EXAM SYLLABUS

The NDA & NA (II) 2026 Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) consists of two written papers: Mathematics (300 marks) and General Ability Test (GAT) (600 marks), followed by the SSB Interview/Intelligence and Personality Test (900 marks). The Mathematics paper covers topics such as Algebra, Matrices & Determinants, Trigonometry, Analytical Geometry, Differential and Integral Calculus, Vector Algebra, Statistics and Probability. The GAT is divided into English (200 marks) and General Knowledge (400 marks). The English section covers Grammar, Vocabulary, Comprehension and Usage, while the General Knowledge section includes Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History, Geography and Current Events. The complete selection process carries 1,800 marks, comprising 900 marks for the Written Examination and 900 marks for the SSB stage.

MATHEMATICS DETAILED SYLLABUS

The detailed syllabus for Mathematics, along with Topic Description, Topic Example & Topic Difficulty, is given below:

EXAM SYLLABUS

The NDA & NA (II) 2026 Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) consists of two written papers: Mathematics (300 marks) and General Ability Test (GAT) (600 marks), followed by the SSB Interview/Intelligence and Personality Test (900 marks). The Mathematics paper covers topics such as Algebra, Matrices & Determinants, Trigonometry, Analytical Geometry, Differential and Integral Calculus, Vector Algebra, Statistics and Probability. The GAT is divided into English (200 marks) and General Knowledge (400 marks). The English section covers Grammar, Vocabulary, Comprehension and Usage, while the General Knowledge section includes Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History, Geography and Current Events. The complete selection process carries 1,800 marks, comprising 900 marks for the Written Examination and 900 marks for the SSB stage.

MATHEMATICS DETAILED SYLLABUS

The detailed syllabus for Mathematics, along with Topic Description, Topic Example & Topic Difficulty, is given below:

