NDA Mock Test, Syllabus & Pattern
Prepare online for the NDA Recruitment Exam. Get access to online mock tests, practice papers, full syllabus, and pattern details.
Hired under NDA for the post of NDA 2.
Recruitment Highlights
- Total Vacancies: 394
- Applicants Volume: TBD
- Pay Scale / Salary: Rs. 56,100 - Rs. 1,77,500
- Eligibility Criteria: 12th Pass
- Last Date to Apply: 2026-06-09
Detailed Exam Syllabus & Criteria
Overview
Union Public Service Commission has released the NDA Syllabus 2026 for the candidates appearing in the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination. The NDA exam is conducted twice a year for admission to the Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of NDA and the Indian Naval Academy Course. The selection process consists of a written examination of 900 marks and the SSB Interview, which carries an additional 900 marks. The written test has two papers, i.e., Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT). Syllabus covers Mathematics, English, Physics, Chemistry, History, Geography, General Science, and Current Affairs. The NDA 2 aspirants can check the detailed subject-wise syllabus, exam pattern, marking scheme, important topics, and preparation strategy for the UPSC NDA Exam 2026 here.
NDA Syllabus & Exam Pattern 2026 Overview
NDA Exam 2026 for UPSC occurs twice a year for admission in the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy. This selection procedure involves a written test of 900 marks and an SSB Interview worth 900 marks. This written test is divided into two parts: mathematics and a general ability test (GAT). This GAT includes subjects such as English, physics, chemistry, history, geography, etc.
| NDA Syllabus 2026 Overview | Exam Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Exam Name | National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination 2026 | |
| Mode of Exam | Offline | |
| Selection Process | Written Exam and SSB Interview | |
| Written Exam Papers | Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT) | |
| Total Marks (Written Exam) | 900 Marks | |
| Negative Marking | 1/3rd Marks Deducted for Wrong Answers | |
| Exam Duration | 2½ Hours for Each Paper | |
| Question Type | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) | |
| Language of Paper | English and Hindi | |
| NDA Subjects | Paper 1: MathematicsPaper 2: GAT (English, Physics, Chemistry, History, Geography, General Science, and Current Affairs) | |
| Eligibility | 12th Pass or Appearing Candidates | |
| Official Website | https://upsc.gov.in/ | |
NDA Exam Pattern 2026
The UPSC NDA exam pattern comprises two stages of selection: the written exam and the SSB Interview round. Both stages are of 900 marks each and total selection process is of 1800 marks. The written exam evaluates the candidate’s knowledge and problem-solving ability. The SSB round evaluates the candidate’s personality and communication skills. Prepare all the topics properly for good scores, as each section has different weightage.
| Paper | Subject | Maximum Marks | Duration | Marking per Question | Negative marking per Question |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Paper 1 | Mathematics | 300 | 150 minutes (2.5 hours) | 2.5 | |
| 1/3 of the marks allotted for the question | Paper 2 | General Ability Test | 600 | 150 minutes (2.5 hours) | 4 |
| SSB Test/Interview | 900 | | | | |
Check UPSC NDA Eligibility Criteria Here.
NDA Syllabus 2026
The NDA syllabus is released by UPSC in the official notification. The syllabus for NDA 1 and NDA 2 is the same. Thus, candidates do not have to put additional effort if they already have the syllabus for NDA. The NDA 2026 syllabus is for Paper I- Mathematics and Paper II- General Ability, which candidates can also refer to from here. Paper II has further subjects that should also be covered. Also, practice the NDA Mock Test for better exam preparation.
NDA Math Syllabus - Paper I
The NDA Syllabus 2026 for Maths contains topics like algebra, trigonometry, calculus, geometry, vectors, and statistics. The NDA maths syllabus for the written examination of UPSC NDA carries 300 marks. Practicing regularly and knowing the NDA syllabus can help you to increase your accuracy and speed in the exam.
| Topics | Sub-topics |
| --- | --- |
| NDA Syllabus for Algebra | |
| Concept of set, operations on sets, Venn diagrams. <br> De Morgan laws, Cartesian product, relation, equivalence relation. <br> Representation of real numbers on a line. <br> Complex numbers—basic properties, modulus, argument, cube roots of unity. <br> Binary system of numbers. <br> Conversion of a number in a decimal system to a binary system and vice versa. <br> Arithmetic, geometric, and harmonic progressions. <br> Quadratic equations with real coefficients. <br> The solution of linear inequalities of two variables by graphs. <br> Permutation and combination. <br> Binomial theorem and its applications. <br> Logarithms and their applications. | NDA 2026 Syllabus for Matrices & Determinants |
| Types of matrices <br> Operations on matrices <br> Determinant of a matrix <br> Basic properties of determinants <br> Adjoint and inverse of a square matrix <br> Applications of matrices <br> Solution of a system of linear equations in two or three unknowns using Cramer’s rule <br> Solution of a system of linear equations in two or three unknowns using the Matrix Method | |
| NDA Syllabus for Trigonometry | |
| Angles and their measures in degrees and radians <br> Trigonometric ratios <br> Trigonometric identities, including sum and difference formulae <br> Multiple and sub-multiple angles <br> Inverse trigonometric functions <br> Applications such as height, distance, and properties of triangles. | |
