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NDA Syllabus 2026
National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination
79 trackable topics
High difficulty
The National Defence Academy exam is the entry point for male and female class twelve students to join the Army, Navy, or Air Force. Conducted twice a year by UPSC, it is one of the most prestigious defence exams in the country. The selection process has a written test and an SSB interview. The written test has two papers: Mathematics and the General Ability Test. The Maths paper requires a strong grip on class eleven and twelve concepts. The GAT paper tests your English, Physics, Chemistry, History, and Geography. SSB testing checks your officer-like qualities over five days. Preparing for NDA takes six to twelve months of disciplined study and physical exercise. Use our checklist below to track your syllabus coverage systematically.
Conducted by
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Eligibility
12th Pass or appearing (Physics & Maths for Army/Navy/Air Force); Age 16.5-19.5 years
Age limit
16.5 to 19.5 years
Pattern
Written Exam (Mathematics + General Ability Test) + SSB Interview
Offline syllabus progress
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Detailed topic-wise syllabus
Paper I - Mathematics+
300 marks | 2.5 hours | 120 MCQs | Negative marking: 0.83
Algebra
30 marksMatrices and Determinants
15 marksTrigonometry
30 marksAnalytical Geometry (2D)
25 marksAnalytical Geometry (3D)
15 marksDifferential Calculus
30 marksIntegral Calculus & Differential Equations
30 marksVector Algebra
15 marksStatistics and Probability
20 marksPaper II - General Ability Test (GAT)+
600 marks | 2.5 hours | 150 MCQs | Part A (English 200 marks) + Part B (GK 400 marks)
Part A: English
200 marksSection A: Physics (GK Part B)
100 marksSection B: Chemistry (GK Part B)
60 marksSection C: General Science (Biology)
40 marksSection D & E: History & Geography
80 marksSection F: Civics and Economics
60 marksSSB Interview+
900 marks | 5-day process | Psychological Tests, GTO Tasks, Interview
SSB Selection Process
Recommended reference books
| Subject | Book | Author / publisher |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | Mathematics for NDA/NA | R.S. Aggarwal |
| Physics | NCERT Physics Class 11 & 12 | NCERT |
| Chemistry | NCERT Chemistry Class 11 & 12 | NCERT |
| English | Objective General English | S.P. Bakshi |
| General Knowledge | Manorama Yearbook 2026 | Mammen Mathew |