The UPSC NDA 2023 Exam will be conducted online. To crack the exam, candidates must hold an understanding of the exam pattern. This will help the candidates in prioritizing the important sections during their exam preparation. The exam will consist of two sections, Maths and General Ability Test, where 2 hours 30 minutes will be given for each section. There will be a total of 270 objective-type questions for 900 marks.
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To ace each section, candidates must prepare according to the UPSC NDA 2023 Syllabus. This will help the candidates in covering all the topics relevant to the exam.
NDA 2023 Exam Pattern Highlights
To get an overview of the exam, candidates can check the important highlights related to the exam given in the table below.
| Specifications | Details |
| Exam Mode | Offline (Pen and Paper) |
| Number of Sections | Two |
| Name of Sections | Mathematics General Ability Test |
| Exam Duration | 2 Hours 30 minutes |
| Question Type | Objective-Type |
| Language of Paper | Hindi and English |
| Marking Scheme | 0.83 marks will be deducted for every wrong answer |
NDA 2023 Exam Pattern: Written Test
Candidates who wish to crack the UPSC NDA 2023 exam will have to go through a written test comprising two papers, Maths and General Ability test. This exam will carry various objective-type questions to assess the mental ability of the candidates. Candidates can check the details regarding the exam pattern in the table below.
Paper I Exam Pattern: Mathematics
| Papers | Sections | Number of Questions | Total Marks | Exam Duration |
| Paper I | Mathematics | 120 (Objective-Type) | 300 | 2 hours 30 minutes |
Paper II Exam Pattern: General Ability Test
| Parts | Sections | Number of Questions | Total Marks | Exam Duration |
| Part I | General Awareness | Physics (100) History (80) Geography (80) Chemistry (60) General Science (40) Current Affairs (40) | 400 | 1.25 hours |
| Part II | English Language | 200 | 200 | 1.25 hours |
Marking Scheme
- The marking scheme for both Paper I and Paper II is different.
- In Paper I, for every correct answer, 2.5 marks will be provided. For every wrong answer, 0.83 marks will be deducted.
- In Paper II, for every correct answer, 4 marks will be provided. For every wrong answer, 1.33 marks will be deducted.
NDA 2023 SSB Interview Pattern
The candidates who will pass the UPSC NDA 2023 written test will be shortlisted for an interview round. This interview round is conducted by the Service Selection Board in four different stages. This interview round carries a total of 900 marks.
| Stages | Tests | Sections |
| Stage I | Screening Test | Verbal and Non-Verbal test PPDT |
| Stage II | Psychological Test | Thematic Appreciation test Word Association test Situation reaction test Self Description test |
| Stage III | Group Officer Testing | GD GPE PGT HGT IOT Command Task Obstacle race Individual Lecture FGT |
| Stage IV | Personal Interview & Conference | Personality Test |
NDA 2023 Exam Pattern FAQs
Candidates are advised to score a minimum of 25% in each section of the exam.
There are two sections in the UPSC NDA 2023 Exam, Maths and General Ability Test.
Yes, the marking scheme for both papers in the UPSC NDA 2023 Exam is different. In paper I, 0.83 marks will be deducted for the wrong attempt while in Paper II, 1.33 marks will be deducted for the wrong answer.
No, candidates must have passed the 12th class.
The NDA SSB Interview Round carries a total of 900 marks.
