NDA Syllabus 2026: Subject-Wise Maths, GAT + PDF Download

The NDA syllabus is set by UPSC and covers two written papers — Paper I Mathematics (300 marks) and Paper II General Ability Test or GAT (600 marks) — followed by the SSB Interview (900 marks). The written stage carries 900 marks in total across 270 questions, with Maths drawn from Class 11–12 topics like Algebra, Calculus, Trigonometry and Analytical Geometry, and the GAT covering English plus General Knowledge (Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History, Geography and Current Events).

This guide breaks down the complete nda syllabus 2026 subject-wise and chapter-wise, then adds the exam pattern, marking scheme, chapter weightage, a month-wise study timeline and a free NDA syllabus PDF download route — everything a Class 11/12 defence aspirant needs to plan preparation from day one.

The subject lists, marks and pattern below follow the official UPSC NDA & NA Examination notification; the indicative chapter weightage is compiled from previous-year question-paper trends and should be treated as a prioritisation aid, not an exact guarantee.

NDA Syllabus 2026 at a Glance

If you only have a minute, here is the whole nda syllabus subject wise in one snapshot before the detailed breakdown.

What Is the NDA Exam? Eligibility & Quick Facts

The National Defence Academy (NDA) & Naval Academy Examination is a national-level entrance test conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) twice every year — NDA 1 (notification in December, exam around April) and NDA 2 (notification in May, exam around September). Clearing it is the gateway to joining the Army, Navy or Air Force wing of the NDA as an officer cadet after Class 12.

Before you dive into the syllabus, lock in the basic eligibility so you know whether you can apply for the 2026 cycles.

Note that women candidates are now eligible for the NDA, and selection is based on the combined performance in the written exam and the SSB Interview.

NDA Exam Pattern and Syllabus Overview

Understanding the nda exam pattern and syllabus together is the first step to a smart study plan, because marks distribution decides where your effort pays off most. The written exam has two objective (MCQ) papers held on the same day, and both are 2.5 hours long.

Key points to remember about the pattern:

• Both papers are Objective Type (multiple choice) with questions available in English and Hindi.
• The GAT is split into Part A (English, 200 marks) and Part B (General Knowledge, 400 marks).
• You must clear the qualifying cut-off in the written exam to be called for the SSB Interview.
• The syllabus is identical for both NDA 1 and NDA 2 in the same year — only the exam dates change.

NDA Marking Scheme and Negative Marking

The NDA follows a fixed marking and negative-marking scheme, and understanding it helps you decide how many risky guesses to attempt. Each wrong answer deducts one-third (1/3rd) of the marks assigned to that question.

Because the deduction is one-third of the reward, blind guessing is costly. A reliable rule of thumb: attempt a question only when you can eliminate at least two options, so the probability tilts in your favour. Unanswered questions carry no penalty, so leave a question rather than random-guessing with zero clue.

NDA Maths Syllabus (Paper I) – Chapter-Wise

The nda maths syllabus is built almost entirely from the Class 11 and Class 12 NCERT-level curriculum, which is why students with a strong PCM base find it manageable. Paper I has 120 questions for 300 marks. Below is the full official topic list, broken into sub-topics you can literally tick off as you finish them.

Algebra

Concept of set, operations on sets, Venn diagrams, De Morgan laws, Cartesian product, relation and equivalence relation. Representation of real numbers on a line, complex numbers (basic properties, modulus, argument, cube roots of unity), binary system of numbers, conversion between decimal and binary. Arithmetic, geometric and harmonic progressions, quadratic equations with real coefficients, solution of linear inequations, permutation and combination, binomial theorem, and logarithms.

Matrices and Determinants

Types of matrices, operations on matrices, determinant of a matrix, basic properties of determinants. Adjoint and inverse of a square matrix, applications — solving a system of linear equations by Cramer’s Rule and by the matrix method.

Trigonometry

Angles and their measures in degrees and radians, trigonometric ratios and identities, sum and difference formulae, multiple and sub-multiple angles, inverse trigonometric functions, and applications like height and distance and properties of triangles.

Analytical Geometry (2D & 3D)

Rectangular Cartesian coordinate system, distance formula, equation of a line in various forms, angle between two lines, distance of a point from a line. Standard forms of the circle, parabola, ellipse and hyperbola (eccentricity, axis). In 3D: point in space, distance between two points, direction cosines and direction ratios, equation of a plane and a line in space, angle between two lines and between two planes, and the equation of a sphere.