Topic	Topic Description	Topic Example	Topic Difficulty Level
Algebra	Concept of set, operations on sets, Venn diagrams. De Morgan laws, Cartesian product, relation, equivalence relation.	If one of the roots of the equation 2x2 + ax +b = 0 is 2, then what is (a - b) equal to? If p+q = 10 and pq = 5, What will be the numerical value of (p/q + q/p)  If 6x-5y = 13 , 7x + 2y = 23 , then 11x + 18 y =?	10+2 level
	Representation of real numbers on a line. Complex numbers—basic properties, modulus, argument, cube roots of unity. Binary system of numbers. Conversion of a number in decimal system to binary system and vice versa. Arithmetic, Geometric and Harmonic progressions. Quadratic equations with real coefficients. Solution of linear inequations of two  variables by graphs. Permutation and Combination. Binomial theorem and its applications. Logarithms and their applications.		10+2 level
Matrices & Determinants	Types of matrices, operations on matrices. Determinant of a matrix, basic properties of determinants. Adjoint and inverse of a square matrix, Applications-Solution of a system of linear equations in two or three unknowns by Cramer’s rule and by Matrix Method.		10+2 level
Trigonometry	Angles and their measures in degrees and in radians. Trigonometrical ratios. Trigonometric identities Sum and difference formulae. Multiple and Sub-multiple angles. Inverse trigonometric functions. Applications-Height and distance, properties of triangles.	If A= 18º then what is the value of 4 Sin2A + 2 Sin A? What is the value of  (1080º) ? From the top of a building of height “h” meter, the angle of depression of an object on the ground is "A". What is the distance (in meter) of the object from the foot of the building?	10+2 level
Analytical Geometry Of Two and Three Dimensions	Rectangular Cartesian Coordinate system. Distance formula. Equation of a line in various forms. Angle between two lines. Distance of a point from a line. Equation of a circle in standard and in general form. Standard forms of parabola, ellipse and hyperbola. Eccentricity and axis of a conic Point in a three-dimensional space, distance between two points. Direction Cosines and direction ratios. Equation two points Direction Cosines and direction ratios, Direction Cosines and direction ratios	What is the sum of the squares of direction cosines of the line joining the points (1,2,-3) & (-2, 3, 1) ? The angle of elevation of a tower at a level ground is 90º. The angle of elevation becomes "A" . when moved 2m towards the tower. If the height of tower is 1m, then what is "A" equal to? Two poles are 12m and 4m high. The line joining their tips makes an angle of 45º with the horizontal. What is the distance between the poles?	10+2 level
Differential Calculus	Concept of a real valued function–domain, range and graph of a function. Composite functions, one to one, onto and inverse functions. Notion of limit, Standard limits—examples. Continuity of functions—examples, algebraic operations on continuous functions. Derivative of function at a point, geometrical and physical interpretation of a derivative—applications. Derivatives of sum, product and quotient of functions, derivative of a function  with respect to another function, derivative of a composite function. Second order derivatives. Increasing and decreasing functions. Application of derivatives in problems of maxima and minima	What is the solution of differential equation y= ln x - ln y ? What is the solution of the differential equation What is the slope of the tangent to the curve  at x = 2t3 + 5t - 5, y = 4t2 - 4t - 3 at t = 6 ? How many tangents are parallel to x axis for the curve y = x2 - 4x + 3 ?	10+2 level
Integral Calculus and Differential Equations	Integration as inverse of differentiation, integration by substitution and by parts, standard integrals involving algebraic expressions, trigonometric, exponential and hyperbolic functions. Evaluation of definite integrals—determination of areas of plane regions bounded by curves—applications.	Find the general solution to the differential equation.	10+2 level
	Definition of order and degree of a differential equation, formation of a differential equation by examples. General and particular solution of a differential equation, solution of first order and first degree differential equations of various types—examples. Application in problems of growth and decay.		10+2 level
Vector Algebra	Vectors in two and three dimensions, magnitude and direction of a vector. Unit and null vectors, addition of vectors, scalar multiplication of a vector, scalar product or dot product of two vectors. Vector product or cross product of  two vectors. Applications—work done by a force and moment of a force and in geometrical problems.	If a, b and c are unit vectors, then |a - b|2 + |b - c|2 + |c - a|2 does not exceed? Let b = 4i + 3j and c be two vectors perpendicular to each other in the xy-plane. All vectors in the same plane having projections 1 and 2 along b and c respectively are given by _________.?	10+2 level
Statistics and Probability	Statistics : Classification of data, Frequency  distribution, cumulative frequency distribution examples. Graphical representation—Histogram, Pie Chart, frequency polygon— examples. Measures of Central tendency—Mean, median and mode. Variance and standard deviation—determination and comparison. Correlation and regression.	The mean of 9 observations is 16. One more observation is included and the new mean becomes 17. What is the 10th observation? The average of x numbers is y and average of y numbers is x. Then, What is the average of all the numbers taken together? The mean weight of 34 students of a school is 42 kg. If the weight of the teacher be included, the mean rises by 400 g. find the weight of the teacher in kg	10+2 level
	Probability : Random experiment, outcomes and associated sample space, events, mutually exclusive and exhaustive events, impossible and certain events. Union and Intersection of events. Complementary, elementary and composite events. Definition of probability—classical and statistical—examples. Elementary theorems on probability—simple problems. Conditional probability, Bayes’ theorem—simple problems. Random variable as function on a sample space. Binomial distribution, examples of random experiments giving rise to Binomial distribution.	What is the probability that a leap year selected at random contains 53 Saturdays? Three Discs are thrown. What is the probability that the same number will appear on each of them? Out of 400 first year students, 150 passes in first semester and 220 passed in the second semester. If 130 did not pass in either semester, how many passed in both semesters?	10+2 level

GENERAL ABILITY TEST DETAILED SYLLABUS

The detailed syllabus for General Ability Test along with Topic Description, Topic Example & Topic Difficulty, is given below :-

EXAM PATTERN

The first stage of the NDA selection process is a written exam and the second stage is an Interview round. It is also followed by a detailed medical examination, which the candidates must pass. Below, you will find all details regarding the different stages in the NDA selection:

