National Defence Academy
NDA Information
"Your gateway to a prestigious career in the Indian Armed Forces with the Best NDA Coaching in Dehradun. Begin your journey of excellence with top-tier NDA Preparation in Dehradun."
Designation Posts
After successful completion of NDA training, cadets are commissioned as:
- Army: Lieutenant
- Navy: Sub-Lieutenant
- Air Force: Flying Branch (Pilot) or Ground Duty (Admin/Tech)
Qualifications Required
- Education: 10+2 or equivalent with Physics and Mathematics
- Nationality: Indian citizen
- Marital Status: Unmarried
- Gender: Male/Female
Age Criteria
16.5 - 19.5
Years on the first day of the month in which the course is due to commence
Flexible for different attempts
Exam Conductor
Union Public Service Commission
UPSC conducts the NDA exam twice a year (April & September)
Government Body
Selection Process: Written Exam → SSB Interview → Medical Examination → Final Merit List
Exam Pattern
The NDA exam consists of two papers:
- Paper 1: Mathematics - 300 marks, 2.5 hours
- Paper 2: General Ability Test (GAT) - 600 marks, 2.5 hours (English 200, General Knowledge 400)
Total Marks: 900
Negative Marking: 1/3 mark deducted for wrong answers.
Mode: Offline (Pen and Paper)
Tips & Tricks
The most imprtant way to prepare for NDA exam with confidence.
- Understand the exam pattern and syllabus thoroughly.
- Create a study schedule and stick to it.
- Practice previous years' question papers.
- Focus on time management during the exam.
- Strengthen basics in algebra, trigonometry, Matrices and Determinants, etc.,
- Solve NCERT books for class 11 and 12.
- Use shortcuts for calculations.
- Read newspapers daily for current affairs.
- Improve English vocabulary through reading.
- Study science from NCERT books.
- Regular exercise and sports.
- Prepare for SSB interview and physical tests.
Detailed Syllabus
"Master these topics to crack the NDA exam with confidence"
Paper I: Mathematics (Code: 01) - 300 Marks
This paper tests concepts from the 10+2 level. The major topics are as follows:
- Sets, Venn Diagrams, and De Morgan's Laws: Basic concepts of sets, operations on sets, and Cartesian product, relation, equivalence relation.
- Real Numbers: Representation of real numbers on a line, complex numbers (basic properties, modulus, argument, cube roots of unity).
- Binary System of Numbers: Conversion of a number in decimal system to binary system and vice-versa.
- Arithmetic, Geometric, and Harmonic Progressions.
- Quadratic Equations with real coefficients: Solutions of quadratic equations, relation between roots and coefficients.
- Logarithms and their Applications.
- Permutations and Combinations.
- Binomial Theorem and its Applications.
- Matrices and Determinants: Types of matrices, operations on matrices, determinant of a matrix, basic properties of determinants.
- adjoint and inverse of a square matrix.
- applications in solving simultaneous linear equations in two or three unknowns by Cramer’s rule and by Matrix Method.
- and their Measures in Degrees and Radians.
- Trigonometrical Ratios and Identities.
- Trigonometric Functions and their Graphs.
- Inverse Trigonometric Functions.
- Formulas for Sum and Differences of .
- Multiple and Sub-multiple .
- Properties of Triangles.
- Height and Distance.
- Rectangular Cartesian Coordinate System.
- Distance Formula.
- Equation of a Line in Various Forms.
- Angle Between Two Lines.
- Distance of a point from a Lines.
- Equation of a Circle in Standard and General Form.
- Standard Forms of Parabola, Ellipse, and Hyperbola.
- Eccentricity and Axis of a Conic.
- Introduction to Three-Dimensional Geometry: Coordinate system in 3D, distance between two points, direction cosines, and direction ratios.
- Equation of a Plane and a Line in Various Forms.
- Equation two points.
- Angle Between Two Lines and Angle Between Two Planes.
- Equation of a Sphere.
- Concept of a Real-Valued Function: Domain, range, and graph of a function.
- Composite Functions, One-to-One, Onto, and Inverse Functions.
- Notion of Limit, Standard Limits and examples.
- Continuity of Functions and examples.
- Algebraic operations on continuous functions.
- Derivative of a Function at a Point.
- Geometrical and physical interpretation of a derivative—applications
- Derivatives of Sum, Product, and Quotient of Functions.
