NDA Preparation 2024: How to Prepare for UPSC NDA Exam?

The UPSC NDA preparation can help you crack the exam because it gives you an analysis of your strength, speed, and accuracy. NDA is an examination conducted to test the eligibility of a candidate interested in pursuing their higher studies at the National Defence Academy (NDA).

The NDA examination is competitive and has a high level of difficulty. But with a couple of simple NDA preparation tips and study tricks as mentioned in this article, you will be able to clear the examination successfully.

Preparing For NDA 2024 Exam

Candidates generally come across the question of how to prepare for NDA? Hence, it is suggested to be concentrated and prepare for the NDA exam with a good schedule in hand. Use the best NDA preparation books and study material to benefit your competition and secure your place post the NDA 2024 Exam.

Here are a few tips to prepare in the best manner for the NDA 2024 exam:

• Have a fool-proof study schedule in place before you start.
• Understand your study path in terms of the topics to read and the books you must acquire.
• Keep your General knowledge up to date with publications and newspapers.
• Keep the right study materials - books, pdfs, question papers and model tests, in hand before starting.
• Keep yourself mentally and physically fit at all times so you can be confident and perform at your best.

Best Books for NDA Preparation

Candidates might have been confused about which book to buy as there are so many books for NDA exams in the market.

Here are some of the NDA preparation books you can refer to.

• Manorama Yearbook 2020 by Mammen Mathew
• Wren & Martin High School English Grammar and Composition
• Objective GK by Sanjiv Kumar
• Mathematics for NDA/NA: National Defence Academy and Naval Academy by RS Aggarwal
• NDA Entrance Exam by ES Ramasamy

How to Prepare for the NDA Exam?

The NDA exam can be tough for aspirants who need a grasp of the basics, so starting your preparations early would be preferable.

• Make a study plan and commit yourself to studying for a few hours every day. They should have short-term and long-term goals that they should plan accordingly so that they are encouraged to finish their targets.
• They should focus on time management by ensuring they achieve their target every day. By being organized, there would be better enactment of the study plan.
• The main books used for this examination are the NCERT books of class 11th and 12th. They help understand the concepts of various topics under the General Ability section. The candidates should develop a habit of reading newspapers as it would help you learn about the current events around the world.
• Mock papers are a must as it helps the aspirants solve the questions faster and give them clarity on what kind of questions would be inquired so that they can work on those problems.
• Revise the topics you have learned every day by making brief notes. For the interview, be confident and focus on getting better at your communication skills.

NDA Exam Pattern

The NDA exam pattern includes a written test with Mathematics and General Ability papers, followed by an interview by the Services Selection Board. The candidates will be able to gauge the difficulty level and structure of questions. It will provide candidates an idea of what to expect while appearing for the exams.

Written Exam Pattern

The written exam includes two Papers and must be completed within 5 hours. The details of the written exam pattern is provided in the table below:

NDA Syllabus

The paper is divided into two sections- Mathematics and General Ability Test.

The syllabus for the two sections is as follows:

• Mathematics
• General Ability

NDA Mathematics Syllabus

Topics covered in the NDA Mathematics sections are as follows.

• Algebra
• Matrices and determinants
• Trigonometry
• Analytical Geometry
• Differential calculus
• Integral calculus
• Differential equations
• Vector Algebra
• Statistics and probability

NDA General Ability Test Syllabus

The GAT is an assessment of the candidate's general reasoning ability, and it checks whether the candidate has a strong problem-solving ability. It also analyses an aspirant's learned skills, and the GAT is mostly subject-based.

• Part A: English
• Part B: General Knowledge

NDA Part A - English Syllabus

English is a most sought language ability by almost every recruitment company across the world.

These are the topics to take care of in English:

• Grammar and its usage
• English vocabulary
• Idioms and proverbs
• Synonyms and Antonyms

NDA Part B - General Knowledge Syllabus

The general knowledge section covers many subjects, including Physics, Chemistry, General sciences, History, geography, and Current affairs.

NDA Physics Syllabus

Even though physics is a difficult subject for many, it can be cracked by determination and planning. These are topics to cover in physics:

• States of Matter
• Laws of Motion
• Light and Sound
• Current and Electricity
• Work, Energy, and Power
• Modes of Transfer of Heat
• Magnetism

NDA Chemistry Syllabus

The magic of chemical substances constitutes the discipline of chemistry. The candidate must prepare a study plan and stick to it. These are significant topics to cover:

• Physical and Chemical Changes
• Properties of Air and Water
• Chemical equations and Laws of Chemical Combination
• Properties of Oxygen, Hydrogen, etc. with Oxidation and Reduction
• Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures
• Atom and its structure
• Carbon and its forms
• Acids, Bases, and Salts
• Use of materials for the preparation of various chemicals
• Fertilizers

NDA General Science Syllabus

Science is a vital subject that prevails in our day-to-day life. Therefore, studying this discipline is important for exams and also in our lives. Listed below are some of the important topics:

• Basic Unit of Life: Cell
• Achievements of Eminent Scientists
• Living and Non-Living Things
• Food and Balanced Diet
• Human Body and Life processes
• Reproduction in Plants and Animals
• Solar System

NDA History Syllabus

History helps us in understanding our nation in the past, its development in the present. Given below are the important topics to be covered:

• A broad survey of Indian History, with emphasis on Culture and Civilisation.
• Nationalism in India
• Constitution and Administration of India
• Freedom Movement in India
• Renaissance and Discovery
• Five Year plans of India
• French, Russian, and Industrial Revolution
• Basic Teachings of Mahatma Gandhi

NDA Geography Syllabus

Geography helps us to understand more about our earth and think critically about the complexities of places. These are some important chapters to learn:

• Earth and its Origin and Movement
• Regional Geography of India
• Transportation and Trading routes of India
• Imports and Exports of India
• Agriculture and Industries
• Rocks and Its classification
• The atmosphere and Atmospheric Pressure
• Types of Climate
• Tides and Oceanic Currents
• Weathering-Mechanical and Chemical, Earthquakes and Volcanoes
• Mineral and Power resources

NDA Current Affairs Syllabus

Candidates should read the newspaper to get updates about India's current affairs or else watch the news on television. Given below are some topics candidates should refer to

• Recent events occurred in India and around the world
• Famous personalities related to cultural, political, and sports

About NDA

National Defence Academy (NDA) exam is a National level defence entrance exam administered for candidates who wish to pursue a career as a member of the Indian Defence Force, mainly Army, Navy and Air force wings of NDA. It is supervised by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and is conducted twice every year. 

There are 2 steps to admission into NDA- a written examination and an SSB (Service Selection Board) interview. Lakhs of people write this examination, and a few thousand get selected for the SSB interview. The NDA exam is difficult to crack, but the candidates can ace the exam with early preparations.