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NDA Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2024, Download Maths, English and GAT Syllabus PDF

NDA Syllabus 2024

The Union Public Service Commission has released the detailed PDF of the NDA Syllabus 2024 in the official notification. Candidates should check the UPSC NDA Syllabus to understand the topics covered for the upcoming NDA Exam. The syllabus includes two subjects: Mathematics and General Ability Test. The NDA Syllabus 2024 consists only of objective-type questions. Candidates should also review the NDA Exam Pattern 2024 to grasp the exam format and requirements. Read the full article to see the NDA Syllabus 2024, exam pattern, marking scheme, and additional details.

NDA Syllabus 2024

The Union Public Service Commission conducts NDA examination twice a year. Candidates cracking the NDA Exam are recruited for the admission in the National Defence Academy. Aspirants joining the Indian Armed Forces through the NDA exam will join Permanent Commission. Here, We have discussed the NDA Written exam Syllabus for the candidates to help them prepare accordingly for the NDA 2024.

The NDA written exam is divided into two papers:
1) Paper 1- Mathematics
2) Paper 2 General Ability Test (GAT)

NDA Syllabus 2024: Overview

Both boys and girls planning to apply for NDA 2024 should start preparing by studying the detailed NDA Syllabus, which covers topics, patterns and the marking scheme. The NDA 2 exam will be conducted offline on 1st September 2024. Below are the main points of the NDA Syllabus and Exam Pattern:

NDA Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2024
Name of the Exam National Defence Academy Exam or NDA exam
Exam Conducting Body Union Public Service Commission, UPSC
Mode of exam Offline (Pen and Paper mode)
Total Papers in NDA Exam Mathematics
General Ability Test (GAT)
Total Marks for NDA Exam Total: 900 Marks
Mathematics: 300 Marks
GAT: 600 Marks
Total No. of Questions Mathematics: 120
GAT: 150
Negative Marking Mathematics: -0.83
GAT: -1.33 marks
Exam Duration Mathematics: 2 Hours 30 Minutes
GAT: 2 Hours 30 Minutes
Official Website upsc.gov.in

NDA Exam Pattern 2024

The Selection Process for the NDA exam contains two stages, the stage 1 is the Written examination and the NDA stage 2 is the SSB Interview. Candidates who qualify the cut off criteria for the NDA Examination will be invited for the NDA SSB Interview process. It is necessary for students to clear the NDA exam with good score. Here is the NDA Exam Pattern 2024.

The NDA exam has two parts:
1) Written Test
2) SSB Interview
After the NDA Cut Off is announced, candidates who qualify move on to the SSB interview. The exam lasts for 5 hours in total in which two and a half hour is allocated for both the sections individually. NDA exam consists of objective-type questions covering various subjects. The NDA Written Exam Pattern is as follows.

Subject Duration Maximum Marks
Mathematics 2½ Hours 300
General Ability Test 2½ Hours 600
SSB Test/Interview 5 Days 900

NDA Exam Syllabus 202

Candidates should review the NDA syllabus before starting their preparation. The syllabus will inform them of the topics to study for the exam. Key topics for the NDA exam include:

  • English: Reading Comprehension, Synonyms, Antonyms, Spotting Errors, Vocabulary, Idioms and Phrases, etc.
  • Maths: Matrices and Determinants, Sets, Venn Diagram, Trigonometry, 2D and 3D Geometry, Differential Calculus, etc.
  • General Knowledge: History, Chemistry, Current Affairs, Art and Culture, Physics, Basic Science, etc.

