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NDA & CDS free mock test 2026

NDA & NA (I) and CDS (I) 2027 on 11 April 2027, notification on 2 December 2026: both written patterns, the syllabus, age limits and eligibility.

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NDA & CDS NDA written, drawn to scale

1 bubble = 1 question
  • Mathematics120
  • GAT: English50
  • GAT: General Knowledge100
900 marks, Pen and paper (OMR)Then CDS written (IMA, INA, AFA), 300 marks

About NDA & CDS

UPSC — National Defence Academy & Combined Defence Services Examinations

UPSC holds the NDA & NA and the CDS examinations twice a year, on the same Sunday. NDA & NA admits Class 12 students to the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of the National Defence Academy and to the Indian Naval Academy's 10+2 cadet scheme. Its written test has two papers: Mathematics (300 marks) and the General Ability Test (600 marks), followed by a 900-mark SSB interview. CDS admits graduates to the Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Air Force Academy and Officers' Training Academy. IMA, INA and AFA candidates write English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics (100 marks each); OTA candidates write English and GK only. Both exams deduct one third of a question's marks for each wrong answer. NDA (II) and CDS (II) 2026 were held on 13 September 2026 for 406 and 453 vacancies; the next sitting is on 11 April 2027.

Key facts

Conducted by
UPSC
Category
Defence
Stages
Written + SSB Interview
Held
Twice a year

How hard it is

A few hundred seats against lakhs of applicants, and the SSB interview filters out most written-exam qualifiers

ModerateHighVery high

NDA & CDS exam pattern

3 stages: NDA written, CDS written (IMA, INA, AFA), SSB interview. −0.33 marks for each wrong answer.

Practise in this pattern

Marks by section

900 marks in all

  • Mathematics 300
  • GAT: English 200
  • GAT: General Knowledge 400

NDA written at a glance

NDA written sections, questions and marks
SectionQuestionsMarks
Mathematics120300
GAT: English50200
GAT: General Knowledge100400
Total270900
Wrong answer −0.33Mode Pen and paper (OMR)

Negative marking: 1/3 of the question's marks per wrong answer. Two papers of 2.5 hours each. Mathematics: 120 questions, 2.5 marks each. General Ability Test: English 50 questions and General Knowledge 100 questions, 4 marks each. SSB interview 900 marks.

How selection works

  1. Written exam (UPSC)
  2. SSB interview (Stage I and Stage II)
  3. Medical examination
  4. Merit list

NDA & CDS syllabus 2026

Every topic in the syllabus, section by section.

NDA

Mathematics

  • Algebra
  • Matrices & Determinants
  • Trigonometry
  • Analytical Geometry (2D & 3D)
  • Differential Calculus
  • Integral Calculus & Differential Equations
  • Vector Algebra
  • Statistics & Probability

General Ability Test

  • English: Grammar, Vocabulary, Comprehension
  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • General Science
  • History & Freedom Movement
  • Geography
  • Current Events

CDS

English

  • Comprehension
  • Spotting Errors
  • Sentence Arrangement
  • Synonyms & Antonyms
  • Fill in the Blanks
  • Idioms & Phrases

General Knowledge

  • Current Events
  • History
  • Geography
  • Polity
  • Economy
  • General Science
  • Defence-related Awareness

Elementary Mathematics

  • Arithmetic
  • Algebra
  • Trigonometry
  • Geometry
  • Mensuration
  • Statistics

NDA & CDS eligibility, posts and salary

NDA: Class 12 (Physics and Maths for the Air Force and Navy wings). CDS: a degree for IMA and OTA, an engineering degree for INA, a degree with Physics and Maths at Class 12 (or BE) for AFA

Who can apply

Education
NDA: Class 12 (Physics and Maths for the Air Force and Navy wings). CDS: a degree for IMA and OTA, an engineering degree for INA, a degree with Physics and Maths at Class 12 (or BE) for AFA
Age
NDA: 16½–19½ years. CDS: IMA and INA 19–24, AFA 20–24, OTA 19–25 · unmarried for NDA and IMA/INA/AFA
Application fee
NDA ₹100, CDS ₹200 · no fee for women, SC/ST and wards of JCOs/NCOs/ORs as per notice
Vacancies
NDA (II) 2026: 406 · CDS (II) 2026: 453
Applications
2 Dec 2026 (NDA & CDS I 2027) to 22 Dec 2026
How often
Twice a year

Dates, fees and age rules come from UPSC. Read the current notice on upsc.gov.in.

