🇮🇳 CDS (Combined Defence Services) Exam · subject

CDS (Combined Defence Services) Exam General Knowledge Syllabus

The General Knowledge syllabus for CDS (Combined Defence Services) Exam in full: 6 chapters, 25 topics and 52 sub-topics, every one listed below, plus 50 General Knowledge flashcards with answers.

6Chapters

25Topics

52Sub-topics

50Flashcards

General Knowledge syllabus: all 6 chapters

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics.

Indian History and Freedom Struggle
4 topics
- Ancient and Medieval India
  - Indus Valley Civilization and Vedic age
  - Mauryan and Gupta empires
  - Delhi Sultanate and Mughal empire
- Modern India and British Rule
  - Advent of European powers and Battle of Plassey
  - Revolt of 1857 and aftermath
- Indian National Movement
  - Formation of Indian National Congress
  - Gandhian movements: Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience, Quit India
  - Revolutionary movements and partition
- Socio-Religious Reform Movements
  - Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj and reformers
Indian Polity and Constitution
5 topics
- Making of the Constitution
  - Constituent Assembly and sources
  - Preamble, features and amendments
- Fundamental Rights, Duties and DPSP
  - Articles 12-35 on rights
  - Directive Principles of State Policy
- Union and State Government
  - President, Prime Minister and Council of Ministers
  - Parliament: Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha
  - Governor, Chief Minister and State legislature
- Judiciary and Constitutional Bodies
  - Supreme Court and High Courts
  - Election Commission, CAG, UPSC, Finance Commission
- Local Governance and Federalism
  - Panchayati Raj and 73rd/74th Amendments
Geography
4 topics
- Physical Geography of the World
  - Earth's interior, latitudes and longitudes
  - Atmosphere, climate and ocean currents
  - Landforms and rock systems
- Geography of India
  - Physiographic divisions and rivers
  - Climate, monsoon and soils
  - Natural vegetation and wildlife
- Economic and Resource Geography
  - Agriculture and cropping patterns
  - Minerals, energy and industries
- Map and Locational Awareness
  - Important cities, ports and boundaries
Indian Economy
4 topics
- Basic Economic Concepts
  - National income: GDP, GNP, NNP
  - Inflation, fiscal and monetary policy
- Planning and Development
  - Five-Year Plans and NITI Aayog
  - Poverty, unemployment and government schemes
- Banking and Finance
  - RBI, money supply and budget
  - Taxation and GST
- External Sector
  - Balance of payments and foreign trade
Current Affairs and Defence Awareness
4 topics
- National and International Current Events
  - Government schemes and policy decisions
  - Summits, treaties and international organizations
- Defence and Security
  - Indian Army, Navy and Air Force structure
  - Military exercises, missiles and indigenous defence systems
  - DRDO, HAL and defence acquisitions
- Awards, Sports and Books
  - Gallantry awards and civilian honours
  - Major sports events and personalities
- Science and Technology in News
  - ISRO missions and space programmes
  - Recent scientific developments
General Science
4 topics
- Physics Fundamentals
  - Motion, force, work and energy
  - Light, sound, heat and electricity
- Chemistry Fundamentals
  - Matter, atoms and chemical reactions
  - Acids, bases, metals and everyday chemistry
- Biology Fundamentals
  - Cell, human body systems and nutrition
  - Diseases, vitamins and microorganisms
- Applied and Environmental Science
  - Ecology, ecosystems and pollution
  - Recent everyday-life science applications

CDS (Combined Defence Services) Exam General Knowledge flashcards — 50 questions with answers

