Cracking the NDA (National Defence Academy) exam is the dream of countless aspirants who wish to serve the nation by joining the Indian Army, Navy, or Air Force. Conducted twice a year by the UPSC, this competitive exam evaluates a candidate’s aptitude, academic knowledge, and general awareness. With lakhs of students appearing every year and only a limited number of vacancies, strategic preparation is crucial—and this is where NDA question papers play a vital role.
NDA question papers are not just practice tools; they are your window into the real exam experience. Solving previous year question papers helps candidates understand the exam pattern, identify frequently asked topics, and improve their speed and accuracy. Whether it’s mastering Mathematics or tackling the General Ability Test (GAT), consistent practice with NDA previous year papers ensures that no surprises catch you off guard on exam day.
Moreover, NDA question papers allow you to simulate actual exam conditions. When timed and practiced sincerely, they sharpen time management skills and build the confidence necessary to perform under pressure. They also serve as a self-assessment tool, helping you pinpoint your strong and weak areas and refine your preparation accordingly.
In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the importance of NDA question papers, where to access them, how to analyze them effectively, and expert tips to integrate them into your study plan. Let’s dive into how these papers can be the game-changer in your NDA preparation journey.
Previous years’ question papers are crucial in helping candidates achieve good exam marks. Suppose you plan to prepare for the National Defence Academy (NDA) or Naval Academy entrance exam. In that case, it is essential to understand the exam pattern set by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The NDA exam consists of two papers, General Ability and Mathematics, which are assessed through a written test conducted by UPSC. To familiarize candidates with the question format and exam requirements, we have compiled the NDA’s question papers from the previous year in this article.
| Event | NDA 1 | NDA 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Notification Release | 11th December 2024 | 28th May 2025 |
| Application Start Date | 11th December 2024 | 28th May 2025 |
| Last Date to Apply | 1st January 2025 (6 PM) | 17th June 2025 |
| Application Correction | 1st–7th January 2025 | 17th–24th June 2025 |
| Admit Card Release | To be notified | To be notified |
| Exam Date | 13th April 2025 | 14th September 2025 |
| Result Declaration | May 2025 | October 2025 |
The UPSC NDA & NA Exam Pattern 2025 includes a written examination followed by the SSB Interview. The written test comprises two sections — Mathematics and the General Ability Test — with a total of 900 marks. To gain a thorough understanding of the exam structure, candidates are strongly encouraged to practice previous year question papers and review the NDA exam papers from past years.
The NDA exam pattern provides essential details regarding the mode of examination, total marks, duration, and types of questions asked. Understanding the exam pattern is crucial for candidates preparing for the NDA exam, as it helps them strategize effectively and aim for a higher rank. A clear understanding of the structure and requirements of the recruitment process ensures better preparation. The NDA written examination consists of two papers: the General Ability Test (GAT) and Mathematics. The test is conducted offline, and the question paper is available in both English and Hindi. Below are the key details of the NDA exam pattern:
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Mode of Exam | Offline |
| Number of Papers | GAT and Mathematics |
| Duration of Test | GAT: 2.5 hours | Mathematics: 2.5 hours |
| Exam Timing | GAT: 10 AM – 12:30 PM | Mathematics: 2 PM – 4:30 PM |
| Number of Questions | GAT: 150 | Mathematics: 120 |
| Language of Question Paper | English and Hindi |
| Total Marks | Written Exam: 900 (GAT: 600, Mathematics: 300) | SSB Interview: 900 |
When it comes to preparing for the NDA exam, aspirants often invest in expensive study materials, coaching classes, and online courses. While these resources have their place, one preparation strategy consistently stands out for its effectiveness: solving NDA question papers from previous years. These papers act as a blueprint of the actual exam, offering insights no coaching institute or guidebook can match.
One of the greatest advantages of practicing NDA question papers is gaining an in-depth understanding of the exam pattern. NDA comprises two main sections: Mathematics (300 marks) and General Ability Test (600 marks), both with a duration of 2.5 hours each. Within the GAT section, questions are further divided between English and General Knowledge. Solving previous year papers regularly allows candidates to understand how questions are distributed, how many questions come from each topic, and which areas are most emphasized. This makes your preparation more focused and exam-oriented.
Time is a critical factor in the NDA exam. With 120 questions in GAT and 120 in Mathematics, aspirants get barely a minute per question. Practicing previous year NDA papers under real-time conditions improves your speed and helps you learn how to divide time efficiently between sections. Over time, you’ll develop a strategy for which questions to attempt first, how much time to spend on tricky ones, and how to avoid unnecessary time traps.