Differential Calculus

Concept of a real-valued function, domain, range and graph. Composite functions, one-to-one, onto and inverse functions. Notion of limit, standard limits, continuity of functions, derivative of a function at a point, derivatives of sum, product and quotient, derivative of a function with respect to another function, derivative of a composite function. Second-order derivatives, increasing and decreasing functions, and 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. Definition of order and degree of a differential equation, formation of a differential equation, general and particular solution of first-order and first-degree differential equations, and their applications.

Vector Algebra

Vectors in two and three dimensions, magnitude and direction of a vector, unit and null vectors, addition of vectors, scalar multiplication, scalar (dot) product and vector (cross) product of two vectors. Applications — work done by a force and moment of a force, and geometrical problems.

Statistics and Probability

Statistics: classification of data, frequency distribution, cumulative frequency distribution, graphical representation (histogram, pie chart, frequency polygon), measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode), variance and standard deviation, and correlation and regression. Probability: random experiment, outcomes and associated sample space, events, union and intersection of events, complementary, elementary and composite events, conditional probability, Bayes’ theorem, Binomial distribution and examples of random experiments giving rise to it.

NDA Maths Chapter-Wise Weightage (Indicative)

Based on previous-year question trends, the marks are not spread evenly — a handful of chapters dominate the paper. Use this indicative weightage to prioritise the high-return topics first.

The smart takeaway: Matrices & Determinants and Probability are among the best low-effort, high-scoring areas — the concepts are limited and questions are formula-driven, so lock these early for guaranteed marks.

NDA GAT Syllabus (Paper II) – Part A & Part B

The nda gat syllabus is the larger of the two papers at 600 marks and 150 questions. It tests language and awareness across two parts — Part A (English) and Part B (General Knowledge). Because GAT carries the most marks, it often decides who crosses the written cut-off.

Part A – English (200 Marks)

The English section tests your command of the language across a range of topics: grammar and usage, vocabulary, spotting errors, sentence improvement, synonyms and antonyms, comprehension passages, ordering of words in a sentence, completion of sentences, and cohesion. The aim is to check your ability to use English accurately and understand written passages — no essay writing, only objective questions.

Part B – General Knowledge (400 Marks)

General Knowledge is the heaviest single block in the whole NDA written exam. It is spread across six subjects — Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History & Freedom Movement, Geography, and Current Events. Here is the subject-wise scope.

Physics: Physical properties and states of matter, mass, weight, volume, density and specific gravity, motion, Newton’s laws, force and momentum, work, power and energy, gravitation, heat and temperature, sound waves, light (reflection and refraction, lenses, human eye), magnetism, static and current electricity, conductors and non-conductors, Ohm’s law, and simple everyday devices.

Chemistry: Physical and chemical changes, elements, mixtures and compounds, symbols, formulae and simple equations, laws of chemical combination, properties of air and water, preparation of gases (Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon dioxide), oxidation and reduction, acids, bases and salts, carbon and its forms, and common fertilisers and materials.

General Science: Difference between living and non-living, basis of life (cells, protoplasm, tissues), growth and reproduction in plants and animals, human body and its organs, common epidemics, food and balanced diet, the Solar System, and achievements of eminent scientists.

History & Freedom Movement: A broad survey of Indian history with emphasis on culture and civilisation, the freedom movement, the Constitution and administration of India, panchayati raj, five-year plans, and the basics of nationalism, socialism, communism, and democracy. Elementary knowledge of world history — the Renaissance, exploration and discovery, and the impact of science and technology on society.

Geography: The Earth, its shape and size, latitudes and longitudes, rotation and revolution, origin of the Earth, rocks and their classification, weathering, earthquakes and volcanoes, atmosphere and its composition, temperature and atmospheric pressure, winds, humidity, condensation and precipitation, ocean currents and tides, and Regional Geography of India — climate, natural resources, agriculture, minerals, industries, and trade routes.

Current Events: Knowledge of important events in India in recent years, current important world events, and prominent personalities in India and the world including those connected to cultural and sporting activities. Since this section is dynamic, aspirants should track a reliable current-affairs source through the year. A structured monthly resource like the Vision IAS Current Affairs Magazine (January 2026, English) is an efficient way to cover national and international events, awards, defence news and appointments without doomscrolling.

