NDA 2021: Exam Date, Eligibility, Application, Syllabus, Pattern

NDA 2021: The full form of NDA is National Defence Academy. NDA exam is conducted on an all India basis twice a year to recruit members into all three services – Army, Navy and Air Force. The written exam is conducted by the (Union Public Service Commission) UPSC, and the interview is carried out by the (Services Selection Board) SSB. The NDA, as an establishment, is the first joint services academy, an academy that inducts personnel from all three services before they move on to their respective line of training. This article gives detail information about NDA 2021 notification that includes exam date, eligibility, application process, admit card, exam pattern, syllabus, result and more.

UPSC NDA 2021 Highlights 

NDA 2021 Exam Dates

NDA 2021 Application Form

For NDA 2021 Registration, candidates are required to apply only in the ONLINE mode. The application form consists of two parts – Part I and II. Candidates have to fill in all the correct details in the form. They also need to upload their scanned signature plus scanned photographs along with the form. After submission before the due date, candidates are requested to keep a print copy of the same for all their future references. UPSC does not require candidates to send a duplicate copy of the application form in any other mode. Also, candidates are advised not to send multiple applications for the same candidature. Below we have provided step by step process to fill in the NDA Form 2021

• Visit the official website of UPSC – upsc.gov.in
• Click on the link that will provide display Part I of the application form.
• Fill in all the personal details without any errors. Candidate name, complete address, valid email id, mobile number, and other necessary contact details need to be submitted.
• Make sure that your personal details are matched and supported by valid documents issued by the government of India.
• The email id and phone number should be valid and in – use by the candidate. This information will be used by the UPSC authorities in all future communications.
• After cross-checking the details more than once, submit Part I of the application.
• Now enter Part II of the application.
• Select your choice of exam center, pay the application fees.
• Make sure you have a scanned photograph in JPEG format that is less than 300 kb in size. A scanned copy of your signature should also be in JPEG format, but size should be necessarily more than 20 kb. Upload both documents.
• Carefully read the declaration part and confirm it too.
•  Go through all the details once again; you will not be allowed to make any changes or modify your application form once it is submitted.
• Finally, submit the application form and make a note of the reference number for future uses.

Application Fee

The application fee can be remitted in either ONLINE or OFFLINE mode.

• The standard application fee for all candidates applying to the NDA exam is INR 100.
• SC/ST category candidates are exempted from paying fees.
• Eligible sons of Joint Commissioned Officers (JCOs), Non Commissioned Officers (NCOs), and Other Rank Officers (Ors) from the Indian Army are also exempted from paying any fees.

Steps by step process, to pay the NDA application fee

• If you pay in the ONLINE mode, on the homepage, click on the link that will allow you to pay the fee.
• You can use internet banking facilities, debit card/ credit card / other available options to remit the fee online.
• Seek acknowledgement after paying the fee online.
• In the OFFLINE mode, remit the fee in person at any of the recognized SBI branches and receive an E-challan for the same.
• Enter the E-challan number in the application form where you have provision to pay fee.
• Receive an acknowledgement for paying the requisite fee.

NDA 2021 Eligibility Criteria

Here, in this section, we explain the different eligibility conditions that a candidate has to check before making an application for NDA 2021.

Nationality

• Citizens of India or subjects or Bhutan/Nepal are eligible to apply.
• Tibetan refugees who have settled permanently in India since 1st January 1962 are also eligible to apply.
• Citizens of Indian origin who migrated back to India from other countries like Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zaire, Zambia, Malawi, Vietnam, and Ethiopia and have intentions of settling in India permanently can also apply.

Age, Gender & Marital Status

• Gender: Only male candidates are eligible to apply for NDA. Female candidates are barred from applying.
• Age Limit: Candidate’s age should be between 16.5 – 19.5 years. Candidates born between July 02, 2002 and July 01, 2005 are eligible to apply for NDA I. Candidates born between January 02, 2003 and January 01, 2006 are eligible to apply for NDA II.
• Marital Status: Only unmarried male candidates are eligible to apply.

Education Qualification

The minimum educational qualification to be eligible for applying to the different wings of the forces is mentioned below:

• Army Wing of National Defense Academy: Candidates must have passed the 12th board examination or equivalent to be eligible to apply.
• Air Force and Naval Wings (Cadet Entry Scheme): Candidates must have passed the 12th board examination or equivalent with Maths and Physics as compulsory subjects. The same qualification applies to apply via a 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme for INA (Indian Naval Academy).
• Appearing: Those candidates who are going to appear in the 12th board examination in the year of application are also eligible to apply for all wings.

Physical Fitness

• Candidates need to be mentally and physically fit to be eligible for the NDA.
• Candidates should not be obese/ fat/ weak or malnourished.
• 157.5 cms are the minimum acceptable height. For air force applicants, 162.5 cms are the prescribed norm.
• Well developed chest with a minimum of 81 cms in case of expanded chest measurement is considered.
• Distant vision requirements of 6/6 in case of good eyesight conditions and 6/9 in case of not-so-good eyesight condition are the prescribed visual standards.