- Derivatives of Polynomials, Trigonometric, Inverse Trigonometric, Exponential, and Logarithmic Functions.
- Application of Derivatives: Rate of change, increasing/decreasing functions, maxima and minima.
- Integration as Inverse of Differentiation.
- Integration by Substitution and by Parts.
- Standard Integrals involving Algebraic Expressions, Trigonometric, Exponential, and Hyperbolic Functions.
- Evaluation of Definite Integrals.
- Application of Definite Integrals: Finding areas of simple curves.
- Definition of Order and Degree of a Differential Equation.
- Formation of a Differential Equation by examples, General and particular solution of a differential equations.
- Solution of First Order and First Degree Differential Equations of Various Types.
- Application in problems of growth and decay.
- Vectors in Two and Three Dimensions.
- Magnitude and Direction of a Vector.
- Unit and Null Vectors.
- Addition of Vectors, Scalar Multiplication of a Vector.
- Scalar Product or Dot Product of Two Vectors.
- Vector Product or Cross Product of Two Vectors.
- Applications: Work done by a force and moment of a force and in geometrical problems.
- Statistics: Classification of data, frequency distribution, cumulative frequency distribution, and graphical representation (histograms, pie charts, frequency polygons). 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 ( classical and statistical-examples),Elementary theorems on probability—simple problems. Conditional probability, Bayes’ theorem—simple problems. Random variable as function on a sample space. Binomial distribution, examples of random experiments giving rise to Binominal distribution.
Paper II: General Ability Test (GAT) (Code: 02) - 600 Marks
This paper is divided into two parts: English and General Knowledge.
Part A : English (200 Marks)
This section is designed to test the candidate's understanding of English and the proficient use of words. The syllabus covers various aspects like:
- Vocabulary: Synonyms, Antonyms, Analogies.
- Grammar and Usage: Spotting Errors, Sentence Improvement.
- Comprehension: Understanding and interpreting passages.
- Sentence Rearrangement (Jumbled Sentences).
- Fill in the Blanks.
- Idioms and Phrases.
Part B: General Knowledge (400 Marks)
General Knowledge will broadly cover the subjects : Physics, Chemistry, General Science, Social Studies, Geography and Current Events.:
- 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, Work, Power, and Energy
- Heat and its Effects: Measurement of temperature and heat, change of state and latent heat, modes of heat transfer
- Sound Waves and their Properties, Simple musical instruments.
- Light: Reflection and refraction, spherical mirrors and lenses, human eye
- Natural and Artificial Magnets, Properties of a Magnet, Earth as a Magnet.
- Electricity: 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.
- Magnetism: Properties of a magnet, Earth as a magnet
- 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, Mariner’s Compass; Lightening Conductors, Safety Fuses.
- Physical and Chemical Changes.
- Elements, Mixtures, and Compounds.
- Symbols, Formulae, and Simple Chemical Equations.
- Law of Chemical Combination (excluding problems).
- Properties of Air and Water.
- Preparation and Properties of Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, and CarbonDioxide
- Oxidation and Reduction
- Acids, Bases, and Salts
- Carbon and its different forms
- Fertilizers: Natural and Artificial
- Material used in the preparation of substances like Soap, Glass, Ink, Paper, Cement, Paints, Safety Matches and Gun-Powder.
- Elementary ideas about the structure of Atom, Atomic Equivalent and Molecular Weights,Valency.
- Difference between the living and non-living.
- Basis of Life—Cells, Protoplasms and Tissues.
- Growth and Reproduction in Plants and Animals.
- Elementary knowledge of Human Body and its important organs.
- 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.
- A broad survey of Indian History, with emphasis on Culture and Civilisation.
- Freedom Movement in India.
- Elementary study of 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, Basic Teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.
- Forces shaping the modern world : 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.
- The Earth, its shape and size, Latitudes and Longitudes, Concept of time, International Date Line, Movements of Earth and their effects.
- Origin of Eart,. Rocks and their classification, Weathering—Mechanical and Chemical, Earthquakes and Volcanoes.
- Ocean Currents and Tides.
- Atmosphere and its composition, Temperature and Atmospheric Pressure, Planetary Winds, Cyclones and Anti-cyclones, Humidity, Condensation and Precipitation, Types ofClimate, 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.
- Knowledge of Important events that have happened in India in the recent years. Current important world events.
- Prominent personalities—both Indian and International including those connected with cultural activities and sports.