Mathematics Syllabus (300 Marks)

The mathematics syllabus includes algebra, trigonometry, calculus, and analytical geometry. It aims to test candidates’ understanding of mathematical concepts, their ability to use these concepts to solve problems, and their speed and accuracy in calculations. Here are some of the most important topics in the NDA Syllabus 2024 for Maths:
Topics Sub Topics
Algebra Concept of Set, Operations on Sets, Venn Diagrams, De Morgan Laws, Cartesian Product, Relation, Equivalence Relation. Representation of real numbers on a line. Complex numbers – basic properties, modulus, argument, cube roots of unity. Binary system of numbers. Conversion of a number in decimal system to binary system and vice versa. Arithmetic, Geometric and Harmonic Progressions. Quadratic equations with real coefficients. Solution of linear equations of two variables by graphs. Permutation and Combination. Binomial theorem and its applications.
Matrices and Determinants Types of matrices, operations on matrices. Determinant of a matrix, basic properties of determinants. Ad joint and inverse of a square matrix, Applications – Solution of a system of linear equations in two or three unknowns by Cramer’s rule and by Matrix Method.
Trigonometry Angles and their measures in degrees and in radians. Trigonometrical ratios. Trigonometric identities Sum and difference formulae. Multiple and Sub-multiple angles. Inverse trigonometric functions. Applications-Height and distance, properties of triangles.
Analytical Geometry of Two and Three Dimensions Rectangular Cartesian Coordinate system. Distance formula. Equation of a line in various forms. Angle between two lines. Distance of a point from a line. Equation of a circle in standard and in general form. Standard forms of parabola, ellipse and hyperbola. Eccentricity and axis of a conic. Point in a three dimensional space, distance between two points. Direction Cosines and direction ratios. Equation two points. Direction Cosines and direction ratios. Equation of a plane and a line in various forms. Angle between two lines and angle between two planes. Equation of a sphere.
Calculus Concept of a real-valued function – domain, range and graph of a function. Composite functions, one-to-one, onto and inverse functions. Notion of limit, Standard limits – examples. Continuity of functions – examples, algebraic operations on continuous functions. Derivative of function at a point, geometrical and physical interpretation of a derivative – applications. Derivatives of sum, product and quotient of functions, Derivative of a function with respect to another function, derivative of a composite function. Second-order derivatives. Increasing and decreasing functions. Application of derivatives in problems of maxima and minima.
Integral Calculus and Differential Equations Integration as inverse of differentiation, integration by substitution and by parts, standard integrals involving algebraic expressions, trigonometric, exponential and hyperbolic functions. Evaluation of definite integrals – determination of areas of plane regions bounded by curves – applications. Definition of order and degree of a differential equation, formation of a differential equation by examples. General and particular solution of a differential equation, solution of the first order and first-degree differential equations of various types – examples. Application in problems of growth and decay.
Vector Algebra Vectors in two and three dimensions, magnitude and direction of a vector. Unit and null vectors, addition of vectors, scalar multiplication of a vector, scalar product or dot product of two vectors. Vector product or cross product of two vectors. Applications—work done by a force and moment of a force and in geometrical problems.
Statistics and Probability Statistics: Classification of data, Frequency distribution, cumulative frequency distribution – examples. Graphical representation – Histogram, Pie Chart, Frequency Polygon – examples. Measures of Central tendency – Mean, Median and Mode. Variance and standard deviation – determination and comparison. Correlation and regression.
Probability: Random experiment, outcomes and associated sample space, events, mutually exclusive and exhaustive events, impossible and certain events. Union and Intersection of Events. Complementary, elementary and composite events. Definition of probability – classical and statistical – examples. Elementary theorems on probability – simple problems. Conditional probability, Bayes’ theorem – simple problems. Random variable as function on a sample space. Binomial distribution, examples of random experiments giving rise to Binomials distribution.

The Topic wise number of questions from the Maths section is given in the table below:

Topic Questions Range
Probability 10
Complex Number 10-15
Calculus 20-25
Quadratic Equation 20-25
Matrices and Determinant 30
Trigonometry 30

NDA Marking Scheme For Maths

In the NDA exam, candidates receive 2.5 marks for each correct answer. However, for each incorrect answer, 0.83 marks are deducted as negative marking. Here are the details of the marking scheme and the number of questions:
Aspect Details
Total Marks 300 Marks
Total Number of Questions 120
Marks for Correct Answer 2.5 marks
Marks Deducted for Wrong Answer -0.83
Total Duration of Mathematics Paper 2 Hours 30 Minutes

Download FREE EBOOK for NDA 2024 Preparation

NDA Syllabus For Paper 2

The NDA Paper 2 syllabus encompasses the General Ability Test (GAT), which includes topics such as General Knowledge (GK), English, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, General Science, and Current Events. This paper contains 150 questions, with 50 questions dedicated to English and 100 questions to General Knowledge. The total marks for this section are 600. This syllabus specifies the subjects and topics that candidates need to study for the NDA exam.

