• Written By Monica_Kumari
  • Last Modified 18-08-2023

Best CDS Books: Subject-wise CDS Preparation Books

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You must ensure that your preparation is the best for the upcoming UPSC CDS exam. It is not just the aspiration but the quality of your preparation that matters for this exam. You must have the best books for the CDS exam to have sound preparation. To help you save time searching for the best books, we have provided a list of topper’s recommended CDS Books on this page.

SubjectsPractice Unlimited Free CDS Questions
General AwarenessPractice UPSC CDS General Awareness Questions
MathematicsPractice UPSC CDS Mathematics Questions
EnglishPractice UPSC CDS English Questions

*Steps to practice free unlimited CDS questions are mentioned below in this article.

Buying loads of books does not help until you have the best ones. Note that you can crack the exam with a good score, even with a single resource but the best reference. Scroll down to have a list of the important books for CDS to make the preparation easier.

Best Books for CDS Exam 2023

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the CDS exam for admission to the Indian Naval Academy, Indian Military Academy, Air Force Academy, and Officers Training Academy. You should know that the UPSC CDS selection process has two stages:

  • Stage 1: Written Examination
  • Stage 2: SBB Interview

You must clear the written exam to be called for SSB interviews. Furthermore, you must be careful while choosing the books for preparation. A wrong choice of a book might hamper your preparation. Check out the lists of important and topper’s recommended CDS books from the table below:

Access CDS Preparation Books

UPSC CDS Previous Year Papers

Indian Polity for Civil Services

14000+ Objective Questions General Studies

Objective General English for All Competitive Exams

Lucent’s General Science

SSC Advanced Maths Volume – I

Important NCERT’s Chapters for Defence & SSC Exams

Certificate Physical and Human Geography 

One Word Substitutions

Popular Master Guide for CDS Examination 

Mathematics Textbook for Class X

India and the Contemporary World – I

Our Pasts 1 – Textbook of History

Our Pasts 2 – Textbook of History

Our Pasts 3 – Textbook of History

India and the Contemporary World – 2

Magical Book on Quicker Maths

Encyclopedia of General Science

A Mirror of Common Errors

SSC Advanced Maths Volume II

Mathematics Textbook for Class IX

Science Textbook for Class 7

Steps to Practice UPSC CDS Exam Questions Free

Access the unlimited free UPSC CDS exam questions from Embibe by following the below-mentioned steps:

  • 1st Step: Visit Embibe’s official website, i.e., embibe.com.
  • 2nd Step: Use the mobile number/email to log in.
  • 3rd Step: Click on the menu bar “Getting a Government Job” 
  • 4th Step: Select the Goal “Defence” from the Dropdown and click “Next”.
  • 5th Step: Search and Select “UPSC CDS” on the search bar and click “Next”.
  • 6th Step: Select the preferred language and click “Done”.
  • 7th Step: Click “Practice” from the Header Section.
  • 8th Step: Scroll down to the “Subjects” section.
  • 9th Step: Click on any UPSC CDS subjects.
  • 10th Step: Scroll down to click on the chapters from the selected subject to begin the practice.

Candidates can further scroll down to learn the best books for CDS for each subject.

Best Books for CDS Mathematics

This section is for admission to IMA, AFA, and INA. This section of the CDS exam tests your mathematical knowledge. The level of questions asked here is of matriculation level.

Books Overview
Mathematics for CDS by R.S.Aggarwal This book is the best package for all mathematical topics. You can practice all kinds of questions from all the chapters of this single book.
It has solutions by short-cut methods as well. It assists you in solving problems in less time.
The book covers every important topic like Arithmetic, Mensuration, Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, and Statistics. 
Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by R.S.Aggarwal This book extensively covers and explains all the topics required for you to score well in the examination.
It covers topics from all the branches of Mathematics- Arithmetic, Algebra, and Geometry.
Regarding scoring high in the exam, this book is highly dependable.

Best Books for CDS English

This section asses your grammar and vocabulary knowledge. It also tests your skill at playing around with words.

Books Overview
Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis The book has everything that is required to improve your vocabulary.
Along with teaching different topics like idioms, synonyms, antonyms, prepositions, etc., this book teaches its readers the correct usage of similarly spelt words.
English Grammar and Composition by Wren & Martin This high school English Grammar and Composition book guides sentence building, comprehension, composition, correct usage of words, autobiography, letter writing, essays, etc.
It is an effective self-guide book to refer to.
Objective General English by SP Bakshi Apart from the theory part, this book has practice papers for each topic covered.
It basically helps you in overall preparation for the exam.

CDS Preparation Books for General Knowledge

This section tests your general knowledge of current events. Along with the books, you should also read newspapers like the Hindu, the Indian Express, etc. and journals for your reference on current affairs.

Books Overview
Manorama Yearbook by Malayala Manorama Publishers This magazine updates you on Science and Medicine events, Census reports, Election results, Economic indicators, Art, National days, List of Union Cabinet Ministers, GK, Awards, Books etc.
General Knowledge by Manohar Pandey This study material has topics related to Indian History, Indian Economy, Indian Polity, Geography, General Science etc.
This book also deals with current affairs and events.

Important Topics for UPSC CDS Exam 2023

We have mentioned a list of important topics for each section below:

Elementary MathematicsEnglishGeneral Knowledge
Natural NumbersSpotting ErrorsIndian Polity:
– Constitution of India
– President of India
– Judiciary
GeometrySynonymsIndian History
PercentageSelecting WordsIndian Geography:
– Ores & Minerals
– Oil Mills
– Lakes of India
– Rivers, Tributaries and Their Directions
– Longitude and Latitude
– Islands of India
– States Comparison by Population and Area
Prime and Composite NumbersComprehensionMilitary Knowledge
FactorisationFill in the BlanksApplied Science:
– Physics
– Chemistry
– Biology
LogarithmsSentence ArrangementCurrent Affairs:
– Awards
– Government Welfare Scheme
– International Trades of India
– FDI
Laws of IndicesAntonyms
Quadratic EquationOrdering of Sentences
Simultaneous Linear EquationOrdering of Words in a Sentence
Theory of PolynomialsComposition
Trigonometry
Mensuration
Statistics

You can also check –

UPSC CDS Exam DateUPSC CDS Syllabus
UPSC CDS EligibilityUPSC CDS Admit Card
UPSC CDS Exam PatternUPSC CDS Result

FAQs on UPSC CDS Books 2023

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about UPSC CDS Books and study material:

Q: Where can I find the best CDS preparation books?

Ans: You will find the best CDS preparation books with 3D interactive videos in this article.

Q: Is it important to attempt the mock tests, or will reading CDS books do?

Ans: CDS books help you to clear the concepts. After completing the chapters in the books, you must attempt mock tests as it provides real-time experience and helps you work on your time management as well.

Q: Which CDS books are best for English?

Ans: For English, you can refer to the High School Grammar and Composition book by Wren and Martin, Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis, Objective General English by SP Bakshi, etc.

Q: How to prepare for the GK section of the CDS exam?

Ans: You can prepare for the GK section of the CDS exam by reading newspapers and magazines such as Manorama Yearbook. You need to keep yourself up-to-date with current affairs.

Q: What are the important topics for CDS General Knowledge section?

Ans: The important topics for the GK section are Economics, Current Affairs, Physics, Geography, Politics, Awards, Sports, Chemistry, etc.

We hope this detailed article on the UPSC CDS Books helped you in your exam preparation. If you have any queries, please contact us via our website or app. We will surely help you.

Stay tuned to Embibe for the latest UPSC CDS Exam 2023 news and updates.

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