The UPSC Combined Defence Services (CDS)-2 exam 2025 was conducted on 14 September 2025. It was translated into three papers for candidates applying to IMA, INA, AFA (English, General Knowledge, Elementary Mathematics) and two papers (English + GK) for OTA candidates. The exam followed the usual pen-and-paper, objective type format with negative marking (1/3rd the marks for wrong answers).
Exam Pattern & Timings
Papers:
English (2 hours), General Knowledge (2 hours), Elementary Mathematics (2 hours) for IMA/INA/AFA. OTA candidates skip the Mathematics portion.Marks: 100 marks for each paper. Total 300 for IMA/INA/AFA; 200 for OTA.
Timings: English from 9-11 AM, GK from 12:30-2:30 PM, Maths from 4-6 PM.
Overall Difficulty
The consensus among students and coaching institutes is that the CDS-2 2025 paper was Moderate overall. Some parts (especially math and GK) leaned toward Moderate-to-Difficult for many. English was cited as the most balanced section, with fewer surprises.
Here’s how the difficulty stacked up by section:
| Section | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|
| English | Moderate |
| General Knowledge | Moderate to Difficult |
| Elementary Mathematics | Moderate, some tricky or time-consuming questions |
Section-Wise Analysis
English
This year’s English paper stuck largely to expected topics: vocabulary (synonyms, antonyms), grammar (error spotting, sentence improvement), para-jumbles, reading comprehension etc.
Students noted that passages in comprehension were fairly doable; some tricky grammar/usage questions made them think twice.
Good attempts in English are estimated to be high, as many felt comfortable in this section. Some sources suggest 70-80 approx correct attempts might be “safe” if accuracy is good.
General Knowledge (GK)
GK came across as tougher compared to English. There was a heavier emphasis on current affairs, defence, science, and history. Some questions were more fact-based or obscure.
Static GK topics were mixed; students found some topics well covered in preparation and others, less so.
The good attempts estimated for GK are slightly lower due to difficulty — roughly 55-65 based on student feedback.
Elementary Mathematics
Math was moderate overall, but in parts somewhat tricky. The arithmetic and basic number-theory questions were doable, but geometry, trigonometry, and some “statement-based” questions consumed more time.
Time was a factor – students who are quick with calculations and strong in high school math concepts benefitted. Others got slowed by multi-step problems.
Expected good attempts in Maths are around 55-65 if accuracy remains high.
Good Attempt Estimates (With Accuracy)
Based on student responses and coaching institute estimates:
| Section | Good Attempt Estimate (Safe Zone) |
|---|---|
| English | ~70-80 correct |
| General Knowledge | ~55-65 correct |
| Mathematics | ~55-65 correct (for IMA/INA/AFA) |
| Overall (IMA/INA/AFA) | About 180-210 out of 300, if well balanced, could be in “safe” territory depending on cut-off trends. |
Note: For OTA candidates (only English + GK), good attempts would differ (sum of those two sections), so scale accordingly.
Strong & Weak Areas
Strong Areas:
English passages: reading comprehension was more “friendly” to many; fewer obscure idioms or archaic vocabulary.
Grammar and vocabulary questions in English appeared largely similar in structure to previous exams, allowing prepared candidates to score well.
Challenging / Weak Areas:
Some GK questions were unexpected or beyond standard “current affairs + basic static GK”, requiring deeper knowledge.
Maths: some geometry / trigonometry questions and statement questions (where statements require deducing conditions) were tricky. Time management was an issue here.
Cut-Off & Score Forecast (Estimated)
While UPSC has not released the official cut-off yet, some coaching estimates suggest:
For IMA / INA / AFA, scores in the range of 115-125 might be required to be safe for those aiming for SSB interview, depending on category.
For OTA, a somewhat lower threshold is expected (since only two papers; English + GK) — somewhere around 90-100 might be considered good, though much depends on General Knowledge performance.
What This Means for Candidates
If you attempted near or above these “good attempt” benchmarks with strong accuracy, you likely performed well.
Those who felt slower in GK or Maths may need to wait for cut-off announcements, but partial hopes remain if English was strong.
For future preparation:
Focus on improving GK through diverse sources (especially current affairs, science, defence).
Practice Maths under timed mode; work more on geometry/trigonometry & statement-based problems.
English preparation should include regular reading, compositional grammar, practicing Para-jumbles & spotting errors.
Conclusion
The CDS-2 Exam 2025 was moderate in difficulty overall, with English being most balanced, GK being more demanding, and Maths offering a mix of scoring and challenging questions. Good attempt estimates lie in the range of 180-210 marks for full three-paper candidates, provided accuracy is high. Cut-offs will vary by academy and category, but students who focused on fundamentals and time management are likely to benefit.
