What to do after cracking NDA Exam

Aug 10, 2023, 16:45 IST

NDA serves your nation's defense, whereas IIT lets you better structure your nation. Candidates who pass the written exam are invited to the Services Selection Board (SSB) interview. You will join the NDA for a period of three years after passing all of these tests. After the course is over, you'll join the appropriate academies to receive the specialized training you want. You will find comprehensive information about the future following the NDA and the selection process in this article.

NDA Selection Process 2023

The NDA exam is given twice a year by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to select male and female candidates for the Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of the NDA and the Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC). The written exam and the SSB interview are the two stages of the NDA selection process. The written exam is the first requirement for all registered candidates. Candidates for the Personality and Intelligence Test are selected for the SSB Interview based on their performance in the written test. The number of vacancies, eligibility, medical fitness, and merit-cum-preference of candidates all play a role in the final allocation of candidates to the NDA and the 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme of the Indian Naval Academy. The NDA exam receives applications from approximately 5 million people, and approximately 2 million of those applicants pass the test.

NDA Selection Process 2023 Overview

NDA Notification 2023 was made available on its official website On May 17, 2023, for the course that will begin in 2024. The application deadline for the NDA 2 2023 Notification is June 6, 2023. There are a total of 395 open positions, as announced.

NDA 2023 Overview
Name of Exam National Defence Academy 2023
Conducting Body Union Public Service Commission
Periodicity Twice a year
Exam Level National
Mode of Application Online
Mode of Exam Offline
Exam Rounds 3 Stages (Written + SSB + DV)
Exam Dates
  • Written Test: 03rd September
  • SSB: to be released after written exam
Number of Vacancies 395
Last Day to Apply 6th June
Expected Candidates 2 lakhs approx.
Job Location Across India
NDA Official Website https://upsc.gov.in

NDA Selection Process: Stages

The choice course of NDA includes the accompanying stages:

  • Composed Test
  • SSB Interview

UPSC NDA Selection Process: Written Exam

The first step in the NDA selection process is a written exam. The format of the written exam is such that it consists of two papers, one for mathematics and one for general ability. The test has objective-type questions and lasts for 180 minutes. The SSB Interview for the Psychological Aptitude Test and the Intelligence or Personality Test is called for applicants who have received the minimum number of qualifying marks on the written exam. The following is a breakdown of the written exam's structure.

Papers Subject Maximum marks Duration
Paper 1 Mathematics 300 2 ½
Paper 2 GAT 600 2 ½
Total 900 5 hours

The following is the subject-specific NDA marking scheme.

  • In the GAT, candidates receive four points for a correct answer
  • for an incorrect answer, they receive 1.33 points as a penalty.
  • In the Maths, candidates receive 2.5 points for correct answers
  • for incorrect answers in maths section, they receive 0.83 points.

NDA Selection Process: SSB Interview

Officers' Potentiality is the focus of the SSB Interview. The SSB Interview is broken down into the following stages:

  • The SSB Interview consists of two stages and takes place over the course of five days.
  • Stage I includes the Officer Intelligence Rating and the Picture Perception and Description Test.
  • Stage II includes the Interview, Group Testing, Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests, and the Conference.
  • The NDA SSB Interview process as a whole will earn 900 marks.

Day-Wise SSB Interview

Days Events
Day 1 Picture Perception Test and Description Test
Day 2 Psychology Tests
Day 3 Group Testing Officers Task
Day 4 Interview
Day 5 Conference

NDA Selection Process:Final Selection

The following is the final selection procedure for NDA:

  • Candidates must meet the NDA cutoff marks in both the written exam and the SSB interview in order to be admitted to the Army, Navy, and Air Force of the NDA.
  • For the Air Force, candidates must pass the Computerized Pilot Selection System (CPSS).
  • The marks of the NDA SSB interview and written exam are taken into consideration when making the final selection.
  • Candidates are selected based on the vacancies, NDA eligibility, medical fitness, and merit-based preference.

What After Final Selection through the NDA Exam?

The National Defence Academy provides the selected candidates with three years of academic and physical preparation. The cadets of all three wings receive the same training for the first two and a half years. Jawaharlal Nehru University Delhi will confer degrees on each cadet upon graduation.

For a period of three years, the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, will provide the Naval Academy's selected candidates with preliminary academic and physical training. After successfully completing their training, the cadets of the 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme receive a B. Tech. degree.

After graduating from the National Defence Academy, Army Cadets attend the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, Naval Cadets attend the Indian Naval Academy in Ezhimala, and Air Force Cadets attend the Air Force Academy in Hyderabad for the Ground Duty-Non Tech stream and the Air Force Cadets attend the Air Force Technical College in Bengaluru for the Ground Duty-Tech stream.

Gentlemen Cadets, also known as Army Cadets, spend a year at the IMA undergoing rigorous military training. Gentlemen Cadets are awarded the rank of Lieutenant upon successful completion of their training.

The Naval cadets for the Executive Branch of the Navy are chosen. After graduating from the National Defence Academy, graduates receive one year of additional training at the Indian Naval Academy in Ezhimala. They are promoted to the rank of Sub Lieutenants upon successful completion.

For 112 years, Air Force Cadets receive flying instruction. However, they receive a provisional commission in the rank of Flying Officer at the conclusion of one year of training. They are promoted to a permanent commissioned officer position after successfully completing a six-month course of additional training.

NDA Salary

The Gentlemen Cadets at IMA receive a stipend of INR 56,100 for the entirety of their training at Service academies. The cadets' rank-based salaries are as follows:

Ranks NDA salary (In INR)
Lt to Maj

Lt: Level 10 (56,100-1,77,500)

Capt: Level10 B (61,300-1,93,900)

Maj: Level 11 (69,400-2,07,200)

Lt Col to Maj Gen

Lt Col: Level 12A (1,21,200-2,12,400)

Col: Level 13 (1,30,600-2,15,900)

Brig: Level 13A (1,39,600-2,17,600)

Maj Gen - Level 14 (1,44,200-2,18,200)

Lt Gen to HAG Scale Level 15 (1, 82, 200-2,24,100)
HAG+Scale Level 16 (2,05,400-2,24,400)
VCOAS/ArmyCdr/Lt Gen (NFSG) Level 17 (2,25,000) (fixed)
COAS Level 18 (2,50,000) (fixed)

What to do after cracking NDA Exam FAQs

Q1. What should we do after NDA exam?

Ans. Candidates are sent to their respective training academies for one year of training after graduating from the NDA before being commissioned. Cadets from the Air Force attend the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, Hyderabad, while those from the Army attend the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun. Cadets from the Navy attend the Indian Naval Academy in Ezhimala.

Q2. What need to do after cracking NDA exam to join indian army?

Ans. You must pass the SSB interview, pass the medical, and get on the merit list. You will join the NDA for a period of three years after passing all of these tests. After the course is over, you'll join the appropriate academies to receive the specialized training you want.

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