UPSC CDS 2022 on April 10, Know how to prepare to clear cut-off

Candidates are advised to keep an eye on current affairs, read English newspapers and solve previous year question papers, in order to ace the exam.

Here are some preparation methods which a candidate can employ to ace the exam. (Representative image)

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will conduct the CDS 2022 examination on April 10, 2022. The Combined Defence Services (CDS) 2022 examination shall be held at selected centres across the country, in the OMR-based pen-and-paper mode.

UPSC CDS 2022 admit cards 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.

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Knowing the correct paper pattern

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To excel in the examination, candidates must know the right paper pattern. As per the 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

English
General Knowledge
Elementary Mathematics

100 Marks (each paper)

2 hours (each paper)

Officers’ Training Academy

English
General Knowledge

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 ) Story continues below this ad 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 the 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.

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Also read | UPSC CDS 1 final result 2021 declared for OTA: Here’s how to check

– 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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