Aspects Details
Total marks for GAT paper 600 marks
No. of questions 150
Total questions in English 50
Total questions in GK 100
Total Marks for English 200
Total Marks for GK 400
Marks for Correct Answer 4 marks in each section
Marks for Incorrect Answer -1.33 marks in each section
Total Duration of GAT Paper 2 Hours 30 Minutes

English (Maximum Marks: 200)

The English language question paper is crafted to assess candidates comprehension and effective use of English. The syllabus consists Grammar, Vocabulary, Comprehension and Cohesion. 

Topic No. of Questions No. of Marks
Spotting Errors 5 20
Comprehension 6 24
Sentence Improvement 10 40
Ordering of Words in a Sentence 9 36
Selecting Words 10 40
Synonyms 5 20
Antonyms 5 20
Total 50 200

English Topics For NDA Exam 2024

The NDA syllabus 2024 for English consists of various topics like grammar and its usage, comprehension and expression. Read the table below for the detailed understanding regarding the English topics for the exam.

Topics Subtopics
Grammar and Usage Parts of speech: Noun, Pronoun, Adjective, Verb, Adverb, Conjunction, Preposition, Interjection
Subject-verb agreement
Tenses: Present, Past, Future
Active and passive voice
Coherence and unity: Theme, Idea, Paragraph, Sentence Structure
Vocabulary: Synonyms, Antonyms, One-word substitution, Idioms and Phrases, Words often confused
Comprehension Comprehension of a given passage
Drawing of inferences
Use of vocabulary: Synonyms, Antonyms, One-word substitution, Idioms and Phrases, Words often confused
Expression Simple sentence structure
Punctuation: Comma, Full stop, Question Mark, Exclamation Mark, Apostrophe
Conjunctions: Coordinating, Subordinating
Adverbs and Prepositions
Direct and indirect speech
Comparison: Degrees of comparison
Articles: Definite and Indefinite Articles
Verbs: Auxiliary, Modal, Regular and Irregular verbs
Sentence correction: Spotting Errors, Sentence Improvement

NDA GAT Syllabus (Maximum Marks: 400)

This test will consist of 6 sections. Candidates will have to prepare the basics of all these sections for the UPSC NDA 2024 Exam. The sections are as follows:

NDA GAT Syllabus 2024
Physics
Chemistry
General Science
History
Geography
Current Affairs

The question paper on GAT will broadly cover the subjects: Physics, Chemistry, General Science, Social Studies, Geography and Current Events.

Topic No. of Questions No. of Marks
Physics 23 92
Chemistry 16 64
General Science 11 44
History & Freedom Movement 16 64
Current Affairs 17 68
Geography 17 68
Total 100 400

Section ‘A’ (Physics)

The questions in the physics section are asked from the topics like Mass, Weight, Volume, Pressure, Newton’s laws of Motion etc. Given below is the complete list of topics from which the questions are been asked in the NDA examination.

  • Physical Properties and States of Matter
  • Mass, Weight, Volume, Density, and Specific Gravity
  • Principle of Archimedes
  • Pressure Barometer
  • Motion of Objects, Velocity, and Acceleration
  • Newton’s Laws of Motion
  • Force and Momentum
  • Parallelogram of Forces
  • Stability and Equilibrium of Bodies
  • Gravitation
  • Elementary Ideas of Work, Power, and Energy
  • Effects of Heat, Measurement of Temperature, and Heat
  • Change of State and Latent Heat
  • Modes of Transference of Heat
  • Sound Waves and Their Properties
  • Simple Musical Instruments
  • Rectilinear Propagation of Light, Reflection, and Refraction
  • Spherical Mirrors and Lenses
  • Human Eye
  • Natural and Artificial Magnets
  • Properties of a Magnet, Earth as a Magnet
  • Static and Current Electricity
  • Conductors and Non-Conductors
  • Ohm’s Law
  • Simple Electrical Circuits
  • Heating, Lighting, and Magnetic Effects of Current
  • Measurement of Electrical Power
  • Primary and Secondary Cells
  • Use of X-Rays
  • General Principles in the Working of: Simple Pendulum, Simple Pulleys, Siphon, Levers, Balloon, Pumps, Hydrometer, Pressure Cooker, Thermos Flask, Gramophone, Telegraphs, Telephone, Periscope, Telescope, Microscope, Mariner’s Compass, Lightning Conductors, Safety Fuses.