NDA 2021 Exam Pattern

• The NDA exam is conducted only in the OFFLINE mode.
• Objective type of questions with multiple choices of answers is asked.
• The written test is conducted for 900 marks.
• Mathematics covers 300 marks, and the General Ability section covers 600 marks.
• Questions will b asked in both English and Hindi languages.
• Exam duration is a maximum of 5 hours.
• Negative marking is applicable. 1/3rd of marks allotted for a particular question is deducted for every wrong answer selected.

SSB Interview Process 

• Candidates qualifying in the written round will be further called in for the interview round.
• The interview process is spread over a series of 5 days.
• All candidates who have qualified in the written round have to attend all five days of interview for further processing of their candidature.

The Pattern for SSB interview rounds is tabulated below:

NDA 2021 Syllabus

We present the NDA syllabus for both written round and personality test round in the following sections:

Written Examination 

• Mathematics – Important topics to be covered are key topics in algebra, including vector algebra, matrices, determinants, two and three-dimensional aspects of analytical geometry, trigonometry, statistics, calculus, and differential calculus and other topics.
• General Ability Test – Important topics to be covered are general English usage in vocabulary and writing. Grammatical aspects, comprehension, and understanding of the language in various contexts. Current affairs, general science, and elementary knowledge in social science subjects, a good hold on general knowledge.

SSB Interview Round

• For the first day, picture perception and description skills, a series of intelligence testing questionnaires.
• For the second day, focus on describing self and one’s personality traits, word associations, and regressions, thematic analysis, etc.
• For the third day, personal interview round for selected few candidates directly by the honourable president of India, duty relevant command tasks, physically challenging tasks such as military drills and exercises, obstacle clearance tasks.
• For the fourth and fifth day, duty relevant tasks carried out in groups in the previous day will be allotted for each individual.

NDA 2021 Admit Card

Admit card of NDA 2021 will be available for download from March 2021 for NDA I. NDA Admit card for session II will be available from August 2021. The admit card consists of all essential details of the candidate like name, roll number, exam center, date and timings, exam center address, etc. It is necessary to carry the admit card to the examination hall, without which the candidate wouldn’t be allowed to take up the examination. Candidates are also advised to keep an extra print copy of the admit card in case the card gets stolen or lost. Step by step process to download NDA Admit card is given below

• Candidates should visit the official UPSC website. Traverse to the link that will allow you to download your admit card.
• Enter these details correctly at the appropriate places – date of birth/roll number/registration id or any other necessary details as asked.
• Enter captcha code, if any.
• Once your admit card opens, check for the correctness of all details.
• In case of discrepancies, immediately contact the helpline numbers displayed on the website.

NDA 2021 Result

This section will inform students about the probable dates when results would be available for download on the official website.

• After the commencement of the written exam, the answer keys will be published on the website. Candidates can check their probable marks and results with the help of the answer key.
• After the publishing of answer keys, candidates can expect the formal result announcement a few days later.
• For NDA I, results may be expected in May 2021, and for NDA II, results may be expected by around November 2021.
• Candidates can download the PDF file displaying a list of all candidates who have qualified in the written examination.

Those candidates who are considered qualified in the written round will be eligible for the next round of SSB interview. The final list of selected candidates will be announced after the interview and personality test rounds.

NDA 2021 Cut off

• After the results are out on the official website, the authorities will publish the cut off marks considered for the respective exam.
• Cut off marks are not standard marks; they vary every time.
• Cut off marks are solely decided by UPSC authorities.
• Setting the cut off marks depends on a lot of inherent criteria like a number of applications, competition level in the exam, the toughness of the paper, etc.

NDA 2021 Preparation Tips

Here are some handy tips for the NDA Exam

• First of all, candidates should note that under the same exam conducting authority, i.e., UPSC, every exam has its unique way of marking scheme. Examiners don’t follow a set pattern for every exam on the list. So, candidates have to acquaint themselves with the relevant marking scheme for the respective exam.
• Identify the complete syllabus for the exam. Be thorough with what you study and what needs to be studied.
• Every topic will have a bunch of key points addressed in different places in different books. To combine all those points in one place, practice the habit of preparing good notes. It becomes a handy tool for reference and revision.
• To get the actual feel of the examination, you should always refer to previous year question papers, keep the key answers handy. This will help you familiarise yourself with the pattern and type of questions asked in the paper.
• Also, take ample time out to answer a mock test series that are available online. This way, you know where you are scoring and where you are lacking.
• Enough material in the form of books, online videos, encyclopedias, and other research guides are available.
• Instead of piling too much material, select the best ones and only those that are required for your study purpose.
• Apart from studying, it is equally important to measure your speed and accuracy levels of attempting the exam and improvise on them.

NDA Reference Books

Here, we have indicated a list of reference books that are useful for the NDA Exam 2021.

• NDA Pathfinder
• Mathematics for NDA and NA by RS Aggarwal.
• Pearson guide for mathematics for the NDA entrance examination.
• Quantitative Aptitude series by RS Aggarwal.
• NCERT Textbooks (Class 6th to 12th)
• A Mirror of Common Errors by Ashok Kumar Singh.
• Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis.
• Concepts of Physics by H C Verma.
• Chemistry series by Arihant Publications.
• Indian Polity by Laxmikanth.