NDA Previous Year Question Papers
Practise NDA previous year question papers, from 2026 all the way back to 2010 - includes 2026 – 2010 PYQs, covering 32 papers in total. Attempt each paper online in practice mode to get instant feedback, or download the PDF to solve offline at your own pace. Papers are organised by year, so you can target a specific attempt or work through them in order.
Across the 32 papers analysed here, NDA has asked 8489 questions in total - 4405 easy (52%), 4001 moderate (47%) and 83 tough (1%), averaging about 265.3 questions per paper. The toughest paper analysed was NDA 2016 Phase 1, with 6% tough questions. The easiest was NDA 2021 Phase 1, with 66% easy questions.
The chapters that most consistently rank among the top few asked, paper after paper, are General Science (in 31 of 32 papers), General Studies (in 31 of 32 papers), English (in 31 of 32 papers), Probability (in 21 of 32 papers), and Trigonometric Ratios & Identities (in 17 of 32 papers).
NDA 2026
1 paper, 270 questions in total - practise online or download the PDF.
Of the 270 questions analysed here, 30% were easy, 69% moderate and 2% tough - about 270 questions per paper. By subject: Mathematics 36% easy, 63% moderate, 1% tough; General Ability 25% easy, 73% moderate, 3% tough.
The chapters asked most often were: General Ability - English (50), General Science (50), and General Studies (50); Mathematics - Probability (10), Trigonometric Ratios & Identities (9), and Binomial Theorem (7).
| Paper | Practise | Download |
|---|---|---|
| NDA 2026 Phase 1 | Practise | Download PDF |
NDA 2025
2 papers, 539 questions in total - practise online or download the PDF.
Of the 539 questions analysed here, 40% were easy, 58% moderate and 1% tough - about 269.5 questions per paper. By subject: Mathematics 45% easy, 53% moderate, 3% tough; General Ability 36% easy, 63% moderate, 1% tough.
The chapters asked most often were: General Ability - General Studies (101), English (99), and General Science (99); Mathematics - Probability (27), Trigonometric Ratios & Identities (10), and Statistics (9).
| Paper | Practise | Download |
|---|---|---|
| NDA 2025 Phase 1 | Practise | Download PDF |
| NDA 2025 Phase 2 | Practise | Download PDF |
NDA 2024
2 papers, 390 questions in total - practise online or download the PDF.
Of the 390 questions analysed here, 30% were easy, 68% moderate and 2% tough - about 195 questions per paper. By subject: Mathematics 8% easy, 90% moderate, 3% tough; General Ability 66% easy, 33% moderate, 1% tough.
The chapters asked most often were: General Ability - General Science (58), General Studies (49), and English (43); Mathematics - Probability (24), Functions (10), and Definite Integration (8).
| Paper | Practise | Download |
|---|---|---|
| NDA 2024 Phase 1 | Practise | Download PDF |
| NDA 2024 Phase 2 | Practise | Download PDF |
NDA 2023
2 papers, 540 questions in total - practise online or download the PDF.
Of the 540 questions analysed here, 49% were easy, 50% moderate and 1% tough - about 270 questions per paper. By subject: Mathematics 10% easy, 87% moderate, 3% tough; General Ability 79% easy, 21% moderate, 0% tough.
The chapters asked most often were: General Ability - General Science (103), General Studies (100), and English (97); Mathematics - Probability (20), Determinants (9), and Statistics (9).
| Paper | Practise | Download |
|---|---|---|
| NDA 2023 Phase 1 | Practise | Download PDF |
| NDA 2023 Phase 2 | Practise | Download PDF |
NDA 2022
2 papers, 540 questions in total - practise online or download the PDF.
Of the 540 questions analysed here, 53% were easy, 46% moderate and 1% tough - about 270 questions per paper. By subject: Mathematics 13% easy, 85% moderate, 2% tough; General Ability 85% easy, 15% moderate, 0% tough.