| NDA Syllabus for Analytical Geometry of 2 & 3 Dimensions | Rectangular Cartesian Coordinate system <br> Distance formula <br> Equation of a line in various forms <br> The angle between two lines <br> The distance of a point from a line <br> Equation of a circle in standard and general form <br> Standard forms of parabola, ellipse, and hyperbola <br> Eccentricity and axis of a conic <br> A point in three-dimensional space and the distance between two points <br> Direction cosines and direction ratios <br> Equation of a plane and a line in various forms <br> The angle between two lines and the angle between two planes <br> Equation of a sphere |
| NDA 2026 Syllabus for Differential Calculus | Concept of a real-valued function–domain, range, and graph of a function. <br> Composite functions, one-to-one, onto, and inverse functions. <br> Notion of limit, Standard limits—examples. <br> Continuity of functions—examples, algebraic operations on continuous functions. <br> Derivative of a function at a point, geometrical and physical interpretation of a derivative—applications. <br> Derivatives of sum, product, and quotient of functions, derivative of a function with respect to another function, and derivative of a composite function. <br> Second-order derivatives. <br> Increasing and decreasing functions. <br> Application of derivatives in problems of maxima and minima. |
| NDA Syllabus for Integral Calculus & Differential Equations | Integration as inverse of differentiation, integration by substitution and by parts, standard integrals involving algebraic expressions, trigonometric, exponential, and hyperbolic functions. <br> Evaluation of definite integrals—determination of areas of plane regions bounded by curves—applications. <br> Definition of order and degree of a differential equation, formation of a differential equation by examples. <br> General and particular solution of a differential equation, solution of first-order and first-degree differential equations of various types—examples. <br> Application to problems of growth and decay. |
| NDA Syllabus for Vector Algebra | Vectors in two and three dimensions <br> Magnitude and direction of a vector <br> Unit and null vectors <br> Addition of vectors <br> Scalar multiplication of a vector <br> Scalar product or dot product of two vectors <br> The vector product or cross product of two vectors <br> Applications in work done by a force and moment of a force, and in geometrical problems |
| NDA 2026 Syllabus for Statistics & 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
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—classic and statistical—examples
Elementary theorems on probability—simple problems
Conditional probability, Bayes’ theorem—simple problems
Random variable as a function on a sample space
Binomial distribution, examples of random experiments giving rise to the Binomial distribution.
Candidates can visit the linked article to get the detailed NDA Previous Year Question Paper.
NDA General Ability Test Syllabus 2026 - Paper II
The UPSC NDA GAT Syllabus is all about the General Ability Test (GAT), covering different subjects you need to know. These include General Knowledge (GK), English, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, General Science & Current Events. There are 150 questions in total, with 50 in English and 100 in GK, which includes other subjects & current affairs.
| Part A: English | Part B: General Knowledge |
| --- | --- |
| Grammar and usage <br> Vocabulary <br> Comprehension and cohesion in extended text | Section A - Physics |
Section B - Chemistry
Section C - General Science
Section D - History, Freedom Movement, etc.
Section E - Geography
Section F - Current Events
NDA Syllabus for English - Paper A
Below is the NDA 2026 Syllabus for the English Section. It has easy topics that can help aspirants score well. The difficulty level is easy to moderate, with more questions to be attempted with less effort.
- Grammar & usage
- Comprehension & cohesion
- Spotting errors
- Para Jumbling
- Fill in the blanks
- Synonyms & Antonyms
- Vocabulary
- Cloze Test
- Idioms & Proverbs
- Completion of Sentence & Para
- Sentence Correction & Improvement
NDA Syllabus for General Awareness 2026 - Paper B
UPSC NDA General Awareness Syllabus 2026 covers a wide mix of basic subjects that help evaluate a candidate’s overall knowledge level. This section checks awareness of science, history, geography & recent events relevant to defence preparation.
NDA Syllabus Physics
- Physical Properties and States of Matter
- Mass, Weight, Volume, Density, and Specific Gravity
- Principle of Archimedes
- Pressure Barometer
- Motion of objects
- Velocity and Acceleration
- Newton’s Laws of Motion, Force, and Momentum
- Parallelogram of Forces
- Stability and Equilibrium of Bodies
- Gravitation
- Elementary ideas of Work, Power, and Energy
- Effects of Heat, Measurement of Temperature and Heat, Modes of Transference of Heat
- Sound waves and their properties
- Simple musical instruments
- Rectilinear propagation of light, reflection, and refraction
- Spherical Mirrors and Lenses
- Human Eye
- Natural and Artificial Magnets, Properties of a Magnet
- Earth as a Magnet
- Static and Current Electricity
- Conductors and Non-conductors
- Ohm’s Law, Simple Electrical Circuits
- Heating, Lighting, and Magnetic Effects of Current
- Measurement of Electrical Power
- Primary and Secondary Cells
- Use of X-Rays
General Principles in the working of the following:
- Simple Pendulum,
- Simple Pulleys,
- Siphon, Levers,
- Balloon
- Pumps
- Hydrometer
- Pressure Cooker
- Thermos Flask
- Gramophone
- Telegraphs
- Telephone
- Periscope
- Telescope
- Microscope
- Mariners Compass
- Lightning Conductors
- Safety Fuses
NDA Syllabus Chemistry
- Preparation and Properties of Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, and Carbon Dioxide, Oxidation and Reduction.
- Acids, bases, and salts.
- Carbon— different forms.
- Fertilizers—Natural and Artificial.
- The material used in the preparation of substances like Soap, Glass, Ink, Paper, Cement, Paints, Safety Matches and Gunpowder.
- Elementary ideas about the structure of an atom.
- Atomic Equivalent and Molecular Weights.
- Valency.
- Physical and Chemical Changes.
- Elements.
- Mixtures and Compounds.
- Symbols, Formulae and simple Chemical Equation.
