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How NDA Exam is Conducted? A Comprehensive Guide

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How NDA Exam is Conducted? A Comprehensive Guide

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The National Defence Academy (NDA) exam is one of the most prestigious and competitive exams in India. It is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) twice a year to select candidates for admission to the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of the NDA and the Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC). The NDA exam is a gateway to a career in the defence services and offers an opportunity to serve the nation with honour and pride.

The NDA exam consists of two stages: written exam and SSB interview. Candidates who qualify the written exam are called for the SSB interview, which is a comprehensive test of their personality, intelligence, aptitude, leadership, and physical fitness. The SSB interview also includes medical examination and document verification. The final selection of candidates is based on their performance in both the written exam and the SSB interview.

NDA Written Exam

The NDA written exam comprises two papers: Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT). Both the papers are objective type and have negative marking for wrong answers. The duration of each paper is 2.5 hours and the total marks are 900. The papers are conducted on the same day in two sessions: morning and afternoon. The medium of the papers is English or Hindi.

The syllabus and pattern of the NDA written exam are as follows:

Paper SubjectNo. of QuestionsMarksDurationPaper I | Mathematics | 120 | 300 | 2.5 hours
Paper II | General Ability Test (GAT) | 150 | 600 | 2.5 hours

Mathematics

The Mathematics paper covers topics such as Algebra, Matrices and Determinants, Trigonometry, Analytical Geometry, Differential Calculus, Integral Calculus, Vector Algebra, Statistics and Probability.

The level of difficulty of the questions is of Class 11th and 12th standard.

General Ability Test (GAT)

The GAT paper covers topics such as English, General Knowledge, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography, Current Affairs, etc.

The GAT paper is divided into two parts: Part A and Part B. Part A consists of 50 questions on English and Part B consists of 100 questions on General Knowledge. The weightage of each part is 200 marks.

NDA SSB Interview

The SSB interview is a five-day process that tests the candidates’ suitability for a career in the defence services. The SSB interview consists of two stages: Stage I and Stage II.

Stage I

Stage I is conducted on the first day of the SSB interview and consists of two tests: Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) Test and Picture Perception and Description Test (PPDT).

The OIR Test is a written test that assesses the candidates’ verbal and non-verbal reasoning abilities. The PPDT is a psychological test that involves showing a picture to the candidates for a few seconds and asking them to write a story based on it. The candidates are then divided into groups and asked to narrate their stories and discuss them with each other.

The candidates who clear Stage I are shortlisted for Stage II. The candidates who fail Stage I are sent back on the same day.

Stage II

Stage II is conducted from the second day to the fifth day of the SSB interview and consists of four tests: Psychology Test, Group Testing Officer (GTO) Test, Personal Interview (PI), and Conference.

Psychology Test

The Psychology Test is conducted on the second day of Stage II and consists of four sub-tests: Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), Word Association Test (WAT), Situation Reaction Test (SRT), and Self Description Test (SDT).

TAT: In this test, 12 pictures are shown to the candidates one by one for 30 seconds each and they are asked to write a story based on each picture within 4 minutes.

WAT: In this test, 60 words are shown to the candidates one by one for 15 seconds each and they are asked to write the first thought that comes to their mind for each word.

SRT: In this test, 60 situations are given to the candidates in a booklet and they are asked to write their responses within 30 minutes.

SDT: In this test, the candidates are asked to write about themselves in terms of their strengths, weaknesses, hobbies, achievements, goals, etc.

GTO Test

The GTO Test is conducted on the third and fourth day of Stage II and consists of nine tasks: Group Discussion (GD), Group Planning Exercise (GPE), Progressive Group Task (PGT), Half Group Task (HGT), Individual Obstacles Task (IOT), Command Task (CT), Snake Race/Group Obstacle Race (GOR), Lecturette, and Final Group Task (FGT).

GD: In this task, two topics of current or general interest are given to the candidates and they are asked to discuss them in a group for 20 minutes each.

GPE: In this task, a model of a map with some problems and constraints is given to the candidates and they are asked to write a plan of action to solve them within 10 minutes. They are then asked to discuss their plans in a group and arrive at a common plan within 20 minutes.

PGT: In this task, a set of obstacles is given to the candidates and they are asked to cross them as a group using some materials provided to them within a specified time limit.

HGT: In this task, a similar set of obstacles is given to the candidates but the group is divided into two sub-groups and each sub-group is asked to cross them within a specified time limit.

IOT: In this task, 10 obstacles of varying difficulty levels are given to the candidates and they are asked to cross them individually within 3 minutes.

CT: In this task, one candidate is designated as the commander and he is asked to cross an obstacle with the help of two or three subordinates of his choice within a specified time limit.

GOR: In this task, the candidates are divided into four groups and each group is given a snake-like rope. They are asked to cross a series of obstacles as a group while holding the rope within a specified time limit.

Lecturette: In this task, each candidate is given a card with four topics and he is asked to choose one topic and deliver a lecture on it for 3 minutes.

FGT: In this task, a final set of obstacles is given to the candidates and they are asked to cross them as a group within a specified time limit.

Personal Interview (PI)

The PI is conducted on any day from the second day to the fourth day of Stage II by an interviewing officer. The PI lasts for about 30 to 60 minutes and covers various aspects of the candidates’ personal, academic, professional, and general awareness.

Conference

The Conference is conducted on the fifth day of Stage II by all the assessors of the SSB board. The candidates are called one by one and asked some questions related to their stay, performance, and feedback. The assessors then discuss the suitability of each candidate and give their final recommendation.

NDA Medical Examination

The candidates who are recommended by the SSB board are sent for medical examination at designated military hospitals. The medical examination lasts for about 3 to 5 days and tests the candidates’ physical and mental fitness as per the standards prescribed by the defence services.

The candidates who are declared medically fit by the medical board are eligible for final selection. The candidates who are declared medically unfit can appeal against the decision within 42 days.

NDA Final Selection

The final selection of candidates for NDA/NA is based on their merit in the written exam and SSB interview, subject to their medical fitness and availability of vacancies. The merit list is prepared by UPSC after taking into account the marks obtained by the candidates in both the stages. The merit list is published on the official website of UPSC and also in leading newspapers.

The selected candidates are then allotted service preference (Army/Navy/Air Force) as per their rank, choice, and vacancy. They are then sent for training at NDA/NA for a period of three years, after which they are commissioned as officers in their respective services.

Conclusion

The NDA exam is a challenging and rewarding exam that requires thorough preparation, hard work, dedication, and passion. The NDA exam offers an opportunity to join the elite defence forces of India and serve the nation with pride and honour. The NDA exam is not only a test of knowledge but also a test of personality, character, and potential. The NDA exam is a dream come true for many young aspirants who want to make a difference in their lives and in the lives of others.

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