The chapters asked most often were: General Ability - General Science (103), English (100), and General Studies (97); Mathematics - Trigonometric Ratios & Identities (21), Probability (11), and Sequences and Series (9).
| Paper | Practise | Download |
|---|---|---|
| NDA 2022 Phase 1 | Practise | Download PDF |
| NDA 2022 Phase 2 | Practise | Download PDF |
NDA 2021
2 papers, 540 questions in total - practise online or download the PDF.
Of the 540 questions analysed here, 60% were easy, 39% moderate and 1% tough - about 270 questions per paper. By subject: Mathematics 25% easy, 74% moderate, 2% tough; General Ability 88% easy, 12% moderate, 0% tough.
The chapters asked most often were: General Ability - General Science (101), General Studies (100), and English (99); Mathematics - Statistics (20), Trigonometric Ratios & Identities (11), and Sequences and Series (9).
| Paper | Practise | Download |
|---|---|---|
| NDA 2021 Phase 1 | Practise | Download PDF |
| NDA 2021 Phase 2 | Practise | Download PDF |
NDA 2020
1 paper, 270 questions in total - practise online or download the PDF.
Of the 270 questions analysed here, 60% were easy, 39% moderate and 1% tough - about 270 questions per paper. By subject: Mathematics 23% easy, 75% moderate, 2% tough; General Ability 89% easy, 11% moderate, 0% tough.
The chapters asked most often were: General Ability - General Science (52), English (50), and General Studies (48); Mathematics - Trigonometric Ratios & Identities (21), Probability (10), and Statistics (10).
| Paper | Practise | Download |
|---|---|---|
| NDA 2020 | Practise | Download PDF |
NDA 2019
2 papers, 540 questions in total - practise online or download the PDF.
Of the 540 questions analysed here, 57% were easy, 43% moderate and 0% tough - about 270 questions per paper. By subject: Mathematics 28% easy, 71% moderate, 1% tough; General Ability 80% easy, 20% moderate, 0% tough.
The chapters asked most often were: General Ability - General Studies (106), General Science (99), and English (95); Mathematics - Trigonometric Ratios & Identities (31), Probability (16), and Quadratic Equation (10).
| Paper | Practise | Download |
|---|---|---|
| NDA 2019 Phase 1 | Practise | Download PDF |
| NDA 2019 Phase 2 | Practise | Download PDF |
NDA 2018
2 papers, 540 questions in total - practise online or download the PDF.
Of the 540 questions analysed here, 56% were easy, 42% moderate and 1% tough - about 270 questions per paper. By subject: Mathematics 24% easy, 73% moderate, 3% tough; General Ability 82% easy, 18% moderate, 0% tough.
The chapters asked most often were: General Ability - General Science (102), English (99), and General Studies (99); Mathematics - Statistics (18), Straight Lines (10), and Probability (9).
| Paper | Practise | Download |
|---|---|---|
| NDA 2018 Phase 1 | Practise | Download PDF |
| NDA 2018 Phase 2 | Practise | Download PDF |
NDA 2017
2 papers, 540 questions in total - practise online or download the PDF.
Of the 540 questions analysed here, 54% were easy, 46% moderate and 0% tough - about 270 questions per paper. By subject: Mathematics 20% easy, 80% moderate, 0% tough; General Ability 82% easy, 18% moderate, 0% tough.
The chapters asked most often were: General Ability - English (100), General Science (100), and General Studies (100); Mathematics - Probability (19), Statistics (11), and Trigonometric Ratios & Identities (10).
| Paper | Practise | Download |
|---|---|---|
| NDA 2017 Phase 1 | Practise | Download PDF |
| NDA 2017 Phase 2 | Practise | Download PDF |
NDA 2016
2 papers, 540 questions in total - practise online or download the PDF.
Of the 540 questions analysed here, 45% were easy, 51% moderate and 4% tough - about 270 questions per paper. By subject: Mathematics 11% easy, 80% moderate, 9% tough; General Ability 73% easy, 27% moderate, 0% tough.
