PW CDS 23 Previous Years Solved Papers (2015–2026): Best Book for CDS 2 September 2026

Defence aspirants preparing for CDS 2 2026 (scheduled for September 13, 2026) now have access to one of the most complete and up-to-date preparation resources ever released for the Combined Defence Services Examination. The newly launched CDS Chapter-wise & Topic-wise 23 Previous Years Solved Papers (Book Code: IMS0172) covers a massive 23 papers spanning 2015 to 2026 — and critically, it is the only book in the market to include the CDS 1 2026 paper conducted on April 12, 2026.

For lakhs of aspirants targeting the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA), and Officers Training Academy (OTA), this single volume may be the most strategic investment of their preparation season.

PW CDS OTA PYQ BOOK

What Makes This Book Different From Every Other CDS PYQ Resource

Most CDS solved paper books in the market stop at 2024 or early 2025. This one doesn't.

IMS0172 includes all 23 papers from 2015 through 2026, meaning it captures not just historical patterns but the actual questions asked just two months ago in April 2026. For a candidate sitting CDS 2 in September, this is invaluable intelligence — the UPSC question-setting pattern shifts subtly each year, and having the most recent paper solved and explained in your hands gives a preparation edge no online PDF or free resource can replicate.

Key Features at a Glance

23 Full Papers (2015–2026) The book compiles every CDS I and CDS II paper from 2015 onwards, including the freshly conducted CDS 1 2026 exam. This is the most extensive time-range coverage currently available in print for CDS aspirants.

8,000+ Chapter-wise Previous Year Questions Questions are not simply arranged year-by-year (which makes spotting patterns difficult). Instead, they are reorganised chapter-wise and topic-wise, so a candidate studying Number System, Trigonometry, or Indian History can immediately see every question that has appeared on that topic across 23 papers.

Complete Coverage of All Three Sections The book covers:

• General Knowledge — History, Geography, Polity, Economics, Science, Current Affairs, Defence-related updates

• English — Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Error Spotting, Sentence Improvement, Cloze Test

• Elementary Mathematics — Number System, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Mensuration, Statistics

This makes it equally useful for IMA/INA/AFA candidates (all three papers) and OTA candidates (English + GK only).

5-Year Trend Analysis A dedicated trend analysis section maps which topics have appeared most frequently in the last five years. In CDS papers, English, General Knowledge, and Science have historically commanded the highest number of questions, while Polity, Current Affairs, and Geometry/Trigonometry have consistently been very important topics. This book quantifies those trends precisely.

Easy-to-Understand Explanations Each solved question comes with a clear explanation designed to build conceptual clarity — not just tell you the right answer, but explain why it is correct. This is especially critical for the Mathematics section, where questions increasingly demand logical reasoning and quick calculations rather than rote application of formulas.

Why CDS Previous Year Papers Are Non-Negotiable for 2026 Preparation

Practising UPSC CDS previous year question papers is the smartest way to prepare for the examination, helping candidates understand the exam pattern and improving overall preparation level.

The reasons are strategic, not just academic:

• Pattern Recognition: Practising previous year papers helps candidates understand recurring topics and exam trends, which is the single most reliable way to prioritise your syllabus.
• Time Management: Competitive exams like CDS are very time-sensitive. Solving previous year papers regularly helps candidates develop a better understanding of questions and exam patterns, improving their speed and time management skills.
• Negative Marking Awareness: Since there is negative marking in the CDS exam, it is important to attempt questions wisely. Practising question papers helps candidates understand which questions to attempt and which to skip, thereby minimising unnecessary loss of marks.

Self-Assessment: Solving the previous year's question paper is a great way to evaluate a candidate's performance, helping identify strengths and weaknesses.

CDS 2026 Exam Pattern: What This Book Prepares You For

As per the official UPSC schedule, the CDS 1 2026 exam included three papers — English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics — conducted on the same day in separate shifts: English from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM, General Knowledge from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, and Elementary Mathematics from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

The test for IMA, INA, and AFA academies carries 300 marks total. The CDS exam is conducted offline in pen-and-paper mode.

CDS 2 2026 follows the same pattern and is scheduled for September 13, 2026, giving aspirants just under three months to complete their preparation — making a resource like IMS0172 time-critical.

Topic-wise Weightage: What the 23-Paper Analysis Reveals

Based on the historical pattern captured across these 23 papers, here is what candidates can expect to dominate the question paper:

• General Knowledge: History, Indian Polity, Geography, General Science, Current Affairs (especially defence-related), and Economics. According to recent CDS exam trends, most questions from the General Studies section are asked from topics like current affairs, general science, geography, history, and polity.
• Mathematics: In Mathematics, questions are mainly asked from geometry, trigonometry, number system, algebra, and mensuration.
• English: In English, most questions come from reading comprehension, vocabulary, error spotting, sentence improvement, and cloze test.

The chapter-wise organisation of IMS0172 directly maps to these high-weightage areas, so candidates can front-load their revision on the topics that matter most.

Who Should Buy This Book?

This book is the right choice for:

• First-time CDS aspirants who want a structured, pattern-based starting point

• Repeat CDS candidates who want to identify gaps in previous attempts by seeing where they went wrong topic-wise

• CDS 2 2026 aspirants who need the most current question bank possible, including April 2026 questions

• SSB-stage candidates who want to brush up on the written exam pattern while preparing for the interview round

• Anyone who has been using free PYQ PDFs online and wants authentic, explained solutions in a single structured resource

Availability

Book Code: IMS0172 Release Date: June 18, 2026 Category: Defence Exams Coverage: CDS Papers 2015 to 2026 (23 papers, both CDS I and CDS II)