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 2026 notification was released in December 2025, and the written exam was conducted 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 was 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. Check out the latest NDA 1 2026 question paper given below.
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 Exam Date | 12th April 2026 |
| UPSC NDA Admit Card 2026 | Before Exam |
| NDA Result | Notify later |
| NDA Final Result | – |
UPSC NDA Question Paper PDFs
Students can download the NDA question paper PDFs from here and practice as much as possible.
| NDA 1 2026 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 (12 April 2026) | NDA-2 (13 September 2026) |
| Mathematics | Download PDF | – |
| General Ability | Download PDF | – |
| NDA 2025 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 (13 April 2025) | NDA-2 (14 September 2025) |
| Mathematics | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| General Ability | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| NDA NA 2024 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 (21 April 2024) | NDA-2 (1 September 2024) |
| Mathematics | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| General Ability | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| NDA NA 2023 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 (16 April 2023) | NDA-2 (3 September 2023) |
| Mathematics | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| General Ability | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| NDA NA 2022 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 (10 April 2022) | NDA-2 (4 September 2022) |
| Mathematics | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| General Ability | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| NDA NA 2021 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 (18 April 2021) | NDA-2 (14 November 2021) |
| Mathematics | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| General Ability | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| NDA NA 2020 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 & 2 | |
| Mathematics | Download PDF | |
| General Ability | Download PDF | |
| NDA NA 2019 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 (21 April 2019) | NDA-2 (17 November 2019) |
| Mathematics | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| General Ability | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| NDA NA 2018 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 (22 April 2018) | NDA-2 (9 September 2018) |
| Mathematics | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| General Ability | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| NDA NA 2017 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 (23 April 2017) | NDA-2 (10 September 2017) |
| Mathematics | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| General Ability | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| NDA NA 2016 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 (17 April 2016) | NDA-2 (18 September 2016) |
| Mathematics | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| General Ability | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| NDA NA 2015 Question Paper | ||
| Subjects | NDA-1 (19 April 2015) | NDA-2 (27 September 2015) |
| Mathematics | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| General Ability | Download PDF | Download PDF |
NDA Exam Pattern 2026
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 | Book Link (English Medium ) | Book Link (Hindi Medium ) |
| NDA/NA General Ability Test (Guide + PYQ) Book for Exam | Guidebook | View Book | – |
| NDA/NA Mathematics (Guide + PYQ) Book for Exam | Guidebook | View book | – |
| NDA/NA Mathematics ABHYAAS Mock Papers Book For Exam | Practice set | View book | – |
| NDA/NA General Ability Test (GAT) ABHYAAS Mock Papers Book For Exam | Practice set | View book | – |
| NDA Previous Year Mathematics & GAT | Solved Paper | View Book | View Book |
| NDA/NA Maths & GAT book for Exam | Question Bank | View Book | View Book |
| NDA/NA Solved Papers Book (Mathematics & GAT) For 2026 Exam | Solved Papers | – | View Book |
| NDA/NA (National Defence Academy/ Naval Academy) 26 GAT (General Ability Test) Solved Papers (2012-2025) Book For – Exam | 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 was held on 12 April 2026.