Each NDA question paper you solve is an opportunity for self-assessment. After attempting the paper, evaluating your performance honestly helps you identify areas that need improvement. Did you struggle with trigonometry? Did English grammar questions take too long? Tracking your progress through each paper allows you to adjust your study plan and focus more on weaker sections. This feedback loop is essential for consistent improvement.
NDA exams tend to repeat certain topics year after year, especially in Mathematics and General Knowledge. By analyzing multiple NDA question papers, you can easily identify which topics are most frequently tested. For example, topics like coordinate geometry, profit & loss, current affairs, and Indian polity are regulars in the exam. Prioritizing these in your study plan can give you an edge and maximize your score.
Perhaps the most underrated benefit of solving previous year NDA question papers is the boost in confidence. Each time you solve a real paper and see your performance improving, you build trust in your preparation. Familiarity with question styles, timing, and level of difficulty lowers anxiety and increases your readiness. Walking into the exam hall with the feeling that you’ve “been there, done that” can make all the difference.
To maximize the benefits of solving NDA question papers, it’s crucial not just to solve them, but to analyze them thoroughly. This analysis helps you gain insights into question trends, difficulty levels, and subject-wise weightage, enabling smarter and more targeted preparation.
1. Mathematics (300 Marks)
The Mathematics paper in NDA primarily includes:
| Topic | Weightage (%) |
|---|---|
| Algebra | 20–25% |
| Trigonometry | 15–20% |
| Coordinate Geometry | 10–15% |
| Calculus | 10–15% |
| Statistics & Probability | 5–10% |
| Matrices & Determinants | 5–10% |
| Arithmetic (Percentage, Ratio, etc.) | 10–15% |
Candidates must solve 120 questions in 150 minutes—meaning roughly 1.25 minutes per question. Accuracy, speed, and clarity of concepts are key.
2. General Ability Test (GAT) – 600 Marks
The GAT section is split into:
Knowing this breakdown helps aspirants allocate study time more effectively and identify strong and weak areas.
While the structure of the NDA exam remains consistent, the difficulty level can vary across years:
By comparing multiple years’ papers, candidates can prepare for a range of difficulty levels, rather than depending on a single pattern.
Analyzing NDA question papers also reveals frequently asked topics, such as:
Recognizing these recurring themes helps you focus your preparation on high-yield topics that are likely to appear again.
Solving NDA previous year question papers is only effective when done strategically. Here are proven techniques to enhance your practice:
Simulate full exam sessions by solving NDA papers under timed conditions—2.5 hours per paper. This helps improve your stamina, speed, and time allocation across questions. Use a stopwatch and attempt the paper without interruptions to replicate the real exam setting.
After every paper, review your performance section by section.
This helps build depth in weak areas rather than spreading your focus too thin.
Self-scoring & Error Logs. Always evaluate your attempted papers using official or expert-verified answer keys. Maintain a practice log with the following columns:
Tracking this over multiple papers helps you measure progress and avoid repeating the same mistakes.
The NDA syllabus is divided into two sections: Mathematics and the General Ability Test (GAT). The Mathematics section consists of 120 questions, while the GAT paper contains 150 questions. The GAT syllabus evaluates a candidate’s knowledge in subjects such as History, General Knowledge, Current Affairs (National and International), English, Science, and Geography. The Mathematics syllabus focuses on assessing problem-solving skills using formulas and theorems. The difficulty level of the NDA syllabus aligns with Class 10, 11, and 12 standards. The GAT section carries the highest weightage, with a total of 600 marks, while the Mathematics paper is worth 300 marks.
Candidates who secure the cut-off marks in the written exam are invited for the SSB interview, which is conducted by UPSC. Understanding the NDA syllabus is crucial for candidates to identify important topics and plan their studies efficiently. Additionally, solving NDA question papers helps candidates familiarize themselves with the exam format and question types. The NDA answer key provides correct responses to the questions asked in the exam.
| Parameters | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | National Defence Academy (NDA) Exam |
| Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Exam Frequency | Twice a year (NDA 1 & NDA 2) |
| Selection Process | Written Test, Intelligence & Personality Test (SSB) |
| Mode of Exam | Offline (Pen and Paper mode) |
| Subjects Covered | Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT) |
| Total Marks | 900 (Mathematics: 300, GAT: 600) |
This structured overview gives candidates a clear understanding of the NDA syllabus and helps them prepare effectively for the exam.