- Law of Chemical Combination (excluding problems).
- Properties of Air and Water.
NDA Syllabus General Science
- Common Epidemics, their causes and prevention.
- Food-Source of Energy for man.
- Constituents of food.
- Balanced Diet.
- The Solar System: Meteors and Comets, Eclipses. Achievements of Eminent Scientists.
- Difference between the living and non-living.
- Basis of Life—Cells, Protoplasms and Tissues.
- Growth and Reproduction in Plants and Animals.
- Elementary knowledge of the Human Body and its important organs.
NDA Syllabus History
- Forces shaping the modern world: The Renaissance.
- Exploration and Discovery; War of American Independence, French Revolution, Industrial Revolution and Russian Revolution.
- Impact of Science and Technology on Society.
- Concept of one World.
- United Nations, Panchsheel, Democracy, Socialism and Communism.
- Role of India in the present world.
- A broad survey of Indian History, with emphasis on Culture and Civilisation.
- Basic Teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.
- Freedom Movement in India.
- Elementary study of the Indian Constitution and Administration.
- Elementary knowledge of Five Year Plans of India.
- Panchayati Raj.
- Co-operatives and Community Development.
- Bhoodan, Sarvodaya, National Integration and Welfare State.
NDA Syllabus Geography
- Latitudes and Longitudes.
- The Earth, its shape and size.
- Ocean Currents and Tides.
- Concept of time.
- International Date Line.
- Movements of Earth and their effects.
- Origin of Earth, Rocks, and their classification.
- Weathering—Mechanical and Chemical.
- Earthquakes and Volcanoes.
- Earth’s Functioning - Ocean Currents, Tides, Atmosphere and its composition, Temperature and Atmospheric Pressure, Planetary Winds, Cyclones and Anticyclones, Condensation, Humidity and Precipitation.
- Types of Climates.
- Major Natural regions of the World.
- Regional Geography of India—Climate, Natural vegetation, Mineral and Power resources; location and distribution of agricultural and Industrial activities.
- Important Sea ports and main sea, land, and air routes of India.
- Main items of Imports and Exports of India.
NDA Syllabus Current Affairs
- Important events in India in recent years
- Prominent personalities
- Current important world events
NDA Syllabus for SSB Interview: Intelligence and Personality Test
Once a candidate has successfully passed the written examination, they will need to prepare for a series of tests administered by the Selection Board in order to fully assess their suitability for military service. The SSB round consists of two stages:
- Stage I: This stage comprises the Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests are Picture Perception and Description Test (PP&DT).
- Stage II: This stage comprises Interview, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests, and the Conference.
| NDA Exam Syllabus for Personality Test | Stages and Tests |
| --- | --- |
| Types of tests | |
| Stage 1: Screening Test | |
| Verbal and non-verbal tests. <br> PPDT | |
| Stage 2 | |
| Psychological Test | |
| Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) <br> Word Association Test (WAT) <br> Situation Reaction Test (SRT) <br> Self-Description Test (SD) | |
| Group Testing Officer Tasks | |
| Group Discussion(GD) | |
Group Planning Exercise(GPE)
Progressive Group Task(PGT)
Half Group Task(HGT)
Individual Obstacles Task(IOT)
Command Task
Snake Race/Group Obstacle Race
Individual lecture
Final Group Task(FGT)
Also check NDA Books for Preparation Here
UPSC NDA Syllabus 2026 Subject-wise Breakdown
The NDA Exam Syllabus 2026 is officially set by UPSC. It consists of two main written examination papers - Mathematics and the General Ability Test (GAT). In order to succeed in the NDA Exam, one has to be aware of the NDA exam pattern. It consists of a total of 900 marks for the written examination and another 900 marks for the SSB interview. Here is the NDA Syllabus, important topics to help you prepare for the NDA Exam effectively.
NDA Maths Syllabus Important Topics
The NDA maths syllabus for the exam tests the candidate’s calculation speed and clarity of concepts, which are generally from the class 11 and 12 levels. The paper is the first test of the NDA exam syllabus.
| Category | High-Priority Topics |
| --- | --- |
| Algebra | |
| Sets & Venn Diagrams <br> Complex Numbers (Modulus & Argument) <br> AP/GP/HP <br> Quadratic Equations, and <br> Permutations & Combinations. | |
| Trigonometry | |
| Trigonometric Identities, <br> Inverse Trigonometric Functions, and <br> Heights & Distances. | |
| Calculus | Limits, Continuity, <br> Differentiability, <br> Maxima/Minima, and <br> Definite Integrals. |
| Analytical Geometry | Straight Lines, <br> Circles, and <br> Conic Sections (Parabola, Ellipse, Hyperbola). |
| Vector Algebra | |
| Dot and Cross products of vectors and their geometric applications. | |
| Probability | Bayes’ Theorem, <br> Binomial Distribution, and <br> Conditional Probability. <br> NDA GAT Syllabus Important Topics <br> The Important Topics section highlights the topics included in the English, Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History, Geography, and Current Affairs Subjects of the NDA Syllabus. Knowing the important topics included in the UPSC NDA syllabus helps to prepare for the NDA exam. |
| Subject | |
| Important Topics | |
| English | Grammar, Spotting Errors, Sentence Improvement, Synonyms, Antonyms, Idioms & Phrases, Reading Comprehension |
| Physics | |
| Laws of Motion, Work, Energy & Power, Reflection & Refraction, Electricity & Magnetism | |
| Chemistry | |
| Atomic Structure, Acids, Bases & Salts, Chemical Reactions | |
| General Science | |
| Human Body Systems, Cell Biology, Diseases, Nutrition | |
| History | |
| Indian National Movement, Revolt of 1857, French Revolution, Russian Revolution | |
| Geography | |
| Physical Geography of India, Solar System, Climate & Atmosphere | |
| Current Affairs | |
| Defense Exercises, Military Appointments, Sports News, Awards & Important Events | |
Check out NDA Preparation Tips here
NDA Paper 2 Subject-wise Weightage 2026
The NDA Paper 2 General Ability Test (GAT) will be of 600 marks, divided into two parts, i.e., English and General Knowledge. General Knowledge consists of Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History, Geography, and Current Affairs. Subject-wise weightage is helpful to candidates in NDA preparation as it helps to focus more on high-scoring and important sections.
