NDA Exams

UPSC conducts this examination for admission to the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of the National Defense Academy (NDA) and Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC)

The advertisement for NDA is released twice a year in the months of June and December and for CDSE in the months of July and November by UPSC.

FEE

Candidates (excepting Female/SC/ST Candidates who are exempted from payment of fee) are required to pay fee of Rs.200/- (Rupees Two Hundred only)

1. Nationality: A candidate must be unmarried and must either be
• a Citizen of India, or
• a subject of Nepal, or
• a Person of Indian Origin (PIO) who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka and East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire and Ethiopia or Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.
  Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (ii) and (iii) above shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India. Certificate of eligibility will, however, not be necessary in the case of candidates who are Gorkha subjects of Nepal.
2. Age Limits, Sex and Marital Status: Only unmarried male/female whose age must be between 16-19 years.
3. Educational Qualifications
• For Army Wing of National Defence Academy:—12th Class pass of the 10+2 pattern of School Education or equivalent examination conducted by a State Education Board or a University.
• For Air Force and Naval Wings of National Defence Academy and for the 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme at the Indian Naval Academy:—12th Class pass with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics of the 10+2 pattern of School Education or equivalent conducted by a State Education Board or a University
  NOTE 1: Candidates appearing in the 11th class exam are not eligible for this examination.

The subjects of the written examination, the time allowed and the maximum marks allotted to each subject will be as follows:

PAPER-I: MATHEMATICS

• ALGEBRA: Concept of set, operations on sets, Venn diagrams. De Morgan laws, Cartesian product, relation, equivalence relation. 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. Solution of linear inequations of two variables by graphs. Permutation and Combination. Binomial theorem and its applications. Logarithms and their 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-Solution of a system of linear equations in two or three unknowns by Cramer’s rule and by Matrix Method.
• TRIGONOMETRY: Angles and their measures in degrees and in radians. Trigonometrical ratios. Trigonometric identities Sum and difference formulae. Multiple and Sub-multiple angles. Inverse trigonometric functions. Applications-Height and distance, properties of triangles.
• ANALYTICAL GEOMETRY OF 2 AND 3 DIMENSIONS: Rectangular Cartesian Coordinate system. Distance formula. Equation of a line in various forms. Angle between two lines. Distance of a point from a line. Equation of a circle in standard and in general form. Standard forms of parabola, ellipse and hyperbola. Eccentricity and axis of a conic. Point in a three-dimensional space, distance between two points. Direction Cosines and direction ratios. Equation two points. Direction Cosines and direction ratios. Equation of a plane and a line in various forms. Angle between two lines and angle between two planes. Equation of a sphere.
• DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS: 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—examples. Continuity of functions—examples, algebraic operations on continuous functions. Derivative of function at a point, geometrical and physical interpretation of a derivative—applications. Derivatives of sum, product and quotient of functions, derivative of a function with respect to another function, derivative of a composite function. Second order derivatives. Increasing and decreasing functions. Application of derivatives in problems of maxima and minima.
• INTEGRAL CALCULUS AND DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS: 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—determination of areas of plane regions bounded by curves—applications. 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—examples. Application in problems of growth and decay.
• VECTOR ALGEBRA: 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 AND 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—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

• Part ‘A’—ENGLISH (Maximum Marks—200) The question paper in English will be designed to test the candidate’s understanding of English and workman like use of words. The syllabus covers various aspects like: Grammar and usage, vocabulary, comprehension and cohesion in extended text to test the candidate’s proficiency in English.
• Part ‘B’—GENERAL KNOWLEDGE (Maximum Marks—400) The question paper on General Knowledge will broadly cover the subjects: Physics, Chemistry, General Science, Social Studies, Geography and Current Events.
• Section ‘A’ (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, change of State and Latent 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 Nonconductors, 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, Mariner’s Compass; Lightening Conductors, Safety Fuses.
• Section ‘B’ (Chemistry): 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—different forms. Fertilizers—Natural and Artificial. Material used in the preparation of substances like Soap, Glass, Ink, Paper, Cement, Paints, Safety Matches and GunPowder.
Elementary ideas about the structure of Atom, Atomic Equivalent and Molecular Weights, Valency.
• Section ‘C’ (General Science): 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.
• Section ‘D’ (History, Freedom Movement etc.): 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.
• Section ‘E’ (Geography): The Earth, its shape and size. Lattitudes and Longitudes, 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. Ocean Currents and Tides Atmosphere and its composition; Temperature and Atmospheric Pressure, Planetary Winds, Cyclones and Anti-cyclones; Humidity; Condensation and Precipitation; Types of Climate, 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.
• Section ‘F’ (Current Events): 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.