Stage 1 - Written Exam

Stage 2 - Interview with SSB

Stage 3 - Medical Examination

Stage 4 - Document Verification

Note :- Examination for Mathematics & General Ability Test will be held separately. A break will be provided to the candidates between Paper- I and Paper- II

Written Exam

According to the NDA selection process, the candidates will first have to appear for a written exam. It will be a three-hour, 900-mark objective test comprising of two sections - Mathematics and General Ability. Only the candidates who secure the minimum cut-off marks will be selected for the next stage of the recruitment process.

Document Verification

An essential component of the NDA selection process is document verification and submission. At the time of the interview, the selected candidates are required to bring their documents for verification.

1. Proof of education - 10th or 10+2 certificate.

2. Caste certificate for applicable candidates.

3. Proof of identity.

4. Proof of address.

SSB Interview

Stage 2 of the NDA selection process involves the interview conducted by the Services Selection Board (SSB) for all the candidates qualifying for NA and NDA posts. If you clear the written test, your interview call letter will reach you with all the details regarding the interview date, time, and venue.

Note:

1. That the final recruitment under the NDA selection process will be merit-based. The performance of candidates in the written test and interview will be considered for the same.

2. Candidates applying for the Air Force will have to qualify for the Pilot Aptitude Test (PAT) and Computerised Pilot Selection System (CPSS) in order to be considered for final selection.

3. The SSB interview process takes place over a duration of 4-5 days.

Medical Examination

Candidates who are shortlisted in the SSB interview round are recommended by the authorities for a detailed medical checkup. This is an integral part of the NDA selection process, for which the selected candidates have to appear at the Military Hospital. Here are some things you should know about the NDA medical test.

1. As a part of the NDA selection process, a medical examination will be conducted at the Military Hospital by a Board of Service Medical Officers.

2. The final selection of the candidate in the NDA will depend on whether they are declared fit for the medical examination.

3. For female candidates, a detailed gynaecological, obstetric, and menstrual history will be required in addition to the regular details.

4. After the candidates get through the NDA selection process, they are trained at the National Defence Academy under their respective branches (Army, Navy, or Air Force). 

Mode Of Examination

The examination will be held as an offline Pen & Paper based Test. Both sections will contain only Objective type Multiple Choice Questions.

Medium Of Exmination

Questions Paper will be Bilingual in nature

questions will be available in English as well as in Hindi.

Marking Scheme

Sections of the Test

1. Mathematics

2. General Ability Test

Questions from the above-mentioned sections will be asked in NDA/ NA  Examination where, Mathematics will comprise 120 Questions of total 300 Marks and General Ability test will comprise 150 Questions of total 600 Marks, summing up to 270 Questions and 900 Marks

Marking Scheme Highlights

1. For each question for which a wrong answer has been given

EXAM PATTERN

The first stage of the NDA selection process is a written exam and the second stage is an Interview round. It is also followed by a detailed medical examination, which the candidates must pass. Below, you will find all details regarding the different stages in the NDA selection:

Stage 1 - Written Exam

Stage 2 - Interview with SSB

Stage 3 - Medical Examination

Stage 4 - Document Verification

Note :- Examination for Mathematics & General Ability Test will be held separately. A break will be provided to the candidates between Paper- I and Paper- II

Written Exam

According to the NDA selection process, the candidates will first have to appear for a written exam. It will be a three-hour, 900-mark objective test comprising of two sections - Mathematics and General Ability. Only the candidates who secure the minimum cut-off marks will be selected for the next stage of the recruitment process.

Document Verification

An essential component of the NDA selection process is document verification and submission. At the time of the interview, the selected candidates are required to bring their documents for verification.

1. Proof of education - 10th or 10+2 certificate.

2. Caste certificate for applicable candidates.

3. Proof of identity.

4. Proof of address.

SSB Interview

Stage 2 of the NDA selection process involves the interview conducted by the Services Selection Board (SSB) for all the candidates qualifying for NA and NDA posts. If you clear the written test, your interview call letter will reach you with all the details regarding the interview date, time, and venue.

