National Defence Academy Exam 2020
NDA or National Defence Academy Exam 2020 is a national level exam organized by UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) to recruit candidates in Army, Navy and Air Force. It is conducted twice every year as NDA (1) and NDA (2). Qualified candidates are sent for training at NDA, Khadakwasla and once they graduate from NDA, they are sent to the respective specialized academies of the three forces, namely, Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy(INA) and the Air Force Academy(AFA).
- This year, NDA -I and NDA-II exams will be held together on September 6, 2020, as announced on June 5, 2020. Also, notification on the NDA –II Examination will be posted on June 16, 2020.
- The application process is already over for NDA (1) 2020 and the Admit Card will be released soon.
The exam consists of 2 sections- Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT). The total duration of the exam is 5 hours combined for both sections.
- The exam will be conducted in offline mode (pen and paper-based). – Check UPSC NDA 2020 Exam Pattern
- NDA Exam 2020 Syllabus is based on CBSE 10+2 standards.
- Candidates successfully qualifying the written test would be shortlisted for the NDA Selection Process.
- Candidates qualifying the written test are called for an NDA SSB Interview. The final selection is done on the basis of the overall performance of the candidate.
NDA Exam Highlights
| Exam Name | National Defence Academy |
| Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission |
| Official Website | upsc.gov.in |
| Exam Type | National Level |
| Eligibility Criteria | Unmarried Male candidates can apply |
| Mode of Application | Online |
| Exam Mode | Offline |
| Duration | Mathematics: 2 hours 30 minutes General Ability Test: 2 hours 30 minutes |
| Number of cities for exam centres | 41 |
UPSC NDA EXAM Pattern
NDA 2020- Understanding the Exam Pattern
The NDA exam is conducted in the conventional pen and paper form and has multiple-choice questions. Especially in the GAT section, one has to be careful as there is a higher negative marking. The following table precisely gives all the necessary information on the exam pattern. When you have a thorough understanding of the pattern, preparing for it at the last moment becomes easier.
| Exam Pattern Highlights | ||
|---|---|---|
| NDA I 2020 | Mathematics | General ability test |
| Exam Duration | 2 hours and 30 minutes | 2 hours and 30 minutes |
| No. of sections | 1 | 2 (English and General Knowledge) |
| Total no. of questions | 120 | 150 |
| Total marks | 300 | 600 (English (200) + GK (400)) |
| Marking scheme | 2.5 for correct and -0.83 for incorrect | 4 for correct and -1.33 for incorrect |
| Medium | English and Hindi | English for the English section. English and Hindi for GK section |
| Type of questions | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) | |
The mathematics section is highly scoring if you are adept at solving the problems with accuracy in minimum time. Though you are given ample time to solve the entire paper, unless you have a clear conception of math and science, each problem can be time-consuming.
The general knowledge section of the NDA I 2020 consists of the following topics:
- Physics (100 marks)
- Chemistry (60 marks)
- General Science (40 marks)
- History and Freedom Movement (80 marks)
- Geography (80 marks)
- Current Events (40 marks)
NDA- Cut-off Trend
Whether the NDA cut-off will be lower than usual this year, depends on many factors like the difficulty level of the paper, number of candidates who appeared, etc.
When you are preparing for the upcoming test, keeping the cut-off trend in mind helps you to make a study plan.
| Year | NDA(I) (Max Marks:900) | NDA(II) (Max Marks:900) |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 263 | 193 |
| 2011 | 290 | 253 |
| 2012 | 333 | 322 |
| 2013 | 337 | 313 |
| 2014 | 348 | 368 |
| 2015 | 306 (With at least 30% marks in each Subject) Marks secured by the last finally recommended candidate (out of 1800 marks) 674 | 269 (With at least 25% marks in each subject) Marks secured by the last recommended candidate (Out of 1800 marks) 637 |
| 2016 | 288 (With at least 25 % marks in each Subject) Marks secured by the last finally recommended candidate (Out of 1800 marks) 656 | 315 |
| 2017 | 342(With at least 25 % marks in each Subject) Marks secured by the last finally recommended candidate (Out of 1800 marks) 708 | – |
| 2018 | 338 (with at least 25% in each subject) | 325 (with at least 25% in each subject) |
| 2019 | 342 (with at least 25% marks in each subject) | – |
| 2020 (expected) | 338-342- For Tier-1 700-720- Overall expected cut-off out of 1800 | – |
NDA II Syllabus 2020 Mathematics & General Ability Test
UPSC has prescribed NDA 2020 syllabus. NDA examination is divided into two papers – Mathematics and General Ability. It aims to judge a candidate on his logical ability and general awareness. NDA I 2020 is scheduled to be conducted on April 19, 2020.
