CDS 2 2025 Exam Analysis, Shift 1, 14 Sept: The Exam Analysis of the CDS 2 2025 Exam Shift 1 held on 14th September provides a review of subject-wise paper level and attempt details. The General Knowledge section carries questions from history, polity, economics, current affairs, etc. The Elementary Mathematics Paper is quite long, so it was slightly challenging in the time management aspect.
Generally, good attempts should be around 85-90 for English, GK and Maths, number of questions will be updated here. We will shortly upload an official video, which will have the question paper published by UPSC to help share with the aspirants, so they can get an understanding of the exam and its pattern.
The UPSC CDS 2 2025 question paper analysis (Shift 1) indicates that the paper was strictly based on the prescribed syllabus, testing both accuracy and time-management skills. The morning shift exam included English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics for IMA, INA, and AFA candidates, while OTA aspirants attempted only English and General Knowledge.
The CDS 2 2025 Exam Analysis, Shift 1, 14 Sept, reveals that this year’s pattern was similar to previous CDS exams, but with slightly challenging Mathematics questions and moderate General Knowledge. Aspirants found English comparatively manageable. This makes the CDS 2 difficulty level 2025 overall moderate to difficult, depending on the preparation level of candidates.
A detailed CDS 2 2025 subject-wise review helps aspirants evaluate which areas demanded more effort during the exam:
English: Reading Comprehension and Error Spotting were dominant areas, with questions being straightforward. Vocabulary-based items were moderate, giving most aspirants confidence.
General Knowledge (GK): A blend of Current Affairs (past 6–8 months), History, Polity, and Science. Current Affairs questions had moderate difficulty, while Static GK required conceptual clarity.
Mathematics: Considered the toughest section in the CDS 2 2025 exam analysis, with lengthy questions in Trigonometry, Arithmetic, and Geometry. Speed and accuracy were a challenge for most candidates.
The CDS 2 difficulty level 2025 section-wise can be summarized as: English – Easy to Moderate, GK – Moderate, and Mathematics – Moderate to Difficult.
According to the feedback of the candidates, the CDS 2 difficulty level 2025 in Shift 1 was subject-dependent. Direct grammar and comprehension questions were generally easy in English and provided an opportunity to score. General Knowledge was moderate, particularly because of a reasonable proportion of current events and stalemates. Mathematics compounded the general challenge of tricky data interpretation and problem-solving sums.
The students who are taking the next round of the CDS examination must remember that the analysis of the UPSC CDS 2 2025 question paper shows that the number of conceptual and analytical questions is increasing, and conceptual clarity is more important.
CDS 2 Difficulty Level 2025 |
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Subject |
To be Updated |
English |
To be Updated |
GK |
To be Updated |
Mathematics |
To be Updated |
The expected CDS 2 exam good attempts 2025 help candidates evaluate their own performance. These are based on average difficulty and expected cutoffs:
CDS 2 Exam 2025 Good Attempts (Subject-wise) |
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Subjects |
To be Updated |
English |
To be Updated |
GK |
To be Updated |
Mathematics |
To be Updated |
For OTA candidates (English + GK), the range of good attempts is expected to lies between 120 and 130 overall. For IMA, INA, and AFA candidates, balancing all three sections was key, with CDS 2 2025 subject-wise review showing success depended on sharper management of Mathematics timing.
The CDS 2 2025 exam consists of a total of 340 questions for IMA, INA, and AFA candidates: 120 questions in English, 120 in General Knowledge, and 100 in Elementary Mathematics. For OTA candidates, there are 240 questions—120 in English and 120 in General Knowledge. Each paper is held for 2 hours
CDS 2 shift 1 question paper will be available on the official website, upsc.gov.in. Candidates can visit the official website to download the question paper in PDF format. A direct link to download the CDS 2 2025 Question Paper PDF will be provided here. It will be active once the question paper is released.