Note:

1. That the final recruitment under the NDA selection process will be merit-based. The performance of candidates in the written test and interview will be considered for the same.

2. Candidates applying for the Air Force will have to qualify for the Pilot Aptitude Test (PAT) and Computerised Pilot Selection System (CPSS) in order to be considered for final selection.

3. The SSB interview process takes place over a duration of 4-5 days.

Medical Examination

Candidates who are shortlisted in the SSB interview round are recommended by the authorities for a detailed medical checkup. This is an integral part of the NDA selection process, for which the selected candidates have to appear at the Military Hospital. Here are some things you should know about the NDA medical test.

1. As a part of the NDA selection process, a medical examination will be conducted at the Military Hospital by a Board of Service Medical Officers.

2. The final selection of the candidate in the NDA will depend on whether they are declared fit for the medical examination.

3. For female candidates, a detailed gynaecological, obstetric, and menstrual history will be required in addition to the regular details.

4. After the candidates get through the NDA selection process, they are trained at the National Defence Academy under their respective branches (Army, Navy, or Air Force). 

Mode Of Examination

The examination will be held as an offline Pen & Paper based Test. Both sections will contain only Objective type Multiple Choice Questions.

Medium Of Exmination

Questions Paper will be Bilingual in nature

questions will be available in English as well as in Hindi.

Marking Scheme

Sections of the Test

1. Mathematics

2. General Ability Test

Questions from the above-mentioned sections will be asked in NDA/ NA  Examination where, Mathematics will comprise 120 Questions of total 300 Marks and General Ability test will comprise 150 Questions of total 600 Marks, summing up to 270 Questions and 900 Marks

Marking Scheme Highlights

1. For each question for which a wrong answer has been given by the candidate, one third (0.33) of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as penalty.

2. If a candidate given more than one answer, it will be treated as a wrong answer even if one of the given answers happens to be correct and there will be the same penalty as above for that question.

3. If a question is left blank i.e. no answer is given by the candidate, there will be no penalty for that question.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The eligibility criteria are outlined in Section 3 of the examination notice. Candidates must satisfy all conditions related to nationality, age, sex, marital status, and educational qualifications. Admission is provisional until verification of original documents after qualifying for the Interview/Personality Test. Below is a structured breakdown:

Nationality

A candidate must be an unmarried male or female and one of the following:

A citizen of India.

A subject of Nepal.

A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, or East African countries (Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia) or Vietnam, with the intention of permanently settling in India.

Notes:

For categories other than Indian citizens (except Gorkha subjects of Nepal), a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India is required.

Gorkha subjects of Nepal do not need a certificate of eligibility.

Age Limits, Sex, and Marital Status

Only unmarried male/female candidates born not earlier than 01st January 2008 and not later than 01st January 2011 are eligible.

Date of Birth Verification:

Accepted based on the Matriculation/Secondary School Leaving Certificate, or an equivalent certificate recognized by an Indian University, or an extract from a University Register of Matriculates (certified by the university authority).

No other documents (e.g., horoscopes, affidavits, birth extracts from Municipal Corporations, service records) are accepted.

The date entered in the application is final; no changes are allowed post-submission.

If any discrepancy is found later, disciplinary action may be taken.

Candidates must not marry until completing full training. Marriage after application submission or during training leads to disqualification and liability to refund government expenditure.

Educational Qualifications

For Army Wing of National Defence Academy: 12th Class pass under the 10+2 pattern of School Education, or equivalent examination conducted by a State Education Board or University.

For Air Force and Naval Wings of National Defence Academy, and 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme at Indian Naval Academy: 12th Class pass with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics under the 10+2 pattern of School Education, or equivalent conducted by a State Education Board or University.

Additional Provisions:

Candidates appearing in the 12th Class (under 10+2 pattern or equivalent) can apply provisionally.

