• Streamline Maths through good speed and consistent practice. Jot down formulas separately so you can revise it last minute also. Formulate short- cut techniques to memorize formulas and indulge in mental calculation.
• Strengthen G.K by retaining general facts (capitals, ministers, dynasties, national events and symbols), and be updated with current affairs. Moreover, be in touch with newspaper, news channels and news app on your handsome Smartphone!
• Excel in English by incorporating the habit of reading, practicing vocabulary building, synonym- antonym, grammatical concepts and error detection exercises followed by enhancement of speaking and listening skills.
• Be the king of all! Don't ignore other subjects while centralizing your focus on one. Balance all the subjects fairly.
• Nothing beats your own notes! So shed off laziness and work your own.
• Practice makes a man perfect. Take mock tests and solve last year questions as much as you can. For relevant notes, books, and question papers log in to www.defenceguru.co.in
• Get out of your comfort zone. Steadily increase your practice hours.
• For SSB interview be logical, active, intelligent and realistic.
• Figure out recent cut off:

          Minimum passing marks in each subject is 20.

 

         Desirable scores:

In OTA 85 out of 200 is safe while 120 or above is good. Also English is good to score so try to achieve 70 or above out of 100 in English.

         In Air Force Academy 130- 135 out of 300.

         In Military Academy 110- 120 out of 300.

         In Naval Academy also 110-120 out of 300 is beneficial.

        Last years cut- off:

 

2016	CDS 1	CDS 2
Air Force	135	123
Military	105	72
Naval	90	63
OTA	72	68

 

 

2017	CDS 1	CDS 2
Air Force	144	135
Military	125	120
Naval	118	111
OTA	82	86

 

2018	CDS 1	CDS 2
Military	125	124
Naval	118	123
Air Force	144	124
OTA	82	82

 

Last minute tricks:

• Utilize the final days for a thorough revision.
• Don't begin a new topic in the last days of exam.
• Avoid guess work.
• Lastly, boost your potential

 

Dear aspirants, to achieve victory follow the above scheme very sincerely. Just embark the throne of your dreams with complete effort and an untiring confidence because it has been rightly said "Great is the art of beginning but greater is the art of ending!"

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