Is there any minimum qualifying marks in NDA exam?

Yes, candidates need to secure 20 to 25 per cent in each subject of NDA exam. Besides, candidates need to secure the NDA cut off separately in the written exam and qualifying marks. The total marks allotted to the written exam are 900, the GAT section carries 600 marks and Mathematics section carries 300 marks. The SSB Interview carries 900 marks.

What is the prescribed educational qualification for NDA exam?

The prescribed education qualification for NDA exam is Class 12. The branch-wise NDA eligibility criteria is given below: Army Wing of National Defence Academy: Passed Class 12/HSC or equivalent from a recognised board or university Air Force, Navy, and Naval Academy of National Defence Academy: Passed Class 12/HSC with Physics Chemistry and Mathematics.

What is the salary after graduating from NDA?

The salary that candidates will get after completing their course in NDA is given below. Lt to Major: Lt: Level 10 (56100-177500) Capt: Level 10 B (61,300-193900) Maj: Level 11 (69400-207200) Lt Colonel to Major General: Lt Col: Level 12A (121200-212400) Col: Level 13 (130600-215900) Brig: Level 13A (139600-217600) Maj Gen: Level 14 (144200-218200) Lt Gen AG Scale: Level 15 (182200-224100) HAG + Scale: Level 16 (205400 224400) VCOAS/ Army Cdr/ Lt Gen (NFSG): Level 17 (225000) (fixed) COAS: Level 18 (250000) (fixed). .

What is the per month salary for NDA Officers?

NDA salary per month is INR 56,100 during the training period. After joining NDA, candidates get the starting salary. Over the time, the NDA salary increases based on the experience and performance. NDA salary per month for Lieutenant is between INR 56,100-1,77,500. The highest NDA salary for Officer is INR 2,50,000 per month for the Chief of Army Staff. The month-wise NDA salary is given below: Captain: INR 61,300-1,93,900 Major: INR 6,94,00-2,07,200 Lieutenant Colonel: INR 1,21,200-2,12,400

What is the salary of candidates selected through NDA exam?

Aspirants are always interested in knowing NDA salary while preparing for the exam. The salary provides details regarding the compensation that employees get after joining NDA. The stipend given to the Gentlemen Cadets during training is INR 56,100. After the successful training, the NDA salary of the Officer Commissioned will be fixed in the first Cell of Level 10.

What is the difference between NDA and CDS exams?

Though both are defence exams, there are many similarities and differences in the recruitment process, exam pattern, training, salary, perks, promotion, eligibility, etc. NDA is conducted for candidates who wish to join the defence services after Class 12. CDS is the exam conducted for the graduate candidates for training at Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Air Force Academy (AFA), Officers Training Academy (OTA) and Indian Naval Academy (INA). NDA exam is conducted for Class 12 pass candidates. Whereas, CDS exam is conducted for graduate-level candidates. NDA exam carries two subjects-GAT and Maths. CDS exam carries three papers-Maths, English and GK. English and GK section is conducted for OTA, IMA, INA and AFA. Maths paper is conducted for IMA, INA and AFA. The total marks allotted to the written exam of NDA is 900 whereas it is 300 for CDS.

What is NDA marking scheme?

There are negative marks for wrong answers, 1/3 of the marks allotted to each question are deducted for the incorrect answer. There is no deduction in marks for unanswered questions. The marking scheme of NDA is given below. GAT For correct answer, four marks are awarded while 1.33 marks are deducted for wrong answers. Maths For correct answer, 2.5 marks are awarded while 0.83 marks are deducted for wrong answers. The marks of candidates are calculated based on the number of correct and incorrect answers. The marking scheme of NDA exam is given below: Sections Marks for correct answer NDA Negative Marking GAT 4 1.33 Mathematics 2.5 0.83

Is NDA exam tough to crack?