Notification facts: UPSC official site, UPSC calendar 2027, Testbook, UPSC calendar 2027, India TV, NDA, CDS 2 2026 admit card, SSBCrack.

Your NDA & CDS preparation plan

Four stages, timed backwards from the exam. The dates move with today's date.

Build the base

Until 6 weeks before
  • Go through every NDA written section once: Mathematics, GAT: English, GAT: General Knowledge.
  • Start each day with the section you score lowest in.
  • Keep one notebook for formulas, rules and your own mistakes.
Practise with chapter drills

Speed under the clock

6 to 3 weeks before
  • One sectional test a day for each section.
  • Leave a question that has not opened in 90 seconds and come back.
Take a sectional test

Full mocks

3 weeks to 1 week before
  • A full mock every other day, at the time of your shift.
  • Spend as long reviewing a mock as taking it.
  • Drill the topics your report marks weak.
Start a full mock

Final week

Last 7 days
  • Two mocks only, at your shift time.
  • Revise your list of mistakes, nothing new.
  • Check your admit card, centre and ID the day before.
See your weak-topic report

Start the CDS written (IMA, INA, AFA) sections early

English, General Knowledge, Elementary Mathematics come only in CDS written (IMA, INA, AFA). Give them 20 minutes a day from today; they take time to build and cannot be crammed.

What you get for NDA & CDS

Everything below is open in one account. Each exam shows only what it really has.

  • Full mock tests

    In the real exam screen, with the real timer and marking. Every answer is explained after you submit.

  • Previous-year papers

    Sit the real paper from a past exam, under the real clock, and see where you stand.

  • Sectional tests

    One subject at a time. Fix your weakest section without sitting a full paper.

  • Chapter bank

    Practise one topic at a time, with instant answers and explanations.

  • Daily GK and current affairs

    A short daily routine for the GK section, with quizzes and a monthly digest.

  • Weak-topic report

    After each test you see which topics cost you marks, and how your score moves over time.

  • Bookmarks

    Save any question and come back to it before the exam.

Start free: 1 full mock stays free for every NDA & CDS aspirant, and every new account gets 3 full mocks free for 2 days.

Pick a plan that lasts till your exam

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NDA & CDS: questions people ask

Answers from the official notification and the UPSC calendar.

When is NDA (I) and CDS (I) 2027?

On Sunday, 11 April 2027, as per the UPSC calendar for 2027. The notification is due on 2 December 2026 and applications close on 22 December 2026.

What is the NDA exam pattern?

Two papers of 2.5 hours each: Mathematics (120 questions, 300 marks) and the General Ability Test (150 questions, 600 marks: English 200, General Knowledge 400). The SSB interview carries 900 marks.

What is the CDS exam pattern?

For IMA, INA and AFA: English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics, 100 marks each in 2 hours each. For OTA: English and General Knowledge only. The SSB interview carries 300 marks.

Is there negative marking in NDA and CDS?

Yes. One third of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer. Unanswered questions carry no penalty.

How many vacancies were there in NDA (II) and CDS (II) 2026?

406 for NDA & NA (II) 2026 and 453 for CDS (II) 2026. Both exams were held on 13 September 2026.

What is the full form of NDA?

NDA stands for National Defence Academy and CDS stands for Combined Defence Services. Both are UPSC examinations.

What is the eligibility for NDA & CDS?

NDA: Class 12 (Physics and Maths for the Air Force and Navy wings). CDS: a degree for IMA and OTA, an engineering degree for INA, a degree with Physics and Maths at Class 12 (or BE) for AFA.

What is the age limit for NDA & CDS?

NDA: 16½–19½ years. CDS: IMA and INA 19–24, AFA 20–24, OTA 19–25 · unmarried for NDA and IMA/INA/AFA.

What is the NDA & CDS application fee?

NDA ₹100, CDS ₹200 · no fee for women, SC/ST and wards of JCOs/NCOs/ORs as per notice.

Is the NDA & CDS mock test free?

Yes. 1 full mock is free in the real exam interface, with every answer explained and a report on your weak topics. No card needed to sign up.

Will I be charged again automatically?

No. Every plan is a single payment. When it ends, your account goes back to free and nothing is charged.

Can I get a refund?

Yes. Write to us within 24 hours of paying and we refund the full amount, on any plan.

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