INTELLIGENCE AND PERSONALITY TEST

1. The Service Selection Board (SSB) procedure consists of two stage Selection process - stage I and stage II. Only those candidates who clear the stage I are permitted to appear for stage II. The details are:-
• Stage I comprises of Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests & Picture Perception Description Test (PP&DT). The candidates will be shortlisted based on combination of performance in OIR Test and PP&DT.
• Stage II Comprises of Interview, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests and the Conference.These tests are conducted over 4 days.Details of these tests are given on website www.joinindianarmy.nic.in.
2. The personality of a candidate is assessed by three different assessors viz. The Interviewing Officer (IO), Group Testing Officer (GTO) and the Psychologist. There are no separate weightage for each test. The marks are allotted by assessors only after taking into consideration the performance of the candidate holistically in all the test. In addition, marks for Conference are also allotted based on the initial performance of the Candidate in the three techniques and decision of the Board. All these have equal weightage.
3. The various tests of IO, GTO and Psych are designed to bring out the presence/absence of Officer Like Qualities and their trainability in a candidate. Accordingly candidates are Recommended or Not Recommended at the SSB.

Stipend of Gentlemen or Lady Cadets Under Training.

• Gentlemen or Lady Cadets at NDA and NA receive a fixed stipend of Rs 56100/- per month (starting pay in Level 10) for the period of training.
• On successful commissioning, the pay in the Pay Matrix of the Officer commissioned is fixed in first Cell of Level 10 and the period of training is not treated as commissioned service.

Pay Scale and Salary on successful commissioning

Note: Military Service Pay (MSP) for officers in rank Lieutenant to Brigadier also gets a fixed Military Service Pay of INR 15,500 each month.

Allowances & Perks

1. Qualification Grant: Employees will be governed according to the newly proposed Higher Qualification Incentive (HQI). The order is yet to be issued by MoD.
2. Flying Allowance: Pilots serving in level 10 and above pay scale gets a fixed allowance of INR 25,000 per month.
3. Dearness Allowance: Same rates as applicable to the civilian personnel from time to time.
4. Kit Maintenance Allowance: Combined with the newly proposed dress allowance of INR 20,000 per year.
5. Field Area Allowance: Depending on the area and rank of posting, officers get the following field area allowances
• Highly Active Field Area (HAFA) – For officers serving in rank 10 or above get INR 16,900 per month
• Field Area Allowance – For officers serving in rank 10 or above get INR 10,500 per month
• Modified Field Area Allowance – For officers serving in rank 10 or above get INR 6,300 per month
6. High Altitude Allowance: High Altitude allowances varies for officers in the following manner:
• CAT I – For officers serving in rank 10 or above get INR 3,400 per month
• CAT II – For officers serving in rank 10 or above get INR 5,300 per month
• CAT III – For officers serving in rank 10 or above get INR 25,000 per month
7. Siachen Allowance: Siachen allowance is INR 42,500 per month.
8. Uniform Allowance: This has been covered under the newly proposed dress allowance of INR 20,000 per year.
9. Transport Allowance: Transport allowance varies depending on the city of the officer as follows
• Higher TPTA cities: Officers working in level 9 or above get an allowance of INR 7,200 + DA per month.
• Other Places: Officers working in level 9 or above get an allowance of INR 3,600 + DA per month.
• Officials of pay level 14 and above who are allowed to use the official car can either utilize the official car or take an allowance of INR 15,750 + DA per month.
10. Children Education Allowance: Children Education Allowance of INR 2,250 per month is applicable from nursery to class 12. Allowance is given only for the two eldest children only.
11. Free Ration: Officers serving in filed areas & peace are entitled to free ration.

Q.1 What does NDA stands for?

ANS: NDA is an abbreviation for National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) holds the NDA exam twice a year for admission to the Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of the National Defence Academy and Indian Naval Academy courses. The Supreme Court of India allowed women candidates to join the NDA. Other exams held by the commission for candidates who have completed Class 12 or graduation include UPSC CSE or IAS, CDS, CAPF, UPSC ESE, UPSC CMS, and others.

Q.2 How to clear the NDA exam in the first attempt?

