NDA Exam Guide 2026
NDA 2026 notification updates and complete exam guide. Check exam dates, vacancies, eligibility criteria, selection process, syllabus, and application details.
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📊 Overview
- Exam Level
- National
- Particular
- Details
- Examination
- National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination
- SSB Interview
- 900 Marks
- Written Papers
- Mathematics & General Ability Test (GAT)
- Conducting Body
- Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
- Official Syllabus
- Mathematics & General Ability Test
- Selection Process
- Written Examination + SSB Interview
- Type of Questions
- Objective (MCQs)
- Mode of Examination
- Offline (Pen & Paper)
- Total Written Marks
- 900 Marks
📊 Exam Information 2
| Paper | Major Focus Areas |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | Algebra, Trigonometry, Calculus, Geometry, Vectors, Statistics, Probability |
| General Ability Test | English, Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History, Geography, Current Affairs |
📊 UPSC NDA General Ability Test (GAT) Syllabus
| English: Grammar and usage, vocabulary , comprehension, cohesion in extended text, spotting errors, sentence improvement, sentence completion, fill in the blanks, para jumbles, synonyms and antonyms , idioms and phrases , one-word substitution, cloze test , word usage, sentence formation and effective expression. |
|---|
| Physics: Physical properties and states of matter , mass, weight, volume, density and specific gravity, principles of Archimedes , pressure barometer, motion, velocity and acceleration, Newton's Laws of Motion , force and momentum, parallelogram of forces, stability and equilibrium of bodies, gravitation, work, power and energy, effects of heat , measurement of temperature, change of state and latent heat, transmission of heat, sound waves and their properties, reflection and refraction of light , mirrors and lenses, human eye, natural and artificial magnets, Earth as a magnet, static and current electricity, conductors and insulators, Ohm's Law , heating, lighting and magnetic effects of electric current, measurement of electrical power, primary and secondary cells, X-rays , simple machines and scientific instruments. |
| Chemistry: Physical and chemical changes, elements, mixtures and compounds , symbols, formulae and simple chemical equations, law of chemical combination, properties of air and water , preparation and properties of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide, oxidation and reduction , acids, bases and salts, carbon and its different forms , fertilizers, materials used in the preparation of soap, glass, ink, paper, cement, paints, safety matches and gunpowder, elementary ideas of atomic structure, atomic equivalent, molecular weights and valency . |
| General Science: Difference between living and non-living organisms , basis of life, cells, protoplasm and tissues, growth and reproduction in plants and animals, elementary knowledge of the human body and its organs , common epidemics, causes and prevention, food and balanced diet, constituents of food, solar system , meteors and comets, eclipses, achievements of eminent scientists. |
| History, Freedom Movement & Polity: Broad survey of Indian History, Indian culture and civilisation, Freedom Movement in India , Indian Constitution and Administration, Five-Year Plans, Panchayati Raj , Co-operatives and Community Development, Bhoodan and Sarvodaya movements, National Integration, Welfare State, basic teachings of Mahatma Gandhi , Renaissance, Exploration and Discovery, American War of Independence, French Revolution , Industrial Revolution, Russian Revolution , impact of Science and Technology on society, United Nations, Panchsheel, Democracy, Socialism, Communism, role of India in the present world. |
| Geography: The Earth and its shape, latitudes and longitudes, concept of time and International Date Line, rotation and revolution of the Earth, origin of the Earth , rocks and their classification, weathering, earthquakes and volcanoes , ocean currents and tides, atmosphere and its composition, temperature and atmospheric pressure, planetary winds, cyclones and anticyclones , humidity, condensation and precipitation, major climatic regions of the world, natural vegetation, mineral and power resources , agriculture and industries, important sea ports and main sea, land and air routes of India, imports and exports of India. |
| Current Affairs: Important national events , important international events, recent developments in India and the world, prominent personalities, sports, cultural activities, scientific developments, defence-related events, awards and honours. |
📊 Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme
| Subject | Approx. No. of Questions |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | 120 |
| English | 50 |
| Physics | 21 - 25 |
| Chemistry | 15 - 18 |
| History (including Freedom Movement & Polity) | 15 - 18 |
| Geography | 17 - 20 |
| General Science (Biology) | 10 - 12 |
| Current Affairs & Static GK | 8 - 12 |
| Total | 270 Questions |
📊 Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme
| Phase | Duration | Focus Area & What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Weeks 1- 2 | • Know the exam pattern and syllabus of NDA. • Get NCERT books and study material. • Find out your strength and weakness. • Plan daily study timetable. |
| Phase 2 | Weeks 3 - 6 | • Study the subject of Mathematics which includes Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry and Calculus. • Study the subject of English Grammar and Vocabulary. • Begin studying Physics, Chemistry and General Science. • Make notes for revising. |
| Phase 3 | Weeks 7 - 10 | • Study History, Geography, and Current Affairs. • Practice MCQs by topic. • Continue to revise Mathematics. • Increase your speed of calculations. |
| Ongoing | Daily | •Read newspapers for current affairs and defence news. • Revise formulas, grammatical rules and facts. • Solve Mathematics practice problems. • Work on English comprehension and vocabulary. |
| Ongoing | Weekly | • Attempt one Mathematics mock test. • Attempt one GAT mock test. • Analyse mistakes and revise weak topics and track your progress. |
| Phase 4 | Last 2 Months | • Concentrate on important topics. • Practice old NDA questions. • Take full length mock tests. • Time management is very important. |
| Final Phase | Last 3 - 4 Weeks | • Revise the complete syllabus using short notes. • Practise formulas and important facts. • Attempt revision mock tests. • Avoid starting new topics and focus on revision. |
📊 Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme
| Paper | Subject | Questions | Maximum Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | Mathematics | 120 | 300 | 2 Hours 30 Minutes |
| Paper II | General Ability Test | 150 | 600 | 2 Hours 30 Minutes |
| Total | 270 | 900 | 5 Hours |
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Q1.How many subjects are included in the NDA written exam?
The NDA written exam has two papers – Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT). The GAT paper includes English, Physics, Chemistry, History, Geography, General Science and Current Affairs topics.
Q2.What is the total marks for the UPSC NDA Exam?
The NDA written exam carries 900 marks in total. After qualifying the written exam, candidates appear for the SSB Interview, which is also conducted for 900 marks. The complete selection process is for 1800 marks.
Q3.Is there negative marking in NDA Exam 2026?
Yes, there is a negative marking in UPSC NDA Exam. For the written exam, 1/3rd of the marks allotted to a question are deducted for every wrong answer marked by the candidate.
Q4.How much time is the NDA written exam?
The NDA written exam is held for a duration of 5 hours. The Mathematics paper is of 2 ½ hours duration and the General Ability Test (GAT) paper is also of 2 ½ hours duration.
Q5.Which topics are important in the NDA General Ability Test?
Important topics in the NDA GAT paper include English Grammar, Vocabulary, Physics, Chemistry, History, Geography, Current Affairs and General Science. Questions are asked from school-level concepts and current events.
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