CDS 2 Exam Analysis 2026; Check Difficulty Level of English, GK and Maths
CDS 2 Exam Analysis 2026 covers the difficulty level, subject-wise questions, good attempts, important topics, and overall paper review of UPSC CDS 2 2026 exam. The exam was conducted on Sep 13, 2026 (Sunday), in offline pen-and-paper mode. English was conducted from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM, followed by General Knowledge (GK) from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM and Elementary Mathematics from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Based on the post-exam analysis and candidate feedback, the English paper was Moderate, General Knowledge was Moderate to Slightly Tough, while Elementary Mathematics was Moderate and included several calculation-intensive questions.
Click Here to Download: CDS 2026 Question Paper with Solutions
CDS 2 Exam Analysis 2026 Overall Difficulty Level
CDS 2 2026 consisted of English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics. Based on candidate feedback and post-exam review, English was Moderate and relatively balanced. General Knowledge was Moderate to Slightly Tough due to the mix of static GK, current affairs and conceptual questions. Elementary Mathematics was Moderate, with several questions requiring lengthy calculations and multi-step solving.
| Section | Difficulty Level | Good Attempts |
|---|---|---|
| English | Moderate | 70–80 |
| General Knowledge | Moderate to Slightly Tough | 55–65 |
| Elementary Mathematics | Moderate | 50–60 |
| Overall Paper | Moderate | 175–205* |
*The overall good-attempt range applies mainly to IMA, INA and AFA candidates appearing for all three papers. OTA candidates appear only for English and General Knowledge.
CDS 2 2026 English Analysis
CDS 2 English paper consisted of 120 objective questions carrying 100 marks. Based on candidate feedback, the paper was Moderate, with around 70–80 questions considered a good attempt with reasonable accuracy.
Reading Comprehension included inference and vocabulary-in-context based questions, while Spotting Errors focused on areas such as subject-verb agreement and prepositions. Fill in the Blanks required contextual understanding, and vocabulary questions included a mix of common and relatively advanced words. Overall, the paper was balanced but required careful reading and accuracy.
Check Detailed:- CDS 2 English Analysis 2026
CDS 2 2026 General Knowledge Analysis
CDS 2 General Knowledge paper consisted of 120 objective questions carrying 100 marks. Based on candidate feedback, the GK paper was Moderate to Slightly Tough, with approximately 55–65 questions considered a good attempt.
Questions were asked from Current Affairs, History, Geography, Polity, Economics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Defence and other General Knowledge areas. Current Affairs included recent national and international developments, while History, Economics, Science, Defence and space-related topics also featured in the paper. Some questions were direct, while others required conceptual understanding and strong factual knowledge.
Check Detailed: – CDS 2 GK Analysis 2026
CDS 2 2026 Mathematics Analysis
CDS 2 Elementary Mathematics paper consisted of 100 objective questions carrying 100 marks. Based on the post-exam review, the paper was Moderate, with around 50–60 questions considered a good attempt with high accuracy.
Questions were asked from Arithmetic, Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Mensuration, Statistics and other prescribed topics. Number System and Simplification included calculation-intensive questions, while Trigonometry featured questions on heights and distances. Geometry focused on areas such as triangles and circles, and Mensuration included surface area and volume. Questions from Time, Speed and Distance and Profit and Loss also involved multi-step calculations.
Check Detailed: CDS 2 Maths Analysis 2026
CDS 2 2026 Expected Cutoff
CDS 2 2026 was conducted on September 13, 2026. Based on the difficulty level of the English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics papers, candidate feedback and recent UPSC CDS cutoff trends, the expected written cutoff ranges are provided below. These are unofficial estimates and the actual cutoff will be released by UPSC.
| Academy | CDS 2 2026 Expected Written Cutoff | Maximum Written Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Military Academy (IMA) | 115–125 | 300 |
| Indian Naval Academy (INA) | 100–110 | 300 |
| Air Force Academy (AFA) | 125–135 | 300 |
| Officers Training Academy (OTA) – Men | 85–95 | 200 |
| Officers Training Academy (OTA) – Women | 95–105 | 200 |
For reference, the official CDS 2 2025 written cutoffs were 124.11 for IMA, 109.23 for INA, 132.51 for AFA, 80.01 for OTA Men, and 98.06 for OTA Women. UPSC also prescribed a minimum qualifying requirement of 20% in each subject for that examination.