The chapters asked most often were: General Ability - General Science (101), English (100), and General Studies (99); Mathematics - Probability (22), Continuity and Differentiability (10), and Straight Lines (10).
| Paper | Practise | Download |
|---|---|---|
| NDA 2016 Phase 1 | Practise | Download PDF |
| NDA 2016 Phase 2 | Practise | Download PDF |
NDA 2015
2 papers, 540 questions in total - practise online or download the PDF.
Of the 540 questions analysed here, 49% were easy, 50% moderate and 0% tough - about 270 questions per paper. By subject: Mathematics 18% easy, 82% moderate, 1% tough; General Ability 75% easy, 25% moderate, 0% tough.
The chapters asked most often were: General Ability - General Science (103), English (100), and General Studies (97); Mathematics - Probability (20), Straight Lines (9), and Vector Algebra (9).
| Paper | Practise | Download |
|---|---|---|
| NDA 2015 Phase 1 | Practise | Download PDF |
| NDA 2015 Phase 2 | Practise | Download PDF |
NDA 2014
2 papers, 540 questions in total - practise online or download the PDF.
Of the 540 questions analysed here, 56% were easy, 43% moderate and 1% tough - about 270 questions per paper. By subject: Mathematics 27% easy, 71% moderate, 2% tough; General Ability 79% easy, 21% moderate, 0% tough.
The chapters asked most often were: General Ability - General Science (101), English (100), and General Studies (99); Mathematics - Trigonometric Ratios & Identities (21), Three Dimensional Geometry (18), and Statistics (10).
| Paper | Practise | Download |
|---|---|---|
| NDA 2014 Phase 1 | Practise | Download PDF |
| NDA 2014 Phase 2 | Practise | Download PDF |
NDA 2013
2 papers, 540 questions in total - practise online or download the PDF.
Of the 540 questions analysed here, 65% were easy, 35% moderate and 0% tough - about 270 questions per paper. By subject: Mathematics 55% easy, 45% moderate, 0% tough; General Ability 74% easy, 26% moderate, 0% tough.
The chapters asked most often were: General Ability - General Science (102), English (100), and General Studies (98); Mathematics - Probability (22), Sets and Relations (19), and Straight Lines (10).
| Paper | Practise | Download |
|---|---|---|
| NDA 2013 Phase 1 | Practise | Download PDF |
| NDA 2013 Phase 2 | Practise | Download PDF |
NDA 2012
2 papers, 540 questions in total - practise online or download the PDF.
Of the 540 questions analysed here, 65% were easy, 35% moderate and 0% tough - about 270 questions per paper. By subject: Mathematics 47% easy, 53% moderate, 0% tough; General Ability 79% easy, 21% moderate, 0% tough.
The chapters asked most often were: General Ability - General Science (103), English (99), and General Studies (98); Mathematics - Trigonometric Ratios & Identities (18), Straight Lines (12), and Sets and Relations (11).
| Paper | Practise | Download |
|---|---|---|
| NDA 2012 Phase 1 | Practise | Download PDF |
| NDA 2012 Phase 2 | Practise | Download PDF |
NDA 2011
2 papers, 540 questions in total - practise online or download the PDF.
Of the 540 questions analysed here, 52% were easy, 47% moderate and 1% tough - about 270 questions per paper. By subject: Mathematics 32% easy, 66% moderate, 2% tough; General Ability 68% easy, 32% moderate, 0% tough.
The chapters asked most often were: General Ability - General Studies (103), General Science (100), and English (97); Mathematics - Statistics (19), Trigonometric Ratios & Identities (11), and Sets and Relations (10).
| Paper | Practise | Download |
|---|---|---|
| NDA 2011 Phase 1 | Practise | Download PDF |
| NDA 2011 Phase 2 | Practise | Download PDF |
NDA 2010
2 papers, 540 questions in total - practise online or download the PDF.
Of the 540 questions analysed here, 48% were easy, 52% moderate and 0% tough - about 270 questions per paper. By subject: Mathematics 28% easy, 72% moderate, 0% tough; General Ability 64% easy, 36% moderate, 0% tough.
