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NDA papers, 2016 – 2025
Both written papers for every year: Mathematics (120 questions, 300 marks) and the General Ability Test (150 questions, 600 marks). 150 minutes each, one-third negative marking, a worked solution for every question.
| Exam | Papers |
|---|---|
| NDA (II) 2025 | |
| NDA (II) 2024 | |
| NDA (II) 2023 | |
| NDA (II) 2022 | |
| NDA (II) 2021 | |
| NDA (I & II) 2020 | |
| NDA (II) 2019 | |
| NDA (II) 2018 | |
| NDA (II) 2017 | |
| NDA (II) 2016 |
NDA exam pattern
Two papers on the same day, 150 minutes each, objective questions with one-third negative marking.
| Paper | Subject | Questions | Marks | Per question |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | Mathematics | 120 | 300 | +2.5 / −0.83 |
| Paper II (GAT) | English | 50 | 200 | +4 / −1.33 |
| General Knowledge | 100 | 400 | +4 / −1.33 | |
| Total | 270 | 900 |
NDA at a glance
UPSC holds the NDA & NA exam twice a year to pick Class 12 students for officer training in the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of the National Defence Academy, and for the Indian Naval Academy's 10+2 Cadet Entry. Unmarried men and women aged about 16.5 to 19.5 years can apply. After the written test, candidates face a 5-day SSB interview and a medical exam, and the final merit list decides admission.
| Conducted by | UPSC (written test); SSB interview by the Services Selection Boards |
|---|---|
| How often | Twice a year: NDA (I) in April, NDA (II) in September |
| Next exams | NDA (I) 2027 on 11 April 2027; NDA (II) 2027 on 19 September 2027 (UPSC calendar) |
| Mode | Offline, pen-and-paper (OMR), objective type |
| Papers | Mathematics (300 marks) + General Ability Test (600 marks), 2.5 hours each |
| Final total | 1800 marks: 900 written + 900 SSB |
| Negative marking | One-third of the question's marks for each wrong answer |
| Age | About 16.5 to 19.5 years; exact birth-date window given in each notice |
| Seats per cycle | 394 in NDA (I) 2026 and NDA (II) 2026 (370 NDA + 24 Naval Academy) |
| Application fee | Rs 100; SC/ST, women and specified JCO/NCO/OR wards exempt |
- 2 Dec 2026 NDA (I) 2027 notification and online form opens (expected)
- 22 Dec 2026 NDA (I) 2027 last date to apply (6 pm) (expected)
- 11 Apr 2027 NDA (I) 2027 written exam (expected)
- May 2027 NDA (I) 2027 written result (expected)
- 12 May 2027 NDA (II) 2027 notification and online form opens (expected)
NDA guides
Practise NDA by topic
NDA questions
What is the NDA exam pattern?
The UPSC NDA & NA written exam has two papers of 150 minutes each. Paper I is Mathematics: 120 questions for 300 marks. Paper II is the General Ability Test: 150 questions for 600 marks, made of English (50 questions, 200 marks) and General Knowledge (100 questions, 400 marks). The written total is 900, followed by the SSB interview.
How much negative marking is there in NDA?
One-third of the marks for that question. In Mathematics a correct answer earns 2.5 and a wrong one costs 0.83; in the GAT a correct answer earns 4 and a wrong one costs 1.33. Unanswered questions score zero.
What does the General Knowledge section cover?
Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History including the Indian freedom movement, Geography, Polity and Economy, and current events.
Is a calculator allowed in NDA Maths?
No. The Mathematics paper is answered without a calculator, so these mocks have none either.
Are these the official NDA question papers?
No. The questions are original and written to match the official UPSC pattern, syllabus and difficulty. Use them alongside the official UPSC papers.