Before starting their NDA exam preparation, candidates should thoroughly review the syllabus to understand the topics they must cover. Below are some key subjects and topics that candidates must focus on:
Referring to the NDA Paper syllabus and systematically covering important topics will help candidates strengthen their preparation. Regular practice with NDA Paper will improve their understanding and boost their chances of success in the exam.
For NDA 2025, the exam dates for NDA & NA 1 have been officially released in the annual calendar. NDA 1 is set for April 13, 2025, while NDA 2 will be conducted on September 14, 2025. As the competition grows each year with a rising number of applicants, candidates need to refine their preparation strategies. Practicing with NDA Previous Year Paper can greatly enhance accuracy and speed. To support candidates in their preparation, we have compiled a list of NDA Previous Year Paper PDFs in this article.
Practicing NDA previous year question papers is essential for anyone aiming to crack the NDA exam, but it’s equally important to know where to find authentic, updated, and verified question papers. Many candidates waste time and effort downloading poor-quality or incomplete PDFs from unreliable sources. This section outlines the best ways to access official and trusted NDA previous year papers.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is the conducting body of the NDA exam, and it regularly publishes previous year question papers on its official website:
Here, you’ll find PDF versions of NDA question papers for both Mathematics and GAT from recent years. These are the most reliable and unaltered versions—exactly as they appeared in the actual exams. The UPSC typically uploads papers soon after each exam cycle (April & September). Make it a habit to check the site after every session for the latest uploads.
Candidates preparing for the NDA 2025 exam can greatly benefit from practicing with NDA Previous-Year Question Papers. These papers provide insights into the exam pattern, difficulty level, and types of questions asked. Below is a collection of NDA Previous-Year Question Papers from past years, available for download and practice. Consistent practice with these papers will enhance problem-solving skills and improve time management.
Practicing with NDA Previous Year Papers is essential for understanding the exam pattern, question types, and difficulty level. These papers help candidates improve accuracy, speed, and time management, enhancing their overall performance. Regularly solving NDA Previous Year Papers boosts confidence and effectively prepares aspirants for the actual exam.
| Year | NDA-1 (Mathematics) | NDA-1 (General Ability) | NDA-2 (Mathematics) | NDA-2 (General Ability) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| 2023 | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| 2022 | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| 2021 | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| 2020 | Download PDF | Download PDF | – | – |
| 2019 | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| 2018 | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| 2017 | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| 2016 | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| 2015 | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF |
Candidates can strengthen their grasp of the syllabus and improve their exam performance by referring to these NDA Question Papers.
Recommended Reads:
Ans. If you want to take the NDA exam, then you must become eligible. The first eligibility criterion is age. So, as per the instructions, one must attain the age bracket of 16-19 years. Apart from that, one must complete his 10+2 from a government educational board.
Ans. Yes, you can clear the NDA exam at the very first attempt if you prepare well. For that, you must follow a smart work policy instead of hard work. Undoubtedly, the syllabus is vast. So, if you can identify the chapters where it covers lots of questions then it will become easy.
Ans. Both the NDA and IIT exams are among the toughest in India. The selection rate for IIT is 0.71%, while for NDA, it’s even lower at 0.15%.
Ans. Questions in the NDA exam are asked from the below-mentioned topics: Mathematics: Algebra, Calculus, Matrices and Determinants, Integral Calculus and Differential Equations, Trigonometry, Vector Algebra, Analytical Geometry Of Two and Three Dimension and Statistics and Probability.
Ans. After completing training at the National Defence Academy (NDA), officers start their careers with a monthly salary of INR 56,100 and can potentially earn up to INR 2,50,000 or more, depending on their rank and years of service.
Authored by, Nidhi Kukreja
Exam Prep Advisor
Nidhi is a passionate writer who specializes in long-form, research-backed content that delivers real value. Whether she’s writing blog articles or creating educational modules, she focuses on making complex topics clear, detailed, and easy to understand. Her content is designed to build knowledge and credibility, helping readers gain deeper insights with every piece.
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Chegg India does not ask for money to offer any opportunity with the company. We request you to be vigilant before sharing your personal and financial information with any third party. Beware of fraudulent activities claiming affiliation with our company and promising monetary rewards or benefits. Chegg India shall not be responsible for any losses resulting from such activities.
