CDS 1 2026 Answer Key (Out) – Download PDF Here

How to Utilise CDS 1 2026 Answer Key

Use the CDS 1 2026 answer key to do three things: match your set-wise answers, count right and wrong responses, and estimate your score section by section.

How to use it

• First, identify your paper set for English, GK, and Maths because answer keys are released set-wise as A, B, C, and D.

• Compare each of your marked responses with the correct option in the answer key.

• Tally the number of correct and incorrect answers separately for each section.

• Apply the UPSC marking scheme to each section and then add the section scores for your final estimated total.

CDS 1 2026 Exam Pattern

CDS 1 2026 has an offline, objective-type written exam. For IMA, INA, and AFA, the paper has 3 subjects—English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics—while OTA has 2 subjects—English and General Knowledge.

Exam structure

• IMA/INA/AFA: English, GK, Mathematics, each for 100 marks.

• OTA: English and GK, each for 100 marks.

• Mode: Pen-and-paper/offline.

• Question type: Objective MCQs.

CDS 1 2026 Question Paper

How to calculate marks using CDS 1 2026 Answer Key

Use the CDS 1 2026 answer key by matching each of your marked responses with the correct option for your paper set, then count correct and wrong answers separately for each section.

Marking scheme

• English and General Knowledge: +0.83 for each correct answer, -0.27 for each wrong answer.

• Mathematics: +1 for each correct answer, -0.33 for each wrong answer.

Formula

• English score = Correct × 0.83 - Wrong × 0.27.

• GK score = Correct × 0.83 - Wrong × 0.27.

• Maths score = Correct × 1 - Wrong × 0.33.

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