| Section | Subject | Approximate Weightage | Part A | English | 200 Marks |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Section A | Physics | 25% | Section B | Chemistry | |
| 15% | Section C | General Science | 10% | Section D | |
| History, Freedom Movement & Polity | 20% | Section E | Geography | 20% | Section F |
| Current Events | 10% | | | | |
NDA GAT Subject-wise Average Questions
The analysis below is derived from various official NDA General Ability Test (GAT) papers from 2015 to 2024 available at the Testbook website. The data shows the average number of questions asked from each subject and its expected weightage in the UPSC NDA Exam.
| Subject / Topic | Average Questions Asked | Tentative Weightage (%) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| English | 50–65 Questions | |
| 33%–40% | General Knowledge Mix | |
| 40–55 Questions | 25%–30% | |
| General Science | 22–35 Questions | |
| 12%–18% | Current Affairs | |
| 8–18 Questions | 5%–10% | |
| Physics | 20–30 Questions | |
| 12%–15% | Chemistry | |
| 10–18 Questions | 5%–8% | |
| Biology | 5–10 Questions | |
| 3%–5% | History | |
| 8–15 Questions | 5%–7% | |
| Geography | 10–18 Questions | |
| 6%–8% | Mathematics (Separate Paper) | |
| 118–120 Questions | Full 300 Marks | |
Overview
The UPSC NDA 2 Notification 2026 has been officially released on 20 May 2026 for candidates who want to join the defence forces after Class 12. The National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination-II, 2026 will be conducted by UPSC on 13 September 2026. Through this exam, candidates can get admission into the Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of NDA. The recruitment is being conducted for the 158th NDA Course and the 120th Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC) starting from 1 July 2027. Interested candidates can submit their online applications from 20 May 2026 to 09 June 2026. Aspirants should carefully check eligibility details before applying. Candidates can visit the official UPSC website for complete notification details and registration.
📚 Exclusive Top Most Important Questions Asked in All Defence Exam in Past Years
| Subjects | PDF Link |
| --- | --- |
| Most Asked General Knowledge Question in Defence Exam in Past Years - Download PDF | |
| Download Link | |
| Most Asked General Science Question in Defence Exam in Past Years - Download PDF | |
| Download Link | |
| Most Asked Quantitative Aptitude Question in Defence Exam in Past Years - Download PDF | |
| Download Link | |
| Most Asked Logical Reasoning Question in Defence Exam in Past Years - Download PDF | |
| Download Link | |
UPSC NDA 2 Vacancy 2026
The official UPSC NDA 2 Vacancy 2026 details have been released. A total of 394 vacancies have been announced for admission to the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Naval Academy wings. Out of the total NDA 2 vacancies 2026, 370 seats are for male candidates and 24 seats are for female candidates across different services.
| Academy | Service |
| --- | --- |
| Vacancies (Male) | |
| Vacancies (Female) | |
| Total | |
| National Defence Academy | |
| Army | 198 |
| 10 | 208 |
| Navy | 37 |
| 05 | |
| 42 (All Executive branch) | |
| Flying | 90 |
| 02 | 92 |
| Ground Duties (Tech) | 16 |
| 02 | 18 |
| Ground Duties (Non-Tech) | 08 |
| 02 | 10 |
| Naval Academy (10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme) | 21 |
| 03 | |
| 24 (All Executive Branch) | |
| Total | 370 |
| 24 | 394 |
When will NDA 2 Registration Form 2026 Start?
The NDA 2 Registration Form 2026 has already started from 20th May 2026 along with the official notification. Eligible candidates can apply for the post till 9th June 2026. You will be able to complete the application process through the UPSC website. Candidates should keep their documents and required details ready before filling the form. It is advisable to complete the registration process before the last date to avoid any last minute problems. We will give here the direct NDA 2 Apply Online link once it gets activated.
Direct Link for NDA Registration Form 2026
UPSC NDA 2026 Application Fees
Candidates applying under the NDA 2026 Notification should note that SC/ST category candidates are exempt from paying the examination fee. Where applicable, the fee can be paid via cash at any SBI branch, net banking, Visa/MasterCard/Rupay credit or debit cards, or UPI. The application fee is non-refundable, and complete fee details are provided below.
| Sr.No. | Category | Application Fee |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1. | SC/ST/ Female/ Wards of JCOs/ NCOs/ORs | |
| No Fee | 2. | |
| Others | Rs. 100/- | |
Know the NDA Application Form filling process in detail here.