NDA exam is known to be highly challenging and competitive exam. The exam tests the knowledge and aptitude of candidates in subjects such as Mathematics, General Ability and English . However, with proper preparation and practice, it is possible to crack the exam. It is important to note that success in the NDA exam also depends on factors such as dedication, focus, and time management.

What is the process of training in NDA Pune?

NDA is the joint training institute for all three services-Army, Navy and Air Force. After joining the NDA cadet undergo training for three years. After graduating from NDA candidates are sent to their respective training academies for one year of training before commissioning. Army cadets are sent to the Indian Military Academy (Dehradun), naval cadets to the Indian Naval Academy (Ezhimala), and Air Force cadets to the Air Force Academy (Dundigal, Hyderabad).

What after final selection in NDA?

The selected candidates are given preliminary training both academic and physical for a period of three years at the National Defence Academy. The training during the first two and half years is common to the cadets of three wings. All the cadets on passing out will be awarded degrees from Jawaharlal Nehru University Delhi. The selected candidates of the Naval Academy will be given preliminary training both academic and physical, for a period of three years at Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala. The cadets of 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme are awarded a B Tech Degree on successful completion of training. On passing out from the National Defence Academy, Army Cadets go to the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, Naval Cadets to Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala and Air Force cadets and Ground Duty-Non Tech streams to Air Force Academy, Hyderabad and Air Force cadets of Ground Duty-Tech stream to Air Force Technical College, Bengaluru. At the IMA Army Cadets are known as Gentlemen Cadets and are given strenuous military training for a period of one year. On successful completion of training, Gentlemen Cadets are granted Permanent Commission in the rank of Lt. The Naval cadets are selected for the Executive Branch of the Navy. On passing out from the National Defence Academy and are given further training at Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala for a period of one year. On successful completion, they are promoted to the rank of Sub Lieutenants. Air Force Cadets are given flying training for a period of 1½ years. However, at the end of one year of training, they are given provisional Commission in the rank of Flying Officer. After successful completion of further training of six months, they are granted permanent commissioned officers post.

How many students apply for NDA exam and qualify it?

Around two to three Lacs candidates apply for NDA exam. The written exam of NDA is cleared by around 8000 to 10,000 candidates. Such candidates are called for SSB interview. The pass percentage in SSB interview is around 10 to 15 per cent. Many students are rejected on medical ground as well. After the medicals, a merit list is prepared which features around 580 to 650 candidates. First 350 to 380 candidates are invited for admission to NDA and INAC. Some candidates do not join and some are not able to cope up with the tough training process. NDA selection process is bit tough therefore it takes about six months preparation to crack the exam.

Can I apply for NDA exam while studying in class 11?

No, you cannot apply for NDA exam while studying in Class 11. According to the eligibility criteria, candidates who have passed or are appearing in Class 12 are only eligible to apply NDA exam. The educational qualification prescribed for the Army wing of NDA is that candidates who have passed or are appearing in Class 12 or equivalent exam from a recognised board can apply for the exam. The educational qualification prescribed for Air Force and Naval wings of NDA and 10+2 Cadet entry scheme at INA is that candidates who have passed or are appearing in Class 12 or equivalent examination with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics can apply for the exam.

I am medical student. Can I apply for NDA exam?

Yes, medical students are eligible to apply for the NDA (National Defence Academy) exam, provided they meet the other eligibility criteria. The eligibility criteria for the NDA exam are as follows: Age: Candidates must be between 16.5 to 19.5 years of age on the first day of the month in which the course is scheduled to begin. Educational qualification: Candidates must have passed the 10+2 examination or its equivalent from a recognised board. Medical students who have completed their 10+2 with Science subjects are also eligible to apply. Nationality: Candidates must be Indian citizens or subject of Bhutan, Nepal or a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before January 1, 1962, with the intention of permanently settling in India. Marital status: Candidates must be unmarried. Physical standards: Candidates must meet the prescribed physical standards. So, if you meet the above-mentioned eligibility criteria, you can apply for the NDA exam. The exam is conducted twice a year by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). You can check the UPSC's official website for more details on the exam and its application procedure.

