NDA Syllabus 2026: Subject-Wise Maths & GAT + PDF

The NDA syllabus is set by UPSC and is divided into two papers written on the same day: Mathematics (300 marks, 120 questions) and the General Ability Test or GAT (600 marks, 150 questions), for a total of 900 marks in the written exam. Maths is based almost entirely on the NCERT Class 11 and 12 curriculum, while GAT covers English plus General Knowledge (Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History, Geography and Current Events). Qualifiers then face the SSB Interview worth 900 marks, so final merit is out of 1800. This guide breaks down the full NDA syllabus 2026 subject-wise, maps every topic to its NCERT chapter, gives topic-wise weightage, lists the best books, and shows how to get an NDA syllabus PDF download.

NDA Syllabus 2026: Overview and Latest UPSC Update

The National Defence Academy exam is conducted twice a year by UPSC — NDA 1 (notification in December, exam in April) and NDA 2 (notification in May, exam in September). The syllabus and exam pattern for NDA 2026 remain unchanged from the established UPSC scheme; there is no reduction or restructuring for the 2026 cycle. The one significant policy shift of recent years — the opening of NDA to female candidates following the Supreme Court’s 2021 order — continues, so eligible unmarried women can apply for the Army, Navy and Air Force wings alongside male aspirants.

Both papers are objective (MCQ) and are held on the same Sunday, with Mathematics in the morning session and GAT in the afternoon. Each paper lasts 2.5 hours (150 minutes). Understanding this split early helps you allocate study time correctly: GAT carries double the marks of Maths, yet most aspirants under-prepare its General Knowledge half. The topic list below follows the official UPSC NDA notification; always cross-check it against the current-year notification PDF on upsc.gov.in.

Has the NDA syllabus changed for 2026?

No. UPSC has issued no revision to the NDA syllabus or exam pattern for the 2026 cycle. Both the Mathematics and GAT syllabi, the 900-mark written structure, the one-third negative marking and the SSB stage remain exactly as in previous years. The only evolving elements are administrative — notification dates, vacancy numbers and the continued inclusion of female candidates. Anyone who prepared from last year’s topic list is studying the correct syllabus for NDA 1 and NDA 2 2026.

NDA Exam Pattern 2026: Marks, Questions and Negative Marking

The NDA exam pattern 2026 is straightforward but the marking scheme is unusual, so read it carefully. Mathematics has 120 questions of 2.5 marks each; GAT has 150 questions where each carries 4 marks. Negative marking is one-third (1/3) of the marks assigned to that question — meaning you lose 0.83 marks per wrong answer in Maths and 1.33 marks per wrong answer in GAT. This makes reckless guessing expensive, especially in GAT.

Is there negative marking in the NDA exam?

Yes. Every incorrect answer costs one-third of that question’s marks. Attempt a question only when you can eliminate at least two of the four options; blind guessing statistically drags your score down over a full paper.

NDA Maths Syllabus 2026 (Paper 1) — Subject-Wise Topics

The NDA maths syllabus is the highest-scoring section per hour of study because it is concept-driven and repetitive across years. It draws from eight broad areas. Below is the complete UPSC-notified list, followed by a table mapping each unit to the exact NCERT Class 11/12 chapter you should study from.

• Algebra — Sets, Venn diagrams, De Morgan laws, relations & functions, complex numbers, quadratic equations, AP/GP/HP, permutations & combinations, binomial theorem, logarithms.
• Matrices and Determinants — types of matrices, operations, determinant, adjoint, inverse, solving systems by Cramer’s rule.
• Trigonometry — ratios and identities, multiple/sub-multiple angles, inverse trigonometric functions, height and distance, properties of triangles.
• Analytical Geometry (2D & 3D) — straight lines, distance formula, conic sections (parabola, ellipse, hyperbola), point in 3D space, direction cosines, equation of a plane and line, sphere.
• Differential Calculus — limits, continuity, differentiability, derivatives, application to maxima/minima, increasing/decreasing functions.
• Integral Calculus & Differential Equations — indefinite and definite integrals, area under curves, formation and solution of differential equations.
• Vector Algebra — vectors in 2D/3D, magnitude, dot and cross product, scalar triple product, applications.
• Statistics and Probability — measures of central tendency and dispersion, correlation, probability, conditional probability, Bayes’ theorem, Binomial distribution.

Is the NDA syllabus based on Class 11 and 12 (NCERT)?