Section ‘B’ (Chemistry)

The Chemistry segment is the NDA examination consists questions from the topics like Elements, Mixtures and Compounds, Acids, Bases and Salts, Properties of matter etc. Consider the table given below in order to get the glimpse over the topics from which the questions are been asked.

  • Physical and Chemical Changes
  • Elements, Mixtures, and Compounds
  • Symbols, Formulae, and Simple Chemical Equations
  • Law of Chemical Combination (excluding problems)
  • Properties of Air and Water
  • Preparation and Properties of: Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon Dioxide
  • Oxidation and Reduction
  • Acids, Bases, and Salts
  • Carbon – Different Forms
  • Fertilizers – Natural and Artificial
  • Materials Used in the Preparation of: Soap, Glass, Ink, Paper, Cement, Paints, Safety Matches, Gunpowder
  • Elementary Ideas about the Structure of Atom
  • Atomic Equivalent and Molecular Weights
  • Valency

Section ‘C’ (General Science)

The General science is the category that consists of the general topics like Growth and Reproduction, basis of life, questions on food and balanced diet etc. All the topics from the General science section in the NDA syllabus are given below:

General Science Syllabus For NDA
  • Difference between the living and non-living.
  • Basis of Life—Cells, Protoplasm’s and Tissues.
  • Growth and Reproduction in Plants and Animals.
  • Elementary knowledge of Human Body and its important organs.
  • Common Epidemics, their causes and prevention.
  • Food—Source of Energy for man.
  • Constituents of food, Balanced Diet.
  • The Solar System—Meteors and Comets, Eclipses.
  • Achievements of Eminent Scientists.

Section ‘D’ (History, Freedom Movement etc.)

The Questions in this sections are majorly asked from History like Various movements, Indian constitution, Various plans in india, various revolutions etc. Given below is the list of the complete topics:

History, Freedom Movement etc. Syllabus For NDA
  • A broad survey of Indian History, with emphasis on Culture and Civilisation.
  • Freedom Movement in India.
  • Elementary study of Indian Constitution and Administration.
  • Elementary knowledge of Five Year Plans of India.
  • Panchayati Raj, Co-operatives and Community Development.
  • Bhoodan, Sarvodaya, National Integration and Welfare State, Basic Teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.
  • Forces shaping the modern world; Renaissance, Exploration and Discovery; War of American Independence.
  • French Revolution, Industrial Revolution and Russian Revolution.
  • Impact of Science and Technology on Society.
  • Concept of one World, United Nations, Panchsheel, Democracy, Socialism and Communism.
  • Role of India in the present world.

Section ‘E’ (Geography)

The question in this section are made from the topics like Origin of earth, latitude and longitudes, rocks, wind, cyclones etc. Check the list of topics given below to get the better understanding about this section.

Geography Syllabus For NDA
  • The Earth, its shape and size.
  • Latitudes and Longitudes, Concept of time.
  • International Date Line.
  • Movements of Earth and their effects.
  • Origin of Earth.
  • Rocks and their classification; Weathering—Mechanical and Chemical, Earthquakes and Volcanoes.
  • Ocean Currents and Tides Atmosphere and its composition; Temperature and Atmospheric Pressure, Planetary Winds, Cyclones and Anti-cyclones; Humidity; Condensation and Precipitation; Types of Climate, Major Natural regions of the World.
  • Regional Geography of India—Climate, Natural vegetation. Mineral and Power resources; location and distribution of agricultural and Industrial activities.
  • Important Sea ports and main sea, land and air routes of India.
  • Main items of Imports and Exports of India.