Does JEE Main rank matter for the NDA exam?

JEE Main rank is not considered for the NDA exam. The NDA exam is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission UPSC for selection of candidates for admission to Army, Navy and Air Force wings of NDA and Indian Naval Academy Course. JEE Main is a separate exam which is conducted for admission to BE/B.Tech and B.Arch/Plan courses at NITs, IIITs, other Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs), Institutions/Universities funded/recognised by participating State Governments. Candidates for NDA are selected based on their performance in the written exam and interview. Besides, the physical and medical fitness of candidates are also checked.

UPSC NDA 2024 Selection Process, Written Exam & SSB Interview

Q: Is there any age criteria to appear for NDA?

Yes, there is an age limit for appearing in NDA exam. Candidates need to be between 16.5 and 19.5 years. For NDA 1 exam, both male and female candidates must have been born not earlier than July 2, 2004, and not later than July 1, 2007. For NDA 2 exam, both male and female candidates must have been born not earlier than January 2, 2004, and not later than January 1, 2007.

31.6K Views2.1K Comments

Exam On: 13 Apr '25

Anangsha PatraDeputy Manager – Editorial

Updated on Nov 18, 2024 17:16 IST

NDA Selection Process 2024: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) prescribes NDA selection process. The selection process begins with the release of notification and application form wherein both male and female candidates are eligible for the exam. NDA vacancies are announced along with the notification. NDA selection process comprises written exam and SSB Interview. The written exam carries 900 marks and comprises questions from GAT and Maths. The SSB Interview carries 900 marks. Candidates need to clear the written exam of NDA inorder to be eligible for SSB Interview. The final merit list is prepared based on the performance in the written exam and SSB interview. Read below for more details on NDA selection process.

Q: What is NDA selection process?

NDA selection process comprises written exam and SSB interview. Candidates need to secure qualifying marks separately in the written exam and SSB interview. Qualified candidates will be placed in a single combined list on the basis of total marks secure in the written exam and SSB interview. Final allocation is done based on the number of vacancies, eligibility, medical fitness and merit-cum-preference of the candidates. The written exam of NDA is conducted for 900 marks. The sectional cutoff marks for the written exam is 25 per cent. The SSB interview carries 900 marks. The SSB interview is conducted in two stages. Stage 1 comprises Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and Picture Perception and Description Test (PP&DT) whereas Stage 2 comprises Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests, and the Conference.

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Q: What is NDA selection process for SSB interview?

The SSB procedure consists of two stage Selection process- stage I and stage II. Only those candidates who clear the stage I are permitted to appear for stage II. The details are:
(a) Stage I comprises of Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests are Picture Perception Description Test (PP&DT). The candidates will be shortlisted based on combination of performance in OIR Test and PP&DT
(b) Stage II Comprises of Interview, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests and the Conference. These tests are conducted
over four days.
The personality of a candidate is assessed by three different assessors viz. The Interviewing Officer (IO), Group Testing Officer (GTO) and the Psychologist. There are no separate weightage for each test. The mks are allotted by assessors only after taking into consideration the performance of the candidate holistically in all the test. In addition, marks for Conference are also allotted based on the initial performance of the Candidate in the three techniques and decision of the Board. All these have equal weightage.
The various tests of IO, GTO and Psych are designed to bring out the presence/absence of Officer Like Qualities and their trainability in a candidate. Accordingly candidates are recommended or not recommended at the SSB.

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Q: What is NDA selection process for written exam?

NDA selection process for written exam comprises two papers-Maths and GAT. Total marks allotted to this paper are 900. Candidates need to secure 25 per cent in each subject as qualifying marks. Besides, candidates need to clear the cut off marks fixed by UPSC for written exam. Based on the performance in the written exam, candidates are selected for SSB interview.

