NDA Exam Pattern 2025: The UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) is set to conduct the National Defence Academy (NDA) Examination II 2025 on 14 September 2025, opening the gateway for candidates aspiring to join the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. The selection process for the NDA exam comprises a Written Test followed by the SSB (Services Selection Board) Interview, with a total of 1,800 marks. To effectively prepare and strategise, candidates must familiarise themselves with the exam pattern, including paper structure, marking scheme, duration, and negative marking rules. Read on to explore the complete NDA exam pattern for 2025.
NDA Exam Pattern 2025
Having a knowledge of the exam pattern is vital for candidates aiming to optimise their study plan. The NDA Exam is divided into two main stages: the Written Examination and the SSB Interview. The Written Exam consists of two papers: Mathematics (Paper-I) and General Ability Test (Paper-II), which includes objective-type questions with a provision for negative marking. The exam will be conducted in offline mode.
NDA Exam Pattern 2025 for Written Test
The written exam pattern of the NDA exam includes two papers: Mathematics and GAT. There are a combined total of 270 questions (Maths: 120 & GAT:150). Each paper is of 2.5 hours duration. Check the table below:
| Paper | Subject | No. of Questions | Marks | Duration |
| Paper 1 | Mathematics | 120 | 300 | 2½ hours (150 min) |
| Paper 2 | General Ability Test (GAT) | 150 | 600 | 2½ hours (150 min) |
| Total | - | 270 | 900 | 5 hours total |
NDA Maths Exam Pattern
The NDA Paper 1 which is of Mathematics is an objective-type paper which consists of 120 questions with a total of 300 marks. Each correct response carries 2.5 marks, while -0.83 marks are deducted for each incorrect answer.
NDA GAT Exam Pattern
The Paper II of the NDA exam is the General Ability Test (GAT) which is further sub-divided into General Knowledge and English subjects. The GAT paper consists of 150 questions totalling to 600 marks. The marking scheme includes 4 marks for each correct answer and a deduction of -1.33 mark for each wrong answer.
UPSC NDA Exam Marking Scheme & Negative Marking
The NDA exam consists of two papers: Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT). The marks awarded for both the papers are different. There are a total of 120 questions in the Mathematics paper, where each correct answer carries +2.5 marks with a -0.83 negative marking. The GAT paper consists of 150 questions with each correct response carries 4 marks and ⅓ negative marking for the incorrect answer.
-
Mathematics (Paper 1):
-
+2.5 marks for each correct answer
-
-0.83 marks (approximately ⅓ mark) for each incorrect answer
-
General Ability Test (GAT - Paper 2):
-
+4 marks for each correct answer
-
-1.33 marks (approximately ⅓ mark) for each incorrect answer
Also Check:
UPSC NDA Previous Year Cut Off
UPSC NDA Previous Year Question Paper
NDA Exam 2025 SSB Interview (900 Marks)
Candidates who clear the written exam will be called for the SSB Interview, which spans 4-5 days and is crucial for final selection. SSB contributes 900 marks to the final merit list, complementing the written exam's 900 marks.The SSB Interview includes:
-
Stage 1: Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) and Picture Perception & Description Test (PP&DT)
-
Stage 2: Psychological Tests, Group Testing Officer (GTO) Tasks, Personal Interview & Conference.
Overview of NDA Exam 2025
| Exam Name | UPSC National Defence Academy Examination 2025 |
| Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Exam Mode | Offline (Pen & Paper) |
| Language | English & Hindi (English section in GAT only in English) |
| Number of Papers | Two: Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT) |
| Total Marks (Written + SSB) | 1,800 Marks (900 + 900) |
| Question Type | Objective (MCQs) |
| Negative Marking | Yes specific deductions per wrong answer |
| Frequency | Twice a Year (NDA-I and NDA-II) |
Comments
All Comments (0)
Join the conversation