Those who qualify the SSB interview but cannot produce original Matriculation/10+2 certificates must submit self-attested photocopies to the specified authorities (Directorate General of Recruiting for NDA, Naval Headquarters for NA) by December 10, 2026. Failure leads to cancellation.

Original certificates from institution principals are acceptable if boards/universities have not issued them yet; certified true copies or photostats are not.

In exceptional cases, the Commission may consider a candidate educationally qualified if their qualifications justify admission (in the Commission's opinion).

Candidates in 11th Class are not eligible.

Candidates debarred by the Ministry of Defence from holding any commission in Defence Services are ineligible.

Candidates who previously failed CPSS/PABT are now eligible for Air Force Ground Duty branches.

Other General Notes on Eligibility

Physical standards and other conditions (e.g., medical fitness) are assessed during the SSB process, but the above are the primary entry criteria.

Vacancies are separate for males and females, with merit lists prepared accordingly.

IMPORTANT DATES

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) publishes the NDA & NA examination dates for both sessions through its official examination calendar. The NDA 2026 schedule was announced well in advance, helping candidates plan their preparation effectively. For NDA & NA (II) 2026, the official notification and application form were released on 20 May 2026, and the last date to apply was 9 June 2026. The NDA II 2026 written examination is scheduled to be conducted on 13 September 2026.

EXAM ANALYSIS

The National Defence Academy and Naval Academy (NDA & NA) Examination (I) 2026 was conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on 12 April 2026 in offline/OMR mode across various examination centres in India. The examination consisted of two papers conducted in two shifts: Mathematics in the morning and General Ability Test (GAT) in the afternoon.

Exam Date & Shift Timings

Exam Date: 12 April 2026

Paper I – Mathematics: 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM

Paper II – General Ability Test (GAT): 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM

Mode: Offline (Pen-and-Paper/OMR)

Total Duration: 5 hours

Total Marks: 900

The examination was conducted in two shifts, not multiple daily shifts, because Mathematics and GAT were conducted separately.

Exam Pattern

Mathematics: 120 questions, 300 marks, 2½ hours.

GAT: 150 questions, 600 marks, 2½ hours.

The GAT consisted of English and General Knowledge, with the GK portion covering Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History, Geography and Current Events. The marking scheme was +2.5 marks and ?0.83 marks for Mathematics and +4 marks and ?1.33 marks for GAT.

Overall Difficulty Level

The overall NDA I 2026 written examination was assessed as Moderate, with some variation among sections. Mathematics was generally Moderate to Difficult and more calculation-intensive, whereas GAT was Moderate overall. Within GAT, English was comparatively easier, while the Science portion of General Knowledge was considered more challenging by many candidates.

Mathematics Analysis

The Mathematics paper was one of the more demanding parts of the examination. Candidates reported that several questions were lengthy, calculation-based and required strong conceptual understanding. Important areas included Algebra, Trigonometry, Calculus, Matrices & Determinants, Coordinate Geometry, Probability, Statistics, Differential Equations, Limits, Continuity and Differentiability, Vector Algebra, Sequence & Series and Conic Sections.

Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult

Good Attempts: Approximately 45–70 questions, depending on the candidate's accuracy and the analysis source. Some analyses considered around 55–65 a reasonable range.

GAT Analysis

The GAT paper was generally Moderate. The English section was comparatively easier and scoring, whereas the General Knowledge portion included a substantial mix of Science, History, Geography, Polity, Current Affairs and other General Knowledge topics. Science, particularly Physics, Chemistry and Biology, was reported as comparatively difficult by several candidates.

English: Easy to Moderate

General Knowledge: Moderate to Difficult/variable

Overall GAT: Moderate

Good Attempts: Approximately 85–95 questions according to one detailed post-exam analysis.

Subject-Wise GAT Analysis

English: Questions were based on areas such as Grammar, Vocabulary, Synonyms, Antonyms, Sentence Improvement, Spotting Errors, Fill in the Blanks, Idioms & Phrases, Reading Comprehension and related language skills. The section was considered comparatively scoring.

