NDA (1) 2021 Notification (Out), Exam Date, Eligibility, Syllabus & Vacancy

National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Exam 2021 ( NDA )

Updated on Jan 29, 2021 by Anangsha Patra 625.1K Views1.3K Comments

Exam On: 18 Apr '21

NDA Eligibility Criteria 2021

NDA Selection Process 2021

NDA Preparation Tips by Toppers

NDA 2021 FAQs 

Get Prep Tips & Updates about NDA 2021

What is NDA 2021 Exam?

NDA is one of the most sought after defence entrance exams in the country. The exam is conducted for admission to Army, Navy and Air Force wings of NDA and Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC). NDA is conducted twice a year in two stages: written exam and SSB Interview. Around four lakh, aspirants appear for NDA every year, out of which approximately 6,000 are called for SSB Interview. UPSC prepares a list of candidates who obtain minimum qualifying marks in the written exam. Such candidates are called for SSB Interview for Intelligence and Personality Test.

Latest Updates:

Jan 29, 2021: UPSC has released the list of candidates whose NDA 2021 application forms have been rejected due to non-payment of examination fees. Read More

Jan 27, 2021: UPSC has activated the link to withdraw NDA application form. Read More

NDA 2021 Highlights 

Exam name  National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination (NDA & NA)
Conducted by  UPSC 
Exam level  National 
Exam category  After Class 12
Frequency of exam  Twice a year
Exam stages  Written Test and SSB Interview 
Exam mode  Offline 
Exam duration  Five hours (Mathematics: 2 ½ hours, General Ability Test (GAT): 2 ½ hours) 
Exam syllabus 

Mathematics: Algebra, Matrices and Determinants, Trigonometry, Analytical Geometry of two and three dimensions, Differential Calculus, Vector Algebra, Statistics and Probability.

GAT: English, General Knowledge, Physics, Chemistry, General Science, Geography, Current Events etc. 

Exam pattern 

GAT: 150 objective type questions 

Mathematics: 120 objective type questions 

Language  English and Hindi 
Exam purpose  For admission to National Defence Academy (NDA) and Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC) 
Test cities  41
Exam helpdesk 011-23385271/011-23381125/011- 23098543 
Official website upsc.gov.in

NDA Notification 2021

NDA (1) 2021 notification has been released on November 30. The notification has been made available in PDF form. The notification contains details such as number of vacancies, exam date, application dates, exam pattern, syllabus, eligibility criteria, etc. Before filling the application form, candidates should read the notification properly. Read more on NDA 2021 Notification

NDA Eligibility Criteria 2021

Candidates need to fulfill the following eligibility criteria in order to be eligible for the exam. 

Age Limit: For NDA 1 exam, candidates must have born not earlier than July 2, 2002, and not later than July 1, 2005. For NDA 2 exam, candidates must have born not earlier than January 2, 2002, and not later than January 1, 2006. 

Educational qualification: The educational qualification is different for different academies. Candidates can check the educational qualification prescribed for different academies below:

Army Wing of National Defence Academy Passed Class 12/HSC or equivalent from a recognised board or university. 
Air Force, Navy and Naval Academy of National Defence Academy Passed Class 12/HSC with Physics and Mathematics 

Click here to know more on NDA eligibility criteria

Prepare for JEE Main 2021 Entrance Exam with Question Papers, Syllabus, Pattern and Preparation Tips

Download Question Papers

NDA Dates 2021

The dates of NDA I and II exams have been announced. Candidates can check below NDA dates 2021. 

NDA I Dates 2021

Events Dates Salient Features 
Notification  30-Dec-2020 The complete schedule along with other details have been released
Application form  30-Dec-2020 Registrations for the recruitment exam had started on this date
Last date to apply  19-Jan-2021  Candidates could submit their application forms online 
Application withdrawal 27-Jan-2021 to 02-Feb-2021 The facility to withdraw the application form of NDA has been made available 
Written exam 

18-Apr-2021

The exam will be conducted in two shifts: morning and afternoon across 41 cities spread throughout the country

Admit card  March 2021

All registered candidates will be issued admit cards for the exam

Declaration of written result  June 2021 The result of the written exam is declared online and displays the roll numbers of shortlisted candidates
SSB Interview  July to Sept 2021 SSB Interview is conducted for the shortlisted candidates of written exam in two stages

NDA 2 Dates 2021

Events Dates Salient Features 
Notification  09-Jun-2021 NDA 2 notification will be released in PDF format
Application form  09-Jun-2021 Application forms will be made available along with the notification 
Last date to apply  29-Jun-2021  Candidates can apply within the application deadline 
Written exam  05-Sept-.2021  The written exam of NDA was conducted in two shifts and comprised two papers
Admit card  August 2021 The admit card will be released online for registered candidates
Declaration of written result  December 2021 The result of the written exam is declared on the official website in PDF form
SSB Interview   January 2022 to April 2022 SSB Interview is conducted in two stages

Check here UPSC Calendar 2021

NDA vacancies 2021

The details regarding NDA 1 vacancies have been announced. Total of 400 vacancies will be filled through the exam. In 2020, a total of 418 vacancies were announced for NDA 1 exam and 413 were for NDA 2. 