The actual CDS 2 2026 cutoff may vary depending on candidate performance, number of vacancies, academy-wise competition and the final evaluation of the written examination. The ranges above should therefore be treated as expected cutoffs until UPSC releases the official figures.
CDS 1 2026 Exam Analysis for English, GK and Maths
CDS 1 2026 was conducted on April 12, 2026. Based on candidate feedback, the overall difficulty level of the examination was Moderate. English was comparatively scoring, while Elementary Mathematics was the most challenging paper.
| Subject | Difficulty Level | Good Attempts | Major Areas Asked |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Easy to Moderate | 70–80 | Reading Comprehension, Error Detection, Synonyms & Antonyms, Sentence Improvement, Vocabulary |
| General Knowledge | Moderate | 60–70 | History, Geography, Polity, General Science, Current Affairs, Economy |
| Elementary Mathematics | Moderate to Difficult | 50–60 | Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Mensuration, Statistics |
| Overall | Moderate | *150–180 ** | Balanced paper, with Mathematics relatively more challenging |
*Overall attempts apply mainly to candidates appearing for IMA, INA and AFA, who take all three papers. OTA candidates appear only for English and General Knowledge.
CDS 1 2026 Subject-wise Analysis
| Paper | Analysis |
|---|---|
| English | The paper was Easy to Moderate and relatively scoring. Reading Comprehension carried notable weightage, along with grammar, vocabulary, error detection and sentence-based questions. |
| General Knowledge | The GK paper was Moderate. Questions covered a mix of History, Geography, Polity, Science, Economy and Current Affairs, requiring both static GK and awareness of recent developments. |
| Elementary Mathematics | Mathematics was Moderate to Difficult and comparatively more time-consuming. Arithmetic and Algebra had significant representation, while Geometry, Trigonometry and Mensuration also featured prominently. |
| Overall CDS 1 2026 | The overall paper was Moderate. English was the most scoring section, GK required broad subject knowledge, while Mathematics demanded greater calculation accuracy and time management. |
The English and General Knowledge papers had 120 questions each, while Elementary Mathematics had 100 questions; each paper carried 100 marks and 2 hours.
Previous Year CDS Exam Analysis
CDS 2 2026 Candidates can refer to the previous years' CDS exam analysis to understand the difficulty level and subject-wise question distribution.
CDS 2 English Exam Analysis 2025
CDS 2 English paper was easy to moderate. The paper included questions from sentence formation, spotting errors, idioms and proverbs, ordering of sentences, cloze test, parts of speech and other grammar and vocabulary-based topics.
| Subject | No. of Questions |
|---|---|
| Correlating Sentences | 10 |
| Ordering of Words in a Sentence | 10 |
| Commonly Used Words | 5 |
| Fill in the Blanks with Discourse Markers/Expressions | 5 |
| Usage of Paired Words | 5 |
| Word Meaning | 5 |
| Ordering of Sentences | 10 |
| Matching List | 10 |
| Parts of Speech | 5 |
| Cloze Test | 10 |
| Fill in the Blanks with Prepositions & Determiners | 5 |
| Matching List with Parts of Speech | 10 |
| Idioms & Proverbs | 10 |
| Sentence Improvement | 10 |
| Spotting Errors | 10 |
CDS 2 General Awareness Exam Analysis 2025
CDS 2 General Knowledge paper was moderate to difficult. The paper included questions from History, Geography, Polity, Economics, Science, Current Affairs and other General Knowledge areas.
| Subject | No. of Questions |
|---|---|
| History | 20 |
| Polity | 15 |
| Geography | 17 |
| Current Affairs | 20 |
| Physics | 15 |
| Chemistry | 12 |
| Biology | 10 |
| Economics | 6 |
| Defence & Miscellaneous GK | 5 |
CDS 2 Maths Exam Analysis 2025
CDS 2 Mathematics paper was moderate to difficult, with lengthy calculations reported in topics such as Trigonometry, Arithmetic and Geometry. The topic-wise question distribution is given below.
