NDA Exam 2026: Dates, Eligibility, Pattern, Syllabus & Preparation Guide

The National Defence Academy (NDA) exam is the earliest gateway into the Indian Armed Forces — you can clear it straight after Class 12 and begin officer training at seventeen. Conducted twice a year by UPSC, it selects cadets for the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of the NDA at Khadakwasla, Pune, and for the Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala.

This guide covers everything you need for NDA 2026: dates, eligibility, the exact paper pattern, syllabus, the SSB process, and a preparation approach built on previous year questions.

NDA 2026: Key Highlights

NDA 2026: Important Dates

As per the UPSC annual examination calendar:

Always confirm the exact dates from the official notification on upsc.gov.in — UPSC occasionally revises its calendar.

Who Can Apply: NDA Eligibility

Nationality

You must be a citizen of India, a subject of Nepal, or a person of Indian origin migrated from specified countries with the intention of permanently settling in India.

Age and Marital Status

You must be between 16.5 and 19.5 years of age on the day the course commences — the notification specifies the exact date-of-birth window for each attempt. Only unmarried men and women can apply, and you must remain unmarried until training is complete.

Since 2021, women candidates are eligible for the NDA — a landmark change that opens permanent commission paths across all three services.

Educational Qualification

Candidates appearing in their Class 12 board exams can also apply — you'll submit proof of passing later during the SSB stage.

NDA Exam Pattern

The written exam has two papers on the same day, both objective (MCQ), with one-third negative marking on every wrong answer.

The GAT splits into two parts:

Note the weighting: each Mathematics question carries 2.5 marks, while each GAT question carries 4. GAT rewards broad, consistent revision more than any other section.

Syllabus at a Glance

Mathematics

Algebra, Matrices and Determinants, Trigonometry, Analytical Geometry (2D and 3D), Differential Calculus, Integral Calculus and Differential Equations, Vector Algebra, and Statistics & Probability. The level is strictly Class 11–12 — nothing beyond the NCERT scope, but speed matters: 120 questions in 150 minutes.

General Ability Test

English — grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, spotting errors, sentence arrangement.

General Knowledge — Physics, Chemistry and General Science (roughly Class 10 level), Indian History and the Freedom Movement, Geography of India and the world, and current events of the last 12 months.

Selection Process: Three Stages

Stage 1 — Written exam. Qualify both papers; UPSC releases a combined cutoff out of 900.

Stage 2 — SSB Interview. A five-day assessment worth another 900 marks: screening (OIR test + PPDT) on day one, then psychology tests, group tasks, and a personal interview across the remaining days. Roughly half the final merit comes from the SSB, so it deserves genuine preparation, not an afterthought.

Stage 3 — Medical examination. Conducted at military hospitals for candidates recommended by the SSB.

Final merit = written (900) + SSB (900) out of 1800.

Training and Salary

Cadets train for three years at the NDA, Khadakwasla, earning a B.A./B.Sc./B.Tech degree from JNU, then move to their service academy — IMA Dehradun (Army), Indian Naval Academy (Navy) or Air Force Academy (Air Force) — for about a year before commissioning.

On commissioning as a Lieutenant (or equivalent), pay starts in Level 10: ₹56,100–₹1,77,500 per month, plus Military Service Pay of ₹15,500 and service-specific allowances.

How to Apply

1. Register on upsconline.gov.in (One Time Registration).
2. Fill the NDA application when the window opens, choose your preference of wings.
3. Upload photo, signature and ID; pay ₹100 (SC/ST and women are exempt).
4. Choose your exam centre and submit. Download the admit card ~2–3 weeks before the exam.

How to Prepare: Make PYQs Your Foundation

The NDA paper is famously pattern-consistent — UPSC reuses concepts, question formats and difficulty bands year after year. That makes previous year questions the single highest-return study material.

A simple loop that works:

1. Finish one chapter, then immediately solve its PYQs. Chapter-wise practice shows you exactly how UPSC frames that topic — start with NDA Mathematics PYQs organised chapter by chapter.
2. Track your accuracy, not just coverage. With one-third negative marking, a wrong answer costs you 1.33× a skipped one. PYQs teach you which questions to leave.
3. Simulate the time crunch. 120 maths questions in 150 minutes means ~75 seconds each. Practise full year-wise NDA papers against the clock.
4. Revise GK in cycles. The 400-mark GK section spans six subjects — short daily cycles through Physics, Chemistry, History and Geography beat one-subject marathons.

Padhify's entire NDA previous year question bank is free to browse, with AI-powered answers and explanations available on a free account.

Preparing for CDS as well? The syllabi overlap heavily — see our CDS 2026 complete guide and CDS PYQs.

Frequently Asked Questions