CDS 2 Exam Analysis 2025: Subject Wise Paper Review for Maths, English & GK with Difficulty Level & Good Attempts

Snapshot: Exam Overview

• Name: UPSC CDS-2 (Combined Defence Services), 2025

• Date: 14 September 2025

• Subjects / Shifts:

  • Morning (9-11 AM) — English 

  • Afternoon (12:30-2:30 PM) — General Knowledge (GK) 

  • Evening (4-6 PM) — Elementary Mathematics

• Mode: Offline / Pen-and-Paper MCQ format. 

• Marks & Duration: For IMA/INA/AFA candidates: 100 marks per subject, 2 hours each; total 300 marks. OTA candidates write English + GK only. 

Subject-Wise Analysis

English

• Difficulty Level: Moderate, as per most student feedback. Some parts trickier, but overall manageable. 

• Good Attempts Estimate:

  • JagranJosh: ~ 70-75 questions 

  • Shiksha (student reactions): ~ 90-95 correct attempts (this seems optimistic and may include near-perfect attempts) 

• What Helped / Worked:

  • Vocabulary, grammar (synonyms/antonyms), and common idiomatic usage were relatively straightforward. 

  • Reading comprehension passages were fairly direct. 

• Challenges:

  • Para-jumbles, spotting errors, and some tricky grammar usages might take more time.

  • Time management matters: fewer easy questions means one can get stuck on grammar/idiom parts.

General Knowledge (GK)

• Difficulty Level: Moderate to somewhat difficult in parts. Lots of variety; some questions “what you expected,” others more current and less rehearsed. 

• Good Attempts Estimate: ~ 55-65 good attempts (i.e. questions one could attempt with confidence) according to Testbook’s early feedback.

• What Worked:

  • Current affairs, especially recent government schemes, national awards, science & tech, environment, etc., were useful. 

  • Static GK (History, Geography, Indian Polity) answered better by well-revised students.

• Tricky Areas:

  • Some questions were “twisty” or mixing topics (e.g. linking geography + environment + current developments) — needed sharp reading.

  • Science & technology questions sometimes required deeper facts, not just familiar names.

Elementary Mathematics

• Difficulty Level: Moderate overall. Some parts easier, some more time-consuming. Geometry, trigonometry, etc., asked with more complexity in some questions. 

• Good Attempts Estimate: ~ 55-65 questions considered good attempts by many test takers. 

• What Worked:

  • Arithmetic, Number System, simpler algebra questions were scoring and doable quickly.

  • Questions from areas you practice often came up, so prior consistent practice helped.

• Challenges:

  • Time pressure on geometry / trigonometry & word problem applications. Some questions lengthy.

  • Accuracy matters: small mistakes in algebra/geometry cost time + marks (due to negative marking).

Common Observations & Patterns

• There is negative marking: 1/3rd mark penalty for every wrong answer. So blind guessing is risky. 

• The shift-wise exam timing: clear divisions help candidates plan. English → GK → Maths in separate shifts. 

• Candidates who kept strong basics + quick calculation speed + good practice of GK current affairs fared better.

Expected Cut Offs / “Safe Score” Estimates

While official cut-offs will depend on overall performance and number of vacancies, early estimates suggest:

• IMA / INA / AFA: Scoring around 115-125 marks could be considered a “safe zone” depending on category & region. 

• OTA: Since only two papers (English + GK) are taken, safe score might be around 90-100 marks (depending upon the difficulty of GK) for those aiming for OTA.