Yes — this is the single most useful fact for planning. The Maths paper maps almost one-to-one onto NCERT Class 11 and 12, and the science portion of GAT is drawn from NCERT Class 9–12. Mastering NCERT thoroughly covers 80–90% of the syllabus, which is why self-study from the standard textbooks is entirely viable.

NDA GAT Syllabus 2026 (Paper 2) — English + General Knowledge

The NDA GAT syllabus is split into two parts. Part A – English carries 200 marks (about 50 questions) and Part B – General Knowledge carries 400 marks (about 100 questions). Because GAT is worth 600 marks — double the Maths paper — it decides most selections. Below is the full breakdown.

What subjects are there in the NDA GAT?

GAT contains English (grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, cohesion) plus six General Knowledge streams: Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History & Freedom Movement, Geography, and Current Events.

GAT Part A — English (200 marks)

The English section tests candidates’ proficiency in the language and its usage. There is no separate literature component. Focus areas:

• Grammar & Usage — tenses, subject-verb agreement, articles, prepositions, error spotting, sentence improvement.
• Vocabulary — synonyms, antonyms, idioms, phrases, one-word substitution.
• Comprehension — reading passages and answering inference-based questions.
• Cohesion — sentence ordering, para-jumbles, sentence completion and connectors.

GAT Part B — General Knowledge (400 marks)

General Knowledge is further divided into six sections, each with its own indicative weightage. This is where a clear topic-wise plan pays off.

How specific is the Current Events section?

Current Events questions typically cover the 12 months preceding the exam, with emphasis on defence developments, important appointments, sports events, summits, awards, and major science & technology news. A consolidated monthly current-affairs resource is far more efficient than scattered reading. Aspirants who use a structured monthly compilation such as the Vision IAS Current Affairs Magazine (January 2026) can revise the whole year in a few sittings before the exam.

NDA Syllabus Subject-Wise Weightage (PYQ-Based)

One thing most top-ranking pages mention but rarely display in full is a single, consolidated weightage table across both papers. Based on previous-year-question (PYQ) trends, here is how the 900 written marks are distributed — use it to prioritise revision.

Which subject has the highest weightage in NDA?

Within a single paper, Mathematics is the largest single subject at 300 marks. But within GAT, English alone carries 200 marks — more than any single GK stream — which is why strong English usually separates selected from non-selected candidates. Overall, Physics and Calculus are the two most rewarding topics to master.

Download NDA Syllabus PDF

You can get the complete, well-formatted NDA syllabus PDF download covering both Maths and GAT, the exam pattern, and the NCERT chapter mapping in one clean file. Instead of hunting across multiple pages, this is a single printable document you can keep beside your study table.

How can I download the NDA syllabus PDF?

Save this page as a PDF (Ctrl+P → Save as PDF) to keep the full subject-wise syllabus, weightage tables and NCERT mapping offline, or refer to the official UPSC NDA notification available on upsc.gov.in for the authoritative version. A printable topic checklist is included at the end of this article so you can tick off each unit as you complete it.

NDA 1 vs NDA 2 2026: Key Differences

The syllabus, exam pattern, marks and negative marking are identical for NDA 1 and NDA 2. The differences are only in timing, vacancies and age-window eligibility, since your date of birth determines which attempt you qualify for.

SSB Interview: The 900-Mark Second Stage

Clearing the written exam is only half the battle. The SSB Interview is a five-day process worth 900 marks, conducted in two stages. Many first-time candidates focus entirely on the written syllabus and neglect SSB preparation until it is too late.

Stage I — Screening (Day 1)

• OIR (Officer Intelligence Rating) — verbal and non-verbal reasoning tests.
• PP&DT (Picture Perception & Description Test) — view a hazy picture, write a story, then discuss it in a group. Only candidates who clear Stage I continue to Stage II.

Stage II — Days 2 to 5

• Psychology Tests — Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), Word Association Test (WAT), Situation Reaction Test (SRT), and Self-Description Test (SDT).
• GTO (Group Testing Officer) Tasks — group discussion, group planning exercise, progressive group tasks, command task, lecturette and the individual obstacles.
• Personal Interview — one-on-one with the interviewing officer.
• Conference — the assessor board’s final decision, followed by a medical examination for recommended candidates.

SSB assesses Officer-Like Qualities (OLQs) — planning, effective intelligence, social adaptability, courage and responsibility — not bookish knowledge. Start soft-skill and current-affairs preparation alongside your written study.

