Summary
UPSC held the CDS 2 2026 Elementary Mathematics paper on 13 September 2026, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. The paper carried 100 questions for 100 marks and candidates who applied for IMA, INA and AFA only sat for this exam. OTA candidates need not to appear for this subject.
Our faculty have worked through the paper and analysed the questions topic by topic. Below is what was asked, how hard it was, and the set-wise answer keys.
1. What Was Asked, in Brief?
The overall paper was moderate to difficult and calculation-intensive. Good attempts fell between 50 and 60 out of 100. Direct one-step questions were limited, while multiple questions needed two or three calculation steps.
- Number System and Simplification carried the heaviest calculations with LCM, HCF and divisibility items reported as difficult by many candidates.
- Geometry mostly focused on triangles and circles, including similarity theorems and circle properties was the most time consuming session.
- Mensuration covered surface area and volume with combined solids appearing frequently
- Trigonometry mainly featured questions from heights and distances alongside standard identities
- Time, Speed and Distance and Profit and Loss were most time consuming and included questions which involved multi-step calculations
- Statistics carried the lightest weightage in the complete paper.
2. Topic-Wise Question Count, Counted From the Paper
The UPSC does not set a fixed number of questions for each topic, the number varying from year to year, and the weightage figures that are generally published are only estimates based on trends rather than actual counts; the figures given below are from our staff as they went through the 2026 paper.
The CDS 2 2026 question distribution highlighted a significant surge in Arithmetic weightage, while Geometry experienced a slight decline compared to CDS 1 held in April 2026.
Despite these minor shifts, the paper closely aligned with the traditional exam spread by keeping the Arithmetic, Algebra, and Geometry triad as the dominant force of the paper.
3. Download Question Paper and Answer Key, Sets A to D
Carefully check the set code printed on your question booklet before downloading the answer key. The questions are ordered differently in each set so a mismatched key will give you a wrong score.
You can download question paper and answer key from http://www.upsc.gov.in
To calculate your score, add one mark for every correct answer and deduct one-third of a mark for each wrong one. Questions which were not answered do not carry any marks. This paper has no marks scaling unlike English and General Knowledge papers which carried 120 questions each for 100 marks.
Any score you calculate now is an estimate, since unofficial keys get revised. Once you have a figure, our CDS 2 Expected Cut Off 2026 page explains where it places you.
4. Difficulty: What Moderate Meant This Year
The paper was said to be of moderate level by many candidates. A moderate rating does not mean that the paper was very easy. The moderate level meant that most syllabus topics were covered in the paper, one-step questions were scarce, and the difficulty sat in calculation length rather than conceptual depth.
| Area | Difficulty | Time Demand |
| Arithmetic | Moderate | Medium |
| Number System and Simplification | Calculation-intensive | High |
| Algebra | Moderate | Medium |
| Geometry | Moderate to difficult | Highest |
| Mensuration | Moderate to difficult | High |
| Trigonometry | Moderate | Medium |
| Statistics | Lighter | Low |
A pattern that one must note is the ongoing trend towards solving application-based problems in geometry and mensuration as opposed to simply recalling formulas. This change has now occurred over three CDS cycles and should therefore be regarded as the norm rather than something that merely happened in one year.
With 100 questions in 120 minutes the strict timeline was about 72 seconds to be spent per question. Candidates who skipped the long geometry questions and banked arithmetic marks generally did better than those who attempted everything. Our CDS 2 Safe Score 2026 page walks you through why accuracy beats volume under negative marking.
5. What This Paper Tells to CDS 1 2027 Aspirants?
If you are preparing for the next cycle, this paper carries more importance to you than to the candidates who appeared in it. Major takeaways for CDS 1 2027 Aspirants are as follows :
- Geometry is a compulsory section. Over the course of three cycles, the difficulty associated with similarity theorems and circle properties has continued, and it is what shaped this paper.
- Simply recalling formulas is no longer sufficient. Expect problems that require application, especially in geometry and mensuration.
- Speed in number systems and simplification brings a clear benefit. This was the section involving the most calculations and therefore the most likely place to lose time. Keep arithmetic and algebra as your base, since both carried higher weightage in CDS 1 2026 and remain the largest blocks.
The best way is to practise at 72 seconds per question, and solve this paper in full exam timing before reading any solution.
One paper is a data point, not a trend. Read our count in Section 2 alongside the previous year question papers archive before dropping any topic from your plan, and use the most important Maths chapters guide to decide where your time goes.
Knowing what the paper demands is one thing; building it into eight months of routine is another. Our Digital Benchers free AI Study Planner diagnoses your gap to the safe score and builds a daily plan around your real hours. Back it with 25 years of free CDS PYQs and 500+ calibrated mocks, and drill geometry alone with Create Your Own Test.
