Entry to officer training
The examination forms the written stage of selection for eligible young candidates seeking entry to the NDA/NA training routes notified by UPSC.
About NDA/NA Examination
Know the Exam.
Prepare with Clarity.
A focused guide to the National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination — who conducts it, who can apply, how the written papers are structured, what the syllabus covers, and how selection proceeds through SSB and medical examination.
Information verified with official UPSC / NDA references • 26 September 2026
UPSCConducting Body
900Written Marks
900SSB Marks
I & IIExam Cycles
National Defence AcademyJoint training for future officers of the Army, Navy and Air Force
01
NDA/NA Overview
What the examination is, why it is conducted and who conducts it.
The National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (NDA/NA) is a competitive examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for admission to the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of the National Defence Academy and to the applicable 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme at the Indian Naval Academy.
KEY POINTS AT A GLANCE
Union Public Service Commission
UPSC conducts the written examination and publishes the official notification, question papers, results and examination-related updates.
Tri-service foundation
NDA provides joint training to cadets of the Army, Navy and Air Force before their subsequent service-specific training.
NDA/NA I & II
UPSC normally schedules two NDA/NA examination cycles in a year, designated Examination (I) and Examination (II); exact dates are notification-specific.
02
Eligibility Criteria
Core eligibility conditions. Always verify the notification for the specific cycle.
Eligibility depends on nationality, date of birth, marital status, educational qualification and prescribed physical/medical standards. UPSC states the exact conditions in each examination notice.
ELIGIBILITY — POINT BY POINT
Unmarried male and female candidates
Eligible candidates must satisfy the marital-status conditions in the applicable UPSC notice and the training-related undertaking specified there.
Use the notification's exact DOB window
UPSC specifies eligibility through exact permissible dates of birth for each examination. A fixed generic age range should not replace the current notification.
10+2 pass or equivalent
For the Army Wing of NDA: 12th Class pass of the 10+2 pattern of school education, or an equivalent examination, as prescribed by UPSC.
10+2 with Physics, Chemistry & Mathematics
For Air Force and Naval Wings of NDA and the 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme at INA: 12th Class pass with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, or equivalent.
May apply subject to conditions
Candidates appearing in the 12th Class/equivalent examination may also apply, subject to documentary requirements and deadlines in the notice.
Notification conditions apply
Nationality/certificate-of-eligibility provisions and the prescribed physical and medical standards must also be satisfied.
Important: The date-of-birth window and medical standards are examination/course specific. Candidates should verify these directly from the UPSC notification applicable to the examination they are applying for.
03
Exam Structure
The complete selection structure before looking at individual written-paper details.
The NDA/NA selection framework combines a 900-mark written examination with a 900-mark SSB Test/Interview. Final selection remains subject to eligibility, medical fitness, merit and service/course preference.
SELECTION MARKS AT A GLANCE
900Written Examination
900SSB Test / Interview
1800Combined Maximum
Objective type
Paper I is Mathematics and Paper II is the General Ability Test. UPSC specifies objective-type questions for the written papers.
Maths & GAT Part B bilingual
The Mathematics paper and Part B (General Knowledge) of GAT are set bilingually in Hindi and English.
Fixed by UPSC
UPSC has discretion to fix qualifying marks in any or all subjects of the written examination.
Not permitted
Calculators and mathematical/logarithmic tables are not permitted for the objective-type papers.
04
NDA/NA Syllabus
The official syllabus is divided into Mathematics and the General Ability Test.
The written syllabus has two papers. The list below gives the official major areas in a clean preparation-friendly form; candidates should still refer to the detailed UPSC syllabus for the full scope of each topic.
SUBJECT-WISE SYLLABUS
Paper I — Mathematics
- Algebra
- Matrices and Determinants
- Trigonometry
- Analytical Geometry of Two and Three Dimensions
- Differential Calculus
- Integral Calculus and Differential Equations
- Vector Algebra
- Statistics and Probability
Paper II — General Ability Test
- Part A — English
- Grammar and Usage
- Vocabulary
- Comprehension and Cohesion in Extended Text
- Part B — Physics
- Chemistry and General Science
- Social Studies and Geography
- Current Events
GAT Part B indicative weightage: UPSC gives approximately 25% Physics, 15% Chemistry, 10% General Science, 20% Social Studies, 20% Geography and 10% Current Events out of the marks assigned to Part B.
