Defence | CDS

General Awareness for CDS

CDS sets 120 General Awareness questions for 100 marks in the Written Examination (IMA, INA and AFA), so it is worth planning your preparation around the topics below.

120 questions100 marks6 topics

How to approach General Awareness in CDS

This is the most scoring section per minute because there is nothing to work out — you either know it or you do not. Banking and current affairs of the last six months dominate, so a steady daily habit beats last-minute cramming, and static facts (polity, history, geography) fill the rest.

Weightage in the paper

How much General Awareness is worth in each CDS stage, from the official pattern.

Stage	Questions	Marks	Time	Share
Written Examination (IMA, INA and AFA)	120	100	—	35%

General Awareness syllabus for CDS

Every topic in the official syllabus. The linked ones open a set of solved questions you can practise straight away.

Current events of national and international importance
History and the Indian freedom movement
Geography of India and the world
Indian polity and the Constitution
Economics and general science
Defence and static general knowledge

Sample General Awareness questions with solutions

Written to the CDS pattern, with the answer key and the method behind it — a look at how the section is actually set before you drill the full topic sets.

Static GK · solved example

The headquarters of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is in:

Washington, D.C.Correct
Paris
Geneva
London

Solution

The IMF is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Indian Polity · solved example

The minimum age to become a member of the Lok Sabha is:

35 years
30 years
21 years
25 yearsCorrect

Solution

A candidate must be at least 25 to contest a Lok Sabha seat, and 30 for the Rajya Sabha. The minimum age to vote is 18.

Static GK · solved example

The largest mammal in the world is the:

Blue whaleCorrect
Giraffe
Hippopotamus
Elephant

Solution

The blue whale is the largest mammal.

Planning · solved example

India's First Five-Year Plan (1951-56) gave priority to:

agricultureCorrect
heavy industry
services
defence

Solution

The First Five-Year Plan, based on the Harrod-Domar model, focused on agriculture and irrigation.

Practise General Awareness

Untimed drills with the method shown after every question — the step between learning a topic and sitting it under a clock.

General awareness and science
183 questions, instant feedback

General Awareness study material

Sit General Awareness under a real clock

General Awareness shows up in every CDS mock test, in the same interface, with sectional locking and negative marking.

CDS: 27-question practice mock
27 questions | 27 min
Start

Frequently asked questions

How many General Awareness questions are asked in CDS?

CDS 2026 cycle sets 120 General Awareness questions for 100 marks in the Written Examination (IMA, INA and AFA).

Is there negative marking for General Awareness in CDS?

Yes. CDS deducts one third of a mark for each wrong answer, General Awareness included, so unsure guesses cost you. One third of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer. Unanswered questions carry no penalty.

Which General Awareness topics matter most for CDS?

The CDS syllabus lists Current events of national and international importance, History and the Indian freedom movement, Geography of India and the world, Indian polity and the Constitution, Economics and general science, Defence and static general knowledge. Weight your revision towards the ones you are weakest on and confirm the emphasis against the paper analysis for recent cycles.

How can I practise General Awareness for CDS free?

Every General Awareness question on this site is free and written to the exam pattern. Use the topic drills for instant-feedback practice, the daily quiz to keep the section warm, and the CDS mock tests to sit it under a real clock with negative marking.