NDA 1 vacancies 2021

Academy  Number of vacancies 
NDA 

370

Army: 208

Navy: 42

Air Force: 120
(including 28 for ground Duties) 

Naval Academy (10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme)  30
Total  400

Also Read: NDA Salary 

NDA Selection Process 2021

The complete process of NDA is explained below.

Filling the application form 

Interested candidates are required to fill NDA application form online. The application fee is Rs 100 which can be paid both online and offline. The commission releases the list of rejected applicants a few days after the closure of the application process. Besides, the examination authority also activates the link to withdraw NDA application form for a specified period. Candidates who do not wish to appear for the exam can withdraw their application form. 

Release of admit card 

NDA admit card is released three weeks before the exam. The link to download the admit card will be available on the official website. Candidates can download the admit card by logging either with roll number or registration number. The hard copy of the admit card is not sent to candidates by post. 

Written Exam

All the candidates who successfully register for the exam are required to appear for the written exam. The written exam comprises two sections: Mathematics and General Ability Test. The test carries a total of 900 marks. Candidates who obtain the minimum qualifying marks in the written exam are called for SSB Interview. Read more on NDA exam pattern. 

Declaration of result

NDA result is declared online in two stages: written and final. First, the result of the written exam is declared followed by the declaration of the final result. The result is made available in PDF format. It displays the roll numbers of qualified candidates. The marksheet of candidates is released after the declaration of the final result. Candidates need to secure NDA cut off separately in written exam and SSB Interview. 

SSB Interview

The SSB Interview is conducted for Intelligence and Personality Test. The test is conducted in two stages. All qualified candidates are put to stage 1 test on the first day of reporting at Selection Centres/Air Force Selection Boards/Naval Selection Boards. Candidates qualifying the first stage are called for the second stage exam. Those who will qualify the second stage are required to submit a birth certificate and pass certificate. 

Final Selection 

Candidates are finally selected for admission to admission to Army, Navy and Air Force wings of NDA and INAC based on their performance in written exam and SSB Interview. The final allocation will be done as per the number of vacancies subjected to candidates eligibility, medical fitness and merit-cum-preference. 

Release of Answer Key 

NDA Answer Key for both Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT) is released after completion of the recruitment process. The answer keys are made available for sets of test booklets. 

Check here for the complete selection process

NDA 2021 Exam Centres

NDA exam centres are the cities where the offline test will be conducted. Candidates need to appear for the exam in the exam centre allotted to them by the examination authority. While filling the application form, candidates need to enter their preferences of exam city. UPSC allots exam centre to candidates as per the preferences exercised by them in the application form. However, the Commission reserves the right to cancel or add exam centres. The exam will be conducted in the following cities. 

City State/Union Territory

Agartala

Tripura

Ahmedabad

Gujarat

Aizawl

Mizoram

Allahabad

Uttar Pradesh

Bangalore

Karnataka

Bareilly

Uttar Pradesh

Bhopal

Madhya Pradesh

Check here complete NDA exam centres.

NDA 2021 Exam Day Guidelines 

  • Candidates should carry their NDA admit card to the exam centre 
  • Along with the admit card, candidates should also carry one photo-identity proof 
  • Carry clipboard or hardboard and a black ball pen for marking their responses
  • Sheet for doing rough work is provided by the invigilator 
  • Books, notes, loose sheets, electronic or any other type of calculators, mathematical and drawing instruments, log tables, stencils of maps, slide rules, test booklets and rough sheets are not allowed inside the examination centre
  • Strict action is taken against those candidates found copying or cheating 
                                                              Download CURRENT AFFAIRS 2020 Guide - Click Here

NDA Exam Analysis 2021 

NDA exam analysis 2021 will be provided separately for the Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT) after the exam gets over. The exam will help candidates to know the overall and section-wise difficulty levels, students reaction regarding the papers, topic-wise distribution of questions, etc. Check below NDA exam analysis 2020 shared by the candidates.

NDA 1 and 2 Student Reaction & Review for GAT 

NDA 1 and 2 Student Reaction & Review for Maths

Click here to know more on NDA exam analysis

NDA Preparation Tips by Toppers

Candidates can check below the interviews given by toppers to Shiksha on how to prepare for NDA. 