Which Indus Valley site is known for its great bath and granary, and which is known for the dockyard?
Mohenjo-daro is famous for the Great Bath and granary; Lothal (in Gujarat) is known for its dockyard.
Who founded the Maurya Empire and who was his chief minister/advisor?
Chandragupta Maurya founded the Maurya Empire (c. 322 BCE); his advisor was Chanakya (Kautilya), author of the Arthashastra.
The Gupta period is called the 'Golden Age' of India. Name two great figures of science/literature from that era.
Aryabhata (astronomer-mathematician) and Kalidasa (Sanskrit poet/dramatist, author of Abhijnanashakuntalam).
Which battle in 1526 established the Mughal Empire in India, and who fought it?
The First Battle of Panipat (1526), in which Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi of the Delhi Sultanate.
Who introduced the Mansabdari system in Mughal administration?
Emperor Akbar introduced the Mansabdari system to organize the nobility and military ranks.
Which British policy, used by Lord Dalhousie, allowed annexation of states whose rulers died without a natural heir?
The Doctrine of Lapse.
In which year was the Battle of Plassey fought and who were the main parties?
1757; Robert Clive's British East India Company defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah, the Nawab of Bengal.
What was the immediate cause of the Revolt of 1857?
The introduction of the Enfield rifle cartridges greased with cow and pig fat, offending both Hindu and Muslim sepoys.
In which year was the Indian National Congress founded and by whom?
1885, founded by A.O. Hume (with the first session presided over by W.C. Bonnerjee).
Which event in 1919 saw General Dyer order firing on an unarmed crowd in Amritsar?
The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.
What did the Salt Satyagraha (Dandi March) of 1930 protest, and who led it?
It protested the British salt tax/monopoly; led by Mahatma Gandhi, who marched to Dandi to make salt.
With which slogan and year is the Quit India Movement associated?
'Do or Die'; launched in 1942 by Mahatma Gandhi.
Who founded the Brahmo Samaj and what social evil did he campaign to abolish?
Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded the Brahmo Samaj (1828); he campaigned to abolish Sati.
Who founded the Arya Samaj and what was its key slogan?
Swami Dayananda Saraswati (1875); slogan 'Back to the Vedas'.
How long did it take the Constituent Assembly to frame the Indian Constitution, and on what date did it come into force?
About 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days; it came into force on 26 January 1950.
Who was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution?
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
From which country's constitution did India borrow the idea of Fundamental Rights and the office of the Directive Principles?
Fundamental Rights from the USA; Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) from Ireland.
Which Article of the Indian Constitution is called the 'Right to Constitutional Remedies', and what did Ambedkar call it?
Article 32; Ambedkar called it the 'heart and soul' of the Constitution.
Which Amendment added Fundamental Duties to the Constitution and in what year?
The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976 (added Part IV-A, Article 51A).
What is the minimum age to be elected as President of India and as a member of the Lok Sabha?
35 years for President; 25 years for Lok Sabha membership.