| Topic | Questions |
|---|---|
| Arithmetic | 22–25 |
| Algebra | 15–18 |
| Geometry | 20–22 |
| Mensuration | 12–14 |
| Trigonometry | 12–15 |
| Statistics & DI | 7–9 |
CDS 2 2026 Exam Pattern
CDS 2 2026 consisted of three objective-type papers: English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics. Each paper carried 100 marks and was conducted for two hours.
| Paper | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 120 | 100 | 2 Hours |
| General Knowledge | 120 | 100 | 2 Hours |
| Elementary Mathematics | 100 | 100 | 2 Hours |
| Total for IMA/INA/AFA | 340 | 300 | 6 Hours |
| Total for OTA | 240 | 200 | 4 Hours |
The question papers were objective type. Negative marking was applicable for incorrect answers.
CDS 2 2026 Exam Date and Timings
UPSC conducted CDS 2 2026 exam on Sep 13, 2026 (Sunday), in three shifts.
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Date | Sep 13, 2026 |
| Day | Sunday |
| Exam Mode | Offline |
| English | 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM |
| General Knowledge | 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM |
| Elementary Mathematics | 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM |
| Total Marks | 300 for IMA/INA/AFA; 200 for OTA |
| Total Duration | 6 Hours for IMA/INA/AFA |
The CDS 2 2026 written examination concluded with the Elementary Mathematics paper from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Candidates can now use the question papers, answer keys and exam analysis to evaluate their performance and estimate their expected scores.
CDS Exam Date
| CDS Exam Events | CDS Exam Dates |
|---|---|
| CDS 1 2026 Exam Date | Sep 13, 2026 |
CDS 2 2026 English, GK and Maths Comparison
English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics differed considerably in their question types and difficulty level in CDS 2 2026. English was relatively balanced, while General Knowledge was comparatively more challenging. Mathematics remained calculation-intensive and required effective time management. Candidates appearing for IMA, INA and AFA attempted all three papers, while OTA candidates attempted English and General Knowledge only.
| Particular | English | General Knowledge | Elementary Mathematics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Questions | 120 | 120 | 100 |
| Marks | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Duration | 2 Hours | 2 Hours | 2 Hours |
| Major Areas | Grammar, Vocabulary, Comprehension, Sentence Usage | History, Geography, Science, Current Affairs, Economy, Defence | Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Mensuration |
| Difficulty Level | Moderate | Moderate to Slightly Tough | Moderate |
| Good Attempts | 70–80 | 55–65 | 50–60 |
Overall, CDS 2 2026 was Moderate. English offered comparatively better scoring opportunities, GK required strong static and current affairs knowledge, while Mathematics required accuracy and careful time management because of calculation-intensive questions.
CDS 2 Exam Analysis 2026 FAQs
Ques: What happens after the CDS 2 2026 written exam?
Ans: Candidates who qualify the written exam are called for the next stage of the selection process, which includes the Services Selection Board (SSB) interview and subsequent stages as applicable.
Ques: Is CDS written cut-off the same for all academies?
Ans: No. UPSC releases separate written cut-offs for IMA, INA, AFA and OTA. The cut-off can vary according to the academy and the number of candidates qualifying for the next stage.
Ques: What is the qualifying percentage in each CDS paper?
Ans: Candidates are required to secure the minimum qualifying marks prescribed by UPSC in each paper. The minimum qualifying standard may be considered along with the overall written cut-off while determining qualification for the next stage.
Ques: Are CDS cut-offs released for each subject separately?
Ans: Yes. The CDS cut-off includes minimum qualifying marks for individual papers along with the aggregate marks required for the respective academy.
Ques: How is the final CDS merit list prepared?
Ans: Final selection is based on the combined performance in the written exam and SSB interview, subject to the candidate meeting the prescribed eligibility, medical and other selection requirements.
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CDS 2 2026 English Question Paper (13-Sep-2026)
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