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It is important that candidates pick the best books to prepare for the NDA exam. Only 5,000-6,000 candidates pass and get selected for the Services Selection Board (SSB) interview. This is despite lakhs of Candidates appearing for the NDA 2024 exam yearly.
According to the NDA exam syllabus 2024, there are three subjects that candidates need to be thorough with, those being Mathematics, English, and General Knowledge. To cover the NDA syllabus, candidates must prepare using the NDA best books. Candidates can go through the material below for a list of the best books to prepare for NDA along with authors and publishers.
New: NDA 1 Final Result 2024 Out
NDA Exam: Sample Papers | Preparation Tips | Syllabus
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From the following lists, NDA 2024 aspirants can find the best books for overall preparation as well as for the subject General Ability Test.
NDA Book Name | Author/Publisher |
Pathfinder for NDA & NA National Defence Academy Naval Academy Entrance Examination | Arihant |
Study Package for NDA/NA Entrance Exam | Tata McGraw-Hill Education India |
Chapter wise-Section wise Solved Papers NDA & NA | Arihant |
Study Package for NDA/NA Entrance Exam | Tata McGraw-Hill Education India |
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NDA General Ability Test Book Name | Author/Publisher |
Science and Technology in India | Kalpana Rajaram: Spectrum |
Oxford School Atlas | Oxford |
Social Problems In India (Indian Society – GS1) | Ram Ahuja |
Objective General English for Competitive Exams | S.P. Bakshi |
General Knowledge | Arihant |
General Science Guide for Competitive Exams – CSAT/ NDA/ CDS/ Railways/ SSC/ UPSC/ State PSC/ Defence | Disha |
History Of Modern India | Bipan Chandra |
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Apart from the overall best books, we have also shared the subject-wise best books of NDA for candidates. From the following tables, candidates can check the NDA subject-wise best books for better and in-depth preparations
From the following table, candidates can refer to the books of NDA for Mathematics subjects.
NDA Mathematics Books | Author / Publisher |
NCERT Mathematics Textbook of Class 11 and Class 12 | NCERT |
Mathematics | R.S. Aggarwal |
Mathematics for NDA and NA | S Chand publication |
R.S. Agarwal | |
NDA Entrance Exam | E. S. Ramasamy |
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From the physics section, the questions will be from classes 11 & 12. The difficulty level of the questions will be 10+2. For physics, the NCERT Physics books of Class 11 & 12 is more than enough to prepare.
For questions from the chemistry section of the NDA exam, the NCERT Chemistry book of Class 11 and 12 along with the NCERT Exemplar is enough. The difficulty level will also be 10+2. The topics in Chemistry of NDA will be as follows -
Physical and Chemical Changes
Air and Water
Acids, Bases and Salts
Oxidation and Reduction
Atoms, valence, etc.
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The current affairs are dynamic in nature and to ace in this section, candidates must focus on reading newspapers such as The Hindu, The Indian Express, Times of India, etc, along with magazines on current affairs. The newspapers and magazines will also help candidates with English subjects. Manorama Yearbook and Pratiyogita Darpan are the best examples to cover current affairs.
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In this section, NDA tests the candidate’s abilities in understanding grammar and vocabulary. Here are the books that the students can refer to for English.
NDA English Books | NDA English Books Author |
Objective General English | SP Bakshi |
Wren & Martin High School English Grammar and Composition | Wren and Martin |
Word Power Made Easy | Norman and Lewis |
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The exam conducting authority prescribes the NDA 2024 syllabus and mentions it as the official notification. Candidates preparing for NDA must check the syllabus to plan their studies likewise. The syllabus of NDA 2024 comprises two parts - General Ability Test (GAT) and Mathematics.
The topics covered in Maths are from the 10+2 level while the GAT syllabus comprises current affairs, History, Polity, Geography, etc. In order to qualify for the exam, candidates must cover the whole syllabus well in advance with sufficient time for revision.
UPSC NDA exam pattern consists of the stages of the exam, mode of exam, total marks, number of questions, time duration, etc. Aspirants preparing for NDA must go through the exam pattern in detail. As per the NDA exam pattern, there are two papers - Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT). Both papers carry a total of 900 marks. NDA exam 2024 is conducted in two stages - written exam as well as SSB interview. Candidates qualifying in one stage will be eligible to appear for the next stage.
UPSC releases the NDA question papers in online mode after the exam is conducted. The NDA question paper is released for both the papers - Mathematics and GAT (General Ability Test). Candidates preparing for the exam must download the question papers of NDA and practise them right from the day to increase their chances of qualification in the NDA exam.
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The best books for NDA are not sufficient to qualify for the exam. Candidates must also follow some preparation tips other than the NDA study materials to qualify for the exam. Some of the NDA preparations tips are mentioned below -
Download previous year NDA question papers for at least 10 years and start practising them from day 1.