UPSC NDA Syllabus & Exam Pattern 2026
Given below is the NDA Exam Syllabus for the candidates preparing for the exam. Knowing the syllabus and managing it properly is the key factor in your preparation strategy. The UPSC NDA Syllabus 2026 is divided into 2 parts viz. Maths and GAT. The GAT section is further divided into English and General Awareness. What helps you score well in the exam is to schedule the syllabus accordingly, by preparing tough chapters first.
| Subject | Code | Duration | Maximum Marks |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Mathematics | 01 | 2.5 Hours | 300 |
| General Ability Test | 02 | 2.5 Hours | 600 |
| Total | 900 | SSB Interview | 900 |
NDA 2026 Salary
The Union Public Service Commission's Official Notification for NDA Exam 2026 will contain an extensive salary structure. During the training cycle, the Cadets will be paid a fixed stipend of Rs. 56,100/- for the duration of their training in service academies (i.e. during their training period at IMA). The pay in the pay matrix of the Officer commissioned shall be set in the first Cell of Level 10 after good training. The Pay scale will differ from one post to another and will be mentioned in the official guidelines. Candidates cab learn more about the in-hand NDA Exam Salary here in a detailed manner.
NDA Exam Centres
The National Defence Academy exam is conducted at various centres across India. Applicants can choose the exam centre based on their location and convenience. However places are limited at each centre so apply early.
| No. | Centre Name |
| --- | --- |
| No. | |
| Centre Name | |
| No. | |
| Centre Name | 1 |
| Agartala | 29 |
| Ghaziabad | 55 |
| Navi Mumbai | 2 |
| Agra | 30 |
| Gorakhpur | 56 |
| Panaji (Goa) | 3 |
| Ajmer | 31 |
| Gurugram | 57 |
| Patna | 4 |
| Ahmedabad | 32 |
| Gwalior | 58 |
| Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair) | 5 |
| Aizawl | 33 |
| Hyderabad | 59 |
| Prayagraj (Allahabad) | 6 |
| Aligarh | 34 |
| Imphal | 60 |
| Puducherry | 7 |
| Almora (Uttarakhand) | 35 |
| Itanagar | 61 |
| Pune | 8 |
| Anantapur (Andhra Pradesh) | 36 |
| Jabalpur | 62 |
| Raipur | 9 |
| Bhopal | 37 |
| Jodhpur | 63 |
| Rajkot | 10 |
| Bhubaneswar | 38 |
| Jammu | 64 |
| Ranchi | 11 |
| Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh) | 39 |
| Kargil | 65 |
| Sambalpur | 12 |
| Chandigarh | 40 |
| Kolkata | 66 |
| Shillong | 13 |
| Chennai | 41 |
| Kozhikode (Calicut) | 67 |
| Shimla | 14 |
| Cuttack | 42 |
| Leh | 68 |
| Siliguri | 15 |
| Dehradun | 43 |
| Lucknow | 69 |
| Srinagar | 16 |
| Delhi | 44 |
| Dharamsala | 70 |
| Srinagar (Uttarakhand) | 17 |
| Faridabad | 45 |
| Madurai | 71 |
| Trivandrum | 18 |
| Gaya | 46 |
| Mumbai | 72 |
| Tirupati | 19 |
| Gautam Budh Nagar | 47 |
| Mysore | 73 |
| Vellore | 20 |
| Gandhinagar | 48 |
| Nagpur | 74 |
| Vijayawada | 21 |
| Faridabad | 49 |
| Nasik | 75 |
| Warangal | 22 |
| Kolkata | 50 |
| Mumbai | 76 |
| Visakhapatnam | 23 |
| Hyderabad | 51 |
| Mysore | 77 |
| Hanumakonda (Warangal Urban) | 24 |
| Coimbatore | 52 |
| Nagpur | 78 |
| Kanchipuram | 25 |
| Durgapur | 53 |
| Nashik | 79 |
| Madurai | 26 |
| Gaya | 54 |
| Patna | 80 |
| Jaipur | |
NDA Syllabus & Exam Pattern 2026 Overview
NDA Exam 2026 for UPSC occurs twice a year for admission in the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy. This selection procedure involves a written test of 900 marks and an SSB Interview worth 900 marks. This written test is divided into two parts: mathematics and a general ability test (GAT). This GAT includes subjects such as English, physics, chemistry, history, geography, etc.
| NDA Syllabus 2026 Overview | Exam Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Exam Name | National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination 2026 | |
| Mode of Exam | Offline | |
| Selection Process | Written Exam and SSB Interview | |
| Written Exam Papers | Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT) | |
| Total Marks (Written Exam) | 900 Marks | |
| Negative Marking | 1/3rd Marks Deducted for Wrong Answers | |
| Exam Duration | 2½ Hours for Each Paper | |
| Question Type | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) | |
| Language of Paper | English and Hindi | |
| NDA Subjects | Paper 1: MathematicsPaper 2: GAT (English, Physics, Chemistry, History, Geography, General Science, and Current Affairs) | |
| Eligibility | 12th Pass or Appearing Candidates | |
| Official Website | https://upsc.gov.in/ | |
NDA Exam Pattern 2026
The UPSC NDA exam pattern comprises two stages of selection: the written exam and the SSB Interview round. Both stages are of 900 marks each and total selection process is of 1800 marks. The written exam evaluates the candidate’s knowledge and problem-solving ability. The SSB round evaluates the candidate’s personality and communication skills. Prepare all the topics properly for good scores, as each section has different weightage.
| Paper | Subject | Maximum Marks | Duration | Marking per Question | Negative marking per Question |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Paper 1 | Mathematics | 300 | 150 minutes (2.5 hours) | 2.5 | |
| 1/3 of the marks allotted for the question | Paper 2 | General Ability Test | 600 | 150 minutes (2.5 hours) | 4 |
| SSB Test/Interview | 900 | | | | |
Check UPSC NDA Eligibility Criteria Here.