Physics: Questions tested basic concepts, mechanics, electricity, magnetism, heat, optics and other fundamental areas.

Chemistry: Questions covered basic chemistry, elements, compounds, reactions, acids and bases, metals/non-metals and everyday chemistry.

General Science/Biology: Questions included human biology, living organisms, health, diseases, nutrition and basic biological concepts.

History: Questions were asked from Ancient, Medieval and Modern Indian History, including important events and personalities.

Geography: Major areas included physical geography, Indian geography, climate, rivers, resources and world geography.

Current Events: Questions were based on recent national and international events, sports, awards, appointments, defence and other important current affairs.

Good Attempts

Because NDA I 2026 was conducted in a single national examination date but with two papers, good attempts should be interpreted separately for Mathematics and GAT. Based on post-exam analyses:

Mathematics: approximately 45–70

GAT: approximately 85–95

Overall: approximately 130–160 questions

These are analysis-based estimates and not official UPSC standards. Accuracy is more important than attempting a high number of questions because of the negative marking.

Question Paper & Answer Key

UPSC released the NDA I 2026 provisional answer key on 16 April 2026 for the Mathematics and GAT papers. The answer keys were available for the different question-paper sets, allowing candidates to calculate their probable scores.

Overall Analysis

Overall, NDA I 2026 was a Moderate-level examination, with Mathematics being the more challenging and time-consuming paper and GAT being Moderate overall. English was comparatively easier, while the Science component of GAT was a significant challenge for many candidates. The written examination was held on 12 April 2026, the answer key was released on 16 April 2026, and the written result was declared on 8 May 2026, with 8,826 candidates qualifying for the SSB stage. The official cut-off and final marks will be released by UPSC after completion of the complete NDA I 2026 selection process.

STUDY TIPS

The NDA II Exam conducted by UPSC has two papers – Mathematics (300 marks) and General Ability Test – GAT (600 marks), followed by the SSB Interview (900 marks). The Mathematics paper covers Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Mensuration, Statistics, Probability, Matrices & Determinants, Vectors, 3D, and Calculus. The GAT is divided into English (Grammar, Vocabulary, Comprehension, Usage) and General Knowledge, which includes Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography, Polity, Economy, and Current Affairs.

NCERT is the base – Class 10 to 12th NCERT (Maths, Science, History, Geography, Polity).

Maths practice daily – NDA Maths speed + accuracy matter. Solve previous year questions.

GK & Current Affairs – Read daily newspaper + monthly current affairs capsule.

English improvement – Daily 20 vocab words + grammar rules practice.

Mock Tests – At least 1 weekly full-length mock test.

Revision strategy – Revise short notes and formulas regularly.

STUDY PLAN

1 Month Plan (Crash Mode)

Week 1 – Basics & Concept Building

Revise Mathematics basics: Algebra, Trigonometry, Matrices & Determinants.

Start English preparation: Grammar rules, vocabulary, synonyms/antonyms.

Study Physics basics (Motion, Laws of Motion, Work, Energy).

Read daily newspaper for Current Affairs (national & international).

Solve previous year NDA Maths questions topic-wise.

Week 2 – Core Subjects Coverage

Complete remaining Maths topics: Calculus, Coordinate Geometry, Probability.

Cover Chemistry basics (Physical & Inorganic important concepts).

Study Polity & History (Modern History + Constitution basics).

Practice English comprehension passages daily.

Attempt 1 sectional mock test (Maths + GAT separately).

Week 3 – Advanced Practice & Revision

Revise complete Maths formulas and solve mixed practice sets.

Cover Geography & Biology (Indian Geography + Human body basics).

Practice full-length GAT mock tests (English + GK combined).

Analyze mistakes and focus on weak areas.

Revise important defence-related current affairs.

Week 4 – Full Revision & Mock Tests

Attempt 3–4 full-length mock tests (both Maths & GAT).