Toppers Preparation Tips 
NDA 2019 Topper Piyush Thorve (AIR 16)
  • Candidates must have a strong determination
  • Prepare questions from Mathematics, English and Science through NCERT books of class 6 to 12
  • Read newspapers, magazines and also focus on basic grammar rules for English
  • Do not overstress yourself before the exam
  • Do not learn new topics before the exam rather revise the topics you have learned
NDA Exam 2018 Topper, Sparsh Kankane (AIR 1)
  • Focus on understanding the NDA syllabus and exam pattern of the exam
  • Candidates must solve previous years' question papers
  • Start preparing for the exam at Class 9 and 10 and do not wait for Class 11 an 12
  • Read NCERT textbooks of class 6 to 10 because questions are directly asked from the same
  • Trust in their own preparation
  • Peace of mind is very important

NDA Preparation Tips 2021

Candidates can prepare for NDA exam by following the tips given below

  • To begin with, candidates must be clear about the subjects, pattern and types of questions
  • The Mathematics section of NDA comprises questions from Algebra, matrices, trigonometry, calculus, statistics, etc. Candidates must clear their concepts from Class 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 NCERT books
  • The GAT comprises a variety of subjects such as Chemistry, General Science, Geography, History, and Current Affairs. This section also comprises a section on English
  • Candidates must revise the topics they have studied
  • Make short and simple notes as it will help candidates to revise properly and quickly
  • Solve previous years' NDA question papers and take a NDA mock test
  • Buy good NDA books and question banks

Check here NDA Preparation Tips 2021

Read More:

NDA 2021 FAQs 

Q. What is the eligibility for NDA exam?

A. Candidates should be between 16 to 19 years and have passed class 12 or equivalent exam.

Q. What is the salary after NDA?

A. During the training period, candidates are offered Rs 56,100. 

Q. Can a married candidate apply for NDA exam?

A. No, only unmarried candidates are eligible to apply for NDA exam.

Q. Can girls apply for NDA exam?

A. No, girls cannot apply for NDA exam. 

Q. What is the difference between NDA and CDS exams?

A. Though both are defence exams, there are many similarities and differences in the recruitment process, exam pattern, training, salary, perks, promotion, eligibility, etc. Read More

Q. What are the subjects for NDA exam?

A. The exam comprises two subjects: Mathematics and GAT (English and General Knowledge). 

Q. What are the minimum qualifying marks for applying to NDA exam?

A. There are no minimum qualifying marks for applying to the exam. 

Q. Does class 12 marks matter in NDA exam?

A. Yes, class 12 marks are important for applying to the exam. 

Q. Is Mathematics necessary for NDA exam?

A. Yes, if you apply for Air Force and Navy.

Q. Is NDA exam easy?

A. The level of both papers: Maths and GAT remains moderate in terms of difficulty level.

Q. Is NCERT enough for NDA?

A. Mostly the questions are based on the syllabus of CBSE, therefore, it is advisable to prepare from NCERT books of Class 10, 11 and 12.

Q. Can I clear NDA exam by preparing for six months?

A. Yes, you can crack the exam with six months preparation. But, you need to prepare well with utmost dedication.

Q. Can I clear NDA exam in the first attempt?

A. Yes, you can clear in the first attempt with good preparation strategy.

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Comments

K

Komal

2021-01-16 19:08:38

Hii. Sir I am komal I am 12th pass And I can apply at the National Defense Academy.

Reply to Komal

M

Mohit Kumar

Beginner-Level 1

2 weeks ago

Girls can not apply for NDA.

M

MANOJ KUMAR

Beginner-Level 2

a month ago

Yes, you can apply provided your subjects in class 12th should be PCM.

A

Abhinav T Binu

2021-02-06 15:24:10

Sir, I am studying in 11th class when should I apply for NDA examination.

Reply to Abhinav T Binu

D

Dinesh upadhyay

Guide-Level 11

3 weeks ago

You can apply in NDA during class 12th and after passing class 12th, but subject to age limits.

B

Bhargav

2021-01-25 10:05:54

What is the minimum age for NDA.

Reply to Bhargav

S

Snigdha Kumar

Contributor-Level 8

a month ago

You may appear in the exam at the minimum age of 15.7 years however, you must complete 16 years during the commencement of the course.

M

Md rajkhan

2020-12-15 20:08:54

Can a class 10th pass student apply for the NDA exam?

Reply to Md rajkhan

M

MANOJ KUMAR

Beginner-Level 2

a month ago

Class 10th pass students cannot apply for the NDA exam. The student who are pursuing 12th standard with Science stream consisting PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY, and MATHEMATICS are mandatory as core subjects can apply as per the age criteria shown in the NDA website.