- The Mathematics paper contains 300 marks while General Ability test holds 600 marks. The written test will be of total of 900 marks.
- For every incorrect response, 0.33 marks will be deducted as negative marking in the examination.
- After clearing the written test, candidates have to go through the SSB Interview. The interview process will have total of 900 marks.
- The question paper of Mathematics and PART B of General Ability test will be available in both English and Hindi languages.
NDA 2020 Exam Pattern
NDA 2020 is scheduled for April 19, 2020. It is an offline examination i.e. pen and paper based test with objective type questions.
NDA 2020 Exam Pattern is different for both the papers. It is necessary to qualify them in order to ensure admission in the National Defence Academy. NDA exam pattern for both the papers is given below:
Mathematics
| Paper I- Mathematics | |
|---|---|
| Total Marks | 300 Marks |
| Total No. of Questions | 120 |
| Marks awarded for Correct answer | 2.5 marks |
| Marks deducted for wrong answer | -0.85 |
| Exam Duration | 2.5 Hours |
General Ability
| Paper II- General Ability | |
|---|---|
| Total Marks | 600 marks |
| Total No. of Questions | 150 |
| No. of questions in English Section | 50 |
| No. Of questions in General knowledge Section | 100 |
| Maximum Marks for English | 200 marks |
| Maximum Marks for G.K. | 400 marks |
| Marks for Correct Answer | 4 marks in both sections |
| Marks for Incorrect Answer | -1.33 marks in both sections |
| Exam Duration | 2.5 Hours |
NDA 2020 Syllabus for Mathematics
Paper 1 in NDA is purely based on Mathematics. No change is observed in NDA Syllabus from the previous year. The questions will be asked from 10+2 level only. The sub-sections in this part are also of basic-level mathematics.
Read How to Prepare Mathematics for NDA 2020?
Here are all important topics in NDA Syllabus for Paper 1 i.e. Mathematics:
| NDA Syllabus for Mathematics | |
|---|---|
| Algebra | Matrices and Determinants |
| Trigonometry | Analytical Geometry of Two and Three Dimensions |
| Differential Calculus | Integral Calculus and Differential Equations |
| Vector Algebra | Statistics and Probability |
| Topic | No. of questions |
|---|---|
| Calculus | 20-25 |
| Quadratic equation | 20-15 |
| Matrices & Determinants | 30 |
| Probability | 10 |
| Trigonometry | 30 |
| Complex number | 10-15 |
NDA 2020 Syllabus for General Ability Test
Paper 2 in NDA i.e. the General Ability Test judges a candidate’s basic awareness and English proficiency. This section is further divided into two parts, English and General Knowledge.
- Total marks awarded to Paper 2 are 600.
- This paper must be completed in 2.5 hours.
- Here is the subject-wise NDA Syllabus for Paper 2:
Part A- English
- The English portion of the entrance test is designed in a way to judge a candidate’s knowledge of the basic grammar and vocabulary.
- It judges a candidate’s ability to form correct sentences and use of words.
- The syllabus of the English paper ranges from various aspects like the knowledge and usage of grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, and his mental ability to remember and place the meaning of words in their proper places.
- Marks allotted to this section are 300.
PART A- English
| Topic | No. of Questions | No. of Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Spotting Errors | 5 | 20 |
| Comprehension | 6 | 24 |
| Selecting Words | 10 | 40 |
| Ordering of Words in a Sentence | 9 | 36 |
| Sentence Improvement | 10 | 40 |
| Antonyms | 5 | 20 |
| Synonyms | 5 | 20 |
| Total | 50 | 200 |
Part B- General Knowledge
The question paper on General Knowledge will cover current affairs, questions from Physics, Chemistry, General Science, Social Studies, Geography and Current Events. NDA syllabus of each topic is given below. The paper aims to check knowledge and intelligent understanding of the subject.
