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NDA Full Form - What is full form of NDA?
Edited By Vishnukumar V | Updated on Dec 06, 2023 02:44 PM IST | #NDA
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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. 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 2024 exam.
This Story also Contains
- NDA Full Form - Overview
- What is NDA’s Full Form?
- NDA Post and Responsibility
- NDA Eligibility Criteria 2024
- NDA Exam Pattern 2024
- NDA Syllabus
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 form 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 that 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.
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NDA Eligibility Criteria 2024
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 age group of 16.5 to 19.5 years who have passed class 12th or are awaiting their final result can apply for the NDA 2024 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 below the table to know the NDA eligibility criteria in short.
NDA 2024 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 2024
The Union Public Service Commission mentions the exam pattern of NDA in the official UPSC NDA notification. The NDA 2024 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 a 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 mentions 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, General Science, History, Freedom Movement etc. |
Also Read
Other sarkari exams conducted by UPSC
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the NDA full form?
The full form of NDA is the National Defence Academy Examination.
2. What is the age limit to apply for the NDA exam?
The age limit to apply for the NDA exam is 16.5 to 19.5 years.
3. When is the NDA 1 2024 exam going to start?
The NDA 1 2024 exam will be conducted on April 21, 2024.
4. What is the minimum education qualification required for the NDA exam?
The minimum academic qualification needed for the NDA exam is class 12th pass.
5. Who can apply for the NDA exam?
Those who meet the NDA eligibility criteria as mentioned in the article can apply for the NDA exam.
6. What is the salary after clearing the NDA?
Check the NDA salary for different Ranks in the table below.
NDA salary
Rank | Rank Pay (in Rupees) |
Lieutenant to Major | 15,600 - 39,100/- |
Lieutenant Colonel to Major General | 37,400 - 67,000/- |
Lieutenant General HAG Scale | 67,000 - 79,000/- |
HAG+ Scale | 75,500 - 80,000/- |
Vice Chief of Army Staff/Army Cdr/ Lieutenant General (NFSG) | 80,000/- |
Chief of Army Staff | 90,000/- (fixed) |
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Have a question related to NDA ?
Hello Gautam
A diploma holder is eligible and ineligible for the following:
1. NDA: No, a diploma holder is not eligible for NDA as they require the candidates to be passed or appearing in Class 12th.
2. JEE Main s: Similarly, a diploma holder is not eligible for JEE Mains as it is only for 12th passed/appearing students with PCM.
3. JEE Advance: Yes, a diploma holder is eligible for JEE Advance and can aim for IITs.
Regarding your second doubt:
No, a diploma holder is not eligible to take admission in NITs on the basis of JEE MAIN marks
. A diploma holder can only aim for IITs and that too on the basis of JEE Advance.
Thank you!!!
Yash Teotia 07 July,2025
Hello Aspirant,
Yes, you can appear for the NDA (National Defence Academy) exam in September 2026 to join the Indian Army, even if you are a Class 12 student with a PCB (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) stream. The Indian Army wing of NDA does not require Mathematics or Physics as mandatory subjects in Class 12, unlike the Navy and Air Force wings, which are only open to candidates with a PCM (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics) background. As long as you are an Indian citizen, unmarried, and your age falls between 16.5 and 19.5 years as on the date specified in the 2026 notification (likely born between January 2, 2008, and July 1, 2011), you are eligible. You will still be required to attempt both papers in the NDA written exam—Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT)—but selection into the Army wing mainly considers your overall merit. So, with the right preparation, especially for GAT and basic math, you can definitely aim for a career in the Indian Army through NDA.
All the best for your journey.
Sonakshi Kumari 04 July,2025
Hello,
Yes, you can give the NDA exam in September 2026 to join the Indian Army, even if you are from the PCB stream.
For the Army wing, candidates from any stream (Science, Commerce, or Arts) are eligible if they have passed or are appearing in Class 12.
Maths is not compulsory for the Army wing. However, you will still have to attempt the Maths paper in the exam.
Also, make sure your date of birth falls between 2nd January 2008 and 1st July 2011 to be eligible for NDA 2 (September 2026).
Hope it helps !
Prachi Kumari 08 July,2025
Dear Candidate ,
- For NDA 1 2026 , you are eligible since your birth date ( 24th Dec 2007 ) lies between 2 Jul 2007 and 1 Jul 2010 .
- For NDA 2 2026 , you are not eligible because the cutoff begins on 2 Jan 2008 .
Because UPSC requires candidates to be at least 16.5 and at most 19.5 years old on exam date ,
Vasundhra 01 July,2025
Hello Aspirant,
If you erroneously marked "Yes" for the question about studying in Sainik School or being the ward of a JCO/OR in the NDA 2 form when the answer was "No", Since you already mailed about this here is what you can do:
- Call UPSC to have it resolved quicker
- Wait for correction window (if any) - UPSC sometimes provides correction windows but they do this infrequently. If they have not yet announced the correction window, keep checking their official website.
- On exam day and at when SSB comes around, just be honest about what happened. In my past experience, as long as the mistake does not directly impact your eligibility or give you unjust advantage, they are usually okay to be sorted out during the document verification stage.
gopi 21 June,2025
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