NDA Syllabus 2026
The NDA syllabus is released by UPSC in the official notification. The syllabus for NDA 1 and NDA 2 is the same. Thus, candidates do not have to put additional effort if they already have the syllabus for NDA. The NDA 2026 syllabus is for Paper I- Mathematics and Paper II- General Ability, which candidates can also refer to from here. Paper II has further subjects that should also be covered. Also, practice the NDA Mock Test for better exam preparation.
NDA Math Syllabus - Paper I
The NDA Syllabus 2026 for Maths contains topics like algebra, trigonometry, calculus, geometry, vectors, and statistics. The NDA maths syllabus for the written examination of UPSC NDA carries 300 marks. Practicing regularly and knowing the NDA syllabus can help you to increase your accuracy and speed in the exam.
| Topics | Sub-topics |
| --- | --- |
| NDA Syllabus for Algebra | |
| - Concept of set, operations on sets, Venn diagrams. <br> - De Morgan laws, Cartesian product, relation, equivalence relation. <br> - Representation of real numbers on a line. <br> - Complex numbers—basic properties, modulus, argument, cube roots of unity. <br> - Binary system of numbers. <br> - Conversion of a number in a decimal system to a binary system and vice versa. <br> - Arithmetic, geometric, and harmonic progressions. <br> - Quadratic equations with real coefficients. <br> - The solution of linear inequalities of two variables by graphs. <br> - Permutation and combination. <br> - Binomial theorem and its applications. <br> - Logarithms and their applications. | NDA 2026 Syllabus for Matrices & Determinants |
| - Types of matrices <br> - Operations on matrices <br> - Determinant of a matrix <br> - Basic properties of determinants <br> - Adjoint and inverse of a square matrix <br> - Applications of matrices <br> - Solution of a system of linear equations in two or three unknowns using Cramer’s rule <br> - Solution of a system of linear equations in two or three unknowns using the Matrix Method | |
| NDA Syllabus for Trigonometry | |
| - Angles and their measures in degrees and radians <br> - Trigonometric ratios <br> - Trigonometric identities, including sum and difference formulae <br> - Multiple and sub-multiple angles <br> - Inverse trigonometric functions <br> - Applications such as height, distance, and properties of triangles. | |
| NDA Syllabus for Analytical Geometry of 2 & 3 Dimensions | - Rectangular Cartesian Coordinate system <br> - Distance formula <br> - Equation of a line in various forms <br> - The angle between two lines <br> - The distance of a point from a line <br> - Equation of a circle in standard and general form <br> - Standard forms of parabola, ellipse, and hyperbola <br> - Eccentricity and axis of a conic <br> - A point in three-dimensional space and the distance between two points <br> - Direction cosines and direction ratios <br> - Equation of a plane and a line in various forms <br> - The angle between two lines and the angle between two planes <br> - Equation of a sphere |
| NDA 2026 Syllabus for Differential Calculus | - Concept of a real-valued function–domain, range, and graph of a function. <br> - Composite functions, one-to-one, onto, and inverse functions. <br> - Notion of limit, Standard limits—examples. <br> - Continuity of functions—examples, algebraic operations on continuous functions. <br> - Derivative of a function at a point, geometrical and physical interpretation of a derivative—applications. <br> - Derivatives of sum, product, and quotient of functions, derivative of a function with respect to another function, and derivative of a composite function. <br> - Second-order derivatives. <br> - Increasing and decreasing functions. <br> - Application of derivatives in problems of maxima and minima. |
| NDA Syllabus for Integral Calculus & Differential Equations | - Integration as inverse of differentiation, integration by substitution and by parts, standard integrals involving algebraic expressions, trigonometric, exponential, and hyperbolic functions. <br> - Evaluation of definite integrals—determination of areas of plane regions bounded by curves—applications. <br> - Definition of order and degree of a differential equation, formation of a differential equation by examples. <br> - General and particular solution of a differential equation, solution of first-order and first-degree differential equations of various types—examples. <br> - Application to problems of growth and decay. |
| NDA Syllabus for Vector Algebra | - Vectors in two and three dimensions <br> - Magnitude and direction of a vector <br> - Unit and null vectors <br> - Addition of vectors <br> - Scalar multiplication of a vector <br> - Scalar product or dot product of two vectors <br> - The vector product or cross product of two vectors <br> - Applications in work done by a force and moment of a force, and in geometrical problems |
| NDA 2026 Syllabus for Statistics & Probability | - Statistics: <br> - Classification of data <br> - Frequency distribution <br> - Cumulative frequency distribution—examples <br> - Graphical representation—Histogram, Pie Chart, frequency polygon— examples <br> - Measures of Central Tendency—Mean, Median, and Mode <br> - Variance and standard deviation—determination and comparison <br> - Correlation and regression <br> - Probability: <br> - Random experiment, outcomes, and associated sample space, events <br> - Mutually exclusive and exhaustive events, impossible and certain events <br> - Union and Intersection of Events <br> - Complementary, elementary, and composite events <br> - Definition of probability—classic and statistical—examples <br> - Elementary theorems on probability—simple problems <br> - Conditional probability, Bayes’ theorem—simple problems <br> - Random variable as a function on a sample space <br> - Binomial distribution, examples of random experiments giving rise to the Binomial distribution. |
Candidates can visit the linked article to get the detailed NDA Previous Year Question Paper .