As per the CDS 2 Exam Analysis 2025, conducted, 50% of the English Section questions are of a difficult level, whereas 50% of the questions are of a Moderate Level.
CDS 2 Exam Analysis 2025 English Section | ||
Topics | Total Questions | Marks |
Cloze Test | 10 | 8.33 |
Correct Usage of Words | 10 | 8.33 |
Fill in the Blanks | 10 | 8.33 |
Idioms | 10 | 8.33 |
Improve/Correct the underlined word | 10 | 8.33 |
Matching List Vocab | 10 | 8.33 |
Ordering of Sentences | 10 | 8.33 |
Ordering of Words | 10 | 8.33 |
Parts of Speech | 15 | 12.495 |
Spotting Errors | 10 | 8.33 |
Usage of Paired Words | 5 | 4.165 |
Directions: Each of the sentences in the following items has an underlined word, followed by four choices. Select the most appropriate option that improves / corrects the underlined word in the context of the sentence, and mark your response on the Answer Sheet accordingly.
a. Impartial
b. Intermittent
c. Perilous
d. Bipartisan Ans: b. Intermittent
2. Although she had sampled food from all the restaurants in the food court, she remained indefinite towards the culinary fare on offer.
a. Imperious
b. Indifferent
c. Imperillous
d. disinvestment Ans: b. Indifferent
3. The attitude of the whalers was marked by antipathy towards the marine life they had to encounter.
a. sympathy
b. empathy
c. indifference
d. animus Ans: d. animus
4. The family was rendered diligent due to the crash in the share market.
a. indigent
b. intransigent
c. indigent
d. apathetic Ans: d. apathetic
5. He had cultivated such great temperance in his personality that he was impassioned in his dealing with the vicissitudes of life.
a. dispassionate
b. perfunctory
c. devolved
d. disambiguated Ans: d. disambiguated
6. The document was discerned to be a postscript, where clearly an earlier manuscript had been replaced by a new one.
a. parchment
b. palimpsest
c. pastiche
d. montage Ans: b. palimpsest
7. He was accused of Simulism for having copied from someone else without due acknowledgement.
a. sensationalism
b. institutionalism
c. plagiarism
d. spoonerism Ans: c. plagiarism
8. The domineering manager behaved in a Paternal manner with his subordinates, not allowing them to decide for themselves.
a. prim
b. petulant
c. presumptuous
d. paternalistic Ans: d. paternalistic
9. Much to their disappointment, the team leader spared no more than a reflective glance at the draft plan drawn up by his team.
a. perfunctory
b. precise
c. engaging
d. egregious Ans: a. perfunctory
10. Her actions were considered salutary because they were done without good reason or cause.
a. ingratiated
b. gratuitous
c. grating
d. gargantuan Ans: gratuitous
11. I must, _______, ask for tolerance from the board
a. therefore
b. thus
c. for example
d. likely Ans: a. therefore
12. I shall consider, _________, the narrow lines of argument articulated by philosophers.
a. sui generis
b. in particular
c. matter of fact
d. serendipitously Ans: b. in particular
According to aspirants, the UPSC CDS 2 2025 question paper analysis reveals that:
English had more weightage on comprehension than on vocabulary.
GK saw multiple questions from Defence-related current events, Polity concepts, and National/International Summits.
Mathematics had tricky sums in Trigonometry, Algebra, Mensuration, and Probability.
CDS 2 2025 Exam Analysis, Shift 1, 14 Sept analysis not only helps post-exam evaluation but also allows students to shape their preparation strategy for upcoming attempts. Future aspirants are advised to revise NCERT basics, current affairs for at least one year, and focus on consistent practice of lengthy mathematics problems for balanced preparation.
The video analysis of the CDS 2025 is expected to be released soon. In these sessions, faculty break down question types, difficulty levels, expected cutoffs, and suggested answers. Watching a CDS 2025 video analysis will help candidates cross-check their answers and also learn exam-oriented strategies.
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