Physics Section
The table below includes the important topics asked in Physics section of the General Ability Test:
| NDA Syllabus for Physics | |
|---|---|
| States of Matter and its properties | Light and Sound (properties) |
| Motion and Laws of Motion | Magnet and its properties |
| Work, Energy and Power | Current and Electricity |
| Modes of Transfer of Heat and its effect | General Principles of Working of Simple Pendulum, Pulleys, Siphon, Levers, Balloon, Pumps, Hydrometer, Pressure Cooker, Thermos Flask, Gramophone, Telegraphs, Telephone, Periscope, Telescope, Microscope, Mariner’s Compass; Lightening Conductors, Safety Fuses |
Read How to prepare Physics for NDA?
Chemistry Section
The basic knowledge of Chemistry and various chemicals is tested in the chemistry section. The topics to be considered for preparation are given below:
| NDA Syllabus for Chemistry | |
|---|---|
| Physical and Chemical Changes | Properties of Oxygen, Hydrogen etc. with Oxidation and Reduction |
| Air and Water (properties) | Carbon and its forms |
| Chemical equations and Laws of Chemical Combination | Atom and its structure (details) |
| Elements, Compounds and Mixtures | Fertilizers |
| Acid, Bases and Salts | Use of materials for preparation of different chemicals |
General Science Section
The topics for general science are tabulated below. The candidates must prepare according to the NDA Syllabus to obtain a good score in the NDA exam.
| NDA Syllabus for General Sciences | |
|---|---|
| Basic Unit of Life: Cell | Reproduction in Plants and Animals |
| Living and Non-Living Things | Human Body and Life processes |
| Epidemics: causes and preventions | Food and Balanced Diet |
| Solar System | Achievement of Eminent Scientists |
History Section
The important topics covered in the history section of the general ability test in NDA is given in the table below:
| NDA Syllabus for History | |
|---|---|
| Indian History: Culture and Civilisation | Constitution and Administration of India |
| Nationalism in India | Government of India at various levels |
| Five Year plans of India | Renaissance and Discovery |
| French, Russian and Industrial Revolution | United nations and Concept of one world |
| Democracy in India | Teachings of Mahatma Gandhi |
Geography Section
Candidates must prepare the following topics thoroughly for Geography section in NDA 2020:
| NDA Syllabus for Geography | |
|---|---|
| Earth and its Origin and Movement (latitudes and longitudes) | Tides and Oceanic Currents |
| Rocks and Its classification | Atmosphere and Atmospheric Pressure |
| Types of Climate | Regional Geography of India |
| Agricultural and Industries | Transportation and Trading routes of India |
| Imports and Exports of India | |
Current Affairs Section
Candidates must follow the latest newspapers and magazines with information about the current events across the country and the world both. The topics to be prepared to qualify in this section with good marks are tabulated below:
| NDA Syllabus for Current Affairs | |
|---|---|
| Important and Recent Events in India | Current and Important World Events |
| Important Indian or Non-Indian Personalities related to Cultural Activities and Sports | – |
PART B- General Knowledge
| Topic | No. of Questions | No. of Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Physics | 23 | 92 |
| Chemistry | 16 | 64 |
| General Science | 11 | 44 |
| History & Freedom Movement | 16 | 64 |
| Geography | 17 | 68 |
| Current Events | 17 | 68 |
| Total | 100 | 400 |
NDA 2020 Vacancy
There are a total of 418 vacancies for NDA 1 2020 qualifiers in different departments and branches of the Indian Army.
| Course | Number of Vacancies |
|---|---|
| 145th National Defence Academy (Indian Army) | 208 |
| 145th National Defence Academy (Indian Navy) | 42 |
| 145th National Defence Academy (Indian Air Force) | 120 |
| 107th Indian Naval Academy Course | 48 |
| Total | 418 |
The competition is extremely high with an average of 4,00,000 students applying every year and vacancies being approximately 400-450. Even though in an average 5000-6000 qualify tier-1 exam, eventually only as many as are required according to the vacancies get selected. Besides the last minute preparation for the Tier-1 test, to qualify you must also start with preparing physically and intellectually for Tier-2.
