# CDS PYQ Topic Wise: Questions by Topic (2016–2026)
> CDS PYQ topic wise: all 7480 questions from 66 official CDS papers (2016–2026), sorted by topic with official answers, with year-by-year counts.
Source: https://previousyearquestions.app/cds/topics/
Explore: CDS hub · Syllabus & pattern · CDS 2026
## Answer first
We tagged all **7480 questions** in 66 official CDS papers (2016–2026) by topic. In English, Synonyms, Antonyms and Idioms leads with 701 questions. In General Knowledge, History and Culture leads with 463 questions. In Elementary Mathematics, Algebra leads with 428 questions. Use the tables to see how often each topic appears each year, then open a topic for every question it has had with the official answer.
## English
All English topics on one page: [CDS English PYQs](/cds/topics/english/). English topics by questions in each year. The last column is the total across all 66 papers.
Most-asked English topics: [Synonyms, Antonyms and Idioms](/cds/topics/cds-vocabulary/) (701), [Sentence Arrangement and Improvement](/cds/topics/cds-sentence-arrangement/) (569), [Fill in the Blanks and Cloze](/cds/topics/cds-fill-blanks/) (549), [Spotting Errors and Grammar](/cds/topics/cds-error-spotting/) (497), [Comprehension](/cds/topics/cds-comprehension/) (324).
## General Knowledge
All General Knowledge topics on one page: [CDS General Knowledge PYQs](/cds/topics/general-knowledge/). General Knowledge topics by questions in each year. The last column is the total across all 66 papers.
Most-asked General Knowledge topics: [History and Culture](/cds/topics/cds-history/) (463), [Current Affairs, Defence and Sports](/cds/topics/cds-current-affairs/) (457), [Geography](/cds/topics/cds-geography/) (433), [Polity](/cds/topics/cds-polity/) (333), [Economy](/cds/topics/cds-economy/) (282).
## Elementary Mathematics
All Elementary Mathematics topics on one page: [CDS Elementary Mathematics PYQs](/cds/topics/elementary-mathematics/). Elementary Mathematics topics by questions in each year. The last column is the total across all 66 papers.
Most-asked Elementary Mathematics topics: [Algebra](/cds/topics/cds-algebra/) (428), [Mensuration](/cds/topics/cds-mensuration/) (360), [Geometry](/cds/topics/cds-geometry/) (336), [Number System and Simplification](/cds/topics/cds-number-system/) (306), [Trigonometry](/cds/topics/cds-trigonometry/) (284).
## How we tagged the papers
- **Source:** only official CDS papers published by the conducting body and hosted on our year pages. 2026: CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths · 2025: CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths · 2024: CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths · 2023: CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths · 2022: CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths · 2021: CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths · 2020: CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths · 2019: CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths · 2018: CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths · 2017: CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths · 2016: CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths.
- **Topics:** one topic per question, following the UPSC CDS syllabus for English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics.
- **Answers:** Answers come from the official UPSC answer keys where they are hosted; other papers show no answer.
- **Summaries** are ours, so you can scan a topic quickly. Open the official PDF for the full question.
## FAQ
### Which CDS topics have the most questions?
English: Synonyms, Antonyms and Idioms (701), Sentence Arrangement and Improvement (569), Fill in the Blanks and Cloze (549). General Knowledge: History and Culture (463), Current Affairs, Defence and Sports (457), Geography (433). Elementary Mathematics: Algebra (428), Mensuration (360), Geometry (336). Counts are totals across the 66 official CDS papers tagged here.
### Which CDS papers are included?
Only official papers that the conducting body published and that we host: 2026: CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths · 2025: CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths · 2024: CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths · 2023: CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths · 2022: CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths · 2021: CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths · 2020: CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths · 2019: CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths · 2018: CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths · 2017: CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths · 2016: CDS (I) English; CDS (I) GK; CDS (I) Maths; CDS (II) English; CDS (II) GK; CDS (II) Maths.
### Are the answers official?
Answers come from the official UPSC answer keys where they are hosted; other papers show no answer.