When aspirants talk about the CDS exam, their focus usually locks onto GK or Mathematics. But in reality, English is the silent gamechanger-the paper that can dramatically boost your overall score and help you sail into the merit list.
And this is not just theory. As someone who has cleared the CDS exam 7 times consecutively, I can confidently say that my journey became smoother only when my English score improved. English is the most scoring of the three papers, and if you use it smartly, it becomes your biggest advantage.
1. English Has a Solid, Straightforward Weightage of 100 Marks
Unlike GK, where questions range from unpredictable to extremely diverse, English is a single, well-structured, and high-yield subject—worth 100 marks.
The paper checks your comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, and usage. All of these can be improved with a simple, consistent routine.
What does this mean for you?
- You can prepare English in a systematic way.
- You can accurately predict your performance.
- You can maintain at least 65+ marks every attempt.
And scoring 65/100 is almost mandatory if you want to comfortably reach the cutoff and build a strong score for the final merit.
2. A Little Routine = Massive Improvement
English is not about mugging up facts.
It rewards consistency.
A 30–40 minute daily routine is enough to transform your performance:
Read: Editorials, articles, or quality books.
Practice: Spotting errors, sentence improvement, comprehension.
Attempt: Mock tests every week.
If you follow this regularly, your English score starts rising fast—and most importantly, it stays stable.
3. GK Requires Much More Time and Effort in Comparison
GK is the most unpredictable paper in CDS.
It covers multiple subjects:
| Polity | History | Geography |
| Economy | Science | Current Affairs |
| Defence-related topics | Environment | Miscellaneous |
The depth is huge. The range is wide. The effort is massive.
But here’s the key truth every serious CDS aspirant should accept:
- Even after months of preparation, GK scores fluctuate a lot.
- But English remains your reliable scoring pillar.
That’s why I always tell aspirants:
Let GK be your long-term project, but let English be your scoring insurance.
4. English Helps You in the Final Merit Too
Clearing the written exam is only the first step. The final merit list depends on:
- Written marks +
- SSB performance
A strong English score gives you a comfortable buffer in the written exam, which means:
- You cross the cutoff safely.
- You enter SSB with confidence.
- Even if GK or Maths pulls you down slightly, English pulls you back up.
In my own journey of clearing CDS 7 times back-to-back, this was the biggest lesson:
Consistency in English = Consistency in clearing written + merit advantage.
5. English Is Not Just a Subject—It Is Your Strategic Tool
If there is one subject that gives guaranteed returns in the CDS exam, it is ENGLISH.
- It is predictable.
- It is practice-based.
- It is highly scoring.
- It contributes directly to your merit.
And most importantly—
It requires the least preparation time compared to the marks it delivers.
So if you’re preparing for CDS, don’t treat English casually. Treat it as the tool that will carry you across the finish line.
If I, Akshay Pathania, could clear CDS 7 times in a row, it was because English became my most reliable weapon—and it can become yours too.
Author: By Akshay Pathania Cleared CDS 7 Times in a Row