NDA Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme

Clearing the NDA Exam is the dream of many aspirants, but many start preparing without knowing the NDA Exam pattern. Later, as their NDA preparation progresses, they realise that they wasted their precious time on subjects or areas that carry less weightage.

On this page, we cover every aspect of the NDA Exam Pattern and NDA Marking Scheme. The article gives a complete idea of the NDA exam pattern. Whether you are an NDA Target aspirant or an NDA Foundation aspirant, this page will help you in every aspect.

The NDA written examination has two papers. Paper I is Mathematics and Paper II is the General Ability Test (GAT). Together they carry 900 marks. Both papers are held on the same day, offline, using OMR answer sheets.

Candidates who clear the written examination cutoff are called for the SSB Interview, which carries another 900 marks. The grand total for NDA selection is 1800 marks. Lets understand NDA Exam Pattern in details.

NDA Written Exam at a Glance

Both papers are objective type. Each question has four options. You must select the most appropriate answer. There is negative marking for wrong answers (explained below).

Paper I: Mathematics

Mathematics carries 300 marks across 120 questions. Each correct answer scores 2.5 marks.

The paper lasts 2 hours 30 minutes.

The questions are based on the Class 11 and 12 Mathematics syllabus. Major topics include:

• Algebra
• Trigonometry
• Calculus (Differential and Integral)
• Coordinate Geometry
• Matrices and Determinants
• Statistics and Probability

For chapter-wise notes and practice questions, visit NDA Maths.

Paper II: General Ability Test (GAT)

The GAT carries 600 marks across 150 questions. Each correct answer scores 4 marks.

The paper lasts 2 hours 30 minutes.

The GAT is divided into two parts.

Part A: English (200 marks)

English carries 200 marks within the GAT. This section tests grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and sentence construction. These questions check how well you understand and use the English language, not just grammar rules.

For chapter-wise English preparation, visit NDA English.

Part B: General Knowledge (400 marks)

General Knowledge carries 400 marks. It is divided across six subject areas.

The table below shows the approximate marks allocated to each subject.

Physics carries the highest marks in the GK section. History and Geography each carry around 80 marks.

Visit JOVIK’s notes pages for each subject: Physics, Chemistry, History, Geography, Polity. For regular updates on current events, visit NDA Current Affairs.

Marking Scheme and Negative Marking

What is negative marking?

Negative marking means that a wrong answer attracts a penalty. For each wrong answer, one-third of that question’s marks is deducted from your total score.

An unattempted question attracts no penalty. Your total does not change if you leave a question blank.

This is why accuracy matters. A wrong answer does not just miss you those marks. It also reduces the score you have built from your correct answers.

Official marking rules

The deduction is one-third of the marks for each question.

For Mathematics: one-third of 2.5 = 0.833, shown as 0.83.

For GAT: one-third of 4 = 1.333, shown as 1.33.

There is no penalty for leaving a question unattempted.

How Marks Are Calculated: A Worked Example

The example below uses the exact one-third penalty rule. The number of correct, wrong and unattempted questions adds up to the total questions in each paper.

Mathematics example (120 questions total)

Suppose a student attempts 90 out of 120 questions, gets 70 right and 20 wrong.

Check: 70 + 20 + 30 = 120. Correct.

The exact penalty for 20 wrong Maths answers is 20 x (5/6) = 100/6 = 16.67 marks.

GAT example (150 questions total)

Suppose the same student attempts 110 out of 150 questions, gets 85 right and 25 wrong.

Check: 85 + 25 + 40 = 150. Correct.

The exact penalty for 25 wrong GAT answers is 25 x (4/3) = 100/3 = 33.33 marks.

What this tells you

20 wrong answers in Mathematics cost exactly 16.67 marks. Those 20 questions, if left unattempted instead, would have cost nothing.

In GAT, 25 wrong answers cost exactly 33.33 marks. Leaving uncertain questions unattempted protects your score.

This means the decision is not always obvious. A correct answer earns marks. A wrong answer costs one-third of those marks. An unanswered question costs nothing.

If you have no idea about a question, leaving it blank protects your score. If you can rule out one or two of the four options, you may have a better reason to attempt it. The choice depends on how confident you are and how well you understand the question.

Examination Day Structure

The two papers are held on the same day with a break between them.

Source: UPSC official examination schedule. Timings confirmed for NDA 2026 cycles; verify in the current notification for your cycle.

Language of the question paper

Both the Mathematics paper and Part B of the GAT are printed in English and Hindi side by side. Part A (English) is printed in English only, as it is a language paper. You may read questions in whichever language you find easier.

OMR answer sheet

OMR stands for Optical Mark Recognition. The answer sheet is a special paper that a machine reads to calculate your score.

You mark your chosen answer by filling in the correct circle using a black ballpoint pen. Only a black ballpoint pen is permitted. Pencils, ink pens, and other colours are not allowed.

You must download your admit card from upsc.gov.in before the exam. No physical copies are posted. Carry your admit card and a valid photo ID on exam day.

Written Exam and SSB: The Two Stages

NDA selection has two stages.

The final merit list is based on the combined marks of both stages.

What is the SSB?

SSB stands for Services Selection Board. It is a five-day assessment. Its primary purpose is to evaluate a candidate’s personality, reasoning ability, communication, leadership potential and Officer-Like Qualities.

The SSB looks at how you think, communicate and behave, not at your textbook knowledge. Questions about general awareness or current events can arise in the personal interview, but the SSB is not an academic test.

Only candidates who clear the written examination cutoff are called for the SSB.

For a full explanation of the SSB process, visit SSB Interview and SSB Interview Process.

What the NDA Exam Pattern Means for Your Preparation

GAT carries twice the marks of Mathematics. Mathematics carries 300 marks. GAT carries 600 marks. Many students focus mainly on Mathematics and give less time to English and General Knowledge. This is a common mistake. The GAT is worth twice as much.

English alone is worth 200 marks. That is two-thirds of the Mathematics paper. Grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension take time to improve. Start early and practise regularly.

Physics is the largest subject in the GK section. Physics typically accounts for around 100 of the 400 GK marks. It overlaps closely with Class 11 and 12 school topics, so your school preparation directly helps here.

Accuracy matters more than speed. Every three wrong answers together cost you as much as one correct answer is worth. A correct answer earns marks. A wrong answer costs one-third of those marks. An unanswered question costs nothing.

Attempt questions you feel confident about. When you can eliminate one or two options from a question, you may have a good reason to attempt it. When you have no idea, leaving the question blank protects your score. Build accuracy first, then improve your speed over time.

Geography and History are the two heaviest GK subjects after Physics. Each typically accounts for around 80 marks in the GK section. Give them consistent attention.

We suggest that aspirants understand the NDA Exam Pattern, the NDA Syllabus for each subject, and subject-wise trend analysis, and formulate a strategy based on their strengths and weaknesses. Also, keep evaluating your strategy by solving chapter-wise practice questions and NDA previous-year questions.