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Exam Central · Defence
NDA Exam Guide
Complete NDA & NA guide: eligibility, age limit, latest notification, Mathematics and GAT syllabus, SSB interview, previous year papers, timed mock tests and a preparation strategy.
- 7 guides
- 2 timed tests
- Verified official links
- Mock tests
- 2
- Guides
- 7
- Practice questions
- 75
- Official links
- 7
At a glance
NDA: National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination
- Conducted by
- Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
- Eligibility
- Class 12 passed or appearing; Air Force, Navy and Naval Academy entries need Physics, Chemistry & Mathematics
- Age limit
- 16½–19½ years (exact birth-date window in each notification); unmarried men and women
- Mode
- Offline (OMR) · Twice a year (NDA I & NDA II)
- Negative marking
- ⅓ of the question's marks (Maths −0.83, GAT −1.33)
- Final merit
- Written 900 + SSB 900 = 1,800 marks
- Selection
- Written exam (Mathematics + GAT) → SSB interview (5 days) → Medical → Merit list
The usual NDA year
- NDA I notificationDecember – January
- NDA I examApril
- NDA II notificationMay – June
- NDA II examSeptember
- SSB interviewsA few months after each written result
- Course starts at NDAJanuary (NDA I) / July (NDA II) of the following year
Typical timing from recent years — exact dates come with the official notification. Official website
Exam pattern
Selection process & marks
How the NDA exam works from the first paper to the final merit list.
-
Stage 1 Written exam
900 marks for merit
-
Stage 2 SSB interview
900 marks for merit
-
Stage 3 Medical
Qualifying – must be cleared
| Paper | Questions | Marks | Time | Counts for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written exam | ||||
| Mathematics | 120 | 300 | 2½ h | Merit |
| General Ability Test (English 200 + GK 400) | 150 | 600 | 2½ h | Merit |
| SSB interview | ||||
| Stage I – OIR test + picture perception & discussion | — | — | Day 1 | Screening |
| Stage II – psychology, group tasks, interview, conference | — | 900 | 4 days | Merit |
| Medical | ||||
| Medical examination (+ CPSS for Air Force) | — | — | — | Qualifying |
Final merit: Written 900 + SSB 900 = 1,800 marks
Negative marking: ⅓ of the question's marks (Maths −0.83, GAT −1.33)
Syllabus
NDA syllabus at a glance
The subjects each paper tests. Read the full syllabus guide for every topic, and keep the official PDF as your checklist.
GAT · English
- Grammar & usage
- Vocabulary
- Comprehension
- Cohesion in extended text
GAT · General Knowledge
- Physics (25%)
- Chemistry (15%)
- General science (10%)
- History & freedom movement (20%)
- Geography (20%)
- Current events (10%)
SSB
- OIR & PP&DT
- TAT, WAT, SRT, SD
- Group testing tasks
- Personal interview
- Conference
Guides
Everything about NDA
Read them in order, or jump straight to what you need.
01 About NDA & Latest Notification
02 NDA Syllabus & Exam Pattern
03 Practice, Papers & Mock Tests
04 NDA Preparation Strategy
Practice
NDA mock tests
Timed online tests with instant scoring, the correct answers and an explanation for every question. Free, no sign-up.
Official sources
NDA official links
Straight to the exam body's own pages – apply, download the syllabus and check notices only here.
UPSC official website
Union Public Service Commission – notices and results upsc.gov.in
Active examinations
Current notification, time table and press notes upsc.gov.in
Apply online (UPSC portal)
One Time Registration, application and answer-key representations upsconline.nic.in
Previous year question papers
Official question papers upsc.gov.in
UPSC exam calendar
Notification and exam dates for the year upsc.gov.in
National Defence Academy
Academy life, training and courses at Khadakwasla nda.nic.in
SSB date selection (Join Indian Army)
Register after the written result to get your SSB date joinindianarmy.nic.in
LearnFrenzy is not affiliated with the exam body. These links open its official website in a new tab; always confirm dates and rules in the current notification.
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