NDA General Ability Test Syllabus 2026 - Paper II
The UPSC NDA GAT Syllabus is all about the General Ability Test (GAT), covering different subjects you need to know. These include General Knowledge (GK), English, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, General Science & Current Events. There are 150 questions in total, with 50 in English and 100 in GK, which includes other subjects & current affairs.
| Part A: English | Part B: General Knowledge |
| --- | --- |
| - Grammar and usage <br> - Vocabulary <br> - Comprehension and cohesion in extended text | - Section A - Physics <br> - Section B - Chemistry <br> - Section C - General Science <br> - Section D - History, Freedom Movement, etc. <br> - Section E - Geography <br> - Section F - Current Events |
NDA Syllabus for English - Paper A
Below is the NDA 2026 Syllabus for the English Section. It has easy topics that can help aspirants score well. The difficulty level is easy to moderate, with more questions to be attempted with less effort.
- Grammar & usage
- Comprehension & cohesion
- Spotting errors
- Para Jumbling
- Fill in the blanks
- Synonyms & Antonyms
- Vocabulary
- Cloze Test
- Idioms & Proverbs
- Completion of Sentence & Para
- Sentence Correction & Improvement
NDA Syllabus for General Awareness 2026 - Paper B
UPSC NDA General Awareness Syllabus 2026 covers a wide mix of basic subjects that help evaluate a candidate’s overall knowledge level. This section checks awareness of science, history, geography & recent events relevant to defence preparation.
NDA Syllabus Physics
- Physical Properties and States of Matter
- Mass, Weight, Volume, Density, and Specific Gravity
- Principle of Archimedes
- Pressure Barometer
- Motion of objects
- Velocity and Acceleration
- Newton’s Laws of Motion, Force, and Momentum
- Parallelogram of Forces
- Stability and Equilibrium of Bodies
- Gravitation
- Elementary ideas of Work, Power, and Energy
- Effects of Heat, Measurement of Temperature and Heat, Modes of Transference of Heat
- Sound waves and their properties
- Simple musical instruments
- Rectilinear propagation of light, reflection, and refraction
- Spherical Mirrors and Lenses
- Human Eye
- Natural and Artificial Magnets, Properties of a Magnet
- Earth as a Magnet
- Static and Current Electricity
- Conductors and Non-conductors
- Ohm’s Law, Simple Electrical Circuits
- Heating, Lighting, and Magnetic Effects of Current
- Measurement of Electrical Power
- Primary and Secondary Cells
- Use of X-Rays
General Principles in the working of the following:
- Simple Pendulum,
- Simple Pulleys,
- Siphon, Levers,
- Balloon
- Pumps
- Hydrometer
- Pressure Cooker
- Thermos Flask
- Gramophone
- Telegraphs
- Telephone
- Periscope
- Telescope
- Microscope
- Mariners Compass
- Lightning Conductors
- Safety Fuses
NDA Syllabus Chemistry
- Preparation and Properties of Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, and Carbon Dioxide, Oxidation and Reduction.
- Acids, bases, and salts.
- Carbon— different forms.
- Fertilizers—Natural and Artificial.
- The material used in the preparation of substances like Soap, Glass, Ink, Paper, Cement, Paints, Safety Matches and Gunpowder.
- Elementary ideas about the structure of an atom.
- Atomic Equivalent and Molecular Weights.
- Valency.
- Physical and Chemical Changes .
- Elements.
- Mixtures and Compounds.
- Symbols, Formulae and simple Chemical Equation.
- Law of Chemical Combination (excluding problems).
- Properties of Air and Water.
NDA Syllabus General Science
- Common Epidemics, their causes and prevention.
- Food-Source of Energy for man.
- Constituents of food.
- Balanced Diet.
- The Solar System: Meteors and Comets, Eclipses. Achievements of Eminent Scientists.
- Difference between the living and non-living.
- Basis of Life—Cells, Protoplasms and Tissues.
- Growth and Reproduction in Plants and Animals.
- Elementary knowledge of the Human Body and its important organs.
NDA Syllabus History
- Forces shaping the modern world: The Renaissance .
- Exploration and Discovery; War of American Independence, French Revolution , Industrial Revolution and Russian Revolution .
- Impact of Science and Technology on Society.
- Concept of one World.
- United Nations , Panchsheel , Democracy , Socialism and Communism .
- Role of India in the present world.
- A broad survey of Indian History, with emphasis on Culture and Civilisation .
- Basic Teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.
- Freedom Movement in India .
- Elementary study of the Indian Constitution and Administration.
- Elementary knowledge of Five Year Plans of India.
- Panchayati Raj .
- Co-operatives and Community Development .
- Bhoodan , Sarvodaya , National Integration and Welfare State.
NDA Syllabus Geography
- Latitudes and Longitudes .
- The Earth , its shape and size.
- Ocean Currents and Tides .
- Concept of time.
- International Date Line.
- Movements of Earth and their effects.
- Origin of Earth, Rocks, and their classification.
- Weathering —Mechanical and Chemical.
- Earthquakes and Volcanoes .
- Earth’s Functioning - Ocean Currents, Tides, Atmosphere and its composition , Temperature and Atmospheric Pressure, Planetary Winds, Cyclones and Anticyclones, Condensation, Humidity and Precipitation .
- Types of Climates.
- Major Natural regions of the World.
- Regional Geography of India—Climate, Natural vegetation , Mineral and Power resources; location and distribution of agricultural and Industrial activities.
- Important Sea ports and main sea, land, and air routes of India.
- Main items of Imports and Exports of India.
