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UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) Syllabus
Entry exam for the IMA, INA, AFA, and Officers Training Academy of the armed forces.. The complete UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) outline — 7 subjects, 31 chapters and 139 topics — laid out so you can see exactly what has to be covered and tick each item off as you go.
UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) subjects
Each subject below has its own page with the full chapter → topic → sub-topic tree and a set of real exam-style flashcards.
5 chapters · 23 topics · 12 sub-topics
General Knowledge: History and Polity (Paper II)4 chapters · 20 topics · 7 sub-topics
General Knowledge: Geography (Paper II)4 chapters · 18 topics · 2 sub-topics
General Knowledge: General Science (Paper II)4 chapters · 18 topics · 4 sub-topics
General Knowledge: Economics and Current Affairs (Paper II)4 chapters · 18 topics · 4 sub-topics
Elementary Mathematics (Paper III, for IMA/INA/AFA)6 chapters · 27 topics · 8 sub-topics
SSB Interview and Personality Assessment4 chapters · 15 topics · 4 sub-topics
UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) flashcard decks
356 question-and-answer cards across 7 decks, written against this syllabus. Preview any deck free.
- English (Paper I) — 50 cards
- General Knowledge: History and Polity (Paper II) — 51 cards
- General Knowledge: Geography (Paper II) — 51 cards
- General Knowledge: General Science (Paper II) — 50 cards
- General Knowledge: Economics and Current Affairs (Paper II) — 50 cards
- Elementary Mathematics (Paper III, for IMA/INA/AFA) — 50 cards
- SSB Interview and Personality Assessment — 54 cards
How to work through the UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) syllabus
The outline on this page is arranged the way the syllabus itself is: subject, then chapter, then topic, then sub-topic. That last level is what most study plans skip, and it is where coverage actually goes wrong — a chapter marked "done" often has three sub-topics inside it that were never touched.
Weight your plan accordingly: Elementary Mathematics (Paper III, for IMA/INA/AFA) carries 27 topics while SSB Interview and Personality Assessment carries 15. Giving both the same number of weeks is the most common planning mistake for UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services).
The ~110 hour estimate above is a first pass only: roughly 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic. Revision cycles, past papers and mocks sit on top of that number.
UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) syllabus FAQ
What subjects are in the UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) syllabus?
UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) covers 7 subjects: English (Paper I), General Knowledge: History and Polity (Paper II), General Knowledge: Geography (Paper II), General Knowledge: General Science (Paper II), General Knowledge: Economics and Current Affairs (Paper II), Elementary Mathematics (Paper III, for IMA/INA/AFA) and SSB Interview and Personality Assessment. Together they contain 31 chapters and 139 named topics.
How much do you have to study for UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services)?
The full UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) outline breaks down into 31 chapters, 139 topics and 41 sub-topics. Elementary Mathematics (Paper III, for IMA/INA/AFA) is the largest single subject with 27 topics across 6 chapters.
How long does it take to cover the whole UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) syllabus?
Roughly 110 hours for one full pass. That estimate allows about 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic, so it is first-pass coverage — revision, past papers and mock tests sit on top of it. At 3 hours a day that is about 5 weeks.
Are there UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) flashcards?
Yes — 356 question-and-answer flashcards across 7 decks, one per subject, written against this syllabus. A sample of every deck is readable on this site for free, and the complete decks are in the Examius app.
Is this UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) syllabus free to use?
Yes. Every page here is free to read, and importing the UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) syllabus into the Examius app to tick off topics as you finish them is free too, in India and everywhere else. No account is needed to start.
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