A

Atul Kumar

2021-01-16 19:21:28

I belong to obc but don't have category Certificate so can I fill with general category for nda?

Reply to Atul Kumar

D

Deepak Chowdary

Beginner-Level 1

a month ago

NDA doesn't have any type of reservation, so you can apply in the general category.

R

Rina Yadav

2021-01-03 21:33:25

I'm a girl can I apply for NDA.

Reply to Rina Yadav

A

Aditi Sinha

Beginner-Level 5

a month ago

No, female and unmarried candidates are not eligible for NDA.

R

Rahul Rio

2021-01-05 10:18:07

I am in class 11 arts so can I give the eligibility test of NDA.

Reply to Rahul Rio

A

Aditi Sinha

Beginner-Level 5

a month ago

For appearing in NDA, you need to be in at least class 12th as the minimum age required is 16.

R

Ritesh Ahire

2021-01-14 23:27:28

11th standard student can also apply for NDA.

Reply to Ritesh Ahire

A

Aditi Sinha

Beginner-Level 5

a month ago

No, you can't. You need to be in class 12th or passed out, because the age criteria is 16 years minimum.

G

Gaurav Bhardwaj

2020-12-23 10:44:13

I had passed 12 th with pcB and optional (additional ) subject as Maths. Am I eligible for airforce and navy wing of NDA exam.

Reply to Gaurav Bhardwaj

10601529
pradeep kumar

Scholar-Level 18

a month ago

As per the NDA eligibility criteria for Naval and Air Force wings, The candidate must have passed 12th with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as main subjects. So you are not eligible for Naval and Air force wings. However you are eligible for Army wing.

A

Atharva Shinde

2021-01-01 20:36:13

Sir/mam I am in 12th Science can I apply for NDA Exam. ?

Reply to Atharva Shinde

27073309
pradeep kumar

Scholar-Level 18

2 months ago

Yes you can apply for NDA If you are appearing in 12th during this year. The 12th Science (PCM) students are eligible for all the three wings I. e Air Force, Naval and Army.

G

Gopal Rao

2020-12-31 16:49:33

Sir I am studying Diploma final year. So can I applying this exam (nda)

Reply to Gopal Rao

27034025
pradeep kumar

Scholar-Level 18

2 months ago

The eligibility criteria of NDA is class 12th, So Diploma engineering students are not eligible for NDA.

V

Vaishali Roy

2020-12-30 09:21:09

I am now 17 so how much attempts I have to appear for NDA please reply.

Reply to Vaishali Roy

20998501
Muskan Middha

Contributor-Level 6

2 months ago

To be very simple and clear, candidates with the age of 16.5 years to 19.5 years are completely eligible for the exam and most importantly, if you are asking about the number of attempts, then you can clear it in the very first attempt. The only thing that is required to clear this exam in the ve...To be very simple and clear, candidates with the age of 16.5 years to 19.5 years are completely eligible for the exam and most importantly, if you are asking about the number of attempts, then you can clear it in the very first attempt. The only thing that is required to clear this exam in the very first attempt is the hard work and dedication.

R

Rohit gupta

2020-12-30 17:57:17

Iam in class 11 th and my basic is not too good but I started hard work for study and for crack NDA Can I clear in first attempt?

Reply to Rohit gupta

27000453
Muskan Middha

Contributor-Level 6

2 months ago

To crack NDA exam in the first attempt, it requires a lot of hard work and dedication. But with the smart preparation tips, you can crack the NDA exam successfully that too with higher marks.

B

Biju

2020-12-19 08:46:54

Can you suggest India's best coaching center for NDA written exam and advise is it necessary to join a coaching class for this exam.

Reply to Biju

D

Dinesh upadhyay

Guide-Level 11

2 months ago

You can take online coaching from career Launcher, Gradeup etc. It is not necessary but will make you prepare a think from different angle. Thus will definitely add value to your preparation. Study along with coaching can do miracle. But without self study you can not clear it. Best wishes.

S

Srikant Kumar

2020-12-13 12:10:48

Sir now I am in class 11 but during the exam date of NDA 1 2021 I will be in final year. So is I am eligible for NDA.

Reply to Srikant Kumar

s

sayna Ahmed

Beginner-Level 2

2 months ago

Yes, you are eligible only last year appearing students or graduated can appear.

K

Kaushalsinh rana

2020-12-04 11:50:45

Can commerce student apply for NDA exam?

Reply to Kaushalsinh rana

E

Everything about Learning

Beginner-Level 1

2 months ago

Yes, students from any stream can apply, but before the age of 21.

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