NDA exam guide
The NDA & NA written exam at a glance: two papers, Mathematics and the General Ability Test, each 2½ hours long, with a third of a question’s marks lost for each wrong answer.
The pattern and marking here are from UPSC’s notification for the NDA & NA Examination (II), 2026. Check upsc.gov.in for the current notification before exam day: NDA & NA (II) 2026 notification
Our NDA mock tests are being prepared. Until they open, the exam pattern has the papers, marks and marking in full.
The written exam at a glance
- Papers
- Mathematics and General Ability Test
- Questions
- 120 and 150
- Marks
- 300 and 600, 900 in all
- Time
- 2½ hours for each paper
- Wrong answer
- Loses a third of the question’s marks
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