The 6 official CDS 2021 question papers and 6 answer keys are on this page as PDFs from UPSC, with the original source linked beside each file. The CDS exam covers English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics. Download them below, then sit the paper under exam timing with the attempt plan and error-log routine on this page.
Explore: CDS hub · Topic-wise PYQs · Syllabus & pattern · CDS 2025 · How to use PYQs
Download the paper
Download the official CDS 2021 question paper (PDF), hosted on this site with the official source linked.
Why this year matters
2021 will not mirror every new question type, but it still trains selection, stamina, and the chapters that keep coming back. Split Prelims GS and CSAT into separate timed blocks. Save Mains papers for outline drills the same week you review Prelims themes.
Use 2021 to build static depth: maps, institutions, ecology basics, modern history arcs. Flag anything the latest syllabus no longer asks.
Paper analysis
Snapshot of CDS 2021
Useful English + GK year.
2021 may feel differently paced than the newest cycle. Borrow stamina and theme lessons; do not copy obsolete section orders or marking quirks.
What this paper stresses
- Environment and science-tech questions that punish vague CA notes.
- CSAT comprehension and quant that still fail otherwise strong GS candidates.
- Map and institution questions that reward quiet static revision.
- Statement-based polity and economy items where two options look nearly right.
What to extract before you move on
- CA topics that only made sense when tied to a scheme / institution / map.
- CSAT question types that still slow you down (RC vs quant vs logic).
- Two Mains-ready outlines from Prelims themes you missed.
- Static themes that survived into the newest Prelims (polity articles, ecology concepts, modern history arcs).
How 2021 sits next to other years
Use 2021 only after CDS 2025, CDS 2024, CDS 2023 are logged. Archive years are for frequency maps, not for predicting tomorrow’s cut-off.
Looking for another shift, set or language? Check the official archive.
Topic-wise analysis
We tagged every question in the 6 official 2021 papers on this page by topic: 680 questions (680 MCQ). The topics with the most questions:
- English: Fill in the Blanks and Cloze 80, Synonyms, Antonyms and Idioms 60, Spotting Errors and Grammar 40 questions across the 6 papers.
- General Knowledge: History and Culture 42, Geography 40, Polity 40 questions across the 6 papers.
- Elementary Mathematics: Algebra 45, Mensuration 36, Trigonometry 30 questions across the 6 papers.
Against CDS 2020, the biggest changes in question count: Fill in the Blanks and Cloze +40, Synonyms, Antonyms and Idioms -20, Algebra +14, Spotting Errors and Grammar -10.
All 6 official CDS 2021 papers we host (CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths), tagged question by question: 680 questions (680 MCQ). Counts are totals across those papers. Answers come from the official UPSC answer keys where they are hosted; other papers show no answer.
| Topic | Questions | vs 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| English | 240 | |
| Spotting Errors and Grammar | 40 | -10 |
| Synonyms, Antonyms and Idioms | 60 | -20 |
| Comprehension | 20 | 0 |
| Sentence Arrangement and Improvement | 40 | -10 |
| Fill in the Blanks and Cloze | 80 | +40 |
| General Knowledge | 240 | |
| History and Culture | 42 | -3 |
| Geography | 40 | -1 |
| Polity | 40 | +8 |
| Economy | 21 | -1 |
| Physics | 20 | -2 |
| Chemistry | 20 | +1 |
| Biology | 21 | +2 |
| Current Affairs, Defence and Sports | 36 | -4 |
| Elementary Mathematics | 200 | |
| Number System and Simplification | 22 | -7 |
| Percentage, Ratio, Profit and Interest | 12 | -5 |
| Time, Speed and Work | 11 | +1 |
| Algebra | 45 | +14 |
| Trigonometry | 30 | 0 |
| Geometry | 25 | -2 |
| Mensuration | 36 | -4 |
| Statistics | 19 | +3 |
Topics with no question in 2021 or 2020 are left out. Every question, by topic: CDS topic-wise PYQs.
How to sit CDS 2021
- Download Prelims GS Paper I and Paper II (CSAT) from the official UPSC links. Keep Mains papers for a separate sitting.
- Two hours for GS I, two hours for CSAT. Do not merge them into one vague afternoon.
- When the clock ends, stop. Review should take at least as long as the attempt.
- Fill the error log the same day: section, topic, and miss type (concept, silly, time, or misread).
- Next session, repair only logged items. Then pick another year from the decade list.
- For Mains the same week: pick two Prelims themes and write short outlines or 150-250 word answers.
Other years in this decade
FAQ
Where can I download the official CDS 2021 question paper?
Download it from this page: the official PDF is here, with a link to the conducting body’s original.
What does the CDS 2021 paper analysis include?
A year snapshot, what the paper stresses, what to extract into your error log, and how 2021 compares with neighbouring years on this hub.
How should I practise the CDS 2021 previous year paper?
Open the official PDF, sit it timed under current brochure rules, fill an error log the same day, read the paper analysis, then move to another year in the decade list.
Is CDS 2021 still useful if I finished newer papers?
Yes, for theme and weightage mining after your newest papers are logged. Skip deleted syllabus pockets.
Are memory-based CDS 2021 papers reliable?
Treat memory-based sets as interim. Reconcile contested items with official keys or response sheets when the conducting body publishes them.
Where is the CDS syllabus and pattern for this paper?
See the CDS syllabus & pattern page on this hub, and always re-check the latest official brochure before exam day.