05
Written Exam Pattern
Complete Mathematics + GAT paper pattern before the English-specific guidance.
The current NDA/NA written format contains two objective papers on the same examination day. Mathematics carries 300 marks and GAT carries 600 marks, with 2½ hours allowed for each paper.
PAPER-WISE WRITTEN EXAM PATTERN
| Paper | Questions | Duration | Marks | Marks / Q | Wrong Answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I — Mathematics | 120 | 2½ Hours | 300 | 2.5 | −⅓ of question marks (≈ 0.83) |
| Paper II — GAT | 150 | 2½ Hours | 600 | 4 | −⅓ of question marks (≈ 1.33) |
| GAT Part A — English | 50 | Within GAT | 200 | 4 | Same GAT rule |
| GAT Part B — General Knowledge | 100 | 400 | 4 | Same GAT rule |
+2.5Maths correct answer
+4GAT correct answer
1/3 PenaltyEach wrong answer
Negative marking: UPSC prescribes deduction of one-third (0.33) of the marks assigned to a question for a wrong response. A blank response carries no penalty; marking more than one option is treated as a wrong answer.
06
GAT & English
Understand the whole GAT first — then focus on the 200-mark English component.
The General Ability Test (GAT) carries 600 marks. It is divided into Part A — English (200 marks) and Part B — General Knowledge (400 marks). This website specialises in building command over the English component while keeping the complete GAT structure clear.
GAT BREAKDOWN
200Part A — English50 questions in the current paper format • Grammar & Usage • Vocabulary • Comprehension • Cohesion
400Part B — General Knowledge100 questions in the current paper format • Physics • Chemistry • General Science • Social Studies • Geography • Current Events
Understanding + effective use of English
The English paper tests understanding of English and effective use of words through grammar and usage, vocabulary, comprehension and cohesion in extended text.
Concepts → PYQs → timed practice
Build rules and vocabulary first, study repeated PYQ patterns, then practise full English sections under timed conditions.
07
Selection Process
The route from the UPSC written examination to final allocation/admission.
Qualifying the written examination is only the first major stage. Candidates then proceed through the Services Selection Board process and prescribed medical examination before final selection, subject to merit and other eligibility conditions.
SELECTION FLOW — STEP BY STEP
01UPSC Written Examination
02Written Qualification
03SSB Stage I & II
04Medical Examination
05Merit & Allocation
Final selection: UPSC rules provide for selection/allocation subject to eligibility, medical fitness, available vacancies, merit and the candidate's service/course preferences.
08
SSB & Medical
A concise orientation to the post-written selection stages.
The SSB procedure uses a two-stage selection process. Candidates who clear Stage I are permitted to proceed to Stage II. Medical fitness is assessed separately under the standards applicable to the service/course.
SSB & MEDICAL — STAGE-WISE OVERVIEW
OIR + PP&DT
Stage I comprises Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and the Picture Perception & Description Test (PP&DT). Shortlisting is based on combined performance.
Interview, GTO, Psychology & Conference
Stage II comprises the Interview, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests and Conference; UPSC states that these tests are conducted over four days.
CPSS where applicable
Candidates considered for the Air Force flying route must satisfy the Computerised Pilot Selection System (CPSS) requirements prescribed in the notification.
Service-specific standards
Recommended candidates must satisfy the prescribed medical/physical standards. Detailed standards can change and should be checked in the applicable official notice.
Accuracy & Official Reference
This guide is an independent educational summary. It has been checked against UPSC NDA/NA examination material and official NDA information available on 26 September 2026. Examination-specific DOB limits, medical standards, vacancies and procedural conditions must always be verified from the applicable UPSC notification.