What is UPSC NDA?
The National Defence Academy (NDA) is the Joint Services academy of the Indian Armed Forces, where cadets of the three services, the Army, the Navy and the Air Force train together before they go on to pre-commissioning training in their respective service academies. The NDA is located at Khadakwasla near Pune, Maharashtra. It is the first tri-service academy in the world.
Recruitment of candidates to Army, Navy and Air force wings of the National Defence Academy (NDA), is through National Defence Academy Entrance Exam which is held twice a year, generally in the month of April and September. NDA exam is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). A candidate must be an unmarried male. The course of training is for three years.
The candidate is required to give his preference for the service he wishes to join, however the final decision also depends on the rank he secures in the merit list. The candidate should first decide their preference for the two academies i.e. National Defence Academy and Naval Academy (Executive Branch). If a candidate opts for NDA as his first choice, he has to then give his preferences for the three wings of the NDA i.e. Army, Navy, Air force, followed by his preference for Naval Academy. Alternatively, if he gives his first preference for Naval Academy, he has to follow it with his preference for the three wings of the NDA.
The Indian Army is a place where you’ll never stop learning. Nowhere else can you get such phenomenal opportunities to constantly hone and upgrade your skills. NDA awards you a Bachelor’s degree in Arts, Science or Computer Science on completion of your training. If you join the technical stream, you will be offered a Graduate and Post Graduate degree in Engineering from one of the finest institutes of technology in the country. If you are selected for the prestigious Defence Services Staff College course. You’ll be awarded a Master of Science degree in Defence and Strategic Studies. The Indian Army also runs some of the country’s most prestigious academies and institutes. This covers a wide range of subjects from engineering to medicine, administration to strategy, and armament technology to management. The choice is indeed limitless. In fact, you can even get into Research & Development, if you desire. That’s not all. You can also take a study leave amidst your tenure for an added educational qualification.
Candidates who desire to join Air Force Academy must indicate AFA as first choice, as they have to be administered pilot aptitude battery test at one of the AFSB and AF Medical at Central Medical Establishment/ Institute of Aviation Medicines.
NDA EXAM PATTERN
The entrance for National Defense Academy comprises of a Written Exam followed by Intelligence and Personality Test.
The written exam consist of two papers.
Written Examination
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Paper
|
Subject
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Duration
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Maximum Marks
|
|
I
|
Mathematics
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2.5 hours
|
300
|
|
II
|
General Ability Test
|
2.5 hours
|
600
|
|
Total
|
900
|
The General Ability Test consists of
|
Part
|
Subject
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Maximum Marks
|
|
Part A
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English
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200
|
|
Part B
|
General Knowledge
|
400
|
| |
Total
|
600
|
· The papers in all the subjects consist of Objective (multiple choice answer) Type questions only.
· Question Papers of Paper I – Mathematics and Part B of Paper II will be set in English and Hindi.
· SI units will be used in the papers and Candidates should use only International form of Indian numerals (i.e. 1,2,3,4,5,6 etc.) while answering question papers.
· Commission have discretion to fix qualifying marks in any or all the subjects of the examination.
· Candidates are not permitted to use calculators for answering objective type papers (Test Booklets).
INTERVIEW
· The Union Public Service Commission will declare a qualified list of candidates (based on the written exam).
· The selected candidates will appear before a Services Selection Board for Intelligence and Personality Test.
· Candidates for the Army/Navy wings of the NDA and Executive branch of Naval Academy will be assessed on officers potentiality
· Candidates for the Air Force wing, along with officer potentiality assessment, will also undergo a Pilot Aptitude Test.
TWO STAGE SELECTION PROCEDURE
Ø Two stage selection procedure will be based on Psychological Aptitude Test and Intelligence Test.
Ø Al the candidates will be put to stage one test on first day of reporting at Selection Centres/Air Force Selection Boards.
Ø Only those candidates who qualify at stage one will be admitted to the second stage.
Ø Those candidates who qualify stage II will be required to submit the original Certificates along with one photocopy each of :
Ø Original Matriculation pass certificate or equivalent in support of date of birth
Ø Original 10+2 pass certificate or equivalent in support of educational qualification
Ø For final qualification, candidates for the Army/Navy and Naval Academy should secure the minimum qualifying marks separately in (i) Written examination and (ii) Officer potentiality test, and candidates for the Air Force should secure the minimum qualifying marks separately in (i) Written examination (ii) Officer potentiality test, and (iii) Pilot Aptitude Test as fixed by the Commission in their discretion.
