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What is NDA 2021 Exam?
NDA is one of the most sought after defence entrance exams in the country. The exam is conducted for admission to Army, Navy and Air Force wings of NDA and Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC). NDA is conducted twice a year in two stages: written exam and SSB Interview. Around four lakh, aspirants appear for NDA every year, out of which approximately 6,000 are called for SSB Interview. UPSC prepares a list of candidates who obtain minimum qualifying marks in the written exam. Such candidates are called for SSB Interview for Intelligence and Personality Test.
Latest Updates:
Dec 3: NDA 1 2021 notification and application form will be released on December 30. Read More
NDA 2021 Highlights
| Exam name | National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination (NDA & NA) |
| Conducted by | UPSC |
| Exam level | National |
| Exam category | After class 12 |
| Frequency of exam | Twice a year |
| Exam stages | Written Test and SSB Interview |
| Exam mode | Offline |
| Exam duration | 5 hours (Mathematics: 2 ½ hours, General Ability Test (GAT): 2 ½ hours) |
| Exam syllabus | Mathematics: Algebra, Matrices and Determinants, Trigonometry, Analytical Geometry of two and three dimensions, Differential Calculus, Vector Algebra, Statistics and Probability. GAT: English, General Knowledge, Physics, Chemistry, General Science, Geography, Current Events etc. |
| Exam pattern | GAT: 150 objective type questions Mathematics: 120 objective type questions |
| Language | English and Hindi |
| Exam purpose | For admission to National Defence Academy (NDA) and Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC) |
| Test cities | 41 |
| Exam helpdesk | 011-23385271/011-23381125/011- 23098543 |
| Official website | upsc.gov.in |
NDA Eligibility Criteria 2021
Candidates need to fulfill the following eligibility criteria in order to be eligible for the exam.
Age Limit: For NDA 1 exam, candidates must have born not earlier than July 2, 2002, and not later than July 1, 2005. For NDA 2 exam, candidates must have born not earlier than January 2, 2002, and not later than January 1, 2006.
Educational qualification: The educational qualification is different for different academies. Candidates can check the educational qualification prescribed for different academies below:
| Army Wing of National Defence Academy | Passed Class 12/HSC or equivalent from a recognised board or university. |
| Air Force, Navy and Naval Academy of National Defence Academy | Passed Class 12/HSC with Physics and Mathematics |
Click here to know more on NDA eligibility criteria
NDA Dates 2021
The dates of NDA I and II exams had been announced through UPSC calendar 2020. Candidates can check below NDA dates 2020.
NDA I Dates 2021
| Events | Dates | Salient Features |
|---|---|---|
| Notification | 30-Dec-2020 | The complete schedule along with other details will be released |
| Application form | 30-Dec-2020 | Registrations for the recruitment exam will begin |
| Last date to apply | 19-Jan-2021 | Candidates can submit their application forms online |
| Application withdrawal | To be notified | The facility to withdraw the application form of NDA will be made available after the completion of the application process |
| Written exam | 18-Apr-2021 | The exam will be conducted in two shifts: morning and afternoon across 41 cities spread throughout the country |
| Admit card | March 2021 | All registered candidates will be issued admit cards for the exam |
| Declaration of written result | June 2021 | The result of the written exam is declared online and displays the roll numbers of shortlisted candidates |
| SSB Interview | July to Sept 2021 | SSB Interview is conducted for the shortlisted candidates of written exam in two stages |
NDA 2 Dates 2021
| Events | Dates | Salient Features |
|---|---|---|
| Notification | 09-Jun-2021 | NDA 2 notification will be released in PDF format |
| Application form | 09-Jun-2021 | Application forms will be made available along with the notification |
| Last date to apply | 29-Jun-2021 | Candidates can apply within the application deadline |
| Written exam | 05-Sept-.2021 | The written exam of NDA was conducted in two shifts and comprised two papers |
| Admit card | August 2021 | The admit card will be released online for registered candidates |
| Declaration of written result | December 2021 | The result of the written exam is declared on the official website in PDF form |
| SSB Interview | January 2022 to April 2022 | SSB Interview is conducted in two stages |
Check here UPSC Calendar 2021
NDA vacancies 2021
The details regarding NDA vacancies are released along with the notification. Approximately 400 vacancies are announced for NDA 1 and 2 exams. In 2020, a total of 418 vacancies were announced for NDA 1 exam and 413 were for NDA 2. Till the vacancies for 2021 are announced, candidates can check below the vacancy break-up of last year.
NDA 1 vacancies 2020
| Academy | Number of vacancies |
|---|---|
| NDA | 370 to include 208 for Army, 42 for Navy and 120 for Air Force (including 28 for ground Duties) |
| Naval Academy (10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme) | 48 |
| Total | 418 |
NDA 2 vacancies 2020
| Academy | Number of vacancies |
|---|---|
| NDA | 370 to include 208 for Army, 42 for Navy and 120 for Air Force (including 28 for ground Duties) |
| Naval Academy (10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme) | 43 |
NDA Selection Process 2021
The complete process of NDA is explained below.
Filling the application form
Interested candidates are required to fill NDA application form online. The application fee is Rs 100 which can be paid both online and offline. The commission releases the list of rejected applicants a few days after the closure of the application process. Besides, the examination authority also activates the link to withdraw NDA application form for a specified period. Candidates who do not wish to appear for the exam can withdraw their application form.
Release of admit card
NDA admit card is released three weeks before the exam. The link to download the admit card will be available on the official website. Candidates can download the admit card by logging either with roll number or registration number. The hard copy of the admit card is not sent to candidates by post.