NDA GAT General Knowledge Weightage

Within the 400-mark GK block, the six subjects do not carry equal marks. History and Geography together often make up a large chunk, while Current Events is small but easy to score if you revise regularly.

These figures are indicative from past-paper analysis and shift slightly each cycle, but the pattern is stable: Physics is the single biggest GK subject, so a candidate strong in Class 11–12 Physics has a real edge in the GAT.

Is the NDA Syllabus the Same as Class 11 and 12?

Largely, yes. The NDA Mathematics paper maps almost one-to-one onto the Class 11 and Class 12 NCERT syllabus — calculus, trigonometry, algebra, coordinate geometry, matrices, vectors and probability are all board-level topics. The GAT Physics, Chemistry and General Science portions also draw from Class 9–12 science, and the History and Geography portions overlap heavily with school social science.

The differences are (1) the objective, speed-based format with negative marking, which board exams don’t have, and (2) the Current Events and English usage sections, which need separate, ongoing preparation. So while your school studies build 70–80% of the foundation, you still need targeted practice on speed, accuracy and awareness. Practising with topic-wise previous-year questions — the way UPSC aspirants use a PYQ toolkit such as the Forum IAS Topic-Wise PYQ Toolkit for general studies — is a proven method to convert school knowledge into exam-ready marks.

NDA SSB Interview: The 5-Day Selection Process

Clearing the written exam is only half the journey. Shortlisted candidates are called for the SSB (Services Selection Board) Interview, a rigorous 5-day personality and intelligence assessment worth 900 marks — equal to the entire written exam. It is split into two stages.

Only candidates who clear Stage I proceed to Stage II. The SSB looks for Officer-Like Qualities (OLQs) — effective intelligence, reasoning, initiative, courage, and social adaptability — so preparation here is about personality and communication, not textbook cramming.

NDA Syllabus PDF Download

A clean, printable copy of the syllabus is the single most useful planning tool you can have. You can download the official nda syllabus pdf straight from the UPSC website: visit upsc.gov.in → Examinations → Active Examinations / Notifications, open the latest NDA & NA Examination notification, and the complete standard and syllabus is listed in the appendix.

Here is the step-by-step route for the nda syllabus pdf download:

• Go to the official UPSC portal at upsc.gov.in.
• Open the Examinations menu and choose Active Examinations (or Examination Notifications for past cycles).
• Click the latest National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination notification.
• Download the PDF and scroll to the appendix titled “Standard and Syllabus” for the full Paper I and Paper II topic list.

For quick revision, keep two versions handy: (1) the full official notification PDF for the exact wording, and (2) a one-page subject-wise checklist you can print and tick off. If you prefer a professionally compiled, ready-to-print syllabus booklet format — the way many aspirants use the GS Score Latest Syllabus Booklet for structured revision — you can replicate the same tracker approach for NDA to monitor which chapters are done.

Tip: paste the Maths and GAT topic lists from this page into a spreadsheet, add columns for “Read”, “Practised”, and “Revised”, and you have a free NDA syllabus tracker in five minutes.

How Many Months Are Needed to Complete the NDA Syllabus?

A realistic timeline to complete the NDA syllabus is 4 to 8 months, depending on your starting point. A Class 12 student comfortable with PCM can be exam-ready in about 4–5 months; someone starting from a weaker base or preparing alongside boards should plan 6–8 months. Here is a sample month-wise plan.

The non-negotiable habit across all phases: attempt at least 2–3 full-length mock tests every week in the last two months, under exam timing, to build speed and manage negative marking.

Best Books and Preparation Strategy for NDA 2026

The right resources make the syllabus far less intimidating. Here is a subject-wise starter list along with the strategy that goes with it.

Strategy essentials that separate selected candidates from the rest:

• Prioritise by weightage: put Calculus, Trigonometry and Physics first — they carry the most marks.
• Score the easy wins: Matrices, Probability and Current Events are low-effort, high-return; don’t leave them for the end.
• Master negative marking: practise controlled attempting; accuracy beats attempting everything.
• Revise current affairs monthly: a single lapsed month can cost you 8–10 easy marks. Consistent monthly reading — the way UPSC aspirants use the Vision IAS monthly current-affairs magazine — keeps this section under control.
• Simulate the real exam: take both papers back-to-back on weekends to build the 5-hour stamina.