Know about the syllabus of NDA in detail to know about the sections, topics, subjects and everything related to the NDA exam.
Refer to the NDA exam pattern to know about the stages, marking scheme, and the time duration of the NDA exam.
Make a time table and follow it on a daily basis.
Read newspapers and magazines to stay updated with current affairs and to also work on comprehension, English vocabulary etc.
More articles related to the NDA exam 2024
There are a lot of books available which are said to have helped candidates a lot. The core books are RS Aggarwal, ES Ramasamy, Arihant and most importantly NCERT.
After completing the NDA course a candidate gets recruited as Lieutenant and gets a salary of Rs. 56100 which rises as per promotions, job tenure and risk level.
Mathematics and General Ability Test are the subjects in NDA. GAT covers Physics, Chemistry, General Science, Geography, History, Current Events etc.
No, it is one of the toughest exams in India. NDA is said to be the gateway for Indian boys as officers into the Indian Defense Services. Hence the recruitment process is quite a difficulty but not impossible to crack.
To prepare for NDA it is advised to stick with the official syllabus and exam pattern, refer to the best books, solve previous year question papers and allot at least 6-7 hours for studies daily.
Yes, there are a lot of students who do self-study, in fact with the help of online study materials and free video lectures provided by some of the coaching institutes, self-study has developed as a good means to study. But the candidate must not skip the worth of coaching centres also, as it provides expert inputs into the studies.
There is nothing like which board is best or not, but yes CBSE students stand a better chance of qualifying the exams due to their syllabus and NCERT books. However, candidates from ICSE and other regional boards can also qualify given they prepare English efficiently.
Pathfinder is a good book to prepare for NDA, but candidates are advised to not completely rely on it and explore more options recommended by experts, toppers etc.
Yes, NCERT is enough to cover the curriculum but for current affairs and general awareness candidates must also refer to Arihant, Pathfinder, and Lucents along with newspapers and monthly current affairs magazines etc.
Application Date:11 December,2024 - 31 December,2024
Exam Date:19 December,2024 - 29 December,2024
Hello,
To join the National Defence Academy (NDA) after 12th , your subject choice depends on the wing you want to pursue:
1. Army Wing
2. Air Force and Navy Wings
Why Mathematics is Important
Preparation Tips
NDA NA 1 2025 is for training commencing in January 2026 and NDA NA 2 2025 is for training commencing in July 2026.
NDA Eligibility age-wise one should be between 16.5 & 19.5 years of age as on the first of the month when the training starts.so you are eligible
Education-wise, the eligibility is that approximately a month (exact date will be mentioned in the notification for the relevant batch) before that date mentioned, you should have proof of passing 12th in hand to be submitted to authorities.
The eligibility for the NDA (National Defence Academy) exam is based on age and educational qualifications. Typically, candidates must be between 16.5 to 19.5 years of age. Given the birthdate of 29 april, 2007, let's calculate your age at various potential exam dates to determine your number of attempts.
The NDA exam is conducted twice a year, usually in April and September.
Here is a breakdown of your age eligibility
1.NDA I 2025 (April 2025):
- Your age: 17 years, 11 months (eligible)
4. NDA II 2025 (September 2025):
- Your age: 18 years, 4 months (eligible)
5. NDA I 2026 (April 2026):
- Your age: 18 years, 11 months (eligible)
6. **NDA II 2026** (September 2026):
- Your age: 19 years, 4 months (eligible)
You cannot give NDA I 2027 (April 2027) you cross 19.5 years at this point.so you have enough attempts right now make most of it.
All the best for your future endeavours!!
Hello,
Yes, candidates appearing for their Class 12 exams are eligible to apply for the NDA (National Defence Academy) exam, provided they meet the age and educational requirements. For the Army Wing, candidates should either have passed or be appearing for their Class 12 examination from a recognized board. For the Air Force and Naval Wings, they must have studied Physics and Mathematics in Class 12. Additionally, candidates must meet the age criteria, typically between 16.5 and 19.5 years at the start of the course.
Being in Class 12 allows you to apply for the exam, but your selection is conditional upon passing the board exams before the NDA training begins. Ensure you meet all eligibility criteria, including physical and medical standards, and provide accurate details during the application process. This allows students in their final year of schooling to secure their position and join the academy after completing their Class 12 exams.
Hello Greetings!
To correct mistakes in your NDA form, especially photo identification type and number, contact UPSC immediately via helpline numbers or visit their official website . Double-check your application to prevent errors. Ensure you have government-approved ID proof, Class 10 & 12 mark sheets, and scanned passport-sized photographs/signatures.
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