The National Defence Academy (NDA) exam is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in India for recruitment to the Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of the NDA. The exam pattern and marking scheme are designed to evaluate candidates' knowledge and aptitude for a career in the armed forces.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the NDA exam pattern and marking scheme:
1. Exam Structure
The NDA exam consists of two stages:
- Written Examination (Stage 1)
- SSB Interview (Stage 2)
Written Examination (Stage 1)
- The written examination is pen and paper-based, consisting of two papers:
- Paper I: Mathematics
- Paper II: General Ability Test (GAT)
Paper I: Mathematics
- Duration: 2.5 hours
- Maximum Marks: 300
- Type of Questions: Objective (Multiple Choice Questions)
- Total Number of Questions: 120 questions
- Marks per Question: 2.5 marks
- Subjects Covered:
- Algebra
- Matrices and Determinants
- Trigonometry
- Analytical Geometry
- Differential Calculus
- Integral Calculus and Differential Equations
- Vector Algebra
- Statistics and Probability
Paper II: General Ability Test (GAT)
- Duration: 2.5 hours
- Maximum Marks: 600
- Type of Questions: Objective (Multiple Choice Questions)
- Total Number of Questions: 150 questions
- Marks per Question: 4 marks (for each question in both sections)
Subsections in GAT:
2. Marking Scheme
The marking scheme for the NDA exam is as follows:
3. SSB Interview (Stage 2)
After qualifying the written examination, candidates are called for the Service Selection Board (SSB) interview.
SSB Interview consists of two main parts:
Psychological Testing
Personal Interview
The SSB interview carries a total of 900 marks, and is designed to assess a candidate's personality, leadership qualities, mental fitness, and overall suitability for a career in the armed forces.
Stages in SSB Interview:
- Stage 1: Intelligence Test, Picture Perception, and Description Test (PPDT)
- Stage 2: Psychological Tests (including thematic apperception test, word association test, and others), Group Testing (Group Discussion, Group Tasks), and Personal Interview
The total combined marks of the Written Exam (900 marks) and the SSB Interview (900 marks) are used to create the final merit list.
4. Final Selection
- Candidates are selected based on the combined performance in the written exam and the SSB interview.
- The final selection is determined by the candidate's rank in the merit list, considering both written exam and interview scores.
5. Other Important Details
- Eligibility Criteria: Candidates must be unmarried male/female and between the ages of 16.5 and 19.5 years at the time of the commencement of the course.
- Subjects: Candidates must have passed or be appearing in their 12th exams (or equivalent) with Physics and Mathematics for admission to the Navy and Air Force wings of NDA. For the Army, candidates can come from any stream.
6. Key Points for Preparation
- Mathematics: Requires strong concepts and problem-solving ability. Focus on practicing a variety of problems, especially in areas like Calculus, Algebra, and Geometry.
- General Ability Test: This is a vast section, so preparation should cover a wide range of topics. Regularly reading newspapers and staying updated on current affairs is crucial for this section.
- Time Management: The exam is highly time-bound. Practice solving questions under time constraints to improve speed and accuracy.