The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is the conducting body of the National Defence Academy Exam (NDA Exam). The exam pattern is designed to recruit the best candidates to serve as officers in the Indian Armed Forces.
This exam is conducted in two stages in a year. The first stage of the NDA Exam will be conducted on April 16, 2023 while the second stage will be conducted on September 3rd.
This article will give details about the exam pattern, which will be useful for the candidates when they attempt the NDA Exam in the above mentioned dates.
Exam Pattern for NDA 2023
The NDA Exam Pattern is divided into two stages:
- Written Examination
- SSB Interview (Service Selection Board)
The written exam in itself is further divided into the following:
- Mathematics
- GAT (General Ability Test)
The duration for both are 2 ½ hours long. The Mathematics marks is about 300 and the GAT is at 600 marks while the total marks for the SSB Interview is 900.
The General Ability Test is divided into two:
- English
- General Awareness and General Knowledge Test
The marks distribution for the GAT is as follows:
| NDA General Ability Test | Sections | Maximum marks |
| Part A – English | – | 200 |
| Part B – General Awareness | Physics | 100 |
| History, Freedom Movement, etc. | 80 | |
| Geography | 80 | |
| Chemistry | 60 | |
| General Science | 40 | |
| Current Events | 40 | |
| Total | 600 |
As per the marking scheme formulated by the UPSC, no marks are deducted if a question is left unanswered but there is a provision of negative marking for wrong answers.
The negative marking scheme is as follows:
| NDA Exam Pattern 2023 – Negative Marking Scheme | ||
| Written Exams | Marks for each correct answer | Marks deducted for each incorrect answer |
| Mathematics | 2.5 | 0.83 |
| GAT | 4 | 1.33 |
Pattern for NDA SSB Interview
Once the candidates pass the written exam, they will be eligible for the SSB interview. The pattern for the SSB interview is as follows
NDA – SSB Interview Pattern 2023 | ||
| Stage 1 | Screening Test |
|
| Stage 2 | Psychological Test |
|
| Group Testing Officers Test |
| |
| Personal Interview & conference | – | |
