NDA, CDS, AFCAT and Agniveer
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Defence exam guide
Defence exams are the entry points into the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force — as commissioned officers through NDA, CDS and AFCAT, or as soldiers, sailors and airmen through the Agnipath (Agniveer) scheme.
Officer selection always has two halves: a written exam that tests knowledge, and the Services Selection Board (SSB) interview that tests personality, intelligence and officer-like qualities over several days. A medical examination follows. Physical fitness matters at every level.
How it works
UPSC conducts NDA and CDS; the Air Force runs AFCAT online. Agniveer candidates take an online Common Entrance Exam.
A five-day assessment: screening (intelligence test, picture perception and discussion), psychological tests, group tasks and a personal interview.
A detailed medical at a military hospital. Eyesight, height-weight and general fitness standards differ by service and branch.
Written and SSB marks are added to form the final merit list (for NDA and CDS). Joining depends on rank and vacancies.
Selected candidates join NDA Khadakwasla, IMA Dehradun, INA Ezhimala, AFA Hyderabad or OTA Chennai, depending on the entry.
Exam pattern
National Defence Academy and Naval Academy — the officer entry straight after 12th for the Army, Navy and Air Force.
Written exam + SSB
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1: Mathematics | 120 | 300 | 2 hr 30 min |
| Paper 2: General Ability Test (English 200 + GK 400) | 150 | 600 | 2 hr 30 min |
| SSB interview | — | 900 | 5 days |
| Total | — | 1800 | — |
One-third of the question's marks deducted for each wrong answer. Physics, Chemistry and Maths in class 12 are needed for the Air Force and Navy wings.
Combined Defence Services — for graduates, leading to IMA, INA, AFA (permanent commission) or OTA (short service commission).
Written exam (IMA, INA, AFA)
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 120 | 100 | 2 hr |
| General Knowledge | 120 | 100 | 2 hr |
| Elementary Mathematics | 100 | 100 | 2 hr |
| Total | 340 | 300 | 6 hr |
OTA candidates write only English and GK (200 marks). SSB carries 300 marks. One-third negative marking.
Air Force Common Admission Test — for Flying, Ground Duty (Technical) and Ground Duty (Non-Technical) branches.
Online test
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Awareness, Verbal Ability, Numerical Ability, Reasoning & Military Aptitude | 100 | 300 | 2 hr |
| Engineering Knowledge Test (technical branch only) | 50 | 150 | 45 min |
+3 for a correct answer and −1 for a wrong one. Shortlisted candidates attend the Air Force Selection Board (AFSB).
Recruitment under the Agnipath scheme for a four-year service term, after which up to 25% may be retained as regular soldiers.
Stage 1: online Common Entrance Exam (general knowledge, science, mathematics and reasoning; content depends on the category such as GD, Technical or Clerk). Stage 2: recruitment rally with physical fitness and measurement tests. Stage 3: medical examination. Check joinindianarmy.nic.in or the Navy's recruitment portal for the current pattern.
Syllabus
Strategy
In NDA, GAT is worth 600 marks — twice the Maths paper. Many candidates over-prepare Maths and lose rank in GAT.
Class 6–10 NCERT history, geography, polity and science cover most of the static GK asked in NDA and CDS.
The SSB carries more marks than the written exam. Practise speaking clearly, reading the newspaper and discussing issues in groups.
Running, push-ups and endurance help in SSB group tasks and are mandatory for Agniveer rallies. Train daily.
Eyesight, height and weight requirements differ by service. Know them before you invest months of preparation.
From the blog
FAQs
Twice a year each, by UPSC — typically in April and September.
A five-day selection process run by the services that tests intelligence, psychology, group behaviour and personality through tests, group tasks and a personal interview.
Yes. Women have been eligible to apply for NDA since 2021.
Yes — one-third of the marks assigned to a question are deducted for every wrong answer.
Candidates must typically be between 16.5 and 19.5 years old on the date specified in the notification, and unmarried.
Exam patterns, marks and eligibility are based on the latest notifications available and can change from one cycle to the next. Always confirm the details in the official notification on upsc.gov.in before you apply.
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