Section ‘F’ (Current Events)

Knowledge of Important events that have happened in India in recent years. Current important world events. Prominent personalities—both Indian and International including those connected with cultural activities and sports.

NOTE: Out of the maximum marks assigned to part ‘B’ of this paper, questions on Sections ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘E’ and ‘F’ will carry approximately 25%, 15%, 10%, 20%, 20% and 10% weightages respectively.

Section/Subject
Percentage of Marks
Section A: Physics
25%
Section B: Chemistry
15%
Section C: General Science
10%
Section D: History/Freedom Movements
20%
Section E: Geography
20%
Section F: Current Events
10%

Paper 3: Intelligence and Personality Test

The SSB process comprises two stages: stage I and stage II. Candidates who successfully pass stage I can progress to stage II. Here’s an overview:

Stage I includes:

  • Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests
  • Picture Perception and Description Test (PP&DT)
  • Shortlisting based on combined OIR and PP&DT performance

Stage II includes:

  • Interview
  • Group Testing Officer (GTO) tasks
  • Psychology tests
  • Conference
  • Conducted over 4 days
  • Details available on joinindianarmy.nic.in
  • Candidate’s personality is assessed by: Interviewing Officer (IO), Group Testing Officer (GTO), Psychologist

No separate weightage for each test; marks are given based on overall performance in all tests. Conference marks are based on initial performance and Board’s decision. Tests are designed to identify Officer Like Qualities and trainability. Candidates are either Recommended or Not Recommended based on their performance.

NDA SSB Syllabus 2024

NDA SSB Interview consists of two stages:

Stage Description
Screening Test It involves verbal and non-verbal tests along with Picture Perception and Description Test (PPDT).
Psychological Test It consists of Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), Word Association Test (WAT), Situation Reaction Test (SRT), and Self Description Test (SD).
Group Testing Officers Test It includes Group Discussion (GD), Group Planning Exercise (GPE), Progressive Group Task (PGT), Half Group Task (HGT), Individual Obstacles Task (IOT), Command Task, Snake race or Group Obstacle Race, Individual Lecture, and Final Group Task (FGT).
Personal Interview and Conference The final part of Stage 2 involving individual interviews and a conference.

NDA OIR Syllabus 2024

The NDA Syllabus 2024 for the OIR Test is given below:

Verbal Test Non-Verbal Test
Completion of Series Figures
Analogies Shorter and Taller Problems
Blood Relation Locating Hidden Figure
Logical Venn Diagram Figure Matrix
Odd one out Paper Cutting
Jumbled Words Problem on Dice
Classification of Data Problem on Ranks
Coding-Decoding Problem on Cubes
One-word Substitution Interchanging 2 signs
Identification of Letters Visualizing Patterns
Spatial Ability Reconstruction of Test

FAQs

Who is eligible for NDA exam?

Only unmarried male and female aspirants aged between 16.5 and 19.5 are eligible to apply for NDA.

Is Maths tough in NDA?

The overall difficulty level of the NDA section is considered to be moderate.

How to apply for the NDA Exam?

Candidates who are interested in the NDA Exam can apply online by visiting the official website- upsconline.nic.in

What is the pattern of the NDA exam?

National Defence Academy (NDA) examination is divided into two parts, written examination of 900 marks and the interview of 900 marks.

Are questions repeated in NDA?

Yes, some NDA English Questions are repeated in the exam. Only questions are changed but concepts remain the same.

When will the NDA exam 1 2024 be conducted?

The NDA 1 exam 2024 will be conducted on 21st April, 2024.

When will the NDA 2 2024 exam take place?

The NDA 2 2024 exam will be conducted on 1st September, 2024.

What are the subjects required for NDA?

Candidates need to have a background in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics to be eligible for the NDA exam.

Can I join NDA without Maths?

You can join the Indian Army even if you did not study Mathematics in Class 12. However, there are limitations. If you didn't study Mathematics in Class 12, you can only apply for the Army wing of the NDA. You won't be eligible to apply for the Navy or Air Force wings of the NDA without Mathematics.