Ø Qualified candidates will then be placed in the final order of merit on the basis of total marks secured by them in the Written examination, and the Services Selection Board Tests in three separate lists:
Ø Army and the Navy
Ø Air Force
Ø Executive course at the Naval Academy.
Ø The names of candidates who qualify for all the Services of NDA and the Naval Academy will appear in all the three Merit Lists.
Ø The final selection for admission will be made in order of merit depending on the number of vacancies in each wing.
Ø The selection will be subject to medical fitness and suitability in all other respects.
NOTE: A candidate who fails in the Pilot Aptitude Test cannot apply for admission to the National Defence Academy Examination, the Air Force wing or General Duties (Pilot) Branch or Naval Air Arm.
UPSC NDA SYLLABUS
GENERAL ABILITY TEST SYLLABUS
Part A – English
The question paper in English will be designed to test the candidate’s understanding of English and workman like use of words. The syllabus covers various aspects like : Grammar and usage, vocabulary, comprehension and cohesion in extended text to test the candidate’s proficiency in English.
Part B – General Knowledge
The question paper on General Knowledge broadly covers the subjects: Physics, Chemistry, General Science, Social Studies, Geography and Current Events.
The syllabus given below is designed to indicate the scope of these subjects included in this paper. The topics mentioned are not as exhaustive and questions on topics of similar nature not specifically mentioned in the syllabus may also be asked. Your answers are expected to show your knowledge and intelligent understanding of the subject.
Section A: Physics
Physical Properties and States of Matter, Mass, Weight, Volume, Density and Specific Gravity, Principle of Archimedes, Pressure Barometer.
Motion of objects, Velocity and Acceleration, Newton’s Laws of Motion, Force and Momentum, Parallelogram of Forces, Stability and Equilibrium of bodies, Gravitation, elementary ideas of work, Power and Energy.
Effects of Heat, Measurement of temperature and heat, change of State and Latent Heat, Modes of transference of Heat. Sound waves and their properties, Simple musical instruments.
Rectilinear propagation of Light, Reflection and refraction. Spherical mirrors and Lenses. Human Eye.
Natural and Artificial Magnets, Properties of a Magnet, Earth as a Magnet.
Static and Current Electricity, conductors and Non-conductors, Ohm’s Law, Simple Electrical Circuits, Heating, Lighting and Magnetic effects of Current, Measurement of Electrical Power, Primary and Secondary Cells, Use of X-Rays.
General Principles in the working of the following:
Simple Pendulum, Simple Pulleys, Siphon, Levers, Balloon, Pumps, Hydrometer, Pressure Cooker, Thermos Flask, Gramophone, Telegraphs, Telephone, Periscope, Telescope, Microscope, Mariner’s Compass; Lightening Conductors, Safety Fuses.
Section B: Chemistry
Physical and Chemical changes. Elements, Mixtures and Compounds, Symbols, Formulae and simple Chemical Equations, Law of Chemical Combination ( excluding problems ). Properties of Air and Water.
Preparation and Properties of Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen and Carbondioxide, Oxidation and Reduction.
Acids, bases and salts.
Carbon – different forms.
Fertilizers – Natural and Artificial
Material used in the preparation of substances like soap, Glass, Ink, Paper, Cement, Paints, Safety Matches, and Gun-Powder.
Elementary ideas about the Structure of Atom, Atomic, Equivalent and Molecular Weights, Valency.
Section C: General Science
Difference between the living and non-living.
Basis of Life - Cells, Protoplasms and Tissues.
Growth and Reproduction in Plants and Animals.
Elementary knowledge of human Body and its important organs.
Common Epidemics, their causes and prevention.
Food - Source of Energy for man. Constituents of food, Balanced Diet.
The Solar System - Meteors and Comets, Eclipses.
Achievements of Eminent Scientists.
Section D: History, Freedom Movement, etc.
A broad survey of Indian History, with emphasis on Culture and Civilisation.
Freedom Movement in India.
Elementary study of Indian Constitution and Administration.