ANS: A smart study plan is required to pass the exam on the first try. A smart study plan entails effectively managing your time and the NDA syllabus. Your preparation schedule must be well-organized in order for you to receive high marks. Begin preparing the topics from the ground up. Only you can answer high-level questions if your fundamentals are clear. You can improve your general knowledge by reading newspapers, magazines, journals, and books by well-known authors on current events, among other things. All these tips can help candidates to crack the exam easily.

Q.3 How to prepare for the NDA exam after 12th?

ANS: One must be very committed to their goal of joining the services; the candidate should begin preparing for it as soon as they finish class 12. Self-study is the best option for NDA exam preparation. Understand the syllabus and subjects first, when you begin preparing for the exam. This will help you understand the level of difficulty you may face when studying the subjects, plan wisely, and establish a consistent pattern for studying each subject. One should practice time management to improve their speed and ability to respond calmly. This will also help you avoid wasting time. You can learn about the nature of the question paper and the types of questions by solving previous years’ question papers.

Q.4 What is the NDA exam meant for

ANS: UPSC administers the NDA exam for admission to the Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of the NDA. This exam serves as a gateway for candidates interested in joining the Army, Navy, or Air Force. This is a national-level exam that is given twice a year. This examination will be a two-step process in which candidates must first pass the exam and then qualify for the Service Selection Board’s personality test or interview (SSB). The UPSC is solely responsible for issuing selection guidelines and overseeing the final administration of the entrance examination.

Q.5 What is the NDA exam meant for

ANS: UPSC administers the NDA exam for admission to the Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of the NDA. This exam serves as a gateway for candidates interested in joining the Army, Navy, or Air Force. This is a national-level exam that is given twice a year. This examination will be a two-step process in which candidates must first pass the exam and then qualify for the Service Selection Board’s personality test or interview (SSB). The UPSC is solely responsible for issuing selection guidelines and overseeing the final administration of the entrance examination.

Q.6 Can a female apply for NDA?

ANS: Yes, Female candidates can also apply for the NDA Exam. On Aug 18, 2021, the Supreme Court has announced that there will be no discrimination on gender. The candidates must check the vacancy details to know about the female vacancies.

Q.7 Can the candidates who appear in the 11th class exam also appear for the NDA exam?

ANS: No, they cannot appear for the exam. One must be 12th class passed or 12th class appearing to be eligible. A candidate who is in Class 11th can appear for the exam for experience but their candidature will not be considered for final admission to the academy.

Q.8 Does NDA give a B.Tech degree?

ANS: Yes. NDA does give a B.Tech degree. It offers several undergraduate programs which include B.A, B.Sc, and B.Tech after completion of three years in the academy.

Q.9 Who takes the NDA exam?

ANS: NDA exam is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission twice a year. The exam which has two-stage namely a written test and an interview is conducted to recruit candidates in the Indian army, navy and airforce wings.

Q.10 How is the NDA exam physical test?

ANS: Candidates must appear for the SSB interview after passing the NDA written exam. During the interview, all physical standards of the candidates are determined. The overall physical standards for Army Officers are determined by three factors:

1. Height and Weight Requirements
2. Visual Guidelines
3. Other Physical Standards like Body Mass Index, Waist Hip ratio, Waist Circumference, biochemical metabolic parameters, etc.

All 3 forces that are Army, Air force, and Navy have different ranges and parameters in the physical test. It is mandatory to pass this test to get selected for the NDA. The following are the minor issues that frequently cause candidates to be deemed unsuitable for NDA recruitment. Ear Wax, Piles, Deviated Nasal Septum, Overweight/ Underweight, Hydrocele/ Phimosis, Undersized Chest, Varicocele, Tonsillitis, or Gynaecomastia are examples.

Q.11 Is swimming compulsory for NDA Exam?

ANS: Yes, Swimming is mandatory, and all trainees must pass the basic swimming test before the end of the second semester or risk being relegated. The basic swimming test consists of swimming 50 meters (any stroke) followed by three minutes of floating in a full-sleeved shirt and trousers. During the training, trainees must also pass advanced swimming tests, the details of which will be communicated to them upon arrival. The Academy will ensure the 10 m jump and increased distance of swimming proficiency to 1500 meters for the INAC course.

Q.12 What is the total score of NDA Exam?

ANS: The NDA exam will be divided into two parts: a written exam and a personality test (SSB interview). The written examination will include two papers: Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT). The Mathematics paper is worth 300 points. The GAT paper is worth 600 points. As a result, the total score for the NDA written exam will be 900. The questions in Mathematics will be drawn from topics covered in the 10+2 level. The GAT paper will include English, General Knowledge, and General Science questions.