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Table of Contents

NDA Selection Process: Stages
NDA Selection Process: Complete Recruitment Process
Training Process of Girl Cadets in NDA
NDA Eligibility
NDA Salary
NDA Selection Process FAQs

NDA Selection Process: Stages

The selection process of NDA involves the following stages:

Written Exam
SSB Interview

NDA Selection Process for Written Exam

The written exam is the first stage of NDA selection Process. NDA exam pattern of the written exam is such that it is divided into two papers-Mathematics and General Ability Test. The duration of the test is 180 minutes and comprises objective-type questions. Candidates securing the minimum qualifying marks in the written exam are called for SSB Interview for Psychological Aptitude Test and Intelligence or Personality test. The structure of the written exam is given below.

Papers	Subject	Maximum marks	Duration
Paper 1	Mathematics	300	2 ½
Paper 2	GAT	600	2 ½
Total		900	5 hours

The subject-wise NDA marking scheme is given below.

For correct answer in the GAT paper, candidates score four marks
For incorrect answer in the GAT paper, 1.33 marks are deducted as penalty
In the Maths paper, candidates get 2.5 marks for correct answers
For wrong answers in the Maths paper, 0.83 marks are deducted

Also Read:

NDA Preparation

NDA Books

NDA Selection Process for SSB Interview

Candidates in the SSB Interview are assessed on Officers' Potentiality. The stages of SSB Interview are explained below:

SSB Interview comprises two stages and is held for five days
Stage I consist of OIR (Officer Intelligence Rating) and PP & DT (Picture Perception & Description Test)
Stage II consist of Interview, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests & the Conference
The complete NDA SSB Interview process will carry 900 marks

Day-Wise SSB Interview

Days	Events
Day 1	Picture Perception Test and Description Test
Day 2	Psychology Tests
Day 3	Group Testing Officer’s Task
Day 4	Interview
Day 5	Conference

NDA Final Selection Process

The final selection process of NDA is given below:

For admission to Army, Navy and Air Force of NDA, candidates need to secure NDA cutoff marks separately in the written exam and SSB interview
For Air Force, candidates should qualify the Computerised Pilot Selection System (CPSS)
The marks of the NDA SSB interview and written exam are considered for the final selection
Final selection for respective academies is done as per vacancies subjected to their NDA eligibility, medical fitness, and merit-cum-preference of candidates

Can Girls Join NDA?

In August last year, the Supreme Court of India had passed a historic judgement allowing women candidates to join National Defence Academy. The court had, however, said that admission of women candidates will be subject to the final ruling on the petition. NDA eligibility for women candidates is same as their male counterparts. However, the medical standards for women candidates varies. The age limit for women candidates is between 16.5 to 19.5 years. Candidates who have passed or are appearing in Class 12 can apply for the exam.

Documents Required to SSB Interview

Candidates selected for the interview are required to carry the following documents:

Original Class 12 passing certificate or equivalent in support of educational qualification
Certificate of eligibility for a certain category of students
Category or cast certificate applicable to SC, ST, OBC, etc
Identity and address proof (Aadhar Card/ Voter ID/ Passport/ Nivaas Pramaan Patra)

NDA Selection Process: Complete Recruitment Process

The step-by-step selection process of NDA exam is explained below:

Filling the Application Form

The application process is completely online. Interested candidates need to apply from the official website. The application fees are INR 100, however, SC/ST candidates/Sons of JCOs/NCOs/ORs were exempted from paying the fees. NDA application form comprises two parts: Part I (Registration) and Part II (Filling the application form).

Release of Admit Card

NDA admit card is released online three weeks before the exam. All registered candidates can download the admit card by logging with either registration number or roll number. The hard copy of the NDA admit card is not sent to candidates by post.

Appearing in Written Exam

The written exam comprises two sections: Mathematics and General Ability Test. The total marks of the written exam are 900. Each paper is held for 2 ½ hours. Total questions asked in GAT are 150 while it is 120 in Mathematics.

