• Written By Saif_Ansari
  • Last Modified 14-12-2023

NDA Exam Pattern 2024: Check Subjects, Duration, Marking Scheme

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NDA Exam Pattern 2024: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will conduct the NDA & NA 1 exam on April 21, 2024. The exam pattern for the UPSC NDA exam has been released by UPSC. The exam pattern helps candidates understand the structure of the paper. Furthermore, candidates can check the number of questions, marking scheme, exam duration, etc.

Practice NDA & NA Unlimited Questions with Solutions
NDA & NA EE Practice Physics Questions NDA & NA EE Practice General Knowledge Questions
NDA & NA EE Practice Mathematics Questions NDA & NA EE Practice English Questions
NDA & NA EE Practice General Science Questions NDA & NA EE Practice Chemistry Questions

*Steps to practice NDA Unlimited Questions are mentioned below

Candidates should go through the NDA exam pattern and syllabus to prepare better for the exam. According to the NDA paper pattern, the exam consists of two papers/ subjects, i.e., Mathematics and General Ability Test. The written exam will be conducted for 900 marks. Continue to read the complete article to find out more!

UPSC NDA Exam Pattern 2024

The selection process for UPSC NDA & NA EE consists of two stages as given below:

  • 1st Stage: Written Examination
  • 2nd Stage: SSB Interviews

Aspirants can further scroll down to check the detailed exam pattern for these two stages.

NDA Written Exam Pattern

The UPSC NDA paper pattern, including the time duration and maximum marks allotted for each subject, is tabulated below:

SubjectSubject CodeDurationMaximum Marks
Mathematics012.5 Hours300 Marks
General Ability Test (GAT)022.5 Hours600 Marks
Total5 Hours900 Marks

Topic-wise Marks Distribution for General Ability Test

Find the topic-wise marks for the GAT paper below:

SectionsMaximum Marks
English200 Marks
General Knowledge– Physics: 100 Marks
– Chemistry: 60 Marks
– General Science: 40 Marks
– History: 80 Marks
– Geography: 80 Marks
– Current Events: 40 Marks
Total600 Marks

Important Points:

  • The Written Test is divided into two papers, i.e., Mathematics and General Ability Test.
  • Both sections will be in English as well as Hindi.
  • The General Ability Test has two sub-sections – English and General Knowledge. 
  • Mathematics: 120 questions carrying a total of 300 marks.
    General Ability Test: 150 questions carrying a total of 600 marks (200 marks for English and 400 marks for General Knowledge).
  • The General Ability section comprises Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History Freedom Movement, Geography and Current Events.
  • All the questions in both papers are MCQs (Objective type Questions).
  • It is the Commission that will decide the cutoff for the NDA exams. They will release the list of candidates who have successfully cleared the exam and are eligible to attend the SSB Interview.

Steps To Practice Unlimited NDA Questions

Access the unlimited NDA & NA questions from Embibe and improve your preparation level. Candidates can follow the below-mentioned steps to take the free practice tests:

  • 1st Step: Visit Embibe’s official website, i.e., embibe.com.
  • 2nd Step: Use the mobile number/email to log in.
  • 3rd Step: Click on the menu bar “Getting into my dream undergraduate college” 
  • 4th Step: Select the Goal “Defence” from the dropdown and click on “Next”.
  • 5th Step: Search and select “NDA & NA EE” on the search bar and click on “Next”.
  • 6th Step: Select the preferred language and click on “Done”.
  • 7th Step: Click “Practice” from the header section.
  • 8th Step: Scroll down to the “Subjects” section.
  • 9th Step: Click on any NDA & NA subjects.
  • 10th Step: Scroll down to click on the chapters from the selected subject to begin the practice.

UPSC NDA Marking Scheme

Candidates appearing for the exam can check the marking scheme in NDA from the table below:

SectionsMathematicsGAT
Total Questions120 MCQs150 MCQs
Total Marks300 Marks600 Marks
Marks per Questions2.5 Marks4 Marks
Negative Marking0.83 Marks1.33 Marks

Check the detailed marking scheme for General Ability Test below:

  • The English section of the GAT consists of 50 questions carrying a total of 200 marks. The General Knowledge section consists of 100 questions carrying a total of 400 marks.
  • Marks awarded for each correct answer: 4 marks
  • Marks deducted for each incorrect answer: 1.33 marks
  • If a candidate selects more than one option for a question, it will be treated as a wrong answer, and 1/3rd of the marks allotted to the question will be deducted. 
  • There is no negative marking for questions left unanswered.

