CDS Study Material 2025: Get Subject & Topic-Wise Study Material

The Combined Defense Service (CDS) is an exam conducted by the UPSC, to recruit eligible candidates into the- Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, the Indian Air Force Academy, and the Officers Training Academy. The CDS Exam is conducted twice a year and this year the CDS (I) 2025 exam will be conducted soon.

Aspiring candidates of the UPSC CDS Exam can find the subject and topic-wise relevant study material here in this article. The CDS Study Material shared below contains topics which have been prepared by the experts after closely examining the exam trends. So, let’s take a close look at the UPSC CDS Study Material.

Get to know how to crack CDS on the first attempt with detailed strategies and guides to prepare for your examination here.

Candidates can check out CDS Salary and Job Profile here.

CDS Subject-Wise Study Material

The subjects included in the CDS Examination are

• English
• General Awareness
  • History
  • Polity
  • Geography
  • Economics
• Mathematics 

However, candidates should note that Mathematics is for the candidates who are preparing for the Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and the Indian Air Force Academy. Candidates can find CDS Subject & CDS Topics-wise study materials below in the article.

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CDS Study Material PDF

Candidates preparing for the UPSC CDS Exam can find the most comprehensive CDS Study Material PDF below for each subject and topic. Download the UPSC CDS Study Material PDF below.

Download the CDS Study Material PDF

CDS OTA Study Material 

The CDS Syllabus and Exam Pattern is same for all the candidates appearing for the CDS Examination except for the candidates of the Officer’s Training Academy (OTA). Candidates who are appearing for the CDS OTA Exam just need to study two subjects- English & General Awareness. Mathematics is exempted for the OTA Candidates. Thus, the Study Material for CDS OTA Exam only includes- English & General Awareness. 

CDS English Study Material

One of the most scoring sections in the UPSC CDS Exam is English. In this English section, 120 questions are asked for 100 marks. The time duration allotted is 120 minutes. Candidates who prepare well for the CDS English Section can definitely make an impact in the final results. Let’s see the different topics and the related CDS English Study Material. 

CDS General Awareness Study Material

The General Awareness section in CDS is a wide section which includes subjects such as- History, Geography, Polity, Art & Culture, Economics, and Science. Candidates can check the CDS General Awareness Study Material for each subject below. 

UPSC CDS Study Material Geography 

The CDS Geography section comprises of three sections- Indian Geography, World Geography, and Physical Geography. Let’s check the Topic-Wise CDS Geaography Study Material.

UPSC CDS Study Material History

History is a nightmare for many candidates due to its vastness. The History section in CDS can be divided into- Ancient, Modern, Medieval, and World History. Check the UPSC CDS Study Material for History below.

UPSC CDS Material Polity Study

Polity is an interesting subject which deals with the functioning of the institutions in the country. Not just interesting, Polity is also one of the scoring sections in the CDS General Awareness Exam. The questions asked are direct and to the point. Check the CDS Study Material for Polity below.

UPSC CDS Study Material Science & Technology 

The Science & Tech section is divided into three sub-sections- Physics, Chemistry & Biology. The science section needs attention of the candidates as questions such as chemical equations, numericals, and chemical names are also asked. Check the UPSC CDS Science Study Material below.

UPSC CDS Study Material Economics 

Candidates who want to score good in the Economics section in the CDS Examination, can find the relevant UPSC CDS Economics Study Material below.

CDS Mathematics Study Material

Mathematics is a compulsory subject for the aspiring candidates of the CDS Exam, except for the OTA candidates. The questions are of Elementary Level and their difficulty level vary each year. Candidates can check the CDS Mathematics Study Material below.

Defense & Miscellaneous Currents Affairs for CDS 

The current affairs play a vital role in the CDS Exam. This section is the most unpredictable yet the most scoring section after English. Candidates need to follow the news, go through newspapers, magazines and read the monthly current affairs compilations to have a good hold of the current affairs. To ease the task, we can shared below the links for some important CDS Current Affairs below.

NCERT Books for CDS Preparation

NCERTs are one of the most important study materials when it comes to preparing for any competitive exams. These standard books serve as the concept building books for candidates. For subjects like- History, Geography, Economics, & Science, NCERT books are considered enough for preparation. Candidates can check the class 9 to 12 NCERT Books for CDS Preparation below.

Also Check, these important CDS Study Resources,

We hope our article on CDS Study Material will be helpful for the aspiring candidates of the CDS Examination. Candidates preparing for CDS or any other exam should download the Testbook App to enhance their preparation.