The UPSC National Defence Academy (NDA) Examination is one of the most popular defense entrance exams in India. It is conducted twice every year by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for candidates who want to join the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. Students who have passed or are appearing in Class 12 can apply for this exam, and the age limit is generally 16 to 19 years. For 2026, the NDA/NA 1 notification was released in December 2025, and the written exam is scheduled to be held on 12 April 2026. Solving previous year’s question papers helps candidates understand the exam pattern, question difficulty, and important topics from the Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT). Check out the complete information about UPSC NDA & NA 1 Recruitment 2026 from the link given below.
NDA Previous Year Question Paper
The NDA & NA 1 exam dates have been officially announced as per the UPSC annual calendar. The NDA 1 2026 exam will be conducted on 12th April 2026, and the NDA 2 2026 exam is scheduled for 13th September 2026. Candidates should now focus seriously on their preparation plans and strategy. Every year, the competition is increasing due to a rise in the number of candidates applying for limited vacancies, making strong preparation very important. Practicing with NDA previous year question papers helps candidates improve their speed and accuracy. For your convenience, we have shared a complete list of NDA previous year question paper PDFs in this blog.
UPSC NDA 2026
The NDA I exam dates for 2026 are given below. Candidates can check out the important dates and start their preparation for the NDA Exam 2026.
| Events | UPSC NDA 1 2026 |
| NDA Notification Release Date | 10th December 2025 |
| NDA Online Registration Start Date | 10th December 2025 |
| NDA Apply Online Last Date | 30th December 2025 |
| NDA Application Form Correction Window Dates | – |
| NDA Exam Date | 12th April 2026 |
| UPSC NDA Admit Card 2026 | Before Exam |
| NDA Result | – |
| NDA Final Result | – |
UPSC NDA Previous Year Question Paper PDF
Students can download the NDA previous year’s question paper PDF from here and practice as much as possible.
| NDA NA 2025 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 | NDA-2 |
| Mathematics | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| General Ability | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| NDA NA 2024 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 | NDA-2 |
| Mathematics | Question Paper PDF | Question Paper PDF |
| General Ability | Question Paper PDF | Question Paper PDF |
| NDA NA 2023 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 | NDA-2 |
| Mathematics | Question Paper PDF | Question Paper PDF |
| General Ability | Question Paper PDF | Question Paper PDF |
| NDA NA 2022 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 | NDA-2 |
| Mathematics | Question Paper PDF | Question Paper PDF |
| General Ability | Question Paper PDF | Question Paper PDF |
| NDA NA 2021 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 | NDA-2 |
| Mathematics | Question Paper PDF | Question Paper PDF |
| General Ability | Question Paper PDF | Question Paper PDF |
| NDA NA 2020 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 & 2 | |
| Mathematics | Question Paper PDF | |
| General Ability | Question Paper PDF | |
| NDA NA 2019 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 | NDA-2 |
| Mathematics | Question Paper PDF | Question Paper PDF |
| General Ability | Question Paper PDF | Question Paper PDF |
| NDA NA 2018 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 | NDA-2 |
| Mathematics | Question Paper PDF | Question Paper PDF |
| General Ability | Question Paper PDF | Question Paper PDF |
| NDA NA 2017 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 | NDA-2 |
| Mathematics | Question Paper PDF | Question Paper PDF |
| General Ability | Question Paper PDF | Question Paper PDF |
| NDA NA 2016 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 | NDA-2 |
| Mathematics | Question Paper PDF | Question Paper PDF |
| General Ability | Question Paper PDF | Question Paper PDF |
| NDA NA 2015 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 | NDA-2 |
| Mathematics | Question Paper PDF | Question Paper PDF |
| General Ability | Question Paper PDF | Question Paper PDF |
NDA Exam Pattern 2025
The NDA written examination consists of two papers that evaluate a candidate’s understanding of mathematics and General Ability. Both papers play an important role in the final selection process and are conducted on the same day. The Mathematics paper tests problem-solving skills from topics like algebra, trigonometry, calculus, and geometry, while the General Ability Test (GAT) checks knowledge of English, science, history, geography, and current events. Each paper has a fixed time duration and carries equal importance in qualifying the written stage. Candidates must score the minimum qualifying marks in both papers to move ahead to the SSB interview round.
| Paper | Subject | Maximum Marks | Duration |
| Paper 1 | Mathematics | 300 | 2½ hours |
| Paper 2 | GAT (General Ability Test) | 600 | 2½ hours |
| Total | — | 900 | 5 hours |
UPSC NDA 2026 Best Books
| Book Name | Book Type | Link |
| NDA/NA General Ability Test (Guide + PYQ) Book For 2026 Exam In English | Guidebook | View Book |
| NDA/NA Mathematics (Guide + PYQ) Book For 2026 Exam In English | Guidebook | View book |
| NDA/NA Mathematics ABHYAAS Mock Papers Book For 2026 Exam in English | Practice set | View book |
| NDA/NA General Ability Test (GAT) ABHYAAS Mock Papers Book For 2026 Exam in English | Practice set | View book |
| NDA Previous Year Mathematics & GAT In English | Solved Paper | View Book |
| NDA Previous Year Mathematics & GAT Exam In Hindi | Solved Paper | View Book |
| NDA/NA Maths & GAT book for Exam in Hindi | Question Bank | View Book |
| NDA/NA Maths & GAT book Exam in English | Question Bank | View Book |
| NDA/NA Solved Papers Book (Mathematics & GAT) For 2026 Exam in Hindi | Solved Papers | View Book |
| NDA/NA (National Defence Academy/ Naval Academy) 26 GAT (General Ability Test) Solved Papers (2012-2025) Book For 2026 Exam in English | Solved Papers | View Book |
| NDA/NA (National Defence Academy/ Naval Academy) 26 Math Solved Papers (2012-2025) Book For 2026 Exam in English | Solved Papers | View Book |
NDA Previous Year Question Paper FAQs
Ans. Candidates can download free NDA previous year papers with solutions
Ans. NDA & NA Examination includes 2 subjects/papers- Mathematics & General Ability Test
Ans. The official website for UPSC NDA is upsc.gov.in.
Ans. The UPSC NDA & NA Exam will be held on 12 April 2026.