Elementary knowledge of Five Year Plans of India.
Panchayati Raj, Co-operatives and Community Development.
Bhoodan, Sarvodaya, National Integration and Welfare State, Basic Teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.
Forces shaping the modern world; Renaissance, Exploration and Discovery; War of American Independence. French Revolution, Industrial Revolution and Russian Revolution. Impact of Science and Technology on Society. Concept of one World, United Nations, Panchsheel, Democracy. Socialism and Communism. Role of India in the present world.
Section E: Geography
The Earth, its shape and size. Lattitudes and Longitudes, Concept of time. International Date Line. Movements of Earth and their effects.
Origin of Earth. Rocks and their classification; Weathering - Mechanical and Chemical, Earthquakes and volcanoes.
Ocean Currents and Tides
Atmosphere and its composition; Temperature and Atmospheric Pressure, Planetary Winds, cyclones and Anti-cyclones; Humidity; Condensation and Precipitation; Types of Climate. Major Natural regions of the World.
Regional Geography of India – Climate, Natural vegetation. Mineral and Power resources; location and distribution of agricultural and industrial activities.
Important Sea ports and main sea, land and air routes of India. Main items of Imports and Exports of India.
Section F: Current Events
Knowledge of Important events that have happened in India in the recent years.
Current important world events.
Prominent personalities - both Indian and International including those connected with cultural activities and sports.
Note: Out of maximum marks assigned to part ‘B’ of this paper, questions on Sections A, B, C, D, E and F will carry approximately 25%, 15%, 10%, 20%, 20% and 10% weightages respectively.
MATHEMATICS SYLLABUS
1. Algebra
Concept of a set, operations on sets, Venn diagrams. De Morgan laws. Cartesian product, relation, equivalence relation.
Representation of real numbers on a line. Complex numbers – basic properties, modulus, argument, cube roots of unity. Binary system of numbers. Conversion of a number in decimal system to binary system and vice-versa.
Arithmetic, Geometric and Harmonic progressions. Quadratic equations with real coefficients. Solution of linear inequations of two variables by graphs. Permutation and Combination. Binomial theorem and its application. Logarithms and their applications.
2. Matrices and Determinants
Types of matrices, operations on matrices. Determinant of a matrix, basic properties of determinants. Adjoint and inverse of a square matrix, Applications – Solution of a system of linear equations in two or three unknowns by Cramer’s rule and by Matrix Method.
3. Trigonometry
Angles and their measures in degrees and in radians. Trigonometrical ratios. Trigonometric identities Sum and difference formulae. Multiple and Sub-multiple angles. Inverse trigonometric functions. Applications – Height and distance, properties of triangles.
4. Analytical Geometry of two and three dimensions
Rectangular Cartesian Coordinate system. Distance formula. Equation of a line in various forms. Angle between two lines. Distance of a point from a line. Equation of a circle in standard and in general form. Standard forms of parabola, ellipse and hyperbola. Eccentricity and axis of a conic.
Point in a three dimensional space, distance between two points. Direction Cosines and direction ratios. Equation of a plane and a line in various forms. Angle between two lines and angle between two planes. Equation of a sphere.
5. Differential Calculus
Concept of a real valued function – domain, range and graph of a function. Composite functions, one to one, onto and inverse functions. Notion of limit, Standard limits – examples. Continuity of functions – examples, algebraic operations on continuous functions. Derivative of function at a point, geometrical and physical interpretation of a derivative – applications. Derivatives of sum, product and quotient of functions, derivative of a function with respect of another function, derivative of a composite function. Second order derivatives. Increasing and decreasing functions. Application of derivatives in problems of maxima and minima.
6. Integral Calculus and Differential Equations
Integration as inverse of differentiation, integration by substitution and by parts, standard integrals involving algebraic expressions, trigonometric, exponential and hyperbolic functions. Evaluation of definite integrals – determination of areas of plane regions bounded by curves – applications. Definition of order and degree of a differential equation, formation of a differential equation by examples. General and particular solution of a differential equation, solution of first order and first degree differential equations of various types – examples. Application in problems of growth and decay.
7. Vector Algebra
Vectors in two and three dimensions, magnitude and direction of a vector. Unit and null vectors, addition of vectors, scalar multiplication of vector, scalar product or dot product of