Also Read:

NDA exam pattern

NDA syllabus

Declaration of Result

NDA result is declared in two stages: written and final. The result of both the stages is declared online. The results are made available in PDF format. NDA resultdisplays the roll numbers of qualified candidates. NDA Cutoff is announced after the completion of selection process.

Appearing in SSB Interview

SSB Interview comprises two stages. Stage I comprise Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and Picture Perception Description Test (PP&DT). The candidates will be shortlisted based on the combination of performance in OIR Test and PP&DT. Stage II comprises Interview, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests and the Conference. These tests are conducted over four days.

Final Selection

To be acceptable should secure the minimum qualifying marks separately in written exam and SSB Interview. Subject to these conditions the qualified candidates will be placed in a single combined list on the basis of total marks secured by them in the written exam and SSB Interview.

Training Process of Girl Cadets in NDA

The girls of the age group 16 ½ to 19 years are eligible to undergo three-year training in NDA. The military training of the girl cadets is conducted in a gender-neutral manner. A total of 1.7 lakh women candidates applied for UPSC NDA 2 exam 2021. Out of these 1002 women candidates had qualified the written exam. The training objective of the girl cadet at NDA continue to remain as centre excellence for producing military leaders equipped with professional, moral and physical attributes with minimum changes to the existing curriculum in training, drill outdoor training, etc. Owing to the physiological differences between male and female cadets, there might be certain changes in the physical training of girl cadets.

NDA Eligibility

NDA eligibility is given below for mala and female candidates:

NDA Age Limit

For NDA 1 exam, both male and female candidates must have been born not earlier than July 2, 2004, and not later than July 1, 2007. For NDA 2 exam, both male and female candidates must have been born not earlier than January 2, 2005, and not later than January 1, 2008.

NDA Eligibility: Sex and Marital Status

Only unmarried male and female candidates can apply for the exam.

NDA Qualification

The educational qualification is different for different academies. Candidates can check the educational qualification prescribed for different academies below.

Academy	Educational Qualification
Army Wing of National Defence Academy	Passed Class 12/HSC or equivalent from a recognised board or university
Air Force, Navy, and Naval Academy of National Defence Academy	Passed Class 12/HSC with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics

NDA Salary

Stipend given to Gentlemen Cadets during the entire duration of training in Service academies i.e. during training period at IMA is INR 56,100. The rank-wise NDA salary of cadets are given below:

Ranks	NDA salary (In INR)
Lt to Maj	Lt: Level 10 (56,100-1,77,500) Capt: Level10 B (61,300-1,93,900) Maj: Level 11 (69,400-2,07,200)
Lt Col to Maj Gen	Lt Col: Level 12A (1,21,200-2,12,400) Col: Level 13 (1,30,600-2,15,900) Brig: Level 13A (1,39,600-2,17,600) Maj Gen - Level 14 (1,44,200-2,18,200)
Lt Gen to HAG Scale	Level 15 (1, 82, 200-2,24,100)
HAG+Scale	Level 16 (2,05,400-2,24,400)
VCOAS/ArmyCdr/Lt Gen (NFSG)	Level 17 (2,25,000) (fixed)
COAS	Level 18 (2,50,000) (fixed)

Hierrarchy of NDA Officers

The hierarchy of NDA Officers is given below.

Army	Navy	Air Force	Selection criteria
Lieutenant	Sub Lieutenant	Flying Officer	On being Commissioned
Captain	Lieutenant	Flight Lieutenant	After 2 years of service
Major	Lt Commander	Squadron Leader	After 6 years of service
Lieutenant Colonel	Commander	Wing Commander	13 years of service
Colonel(Selection)	Captain (Selection)	Group Captain (Selection)	On Selection
Colonel (Time Scale)	Captain (Time Scale)	Group Captain (Time Scale)	26 years of service
Brigadier	Commodore	Air Commodore	On Selection
Major General	Rear Admiral	Air Vice Marshal	On Selection
Lieutenant General	Vice Admiral	Air Marshal	On Selection
General	Admiral	Air Chief Marshal	On Selection