NDA & NA Exam Pattern (2026)
Everything you need to know about the exam pattern for the National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination organized by Union Public Service Commission. Tackle the high competition (~0.1% (around 400 final selections from 4-5 lakh applicants) success rate) and hard difficulty with these detailed insights.
Stages & Pattern
Written Examination
Paper I - Mathematics (Code No. 01) (objective)
Duration: 2.5 hours mins | Marks: 300 | Negative Marking: 1/3 of allotted marks per wrong answer
Paper II - General Ability Test (Code No. 02) (objective)
Duration: 2.5 hours mins | Marks: 600 | Negative Marking: 1/3 of allotted marks per wrong answer
Services Selection Board (SSB) Interview
Stage I: Screening Test (objective/descriptive)
Duration: 1 Day mins | Marks: Qualifying | Negative Marking: No
Stage II: Main Assessment (descriptive/practical)
Duration: 4 Days mins | Marks: 900 | Negative Marking: No