NDA 2026 Exam Pattern — Written Examination & SSB Interview
NDA 2026 Overview
The NDA 2026 Exam Pattern consists of a written examination (900 marks) conducted by UPSC, followed by a 5-day SSB Interview (900 marks) for shortlisted candidates.
Written Examination (900 marks)
Paper I — Mathematics: 120 MCQ questions, 300 marks, 2.5 hours. Negative marking of 1/3 per wrong answer. Covers algebra, trigonometry, calculus, geometry, vectors, and statistics at 12th standard level.
Paper II — General Ability Test: 150 MCQ questions, 600 marks, 2.5 hours. Part A: English (200 marks), Part B: General Knowledge (400 marks covering Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History, Geography, Polity, Current Events). Negative marking 1/3.
SSB Interview (900 marks, 5 days)
Day 1 — Screening: Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) test + Picture Perception & Discussion Test (PPDT). About 50% are screened out.
Day 2 — Psychological Tests: Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), Word Association Test (WAT), Situation Reaction Test (SRT), Self-Description Test (SD).
Day 3-4 — Group Tasks: Group Discussion (GD), Group Planning Exercise (GPE), Progressive Group Task (PGT), Half Group Task (HGT), Individual Obstacles, Command Task, Final Group Task.
Day 5 — Interview & Conference: Personal Interview by the Interviewing Officer, followed by a Conference where all assessors discuss each candidate.
Final Merit
Written (900) + SSB (900) = 1800 marks total. Final merit list determines admission to NDA Khadakwasla.
NDA 2026 Exam Pattern
Written Examination
| Subject | Questions | Marks | Duration | Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 120 | 300 | 150 minutes | 1/3 per wrong answer |
| General Ability Test (English + GK) | 150 | 600 | 150 minutes | 1/3 per wrong answer |
| Total | 270 | 900 |
SSB Interview
| Subject | Questions | Marks | Duration | Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screening Test (OIR + PPDT) | 0 | 0 | Day 1 | N/A — Screening |
| Psychological Tests (TAT, WAT, SRT, SD) | 0 | 0 | Day 2 | N/A |
| Group Tasks (GD, GPE, HGT, PGT, Command Task) | 0 | 0 | Day 3-4 | N/A |
| Personal Interview + Conference | 0 | 900 | Day 4-5 | N/A |
| Total | 0 | 900 |