NDA SSB Interview Pattern

After clearing the written test, shortlisted candidates will be called for the SSB interview round. Check the details for the SSB Interview below:

EventTime DurationMaximum Mark
SSB Test/ Interview5 days900 Marks

The interview process consists of two stages: Stage 1 and Stage 2. Candidates should clear Stage 1 in order to appear for Stage 2. The following details of the stages are mentioned below:

StageType of TestSyllabus
Stage 1Screening Test1. Verbal and non-verbal tests.
2. PPDT
Stage 2Psychological Test1. Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
2. Word Association Test (WAT)
3. Situation Reaction Test (SRT)
4. Self-Description Test (SD)
Stage 2Group Testing Officers Test1. GD
2. GPE
3. PGT
4. HGT
5. IOT
6. Command Task
7. Snake race/Group Obstacle Race
8. Individual lecture
9. FGT
Stage 2Personal Interview & Conference
  • Stage 1: It comprises Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and Picture Perception and Description Test (PP&DT). The candidates will be shortlisted based on a combination of performance in the OIR Test and PP&DT.
  • Stage 2: It comprises an Interview, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests and the Conference. These tests are conducted for 4 days.

Three assessors assess candidates’ personalities. They are the Interviewing Officer, Group Testing Officer, and Psychologist. There is no separate weightage in each test. These tests are designed to assess the presence or absence of officer-like qualities and training qualities in a candidate. Based on this, candidates will be selected.

General Guidelines on UPSC NDA Exam

Candidates must strictly follow the guidelines issued by UPSC:

  • The use of calculators and mathematical or logarithmic tables is not allowed in the exam. If candidates bring these things, they must leave them outside before entering the exam hall.
  • Mobile phones, pagers or any type of communication devices are not allowed inside the exam hall. If this rule is violated, they will be liable for disciplinary actions and a lifetime ban from any future exams.
  • Clipboards are allowed inside the exam hall. The invigilator will provide a good-quality HB pencil, eraser, pencil sharpener, and a blue or black pen.
  • Candidates are not advised to bring any valuables to the exam centre. If lost, the authorities are not responsible for it.
  • Cheating is strictly prohibited. No candidates shall copy from someone’s papers nor allow someone else to copy their paper. Candidates are not allowed to give or obtain or attempt to give or obtain irregular assistance of any description.
  • No candidates should misbehave during the exam in any manner, create any disorderly scene, or harass the staff employed by the Commission. If any such misconduct happens, then they will be severely penalized for such an act.
  • Candidates need to use ink or a ballpoint pen to fill the particulars in an empty circle so that it does not exceed the circle’s boundary. They must read the instructions to fill the circle so that the machine does not reject the answer.
  • Do not write anything other than specific information asked on the answer sheet. Candidates will be provided with a rough sheet where they can practice such things.
  • Do not fold or damage, or put any markings on the answer sheet. Do not write anything on the back of the answer sheet.
  • Please read the instructions carefully before the exam commences.

Related Links:

NDA RecruitmentNDA Admit Card
NDA Answer KeyNDA Result
NDA NotificationNDA Question Papers
NDA SyllabusNDA Books
NDA SalaryNDA Application Form
NDA Exam DatesNDA Preparation

FAQs on NDA Exam Pattern 2024

The frequently asked questions regarding the NDA Paper Pattern 2024 are given below:

Q: How many subjects are in the UPSC NDA exam?

Ans: The UPSC NDA exam consists of two papers, i.e., Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT).

Q: What is the mode of the UPSC NDA exam?

Ans: The UPSC NDA written exam is conducted in offline mode.

Q: For how many marks the NDA exam is conducted?

Ans: The overall marks for the UPSC NDA exam are 900 marks. Out of which, 300 marks are for Mathematics and 600 marks are for GAT.

Q: Will the NDA question paper be bilingual?

Ans: Yes. The NDA question paper will be available in both English and Hindi.

Q: Is there a negative marking in the UPSC NDA written exam?

Ans: Yes. There is a negative marking, and one-third of the marks assigned to the question will be deducted for each wrong answer.

We hope this article on NDA Exam Pattern 2024 has provided you with all the details regarding the pattern and marking scheme. Stay tuned to Embibe for the latest news and updates on UPSC NDA 2024!

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