Revise short notes, formulas, important dates, and concepts.

Practice time management (2.5 hrs Maths + 2.5 hrs GAT).

Focus on accuracy to avoid negative marking.

Maintain fitness routine (important for SSB stage preparation).

3 Months Plan (Balanced)

Month 1

Maths: Daily 2 chapters (Concept + Examples + PYQs)

GAT: NCERT 6–10th Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) + Polity basics

English: 20 new vocab + 1 comprehension daily

Weekly: 1 mock test

Month 2

Maths: Trigonometry, Calculus, Probability, Matrices (practice heavy)

GAT: History (Modern + Freedom), Geography (Physical + Indian)

Current Affairs: Monthly magazine + Defence news

Weekly: 2 mock tests

Month 3

Focus on weak Maths areas + formula revision

GAT: Quick revision + PYQs

English: Grammar & Writing practice

Weekly: 3 mock tests + analysis

6 Months Plan (Ideal & Strong Prep)

Months 1–2 (Foundation Building)

Cover complete NCERT Maths Class 11 & 12 basics

Start Science (NCERT Physics, Chemistry, Bio) + Polity basics

Build English vocab & grammar

Daily: 2–3 hrs Maths + 2 hrs GK/Science + 1 hr English

Months 3–4 (Core Practice)

Advance Maths chapters (Calculus, Vectors, Probability, 3D)

History (Ancient to Modern), Indian Geography, Economy basics

Start solving NDA previous 10 years papers

Weekly: 1–2 mock tests

Months 5–6 (Revision & Mock Test Focus)

Revise formulas, short notes, and PYQs

Current Affairs (last 6–8 months focus)

Mock Tests: 3–4 weekly + detailed analysis

Final 15 days: Full syllabus revision + time management practice

OVERVIEW

The National Defence Academy (NDA) Examination is a national-level entrance examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for candidates seeking admission to the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of the National Defence Academy (NDA) and the Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC). The examination is conducted twice a year through NDA & NA (I) and NDA & NA (II). The selection process consists of a Written Examination, followed by the Services Selection Board (SSB) Interview/Intelligence and Personality Test for candidates who qualify the written examination. Candidates recommended by the SSB are required to undergo a medical examination as per the prescribed defence medical standards. Final selection is based on merit, vacancies, eligibility, medical fitness and other conditions prescribed by UPSC.

SELECTION PROCESS

The NDA II selection process for admission to the National Defence Academy (NDA) and Indian Naval Academy (INAC) involves the following stages:

Written Examination (900 marks): Scheduled to be conducted on September 13, 2026, it includes two objective MCQ papers: Mathematics (300 marks, 120 questions, 2.5 hours) and General Ability Test (GAT, 600 marks, 150 questions, 2.5 hours). The written examination carries a total of 900 marks, and negative marking is applicable for incorrect answers. Candidates must qualify the written examination by securing the minimum qualifying marks prescribed by UPSC.

SSB Interview (900 marks): Candidates who qualify the written examination are called for the 5-day Services Selection Board (SSB) process, which includes:

Day 1: Screening Test, including Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) Test and Picture Perception & Description Test (PP&DT).

Days 2–4: Psychological Tests, Group Testing Officer (GTO) Tasks and Personal Interview, including various group activities and outdoor tasks.

Day 5: Conference and final recommendation of candidates.

Medical Examination: Candidates recommended by the SSB undergo a Medical Examination to determine their physical and medical fitness according to the prescribed defence medical standards, including applicable height, vision and other physical fitness requirements.

Final Merit List: The final merit is prepared on the basis of the combined marks obtained in the Written Examination and SSB Interview, carrying a total of 1,800 marks, subject to vacancies, eligibility, medical fitness and other prescribed conditions. For NDA & NA (II) 2026, a total of 394 vacancies are available, comprising 370 male and 24 female vacancies. Selected candidates will be allocated to the National Defence Academy (NDA) or Indian Naval Academy (INAC) according to merit, preferences, vacancies and applicable rules.