Written Exam
All the candidates who successfully register for the exam are required to appear for the written exam. The written exam comprises two sections: Mathematics and General Ability Test. The test carries a total of 900 marks. Candidates who obtain the minimum qualifying marks in the written exam are called for SSB Interview. Read more on NDA exam pattern.
Declaration of result
NDA result is declared online in two stages: written and final. First, the result of the written exam is declared followed by the declaration of the final result. The result is made available in PDF format. It displays the roll numbers of qualified candidates. The marksheet of candidates is released after the declaration of the final result. Candidates need to secure NDA cut off separately in written exam and SSB Interview.
SSB Interview
The SSB Interview is conducted for Intelligence and Personality Test. The test is conducted in two stages. All qualified candidates are put to stage 1 test on the first day of reporting at Selection Centres/Air Force Selection Boards/Naval Selection Boards. Candidates qualifying the first stage are called for the second stage exam. Those who will qualify the second stage are required to submit a birth certificate and pass certificate.
Final Selection
Candidates are finally selected for admission to admission to Army, Navy and Air Force wings of NDA and INAC based on their performance in written exam and SSB Interview. The final allocation will be done as per the number of vacancies subjected to candidates eligibility, medical fitness and merit-cum-preference.
Release of Answer Key
NDA Answer Key for both Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT) is released after completion of the recruitment process. The answer keys are made available for sets of test booklets.
Check here for the complete selection process
NDA 2021 Exam Centres
NDA exam centres are the cities where the offline test will be conducted. Candidates need to appear for the exam in the exam centre allotted to them by the examination authority. While filling the application form, candidates need to enter their preferences of exam city. UPSC will allot exam centre to candidates as per the preferences exercised by them in the application form. However, the Commission reserves the right to cancel or add exam centres. The exam will be conducted in the following cities.
| City | State/Union Territory |
|---|---|
Agartala | Tripura |
Ahmedabad | Gujarat |
Aizawl | Mizoram |
Allahabad | Uttar Pradesh |
Bangalore | Karnataka |
Bareilly | Uttar Pradesh |
Bhopal | Madhya Pradesh |
Check here complete NDA exam centres.
NDA 2021 Exam Day Guidelines
- Candidates should carry their NDA admit card to the exam centre
- Along with the admit card, candidates should also carry one photo-identity proof
- Carry clipboard or hardboard and a black ball pen for marking their responses
- Sheet for doing rough work is provided by the invigilator
- Books, notes, loose sheets, electronic or any other type of calculators, mathematical and drawing instruments, log tables, stencils of maps, slide rules, test booklets and rough sheets are not allowed inside the examination centre
- Misconduct during the exam is not entertained and serious actions will be taken against the candidates doing the same
- Strict action is taken against those candidates found copying or cheating
NDA Exam Analysis 2021
NDA exam analysis 2021 will be provided separately for the Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT) after the exam gets over . The exam will help candidates to know the overall and section-wise difficulty levels, students reaction regarding the papers, topic-wise distribution of questions, etc. Check below NDA exam analysis 2020 shared by the candidates.
NDA Preparation Tips by Toppers
Candidates can check below the interviews given by toppers to Shiksha on how to prepare for NDA.
| Toppers | Preparation Tips |
|---|---|
| NDA 2019 Topper Piyush Thorve (AIR 16) |
|
| NDA Exam 2018 Topper, Sparsh Kankane (AIR 1) |
|
NDA Preparation Tips 2021
Candidates can prepare for NDA exam by following the tips given below
- To begin with, candidates must be clear about the subjects, pattern and types of questions
- The Mathematics section of NDA comprises questions from Algebra, matrices, trigonometry, calculus, statistics, etc. Candidates must clear their concepts from Class 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 NCERT books
- The GAT comprises a variety of subjects such as Chemistry, General Science, Geography, History and Current Affairs. This section also comprises a section on English
- Candidates must revise the topics they have studied
- Make short and simple notes as it will help candidates to revise properly and quickly
- Solve previous years' NDA question papers and take a NDA mock test
- Buy good NDA books and question banks
Check here NDA Preparation Tips 2021
NDA 2021 FAQs
Q. What is the eligibility for NDA exam?
A. Candidates should be between 16 to 19 years and have passed class 12 or equivalent exam.
Q. What is the salary after NDA?
A. During the training period, candidates are offered Rs 56,100.
Q. Can a married candidate apply for NDA exam?
A. No, only unmarried candidates are eligible to apply for NDA exam.
Q. Can girls apply for NDA exam?
A. No, girls cannot apply for NDA exam.
Q. What is the difference between NDA and CDS exams?
A. Though both are defence exams, there are many similarities and differences in recruitment process, exam pattern, training, salary, perks, promotion, eligibility, etc. Read More
Q. What are the subjects for NDA exam?
A. The exam comprises two subjects: Mathematics and GAT (English and General Knowledge).
Q. What are the minimum qualifying marks for applying to NDA exam?
A. There are no minimum qualifying marks for applying to the exam.
Q. Does class 12 marks matter in NDA exam?
A. Yes, class 12 marks are important for applying to the exam.
Q. Is Mathematics necessary for NDA exam?
A. Yes, if you apply for Air Force and Navy.
Q. Is NDA exam easy?
A. The level of both papers: Maths and GAT remains moderate in terms of difficulty level.
Q. Is NCERT enough for NDA?
A. Mostly the questions are based on the syllabus of CBSE, therefore, it is advisable to prepare from NCERT books of Class 10, 11 and 12.
Q. Can I clear NDA exam by preparing for six months?
A. Yes, you can crack the exam with six months preparation. But, you need to prepare well with utmost dedication.
Q. Can I clear NDA exam in the first attempt?
A. Yes, you can clear in the first attempt with good preparation strategy.
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