Best Books for NDA Maths and GAT 2026

Because the NDA syllabus rests on the NCERT foundation, your booklist should start with NCERTs and build upward with practice-heavy modules. Since NDA Maths mirrors the Class 11/12 engineering-entrance syllabus, high-quality JEE-style modules are excellent for depth and problem-solving speed.

For the Mathematics paper, structured module sets designed for the same Class 11/12 concepts help you drill formulae and MCQ patterns. The PW Prayas JEE Modules (11+12) and eSaral IIT JEE Modules cover Algebra, Trigonometry, Calculus and Coordinate Geometry with graded practice questions — ideal for building the speed NDA Maths demands. For the Physics, Chemistry and General Science portions of GAT, concept-rich sets such as the Careerwill NEET Study Module Set give NCERT-aligned coverage with mind-maps that suit objective revision.

NDA Preparation Strategy & 5-Month Study Plan

The most common question is how to sequence the syllabus. A disciplined aspirant starting from a Class 11/12 base can complete the full NDA syllabus in 4 to 6 months of focused study, leaving time for revision and mock tests. Here is a section-wise timeline.

How long does it take to complete the NDA syllabus?

Roughly 4–6 months for a candidate already in Class 11/12 with an NCERT foundation. A 12-pass repeater with weaker basics may need 6–8 months. Consistency of 5–6 focused hours daily matters more than total months.

Is coaching necessary to cover the NDA syllabus?

No — the NDA syllabus is fully self-study-friendly because it rests on NCERT. What matters is disciplined NCERT reading, one reliable practice module for Maths, a grammar and vocabulary book for English, a standard GK book, and a monthly current-affairs compilation. Candidates who self-study successfully typically pair NCERT with structured practice modules and previous-year papers rather than relying on classroom coaching alone.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Ignoring GAT because it feels “easier” — it carries 600 of the 900 written marks.
• Skipping NCERT and jumping to guidebooks — you lose the concept base.
• Under-preparing English despite its 200-mark weight.
• Blind guessing and ignoring the one-third negative marking.
• Leaving SSB and current affairs preparation until after results.
• Not solving previous-year papers — NDA repeats concepts heavily.

Printable NDA Syllabus Checklist

Tick off each unit as you finish it. This covers the entire NDA syllabus subject-wise.

• Maths: Algebra ☐ | Matrices & Determinants ☐ | Trigonometry ☐ | Analytical Geometry 2D & 3D ☐ | Differential Calculus ☐ | Integral Calculus & Diff. Equations ☐ | Vector Algebra ☐ | Statistics & Probability ☐
• GAT English: Grammar ☐ | Vocabulary ☐ | Comprehension ☐ | Cohesion ☐
• GAT GK: Physics ☐ | Chemistry ☐ | General Science ☐ | History & Freedom Movement ☐ | Geography ☐ | Current Events ☐
• SSB: OIR ☐ | PP&DT ☐ | Psychology ☐ | GTO ☐ | Personal Interview ☐

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the syllabus of the NDA exam?

The NDA syllabus has two papers: Mathematics (300 marks) covering Algebra, Matrices, Trigonometry, Analytical Geometry, Calculus, Vector Algebra, Statistics and Probability; and the General Ability Test or GAT (600 marks) covering English and General Knowledge (Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History, Geography and Current Events).

Is the NDA syllabus based on Class 11 and 12 NCERT?

Yes. The Mathematics paper maps almost directly onto NCERT Class 11 and 12, while the science and GK sections of GAT are drawn from NCERT Class 9 to 12. Thorough NCERT study covers the large majority of the syllabus.

How many questions and marks are there in the NDA Maths and GAT papers?

Mathematics has 120 questions of 2.5 marks each (300 marks). GAT has 150 questions of 4 marks each (600 marks) — 50 English questions worth 200 marks and 100 GK questions worth 400 marks. The written total is 900 marks.

Is there negative marking in the NDA exam?

Yes. One-third of the marks assigned to a question are deducted for each wrong answer — 0.83 marks in Maths and 1.33 marks in GAT. Attempt questions only when you can eliminate at least two options.

Which subject has the highest weightage in NDA?

Mathematics is the largest single subject at 300 marks. Within GAT, English alone carries 200 marks, more than any single GK stream, making it the highest-weight section inside the GAT paper.

How can I download the NDA syllabus PDF?

Use your browser’s print option (Ctrl+P → Save as PDF) on this page to save the complete subject-wise NDA syllabus, exam pattern, weightage tables and NCERT mapping offline, or download the official version from the UPSC NDA notification on upsc.gov.in.

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