N.D.A. & N.A. Examination (I) 2026: Calender ,Dates , exam pattern ,syllabus

N.D.A. & N.A. Examination (I) 2026: Calendar ,Dates , exam pattern ,syllabus

N.D.A. & N.A. Examination (I) 2026 Exam date , application date

Application Date December 2025
Exam DateApril 2026
Educational QualificationFor Air Force & Naval Wings / 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme (INA)
Age LimitBetween 16½ years and 19½ years
Exam Calendar UPSC EXAM Calendar NDA &NA (I)
N.D.A. & N.A. Examination (I) 2026

Eligibility Criteria

Below are the main eligibility conditions you need to satisfy to apply for NDA & NA:

ParameterRequirement
NationalityMust be a citizen of India, or a subject of Nepal / Bhutan, or a Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1 Jan 1962 with intent to settle permanently.
Marital Status / GenderOnly unmarried candidates (male & female) are eligible. Must remain unmarried until training is complete.
Age LimitBetween 16½ years and 19½ years, depending on the session.
Educational Qualification– For Army Wing: Should have passed (or be appearing in) 10+2 / Class 12 (any stream) from a recognized board.
– For Air Force & Naval Wings / 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme (INA): Must have passed (or be appearing in) Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry & Mathematics subjects.
Physical / Medical StandardsCandidates must satisfy certain physical fitness and medical requirements (height, vision, etc.) as prescribed by UPSC / training academies. (Detailed standards are in the notification.)
OthersDate of Birth as recorded in Class 10 or equivalent certificates will be accepted. Horoscopes or affidavits are usually not accepted.
N.D.A. & N.A. Examination (I) 2026 Exam date , application date

Exam Structure / Pattern syllabus

  • Two papers:
     1. Mathematics – 300 marks, 120 questions, duration 2½ hours
     2. General Ability Test (GAT) – 600 marks, 150 questions, duration 2½ hours
  • In GAT, there are two parts:
     A. English
     B. General Knowledge / General Science & Awareness
  • Negative marking: For wrong answers, ⅓ of marks for that question are deducted.
  • The syllabus is largely based on Class 11 & 12 level, though some baseline from earlier classes is also relevant.

1. Mathematics (Paper I)

Below is the detailed breakdown of topics you should cover thoroughly.

Main TopicSubtopics / Details
AlgebraSets, operations on sets, Venn diagrams; De Morgan’s laws; Cartesian product; relations and equivalence relations; real numbers on the line; complex numbers (basic properties, modulus, argument, cube roots of unity); binary system, conversion between decimal & binary; arithmetic, geometric, harmonic progressions; quadratic equations (real coefficients); linear inequalities in two variables (graphical method); permutations & combinations; binomial theorem and applications; logarithms and their properties & applications.
Matrices & DeterminantsTypes of matrices (square, rectangular, etc.), operations on matrices; determinant of a matrix and its properties; adjoint and inverse of a square matrix; solving systems of linear equations in 2 or 3 unknowns using Cramer’s rule; matrix method for linear equations.
TrigonometryAngles in degrees and radians; trigonometric ratios and identities; sum and difference formulae; multiple and submultiple angles; inverse trigonometric functions; height & distance problems; properties of triangles.
Analytical Geometry (2D & 3D)Cartesian coordinate system; distance formula; equation of a line (various forms); angle between lines; distance of a point from a line; equation of a circle (standard & general); conics: parabola, ellipse, hyperbola (standard forms, eccentricity, axes); in 3D: point in space, distance between points, direction cosines & ratios; equation of a plane, equation of a line in space; angle between planes / lines; equation of a sphere.
Differential CalculusFunction: domain, range, graphs; composite, one-to-one, onto, inverse functions; limit and continuity (standard limits, intuition); derivative: basic rules, sum, product, quotient; derivative of composite functions; higher order derivatives; increasing/decreasing functions; maxima & minima problems.
Integral Calculus & Differential EquationsIntegration as inverse of differentiation; integration by substitution & by parts; standard integrals (algebraic, trigonometric, exponential, hyperbolic); definite integrals; application to determine area bounded by curves; differential equations: order & degree, formation of differential equations; solving first order / first degree differential equations; growth & decay problems.
Vector AlgebraVectors in 2D & 3D, magnitude & direction; unit and null vectors; addition & scalar multiplication; scalar (dot) product; vector (cross) product; applications: work, moment, geometrical problems.
Statistics & ProbabilityStatistics: classification of data; frequency & cumulative frequency distributions; graphical representations (histogram, pie chart, frequency polygon); measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode); variance, standard deviation; correlation & regression.
Probability: random experiments, sample space, events; mutually exclusive and exhaustive events; probability definitions (classical & statistical); basic theorems and simple problems; conditional probability and Bayes’ theorem (basic problems); random variables as functions; simple probability models.
N.D.A. & N.A. Examination (I) 2026

N.D.A. & N.A. Examination (I) 2026: Calender ,Dates , exam pattern ,syllabus

2. General Ability Test (GAT, Paper II)

This is divided into English (Part A) and General Knowledge / General Science / Current Affairs (Part B).

