National Defence Academy (NDA) exam is a great opportunity for Indian defense services aspirants. Successful NDA candidates get through any of the three wings - army, navy, and airforce, depending upon their choice and ranking. NDA exam is organized twice every year by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Candidates clearing the exam have to go through rigorous training for three years, after which they can join respective services. 

Eligibility criteria for NDA exam 

i. Age limit - 16 and a half to 19 years

ii. Marital status - Unmarried

iii. Minimum height - 157.5 cm (for army and navy) and 162.5 cm (for air force)

iv. It is important to meet various vision-related standards to be eligible for NDA exam

v. Minimum educational qualifications - 

• Army - Passed class 12th in Arts, Commerce, Science or any group. 
• Navy & Air force - Passed class 12th from Science subjects (Physics, Chemistry & Maths)
• Students appearing for class 12th exams, fulfilling other eligibility criteria can also apply

NDA is considered to be a difficult exam to crack given the high rate of competition, however, a candidate can easily get through if he/she prepares with a good strategy.  

NDA exam selection includes two stages- Written test and Interview.

NDA Exam Pattern (Stage - I)

Paper-I: Mathematics 

• No. of questions: 120 
• Duration: 150 minutes
• Maximum marks: 300 
• Marking scheme: 2.5 marks for every right answer 
• Negative marking: Yes, 0.83 marks are deducted for every wrong answer

Paper-II: General Ability (English and General Knowledge)

• No. of questions: English (50) and GK (100)
• Duration: English (200) and GK (400)
• Maximum Marks: Total (600)
• Marking scheme: 4 marks for every right answer 
• Negative marking: Yes, 1.33 marks are deducted for every wrong answer

Maximum Marks for both papers: 900

NDA Interview (Stage - II)

Personal Interview, Group Tasks, Psychology Test and Conference

Maximum marks: 900

Tips to Prepare

• Questions based on Maths, English, General Knowledge and General Awareness are included in the NDA exam. Candidates applying for the exam must pay equal attention to all subjects. 
• Questions in the GK and General Awareness section include physics, chemistry, science, social science, and current affairs. A candidate must study formulas and equations related to physics and chemistry properly. It is important to remember facts related to history and geography properly. Study from the monthly magazine for competitive exams - Pratiyogita Nirdeshika. Also, studying physics, chemistry, history, economics and political science NCERT textbooks of class 10th to 12th is useful. Read newspapers regularly. 
• Questions asked under the Mathematics section can be solved based on formulas. Books by RS Agrawal and M. Tyra are useful for this. 
• English section includes questions on grammar, vocabulary, sentence formation, clauses, paragraph structure, antonyms, synonyms, etc. The section tests your understanding of the language and word power. To improve word power, read English newspaper every day and learn about difficult words. Studying from books by Rajendra Prasad Sinha and Martin & Nesfield is useful.
• Prepare from the mock tests. 
• Study from Career Disha notes. Also, study monthly magazine for competitive exams – Pratiyogita Nirdeshika.

If you study from good study references with full dedication, you’ll succeed in NDA exam.