Study Material Required To Clear CDS OTA Written Exam | Complete list

CDS OTA Exam Study Material

In this blog, we will explore the complete list of study material for the CDS OTA exam and what an aspirant should have beforehand. This is a crucial stage for aspirants beginning their CDS OTA preparation, especially for those focusing primarily on self-study. The right study materials not only help channel energy and effort in the right direction but also save valuable time

It has been proven time to time that there is no need for 10 different guides and unrealistic study plan to clear CDS OTA. Major number of candidates clear CDS OTA just with few selected study material and right approach to study.

It’s true that, in today’s world, we are surrounded by entertainment-oriented study material. It is a fact that well edited or humorous videos won’t help you retain information in your head. Such content should never be a primary source for your preparation. While watching them may aid in revision, the foundation of your preparation should always be self-practice and independent study.

So, what are the primary Study Material one needs to have in hand

1. A Pen, Pencil and Practice notebook for each paper, i.e English, General Knowledge
2. A Guide to CDS that has complete syllabus, maps, charts. We highly recommend CDS OTA Guide
3. A Practice Question Bank that has MCQs from all topics. Specially those questions that have mostly been repeated in one UPSC exam or the other. We highly recommend 5000+ Most Expected MCQs for GK
4. Mock Test Individual Booklets with OMR sheets. This is necessary at the end when you have completed your preparation. It is highly recommended to go through CDS OTA Countdown with OMR Booklets

Now, that you know the study material you need at hand. Let us go through the approach that has majorly been used by those candidates who cleared CDS OTA in their first attempt.

Starting with the Basics for English

Research has repeatedly shown that reading a storybook or fiction before bed, instead of using your phone, helps you fall asleep on time and improves your vocabulary. You might not even notice it, but you’ll start using new words when speaking or writing. Often, we struggle with finding the right words, even though we know what we want to say. That’s why reading is a great way to boost your vocabulary

When preparing English for the CDS OTA exam, it’s important to know the syllabus and practice the chapters thoroughly. Start by doing one exercise from each topic you’re working on. For example, if you’re studying ‘Sentence Improvement,’ your CDS OTA guide will be super helpful! Now, remember that notebook? Open it, write the date at the top, and note how many answers you got right or wrong during your practice. For the wrong answers, write down the correct answer in practice notebook. By doing this, you’re training your mind and body to understand what went wrong and what was the correct answer. This method is way more effective than just practicing and ticking the correct answers

Make your approach smart! For example, when studying synonyms and antonyms, don’t just read them. If you come across a word you don’t know, say it out loud! Yes, speak and pronounce the word. If you have more time, try writing the meaning in your own simple words. For example, if you see the word ‘Erroneous,’ which means ‘incorrect,’ you can write down words like ‘wrong,’ ‘invalid,’ ‘inaccurate,’ ‘mistaken,’ or ‘false’ in your practice notebook. This way, you’ll have a better chance of remembering it if you came across the word again.

Once you complete all the chapters and exercises, you will prepare yourself well for the English paper. The only thing left is to practice under exam-like conditions to gain confidence and to check if you have the right speed and approach. For this, you should go through the CDS OTA Countdown. Practicing 10 individual booklets with OMR sheets will boost your confidence and help you aim for a 70+ score in the English paper alone

Strategy For CDS OTA General Knowledge Paper

1. Start with any chapter of your choice in CDS OTA Guide. It is for this Paper that you may need a highlighter or pencil to mark in the book. Highlighter can be used to mark an important fact or point to recall. CDS OTA presents each topic in a very easy to grasp manner with point to point Facts, table to memorise information as given below.
2. Now, There are two effective ways to study: one is to speak loudly and clearly to help you memorise, and the other is to make notes and recall them to check if you truly understand the topic. Choose the method that works best for you, as both have proven to be effective.
3. For subjects like Geography, keep blank Indian outline maps with you and mark them as shown in the CDS OTA guide. This will help you visualize Geography more clearly. While there might not be direct map questions in the exam, knowing the maps will help you mentally plot locations and solve many questions indirectly.
4. Once you have completed the entire syllabus from CDS OTA Guide, go through 5000+ MCQs Most expected Question bank. It will serve as a good practice and also there are high chances many questions will directly come from the given MCQs
5. Finally, practice the GK paper in exam-like conditions with CDS OTA Countdown under the given time limit and marking on an OMR sheet. This will help build your confidence before the actual exam. If you follow this approach, you can easily score 50+ in the General Knowledge paper, well above the required 25 marks