English and General Knowledge together make up a significant portion of marks in NDA, CDS and AFCAT. Many aspirants under-prepare this section while focusing only on Mathematics — here is how to correct that.

English: Grammar and Vocabulary

Focus on core grammar rules — tenses, prepositions, subject-verb agreement — along with regular vocabulary building through daily reading. Practising error-detection and sentence-correction exercises consistently improves accuracy over time.

English: Comprehension

Reading comprehension passages under timed conditions builds both speed and the ability to extract precise answers, which is essential given the strict time limits of defence exams.

General Knowledge: Static Portion

History, Geography, Polity and Basic Science from NCERT Class 6-10 textbooks form the static core of the GK syllabus. Building this foundation early frees up more time closer to the exam for current affairs revision.

General Knowledge: Current Affairs

Defence-related news, government schemes, sports achievements, and major national and international events from the months leading up to the exam are frequently tested. A monthly current affairs digest, revised regularly, works better than daily cramming alone.

Practice and Revision

Attempt previous years' English and GK papers regularly to understand the exact style and difficulty of questions asked, and revise short notes consistently rather than re-reading entire chapters repeatedly.

Frequently Asked Questions