NDA Syllabus Current Affairs
- Important events in India in recent years
- Prominent personalities
- Current important world events
NDA Syllabus for SSB Interview: Intelligence and Personality Test
Once a candidate has successfully passed the written examination, they will need to prepare for a series of tests administered by the Selection Board in order to fully assess their suitability for military service. The SSB round consists of two stages:
- Stage I: This stage comprises the Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests are Picture Perception and Description Test (PP&DT).
- Stage II: This stage comprises Interview, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests, and the Conference.
| NDA Exam Syllabus for Personality Test | Stages and Tests |
| --- | --- |
| Types of tests | |
| Stage 1: Screening Test | |
| - Verbal and non-verbal tests. <br> - PPDT | |
| Stage 2 | |
| Psychological Test | |
| - Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) <br> - Word Association Test (WAT) <br> - Situation Reaction Test (SRT) <br> - Self-Description Test (SD) | |
| Group Testing Officer Tasks | |
| - Group Discussion(GD) <br> - Group Planning Exercise(GPE) <br> - Progressive Group Task(PGT) <br> - Half Group Task(HGT) <br> - Individual Obstacles Task(IOT) <br> - Command Task <br> - Snake Race/Group Obstacle Race <br> - Individual lecture <br> - Final Group Task(FGT) | |
Also check NDA Books for Preparation Here
UPSC NDA Syllabus 2026 Subject-wise Breakdown
The NDA Exam Syllabus 2026 is officially set by UPSC. It consists of two main written examination papers - Mathematics and the General Ability Test (GAT). In order to succeed in the NDA Exam, one has to be aware of the NDA exam pattern. It consists of a total of 900 marks for the written examination and another 900 marks for the SSB interview. Here is the NDA Syllabus, important topics to help you prepare for the NDA Exam effectively.
NDA Maths Syllabus Important Topics
The NDA maths syllabus for the exam tests the candidate’s calculation speed and clarity of concepts, which are generally from the class 11 and 12 levels. The paper is the first test of the NDA exam syllabus.
| Category | High-Priority Topics |
| --- | --- |
| Algebra | |
| - Sets & Venn Diagrams <br> - Complex Numbers (Modulus & Argument) <br> - AP/GP/HP <br> - Quadratic Equations, and <br> - Permutations & Combinations. | |
| Trigonometry | |
| - Trigonometric Identities, <br> - Inverse Trigonometric Functions, and <br> - Heights & Distances. | |
| Calculus | - Limits, Continuity, <br> - Differentiability, <br> - Maxima/Minima, and <br> - Definite Integrals. |
| Analytical Geometry | - Straight Lines, <br> - Circles, and <br> - Conic Sections (Parabola, Ellipse, Hyperbola). |
| Vector Algebra | |
| Dot and Cross products of vectors and their geometric applications. | |
| Probability | |
| - Bayes’ Theorem, <br> - Binomial Distribution, and <br> - Conditional Probability. | |
NDA GAT Syllabus Important Topics
The Important Topics section highlights the topics included in the English, Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History, Geography, and Current Affairs Subjects of the NDA Syllabus. Knowing the important topics included in the UPSC NDA syllabus helps to prepare for the NDA exam.
| Subject | Important Topics |
| --- | --- |
| English | Grammar, Spotting Errors, Sentence Improvement, Synonyms, Antonyms, Idioms & Phrases, Reading Comprehension |
| Physics | |
| Laws of Motion, Work, Energy & Power, Reflection & Refraction, Electricity & Magnetism | |
| Chemistry | |
| Atomic Structure, Acids, Bases & Salts, Chemical Reactions | |
| General Science | |
| Human Body Systems, Cell Biology, Diseases, Nutrition | |
| History | |
| Indian National Movement, Revolt of 1857, French Revolution, Russian Revolution | |
| Geography | |
| Physical Geography of India, Solar System, Climate & Atmosphere | |
| Current Affairs | |
| Defense Exercises, Military Appointments, Sports News, Awards & Important Events | |
Check out NDA Preparation Tips here
NDA Paper 2 Subject-wise Weightage 2026
The NDA Paper 2 General Ability Test (GAT) will be of 600 marks, divided into two parts, i.e., English and General Knowledge. General Knowledge consists of Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History, Geography, and Current Affairs. Subject-wise weightage is helpful to candidates in NDA preparation as it helps to focus more on high-scoring and important sections.
| Section | Subject | Approximate Weightage | Part A | English | 200 Marks |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Section A | Physics | 25% | Section B | Chemistry | |
| 15% | Section C | General Science | 10% | Section D | |
| History, Freedom Movement & Polity | 20% | Section E | Geography | 20% | Section F |
| Current Events | 10% | | | | |
NDA GAT Subject-wise Average Questions
The analysis below is derived from various official NDA General Ability Test (GAT) papers from 2015 to 2024 available at the Testbook website. The data shows the average number of questions asked from each subject and its expected weightage in the UPSC NDA Exam.
| Subject / Topic | Average Questions Asked | Tentative Weightage (%) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| English | 50–65 Questions | |
| 33%–40% | General Knowledge Mix | |
| 40–55 Questions | 25%–30% | |
| General Science | 22–35 Questions | |
| 12%–18% | Current Affairs | |
| 8–18 Questions | 5%–10% | |
| Physics | 20–30 Questions | |
| 12%–15% | Chemistry | |
| 10–18 Questions | 5%–8% | |
| Biology | 5–10 Questions | |
| 3%–5% | History | |
| 8–15 Questions | 5%–7% | |
| Geography | 10–18 Questions | |
| 6%–8% | Mathematics (Separate Paper) | |
| 118–120 Questions | Full 300 Marks | |