Show the other 30 General Knowledge flashcards

Who is the constitutional head of a state and who exercises real executive power?
The Governor is the constitutional (nominal) head; the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers exercise real executive power.
What is the maximum strength of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha as per the Constitution?
Lok Sabha: 552 (530 states + 20 UTs + 2 nominated, since amended); Rajya Sabha: 250 (238 elected + 12 nominated).
Who appoints the judges of the Supreme Court of India and what is the retirement age of a Supreme Court judge?
The President appoints them (on collegium recommendation); retirement age is 65 years.
Which constitutional body conducts elections in India, and who heads it?
The Election Commission of India; headed by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).
Which Amendments gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj and Municipalities?
73rd Amendment (1992) for Panchayati Raj; 74th Amendment (1992) for Municipalities.
What is the three-tier structure of Panchayati Raj in India?
Gram Panchayat (village), Panchayat Samiti (block/intermediate), and Zila Parishad (district).
What are the three layers of the Earth's interior from outside to inside?
Crust, Mantle, and Core (outer core liquid, inner core solid).
What causes the deflection of winds and currents known as the Coriolis effect?
The rotation of the Earth; it deflects moving objects to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.
Which is the longest river in the world and which is the largest by water volume?
The Nile is the longest; the Amazon is the largest by water discharge/volume.
What are the four types of rainfall based on cause?
Convectional, Orographic (relief), Cyclonic (frontal), and there is debate on a fourth; main three are convectional, orographic, and cyclonic rainfall.
Which mountain range is the youngest fold mountain in India and how was it formed?
The Himalayas; formed by the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.
Which Indian river is known as the 'Sorrow of Bihar' and which as the 'Sorrow of Bengal'?
Kosi is the Sorrow of Bihar; Damodar is the Sorrow of Bengal.
What is the Tropic of Cancer's significance for India, and which line is the IST reference meridian?
The Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N) passes through the middle of India; Indian Standard Time is based on 82.5°E longitude (passing near Mirzapur).
Which Indian state is the largest producer of coal, and which mineral is India a leading producer of (used in steel)?
Jharkhand/Chhattisgarh region (Jharkhand traditionally largest); India is a major producer of iron ore.
What are 'black soils' in India best suited for, and where are they mainly found?
Black (regur) soil is ideal for cotton cultivation; mainly found in the Deccan plateau (Maharashtra, Gujarat, MP).
Which strait separates India from Sri Lanka, and which separates Asia from North America?
The Palk Strait separates India and Sri Lanka; the Bering Strait separates Asia (Russia) from North America (Alaska).
Define GDP and distinguish it from GNP.
GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is the total value of goods/services produced within a country's borders; GNP adds net income from abroad (GNP = GDP + net factor income from abroad).
What is the difference between inflation and deflation?
Inflation is a sustained rise in the general price level (fall in money's value); deflation is a sustained fall in the general price level.
Which institution is the central bank of India and what is its main tool to control inflation?
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI); it raises the repo rate (and uses CRR/SLR) to control inflation.
What were the Indian Five-Year Plans modeled on, and which body replaced the Planning Commission in 2015?
They were inspired by the Soviet model of planning; NITI Aayog replaced the Planning Commission in 2015.
What do the terms CRR and SLR mean in banking?
CRR (Cash Reserve Ratio) is the share of deposits banks must keep as cash with the RBI; SLR (Statutory Liquidity Ratio) is the share they must keep in liquid assets like gold/government securities.
What is the difference between the repo rate and the reverse repo rate?
Repo rate is the rate at which the RBI lends to commercial banks; reverse repo rate is the rate at which the RBI borrows from banks.
What does 'Balance of Payments' record, and what are its two main accounts?
It records all economic transactions between a country and the rest of the world; its two main accounts are the Current Account and the Capital Account.
What is the difference between a trade deficit and a fiscal deficit?
A trade deficit occurs when imports exceed exports; a fiscal deficit is when the government's total expenditure exceeds its total revenue (excluding borrowings).
Which three branches make up India's defence forces, and who is their Supreme Commander?
The Army, Navy, and Air Force; the President of India is the Supreme Commander.
What is the highest peacetime gallantry award in India and the highest wartime gallantry award?
Ashok Chakra is the highest peacetime gallantry award; Param Vir Chakra is the highest wartime gallantry award.
State Newton's Second Law of Motion and give its formula.
The rate of change of momentum is proportional to the applied force and occurs in the direction of the force; F = ma (force = mass × acceleration).
What is the chemical formula of common salt and of baking soda?
Common salt is NaCl (sodium chloride); baking soda is NaHCO3 (sodium bicarbonate).
Which vitamin deficiency causes scurvy, and which causes night blindness?
Vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy; Vitamin A deficiency causes night blindness.
What is the greenhouse gas most responsible for global warming, and which gas layer protects Earth from UV radiation?
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the major greenhouse gas; the ozone (O3) layer in the stratosphere protects Earth from ultraviolet radiation.

CDS (Combined Defence Services) Exam General Knowledge FAQ

What is in the CDS (Combined Defence Services) Exam General Knowledge syllabus?

CDS (Combined Defence Services) Exam General Knowledge is split into 6 chapters: Indian History and Freedom Struggle, Indian Polity and Constitution, Geography, Indian Economy, Current Affairs and Defence Awareness and General Science. Together they contain 25 topics and 52 sub-topics.

How many chapters are in CDS (Combined Defence Services) Exam General Knowledge?

6 chapters, containing 25 topics and 52 sub-topics. The largest chapter is Indian Polity and Constitution, with 5 topics.

Are there flashcards for CDS (Combined Defence Services) Exam General Knowledge?

Yes — a 50-card General Knowledge deck, printed in full in the flashcards section of this page and available in the Examius app with spaced repetition. The free plan covers one exam of your choice, including its flashcards; Examius Pro, a one-time purchase, unlocks every other exam and deck.