A. English (Part A)

Topics typically include:

  • Grammar & usage
  • Sentence completion
  • Spotting errors
  • Synonyms & antonyms
  • Vocabulary
  • Fill in the blanks
  • Idioms & phrases
  • Cloze test (unseen passage)
  • Sentence correction / improvement
  • Para-jumbles / ordering of sentences
  • Comprehension / unseen passages
  • Cohesion in extended text

The aim is to test understanding of English and workmanlike use of words.

B. General Knowledge / Science / Current Affairs (Part B)

This is a large section. Below is a topic-wise breakdown:

SubjectTopics / Subtopics
PhysicsPhysical properties & states of matter; heat, temperature, transfer of heat; sound, light, optics; laws of motion; work, energy, power; gravitation; mechanics; static & current electricity; magnetic effects; simple circuits; reflection, refraction; mirrors & lenses; measuring instruments; waves; basic modern physics.
ChemistryPhysical & chemical changes; elements, compounds, mixtures; atomic structure; chemical bonding; periodic table; basic reactions; acids, bases & salts; properties of important elements (H, O, N, CO₂, etc.); oxidation & reduction; metals, non-metals, etc.
Biology / General ScienceDifference between living and non-living; cell, tissues; reproduction, growth in plants & animals; human body (basic organs, systems); nutrition, balanced diet; common epidemics, their prevention; environment, ecology; basic genetics.
History / Freedom MovementBroad survey of Indian history: culture & civilization; freedom struggle in India (major movements, leaders, events); world history (revolution, war, major events, industrial revolution, etc.).
GeographyThe earth: shape, size, etc.; latitude, longitude; Earth’s movements; climate, weather, atmospheric phenomena; ocean currents, tides; volcanoes, earthquakes; landforms; natural resources; Indian geography: physical & economic; agriculture, industries; soil, vegetation; location & distribution of key features.
Polity / Constitution / CivicsBasic features of Indian Constitution; structure of government; fundamental rights & duties; duties & responsibilities; concept of democracy; system of representation; local self-government (panchayats, municipalities).
Current Affairs / National & International EventsImportant events happening in India & worldwide; awards, sports, books & authors; major government schemes; science & technology developments; important decisions, treaties; global organizations.
General study syllabus

Best books for NDA

Other Highly Recommended Books / Resources

From expert / coaching / preparatory sources:

SubjectBook / ResourceNotes / Tips
MathematicsMathematics for NDA & NA by R.S. AggarwalA staple for building fundamentals & practice.
Mathematics / QuantQuantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by R.S. AggarwalGood supplementary book for aptitude and speed practice.
English / Grammar / VocabularyObjective General English by S.P. BakshiWidely used for competitive exams including NDA.
English / GrammarWren & Martin — High School English Grammar & CompositionGood for building a strong base in grammar.
VocabularyWord Power Made Easy by Norman LewisUseful to build word bank and usage skills.
Physics / ScienceNCERT Physics (Class 11 & 12)Solid source for base concepts.
Physics / General ScienceConcepts of Physics by H.C. VermaHelps deepen conceptual understanding in physics.
General Knowledge / GKGeneral Knowledge by Manohar PandeyFrequently recommended for current affairs & general awareness.
General Knowledge / GKLucent’s General KnowledgeA concise reference for many GK topics.
HistoryIndia’s Struggle for Independence by Bipan ChandraGood for the Indian History section.
Geography / General StudiesGeography of India by Majid HusainCovers physical, economic and human geography of India.
Current Affairs / MagazinePratiyogita Darpan, Competition Success Review, Manorama YearbookUseful for keeping up with latest events and background facts.
Books

How to Use These Books Effectively

N.D.A. & N.A. Examination (I) 2026 Exam date , application date
  • Start with basics: Use NCERT / core textbooks for concept clarity before jumping into advanced or competitive books.
  • Focus on weak topics: Identify the chapters you find hard (e.g. Calculus, Polity, etc.) and spend more time there.
  • Regular practice: Solve MCQs from books like Pathfinder, Oswaal, and PW regularly under timed conditions.
  • Past years’ trend: Use solved papers to understand recurring topics, question patterns, level of difficulty.
  • Revision and notes: Maintain short notes / formula sheets. Before exams, revise using these.
  • Stay updated: For GK/current affairs, daily reading of newspaper + monthly magazines is critical.