NDA syllabus and exam pattern 2026: Paper I Mathematics (120 Q, 300 marks) and Paper II GAT (150 Q, 600 marks) with one-third negative marking, plus topic-wise weightage.
The NDA syllabus and exam pattern 2026 are built around two papers of the NDA and NA written examination, which carries 900 marks held on the same day: Paper I Mathematics of 300 marks and Paper II General Ability Test (GAT) of 600 marks. Both papers are objective with four options each and have negative marking of one-third, so a wrong answer costs you marks. Candidates who clear the written exam then face a separate 900-mark SSB Interview. The table below is the full pattern.
| Paper | Questions | Marks | Time | Marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I: Mathematics | 120 | 300 | 150 min | +2.5, wrong -0.83 |
| Paper II: General Ability Test | 150 | 600 | 150 min | +4, wrong -1.33 |
| Total written | 270 | 900 | - | SSB Interview adds 900 |
Paper I Mathematics has 120 questions for 300 marks, with plus 2.5 for a correct answer and minus 0.83 for a wrong one. Paper II GAT has 150 questions for 600 marks, with plus 4 for a correct answer and minus 1.33 for a wrong one. Every question is multiple choice with four options, and you must clear a Commission-set qualifying minimum of about 25 percent in each paper for the paper to count.
NDA Mathematics is at the class 11-12 level and is the paper that decides most results. It covers algebra, matrices and determinants, trigonometry, analytical geometry in two and three dimensions, differential calculus, integral calculus and differential equations, vector algebra, and statistics and probability. Across the papers we analysed to build our mock series, the heaviest areas are algebra, trigonometry and calculus, which together make up roughly two-thirds of the paper.
| Topic | Approx questions (of 120) |
|---|---|
| Algebra | 25 |
| Trigonometry | 20 |
| Differential calculus | 16 |
| Integral calculus and differential equations | 12 |
| Matrices and determinants | 11 |
| Statistics and probability | 10 |
| Analytical geometry (2D and 3D) | 15 |
| Vector algebra | 6 |
The GAT has two parts. Part A is English for 50 questions and 200 marks, at the 10+2 level, testing grammar and usage, vocabulary, spotting errors, sentence improvement, cloze passages, ordering of sentences and reading comprehension. Part B is General Knowledge for 100 questions and 400 marks, spread across science and humanities. The GK section is set at the class 9-10 level for science, so you should not over-pitch your preparation.
| GAT part | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Part A: English | 50 | 200 |
| Part B: General Knowledge | 100 | 400 |
Part B General Knowledge is split by subject, and Physics plus History and Geography carry the largest share. Based on our past-paper analysis the approximate split is Physics about 25 percent, Chemistry about 15 percent, General Science about 10 percent, History about 20 percent, Geography about 20 percent and Current Events about 10 percent. Physics is the single biggest subject, so give it and Geography extra attention.
| Subject | Approx weight |
|---|---|
| Physics | 25 percent |
| Chemistry | 15 percent |
| General Science | 10 percent |
| History and Polity | 20 percent |
| Geography | 20 percent |
| Current Events | 10 percent |
Yes. NDA has negative marking of one-third of the marks for that question. In Paper I Mathematics a wrong answer costs 0.83 marks against 2.5 for a correct one, and in Paper II GAT a wrong answer costs 1.33 marks against 4 for a correct one. An unattempted question scores zero. Because of this, attempt a question only when you can eliminate at least two options, and aim for high accuracy rather than attempting everything.
The Physics, Chemistry and General Science in the GAT are at the class 9-10 matriculation level, based on the NCERT class 9 and 10 books, not the 11-12 depth of the Mathematics paper. History, Geography and Current Events are at the NCERT 9-10 plus general-awareness level with the last one to two years of national and defence news. Ground your GK preparation in NCERT and do not over-study beyond the matriculation level.
Build Mathematics from NCERT class 11 and 12 and practise objective problems until you are fast and accurate, since you get about 75 seconds per question. Read regularly for English, and cover NCERT 9-10 for science and social studies plus recent current affairs for GK. Then take full-length mocks on the exact pattern with the same negative marking so your accuracy and time management are exam-ready. See our full NDA 2026 strategy guide and the NDA salary and job profile, and practise on the NDA mock test series.
The NDA written exam is a 900-mark test of class 11-12 Mathematics and a broad General Ability Test, both with one-third negative marking. Knowing the exact question counts, the topic weightage and the level of each section lets you spend your time where the marks are. NDA II 2026 with about 394 vacancies has its written exam around 13 September 2026, so build your plan around this pattern and practise on real mocks.
The NDA written exam is 900 marks in two papers on the same day: Paper I Mathematics (120 questions, 300 marks, 150 minutes) and Paper II General Ability Test (150 questions, 600 marks, 150 minutes). Both have four options per question and one-third negative marking. Qualifiers then face a separate 900-mark SSB Interview.
NDA Mathematics is at the class 11-12 level and covers algebra, matrices and determinants, trigonometry, analytical geometry in 2D and 3D, differential calculus, integral calculus and differential equations, vector algebra, and statistics and probability. Algebra, trigonometry and calculus carry the highest weightage.
The GAT has Part A English (50 questions, 200 marks) at the 10+2 level, and Part B General Knowledge (100 questions, 400 marks) covering Physics about 25 percent, Chemistry 15 percent, General Science 10 percent, History 20 percent, Geography 20 percent and Current Events 10 percent. The science is at the class 9-10 level.
Yes. NDA deducts one-third of the marks for a wrong answer. In Paper I Mathematics you lose 0.83 marks for a wrong answer against 2.5 for a correct one, and in Paper II GAT you lose 1.33 marks against 4 for a correct one. An unattempted question scores zero.
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The Physics, Chemistry and General Science in the GAT are at the class 9-10 matriculation level based on NCERT 9 and 10, not the class 11-12 depth of the Mathematics paper. So you should ground GK preparation in NCERT 9-10 and avoid over-studying beyond the matriculation level.
