(Paper) UPSC Exam Pattern Question Pattern Of NDA Examination

Paper : UPSC Exam Pattern Question Pattern Of NDA Examination

NDA exam is a two-level examination. First level is the Written Test conducted by UPSC. If you score high in this test (try to be within top 1500 rank), you would be called for the second level – the Interview conducted by SSB (Services Selection Board).

Total marks on which you would be judged is 1800:
Marks for UPSC NDA Written Test: 900.
Marks for SSB NDA Interview : 900.

The Interview conducted by SSB is a very elaborate process which tests your psychology, physical fitness, team-spirit etc. SSB interview would be covered by me through another blog post.

Let us now focus on the exam pattern of the NDA written test.
There are two papers in NDA written test and both are objective type (multiple choice) question paper:
Paper-1. Mathematics : 300 Marks.
Paper-2. Part ‘A’ English : 200 Marks. Part ‘B’ General Ability : 400 Marks.

Both of above NDA written test papers are of 2-1/2 hours duration each.

The Paper-2 of NDA exam, i.e. General Ability Test has six sections with the break-up of 400 marks as below:
Section ‘A’ (Physics) : 100 marks.
Section ‘B’ (Chemistry) : 60 marks.
Section ‘C’ (General Science) : 40 marks.
Section ‘D’ (History, Freedom Movement etc.) : 80 marks.
Section ‘E’ (Geography) : 80 marks.
Section ‘F’ (Current Events) : 40 marks.

Each question in both the paper has four answer options, from which you need to select the correct option and mark it in the answer sheet by darkening the circle for the option completely with a pencil.

You need to take care while darkening the circle for the correct option – the circle should be darkened completely. The answer sheet is evaluated through OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software and hence if the circle is not darkened properly, the answer would come as a blank answer to OCR!

An example of correct way of marking and wrong way is given as below:


If at some point of time you found that you marked an answer wrongly, you can correct it by erasing the wrongly marked option completely with an eraser and than marking the correct answer.

Thus you need both a HB pencil and an eraser in the examination hall of NDA exam to answer the questions!

For more information on how to fill up the answer sheet is given in this brochure.

Caution!
There is negative marking for wrong answers in the NDA exam!
For any wrong answers, one third (0.33) of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as penalty. If you give more than one answer, it will be also treated as a wrong answer.

So if you make any guess work, make it wisely. If you do not know the answer of a question for sure, therefore, better to leave it blank!


After having learnt above the exam pattern of NDA exam, lets go on to find the question pattern of the questions asked in NDA exam.

Question pattern of NDA examination.
How difficult or easy are the questions asked in the written test of NDA exam? I am giving below some sample questions of NDA exam section-wise. In each section, only two questions have been given, so that you can get the feel of questions..

NDA exam Sample Question Paper-1 Mathematics (Total marks: 300)
1). If A ={I, 2, {3, 4}, 5}, then the correct statement is :
A. {3, 4} ÃŽ A
B. {3, 4} Ï A
C. {3, 4} Ì A
D. { {3, 4} } Ì A

2). The line x + y =2 is tangent to the curve x2=3 - 2y at. its point
A. (1, 1)
B. (-1, 1)
c. (v3, 0)
D. (3, -3)


NDA exam Sample Question Paper-2 (Part ‘A’) English (Total marks: 200)
SYNONYMS
PROCRASTINATE
(A) Intimidate (B) Humiliate (C) Predict (D) Postpone

ANTONYMS
SAGE
(A) Miser (B) Fool (C) Traitor (D) Tyrants


Section wise Sample Questions of General Ability (Total marks: 400)

NDA exam Sample Question Section ‘A’ (Physics) (Aprox. Marks:100)
1). Two sound waves passing through air have their wavelengths in the ratio 4: 5.Their frequencies are in the ratio:
A. 4: 5
B. 3: 4
C. 5: 4
D. 1:1

2). 1 hertz is equal to:
A. 1 m/s
B. 1 cm/s
C.1 vibrations
D. 1 mm/s

NDA exam Sample Question Section ‘B’ (Chemistry) (Aprox. Marks:60)
1). At N.T.P., the least volume will be occupied by 15g of which one of the following?
A. NH3
B. O2
C. N 2
D. Ne

2) What is iodized table salt?
A. An element
B. A compound
C. A heterogeneous mixture
D. A homogeneous mixture

NDA exam Sample Question Section ‘C’ (General Science) (Aprox. Marks:40)
1). Which one of the following is considered as a cell within a cell?
A. Ribosome
B. Chloroplast
C. Lysosome
D. Golgi complex

2). Which one of the following is the principal structural element of a living cell?
A. Oxygen
B. Hydrogen
C. Carbon
D. Nitrogen

NDA exam Sample Question Section ‘D’ (History, Freedom Movement etc.) (Aprox. Marks: 80)
1). Who was the first Indian native ruler to accept the system of Subsidiary Alliance?
A. Scindia of Gwalior
B. Nizam of Hyderabad
C. Dalip Sing of Punjab
D. Gaikwad of Baroda

2). Who among the following was a founder of the Swaraj Party?
A. Vallabbhai Patel
B. Rajdendra Prasad
C. C.R. Das
D. Narendra Db

NDA exam Sample Question Section ‘E’ (Geography) (Aprox. Marks: 80)
1). Granite and Basalt are the examples of which of the following?
A. Sedimentary rocks
B. Metamorphic rocks
C. Igneous rocks
D. Calcareous rocks

2). Which region of the Earth's surface is called doldrums?
A. Equatorial low pressure belt
B. Sub-tropical high pressure belt
C. Between 10o to 23 ½o North and South Latitudes
D. Sub-polar low pressure belt

NDA exam Sample Question Section ‘F’ (Current Events) (Aprox. Marks: 40)
1). The film director of which country won the Best Film Award and Golden Peacock at the 37th International Film Festival of India held recently in Goa?
A. China
B. Iran
C. Bangladesh
D. Russia

2). In which country was the recent NAM Summit held?
A. Philippines
B. Indonesia
C. Cuba
D. Brazil

Above sample questions of NDA exam have been given so as to familiarize you with the standard of exams. For actual preparation itself, I am posting the recommended study materials in my next blog post. Please look out for it!