NDA 1 vs NDA 2: Is the Syllabus the Same?

This is a common source of confusion, so let us settle it clearly: the syllabus for NDA 1 and NDA 2 is exactly the same. UPSC does not change the standard, subjects, marks distribution, exam pattern or marking scheme between the two cycles of a year. The only differences are the notification dates, exam dates and result timelines.

Practical implication: if you miss NDA 1, your preparation carries over fully to NDA 2 — no re-learning of a new syllabus is needed. Many aspirants use both cycles in a year as two attempts on the same syllabus.

Common Mistakes NDA Aspirants Make

Even well-prepared students lose marks to avoidable errors. Steer clear of these:

• Ignoring the GAT and over-focusing on Maths — remember GAT carries 600 marks, double the Maths paper.
• Neglecting English, which is a fast-scoring 200-mark section with predictable question types.
• Random guessing that triggers heavy negative marking, especially in the 4-mark GAT questions.
• Starting current affairs too late — it compounds over months and cannot be crammed in a week.
• Skipping full-length mocks, so exam-day time management and stamina become a problem.
• Treating the SSB as an afterthought, even though it is worth the same 900 marks as the entire written exam.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the syllabus of the NDA exam?

The NDA syllabus has two written papers — Mathematics (300 marks, Class 11–12 topics like Algebra, Calculus, Trigonometry, Analytical Geometry, Vectors, Statistics and Probability) and the General Ability Test or GAT (600 marks, covering English plus General Knowledge in Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History, Geography and Current Events). Qualified candidates then face the SSB Interview worth 900 marks.

What is the NDA exam pattern and marking scheme?

Paper I (Maths) has 120 questions for 300 marks and Paper II (GAT) has 150 questions for 600 marks, each 2.5 hours long. In Maths a correct answer gives +2.5 and a wrong one deducts 0.83; in the GAT a correct answer gives +4 and a wrong one deducts 1.33 — a one-third negative-marking penalty in both papers.

Is the NDA syllabus the same as Class 11 and 12?

Yes, to a large extent. The Maths paper maps directly onto the Class 11–12 NCERT curriculum, and much of the GAT Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History and Geography content overlaps with school studies. The main additions are the objective speed format with negative marking, English usage, and Current Events, which need separate practice.

Which subjects are included in the NDA GAT paper?

The GAT has two parts. Part A is English (200 marks) covering grammar, vocabulary and comprehension. Part B is General Knowledge (400 marks) covering six subjects — Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History & Freedom Movement, Geography, and Current Events.

How to download the NDA syllabus PDF?

Visit the official UPSC website at upsc.gov.in, open Examinations → Active Examinations, click the latest NDA & NA Examination notification, and download the PDF. The full subject-wise syllabus is in the appendix titled “Standard and Syllabus.” Keep this official copy plus a one-page checklist for tracking your revision.

Is there negative marking in the NDA exam?

Yes. Both papers have negative marking of one-third of the marks allotted to a question. That means −0.83 for a wrong Maths answer and −1.33 for a wrong GAT answer. Unanswered questions carry no penalty, so only attempt questions where you can eliminate at least two options.

How many months are needed to complete the NDA syllabus?

Most aspirants need 4 to 8 months. A Class 12 student comfortable with Physics, Chemistry and Maths can be exam-ready in about 4–5 months, while someone starting from a weaker base or preparing alongside board exams should plan 6–8 months, with the last two months reserved for full-length mock tests.

Is the NDA 1 and NDA 2 syllabus the same?

Yes, the NDA 1 and NDA 2 syllabus, exam pattern, marks distribution and marking scheme are identical within a year. Only the notification dates, exam dates and result timelines differ, so your preparation for one cycle carries over completely to the other.

Recommended Study Material

Vision IAS Current Affairs Magazine January 2026 | English Medium Edition

★★★★☆ (66)

₹299

View Product →

Forum IAS UPSC Prelims Toolkit: Topic Wise PYQ (1992-2025) – Ultimate Pack of 7 Booklets (2nd Edition)

₹2245

View Product →

GS Score Latest Syllabus Booklet 2026-27 | UPSC Syllabus in English Medium

₹488

View Product →