NDA Full Form - What is full form of NDA?
NDA Full Form - NDA and NA Examination is a popular exam held by the UPSC twice yearly to recruit candidates into the Indian Defence Services like the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. But what is the full form of NDA? The full form of the NDA exam is the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination.
This Story also Contains
- NDA Full Form - Overview
- What is NDA’s Full Form?
- NDA Post and Responsibility
- NDA Eligibility Criteria 2027
- NDA Exam Pattern 2027
- NDA Syllabus
Candidates attempting the UPSC NDA exam must be acquainted with all of the important details pertaining to the exam, such as the NDA syllabus, the exam pattern, the cutoff, and the selection process before applying. Candidates can refer to the material below for a comprehensive overview of the information regarding the NDA 2027 exam.
NDA Full Form - Overview
Exam name | NDA and NA |
NDA Full Form | National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination |
Exam Conducting Authority | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
Official website | upsc.gov.in |
NDA Eligibility Criteria | Age limit - 16.5 to 19.5 years Educational Qualification - 10+2 passed |
Application mode | Online |
Application fee | Rs 100 (UR/ OBC) |
Stages of exam | Written test (offline) SSB interview |
Exam mode | Offline |
Number of papers | Paper 1 - Maths Paper 2 - GAT |
What is NDA’s Full Form?
As we now know, the full form of the NDA exam is the National Defence Academy exam that is conducted by the UPSC. The Union Public Service Commission also conducts other Sarkari recruitment exams for applicants who have passed Class 12th to graduation. Most of these exams are known to the applicants by their short forms like UPSC CSE or IAS, CDS, CAPF, UPSC ESE, UPSC CMS, etc. The eligibility criteria for all the UPSC exams are different. The NDA exam is conducted twice every year in April and September.
NDA Post and Responsibility
As it is clear from the NDA full form, this Sarkari recruitment exam is conducted for the recruitment of qualified candidates to the three Indian Defence Services. All those who appear for the NDA exam and clear all the stages of it will be inducted as officers in one of the following three services (Indian Army/ Navy/ Air Force) based on their NDA merit list. The responsibility that is conferred on the NDA-qualified candidates is that of protecting the country against foreign enemies.
Check Here List of Other Government Exams
NDA Eligibility Criteria 2027
The NDA and NA exam is conducted for 10+2 passed students by the UPSC to get inducted into the Indian Defence Services. Applicants between the ages of 16.5 to 19.5 years who have passed class 12th or are awaiting their final result can apply for the NDA 2027 exam. There is no age relaxation offered to any category in the NDA exam. The eligibility criteria for NDA is based on factors like nationality, age limit, physical standards, and educational qualification. Check the table below to know the NDA eligibility criteria in short.
NDA 2027 eligibility criteria
Nationality | Indian |
Age limit | 16.5 to 19.5 years |
Educational Qualification | Passed 10+2 standard or equivalent exam from a recognised board |
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NDA Exam Pattern 2027
The Union Public Service Commission mentions the exam pattern of NDA in the official UPSC NDA notification. The NDA 2027 selection process has two stages: a written exam and an SSB interview. The NDA written exam is conducted in offline mode. Multiple-choice questions are asked in the NDA exam. There is negative marking for every wrong answer in the NDA exam. Check the table below to better understand the NDA exam pattern.
Important - Check the Complete List of Full Forms
NDA Exam Pattern
Particulars | NDA Written exam | SSB Interview |
Mode | Offline (Pen and Paper) | Offline (Group activities and face-to-face interview |
Papers | Mathematics General Ability Test (GAT) | Testing Psychological Test Group Testing Officers Test Personal Interview Conference |
Duration | 5 hours (2 hours 30 minutes for each paper) | 5 days |
Total marks | 900 marks | 900 marks |
Total Questions | Maths - 120 questions GAT - 150 questions | - |
NDA Syllabus
The Commission mentioned the syllabus of the NDA exam for both maths and GAT papers in the official NDA notification. The NDA syllabus is the same for all aspirants irrespective of the service they want to join. The NDA exam syllabus contains all the chapters and topics from which the questions are asked in the NDA maths and GAT exam. The standard of questions in the NDA exam are of matriculation and 10+2 level. Candidates can check the NDA syllabus in the table below.
NDA maths and GAT syllabus
Subjects | Topics |
Mathematics | Algebra, Matrices And Determinants, Trigonometry, Analytical Geometry Of Two And Three Dimensions, Differential Calculus, Integral Calculus And Differential Equations, Vector Algebra, Statistics And Probability, etc. |
GAT | English, General Knowledge, Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History, Freedom Movement etc. |
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Other sarkari exams conducted by UPSC
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The full form of NDA is the National Defence Academy Examination.
The age limit to apply for the NDA exam is 16.5 to 19.5 years.
The NDA 1 2027 exam will be held on April 11, 2027.
The minimum academic qualification needed for the NDA exam is class 12th pass.
Those who meet the NDA eligibility criteria as mentioned in the article can apply for the NDA exam.
Check the NDA salary for different Ranks in the table below.
NDA salary
Rank | Rank Pay (in Rupees) |
Lieutenant to Major | Lt - Level 10 (Rs 56,100 – Rs 1,77,500) Capt - Level 10 B (Rs 61,300- Rs 1,93,900) Maj - Level 11 (Rs 69,400 – Rs 2,07,200) |
Lieutenant Colonel to Major General | Lt Col - Level 12A (Rs 1,21,200 – Rs 2,12,400) Col - Level 13 (Rs 1,30,600 – Rs 2,15,900) Brig - Level 13A (Rs 1,39,600 – Rs 2,17,600) Maj Gen - Level 14 (Rs 1,44,200 – Rs 2,18,200) |
Lieutenant General HAG Scale | Level 15 (Rs 1,82,200 – Rs 2,24,100) |
HAG+ Scale | Level 16 (Rs 2,05,400 – Rs 2,24,400) |
Vice Chief of Army Staff/Army Cdr/ Lieutenant General (NFSG) | Level 17 (Rs 2,25,000) |
Chief of Army Staff | Level 18 (Rs 2,50,000) |
Questions related to NDA
On Question asked by student community
Hello, for NDA 1 2027, candidates born between 2 July 2008 and 1 July 2011 are expected to be eligible. You can check the official notification on the UPSC website at upsc.gov.in/examinations.
Hello Stutdent,
Based on the NDA 2027 eligibility information available, the expected date-of-birth range for NDA 1 2027 is from July 2, 2008 to July 1, 2011. Since your date of birth is May 14, 2008, it falls before this range. Therefore, you would not be eligible for NDA 1
Here's the link to download the answer key:
Hello, if you are currently in Class 11 with PCM and want to appear for the NDA exam in September 2027, you can start preparing from Class 11 itself. Focus on Mathematics, English, General Knowledge and current affairs, along with regular physical fitness. You will need to complete Class 12
Hi Simranjit Kaur Dhillon
For NDA, the 12th-appearing rule generally allows students who are in Class 12 to apply, but the exact eligibility is based on the notification for that particular exam.
For your DOB 4 February 2010, you should not rely on age alone for NDA 2027. UPSC will