NDA
Entry after Class 12 to the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla, and the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala — leading to a Jawaharlal Nehru University degree plus a permanent commission as an officer in the Army, Navy or Air Force.
Eligibility
Unmarried male and female candidates who have passed or are appearing in Class 12. The Army wing accepts any stream; the Air Force, Navy and Naval Academy wings require Physics and Mathematics in Class 12. Candidates must be roughly 16.5 to 19.5 years old at course commencement (a specific date-of-birth window is given in each notification). There is no attempt limit within the age band.
Age limit: 16.5–19.5 years at course commencement (unmarried)
Exam pattern
Pen-and-paper Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) exam held in one day in two sittings. Paper I: Mathematics — 120 questions, 300 marks, 2.5 hours. Paper II: General Ability Test (GAT) — 150 questions, 600 marks, 2.5 hours, split into English (200 marks) and General Knowledge (400 marks, covering Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History, Geography and Current Events). One-third of a question's marks are deducted per wrong answer. Written total is 900 marks; shortlisted candidates then face a five-day Services Selection Board (SSB) interview, also worth 900 marks, followed by medicals.
Syllabus at a glance
Mathematics covers the full Class 11–12 syllabus: algebra, matrices, trigonometry, analytical geometry (2D/3D), calculus, vectors, statistics and probability. The GAT tests Class 12-level English (grammar, vocabulary, comprehension) and broadly Class 9–10 level science, alongside history, freedom movement, geography and current affairs with a defence flavour.
Upcoming dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| NDA II 2026 admit card | Late Aug 2026 (expected) | expected |
| NDA II 2026 written exam | 13 Sep 2026 | confirmed |
| NDA II 2026 written result | Oct 2026 (expected) | expected |
| SSB interviews for NDA II 2026 | Nov 2026 – Apr 2027 (expected) | expected |
| NDA I 2027 notification & application window | Dec 2026 (expected, per UPSC annual calendar) | expected |
| NDA I 2027 written exam | Apr 2027 (expected) | expected |
Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.
Free prep material
Standard books
- Pathfinder NDA/NA Entrance Examination — Arihant Experts
- Mathematics for NDA and NA — R.S. Aggarwal
- Objective General English — S.P. Bakshi
- Lucent's General Knowledge — Dr Binay Karna and team
- Manorama Yearbook — Malayala Manorama (current affairs)
- NCERT Class 9–12 Science, History and Geography textbooks
How toppers play it
- Mathematics gives you 75 seconds per question — drill shortcuts in the heavyweight chapters (trigonometry, algebra, coordinate geometry) and skip time-sinks early; every wrong answer costs 0.83 marks.
- The GAT is two-thirds of the written total and its English section (200 marks) is the cheapest scoring block — do daily grammar-spotting, vocabulary and comprehension practice.
- GAT science sits at Class 9–10 NCERT level; revising NCERTs beats any thick reference book for return on time.
- UPSC can apply minimum qualifying marks in each paper, so do not abandon Mathematics even if GAT is your strength — clear both individually.
- The SSB interview carries an equal 900 marks: start building officer-like-qualities awareness, defence current affairs and fitness alongside written prep, not after the result.