UPSC CDS 2022 admit card have already been released on the official website – upsconline.nic.in. Candidates have less than a month’s time to prepare for this crucial exam. Here are some preparation methods which a candidate can employ to ace the exam.
Knowing the correct paper pattern
To excel in the examination, candidates must know the right paper pattern. As per official notification, the CDS exam will comprise a written exam and an interview for intelligence and personality test. The written exam will follow different patterns for Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Air Force Academy, and for admission to Officers’ Training Academy. Accordingly, the UPSC CDS 2022 syllabus has also been uploaded on upsc.gov.in.
Check the table summarising the pattern for each course –
| Course | Subject | Total Marks | Duration |
| Indian Military Academy
Indian Naval Academy Air Force Academy |
|
100 Marks (each paper) | 2 hours (each paper) |
| Officers’ Training Academy |
|
100 Marks (each paper) | 2 hours (each paper) |
Analysing cut-offs and setting-up a higher target
Every year, the commission announces the cut-offs for various categories while announcing the UPSC CDS result. Those who score equal to or above the cut-offs qualify for the subsequent rounds. With this factor in mind, candidates preparing for UPSC CDS 2022 must know the past-year cut-offs to set a fixed goal for every mock test.
Following are the UPSC CDS cut-offs of the exams conducted in 2020:
UPSC CDS (I) 2020 Cut Off (Written Exam)
| Academy | (Written Result)
Marks aggregated of last qualified candidate |
(Final Result )
Last recommended candidate’s Marks |
| IMA | 130 | 250 |
| INA | 118 | 242 |
| AFA | 143 | 274 |
| OTA (Men) | 93 | 173 |
| OTA (Female) | 93 | 177 |
Candidates are subjected to score 20 per cent marks in every paper.
UPSC CDS (II) 2020 Cut Off (Written Exam)
| Course | (Written Result)
Minimum qualifying % required in each Subject |
(Written Result)
Last qualified candidate’s minimum aggregate marks |
(Final Result)
Last Recommended Candidate’s Marks |
| IMA | 20% | 139 | 263 |
| INA | 20% | 134 | 257 |
| AFA | 20% | 152 | 279 |
| OTA (Men) | 20% | 97 | 179 |
| OTA (Female) | 20% | 97 | 178 |
3 Essential tips for exam preparation
Now as the UPSC CDS admit card is out, candidates should incorporate following tips into their preparation, especially in the last 25 days before the exam –
– Watching YouTube videos for current affairs – These are uploaded on a daily basis, summarising the events happening across the world. Candidates can make their own notes for revision while simultaneously watching these videos.
– Reading an English newspaper on a daily basis – Any national English newspaper will help the candidates enhance their analytical skills. This will also improve a candidate’s awareness about civic and world affairs as well as his/her vocabulary.
– Solving at least two previous-year papers daily – Instead of theory revision, the last 25 days must be dedicated to solving full-length mock tests and UPSC CDS 2022 previous-year papers. This will provide a better understanding of the paper pattern, syllabus as well as time management. At the end of each paper, make sure to check the tentative score, using the UPSC CDS 2022 answer key made available online by various academic platforms and institutes.
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