> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.upscyatra.in/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# CDS & CAPF AC PYQs: Defence Services Exam Questions

> Browse CDS GK and CAPF AC Paper I past year questions on UPSCYatra. Useful for defence services aspirants and UPSC CSE students who want extra GK practice.

Defence services aspirants and UPSC CSE candidates share more common ground than most people realise. CDS and CAPF General Knowledge papers draw from the same broad pool of topics — Indian history, polity, geography, economy, science & technology, and current affairs — that defines the UPSC Prelims GS syllabus. If you're preparing for both UPSC CSE and CDS or CAPF, you're not running two separate preparations; you're running one preparation with two exam targets. And even if you're purely focused on UPSC CSE, CDS and CAPF PYQs give you an additional bank of high-quality GK questions for extra practice and a different angle on familiar topics. UPSCYatra's CDS & CAPF PYQ section puts both sets of papers in one place, available with a free login.

## CDS PYQs

<CardGroup cols={1}>
  <Card title="Combined Defence Services (CDS) — General Knowledge" icon="shield" href="/features/cds-capf-pyq">
    The CDS exam, conducted by UPSC, includes a General Knowledge paper that tests current events, history, geography, polity, economy, and science. The question style is close enough to UPSC Prelims GS that CDS GK questions serve as genuine additional practice for CSE aspirants — same examiner, same broad domain, slightly different emphasis.

    **Available years:** 2020–2025 (Session 1 and Session 2 for each year; 2020 requires a free login)
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### What CDS GK Covers

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Current Affairs" icon="newspaper" href="/features/current-affairs">
    National and international events from the year leading up to the exam — virtually identical in scope to what UPSC Prelims tests.
  </Card>

  <Card title="History" icon="scroll" href="/syllabus/mains-gs1">
    Modern Indian history, freedom struggle, post-independence developments, and world history milestones.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Geography" icon="globe" href="/syllabus/prelims-gs">
    Physical geography, Indian geography, climate, rivers, resources, and world geography.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Polity & Constitution" icon="landmark" href="/syllabus/mains-gs2">
    Constitutional provisions, fundamental rights, government structure, and political institutions.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Economy" icon="chart-line" href="/syllabus/mains-gs3">
    Macroeconomic concepts, Five Year Plans, national income, banking, and trade.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Science" icon="atom" href="/syllabus/prelims-gs">
    Physics, chemistry, biology, and applied science — framed at a general awareness level.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## CAPF PYQs

<CardGroup cols={1}>
  <Card title="Central Armed Police Forces (AC) — Paper I" icon="building-shield" href="/features/cds-capf-pyq">
    CAPF (Assistant Commandant) Paper I is a General Ability and Intelligence paper that covers general knowledge and current affairs topics closely aligned with UPSC Prelims. The GK component of CAPF Paper I is especially useful for CSE students as supplementary practice material.

    **Available years:** 2020–2025 (2020 requires a free login)
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### What CAPF Paper I Covers

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="General Knowledge & Current Affairs" icon="newspaper" href="/features/current-affairs">
    National and international current events, government schemes, appointments, and awards — direct overlap with UPSC Prelims current affairs.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Indian History & Freedom Struggle" icon="flag" href="/syllabus/mains-gs1">
    Ancient, medieval, and modern India with emphasis on the national movement — a consistent focus area in both CAPF and UPSC CSE.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Indian Polity & Economy" icon="scale-balanced" href="/syllabus/mains-gs2">
    Constitutional provisions, governance, economic indicators, and development — essentially the same GS2 and GS3 topics UPSC CSE tests.
  </Card>

  <Card title="General Science" icon="flask" href="/syllabus/prelims-gs">
    Everyday science, technology, space, and defence — overlaps significantly with the Science & Tech section of UPSC Prelims GS.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Who Benefits

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Dual-Exam Aspirants" icon="bullseye" href="/features/cds-capf-pyq">
    If you're appearing for both **UPSC CSE** and **CDS** or **CAPF**, UPSCYatra lets you practise both sets of PYQs in one place. Your GK and current affairs preparation feeds both exams simultaneously — you don't need separate resources.
  </Card>

  <Card title="CSE Students Seeking Extra GK Practice" icon="book-open" href="/features/prelims-pyq">
    Even if you're only targeting UPSC CSE, CDS and CAPF PYQs give you **additional high-quality GK practice questions** that are harder to find elsewhere. Solving a wider variety of GK questions improves your recall speed and confidence going into Prelims.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Available Years at a Glance

| Exam | Paper                                    | Years Available                                          |
| ---- | ---------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| CDS  | General Knowledge                        | 2020–2025 (Session 1 & Session 2; 2020 needs free login) |
| CAPF | Paper I (General Ability & Intelligence) | 2020–2025 (2020 needs free login)                        |

## Access

<Info>
  CDS and CAPF PYQs are available with a **free UPSCYatra login**. Creating an account is free and gives you access to all CDS and CAPF papers, in addition to the full UPSC Prelims and Mains PYQ archives. [Create your free account →](/getting-started)
</Info>

<Tip>
  If you're a UPSC CSE aspirant and you've already finished the available Prelims PYQ papers, use CDS GK questions as a revision tool for current affairs and general science. The question framing is similar enough to UPSC Prelims that they serve as genuine additional practice — not just busy work.
</Tip>