Central exam · Defence
CDS preparation
UPSC Combined Defence Services Examination · conducted by Union Public Service Commission
Below are the general studies and general awareness subjects that CDS draws on, each broken into topics you can open as interactive knowledge maps — so you see how people, events and ideas connect instead of memorising them in isolation.
Modern Indian History
Subject overviewCompany rule, the national movement and independence — the story from 1757 to 1947.
- East India Company
- Indian Rebellion of 1857
- Indian National Congress
- Partition of Bengal (1905)
- Swadeshi movement
- Jallianwala Bagh massacre
- Non-cooperation movement
- Simon Commission
- Salt March
- Civil disobedience movement
- Government of India Act 1935
- Quit India Movement
- Mahatma Gandhi
- Jawaharlal Nehru
- Subhas Chandra Bose
- Bhagat Singh
- B. R. Ambedkar
- Vallabhbhai Patel
- Partition of India
- Indian independence movement
Ancient Indian History
Subject overviewFrom the Indus Valley to the Guptas — civilisations, empires and religions of early India.
Indian Geography
Subject overviewPhysiography, rivers, climate, resources and agriculture of India.
Physical & World Geography
Subject overviewHow the Earth works — landforms, atmosphere, oceans and climate systems.
Indian Polity & Constitution
Subject overviewThe Constitution, institutions and governance of India.
- Constitution of India
- Preamble to the Constitution of India
- Fundamental rights in India
- Directive Principles of State Policy
- Fundamental Duties (India)
- Parliament of India
- Lok Sabha
- Rajya Sabha
- President of India
- Prime Minister of India
- Supreme Court of India
- Governor (India)
- Election Commission of India
- Comptroller and Auditor General of India
- Panchayati raj in India
- Basic structure doctrine
- Emergency (India)
- Amendment of the Constitution of India
Indian Economy
Subject overviewGrowth, money, budgets, planning and reforms of the Indian economy.
- Economy of India
- Reserve Bank of India
- Monetary policy
- Inflation
- Gross domestic product
- Goods and Services Tax (India)
- Union budget of India
- Five-Year Plans of India
- NITI Aayog
- Green Revolution in India
- Economic liberalisation in India
- Securities and Exchange Board of India
- Balance of payments
- Foreign direct investment
- Poverty in India
General Science
Subject overviewEveryday physics, chemistry and biology for SSC, railways and defence exams.
Science & Technology
Subject overviewSpace, nuclear, bio- and digital technologies, and India's achievements in each.
International Relations
Subject overviewIndia's foreign policy and the international groupings and institutions it works with.