The chapters asked most often were: General Ability - General Science (104), English (99), and General Studies (97); Mathematics - Trigonometric Ratios & Identities (22), Statistics (10), and Three Dimensional Geometry (9).
| Paper | Practise | Download |
|---|---|---|
| NDA 2010 Phase 1 | Practise | Download PDF |
| NDA 2010 Phase 2 | Practise | Download PDF |
Frequently Asked Questions
1.How many NDA papers are available on this page?
This page covers 32 papers spanning 2010 to 2026.
2.What's the difference between "Practise" and "Download"?
Practise opens the paper in an interactive online format where you can attempt questions and get instant results, while Download gives you a PDF version of the same paper to solve offline or print.
3.How can I get better at solving NDA questions?
NDA is a competitive exam, so it rewards more than knowing the syllabus: you also need speed, accuracy and the judgement to pick which questions to attempt first. Board-exam preparation already covers a good part of the syllabus, so the real gap is usually in applying it under time pressure. The most reliable way to close that gap is to solve PYQs regularly, along with full-length mock tests, and to review every mistake afterwards until the same kind of question stops costing you marks.
4.What is the paper pattern of NDA 2027?
The NDA & NA examination is conducted by UPSC twice a year for admission to the National Defence Academy and the Naval Academy. The written exam pattern is as follows:
- Mode: pen-and-paper (OMR), objective type.
- Papers: Mathematics (Paper I) and General Ability Test (Paper II), held in two sessions on the same day.
- Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes for each paper.
- Questions: 120 in Mathematics and 150 in the General Ability Test (English and General Knowledge), 270 in total. All questions are compulsory.
- Marking scheme: Mathematics carries 2.5 marks per question and the General Ability Test carries 4 marks per question. One-third of the marks of a question is deducted for every incorrect answer.
- Maximum marks: 900 in the written exam (300 in Mathematics and 600 in the General Ability Test). Candidates who qualify are then called for the SSB interview.
- Languages: English and Hindi.
5.Why should I solve previous year question papers?
Working through past papers helps in several ways:
- It shows you honestly where your preparation stands.
- It builds the habit of managing time across the paper.
- It sharpens accuracy, because you practise on the real question style.
- It reveals your strong and weak areas so you can plan revision.
- It points out which chapters and concepts carry the most weight.
- It makes the paper structure and difficulty level familiar before exam day.
- It exposes concepts and question types that keep coming back, so you can prioritise them.
6.How can MARKS help me prepare for NDA 2027?
MARKS is built around practising with real exam questions. For NDA 2027, you can work through previous year papers year by year or chapter by chapter, try questions in practice mode and get instant feedback, and read the solutions to understand the correct approach. Doing this regularly builds the speed and accuracy the exam needs.
7.Is it compulsory to attempt the NDA 2027 written exam to join the National Defence Academy?
Yes. Admission to the National Defence Academy and the Naval Academy (10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme) is through the UPSC NDA & NA examination, followed by the SSB interview and a medical examination. NEET or JEE is not required for it. Check the official UPSC notification for the eligibility and age limits of each cycle.
8.How are the marks distributed across sections in NDA 2027?
The NDA written exam is of 900 marks in total. Mathematics carries 300 marks (120 questions of 2.5 marks each) and the General Ability Test carries 600 marks (150 questions of 4 marks each), so the General Ability Test makes up two-thirds of the written exam.
9.What is the best way to score well in NDA 2027?
Start with the previous year papers. They show how the paper is structured and which topics are asked most often. NDA rarely repeats a question word for word, but the same concepts and question patterns return, often with only the values or options changed. So use past papers to find the important chapters, then practise those chapter by chapter, and take timed papers to build speed. MARKS keeps papers organised year wise and chapter wise with solutions and practice mode, so you can do all of this in one place.
10.Why is NDA regarded as a difficult exam?
Several things make the NDA demanding: a large number of candidates competing for a limited number of seats, a wide syllabus, and the pressure of solving accurately within the time limit. A few mistakes can cost a lot of rank, and the paper can feel different from one year to the next. The best answer to that is to prepare every chapter properly and to practise past papers so the format and difficulty feel familiar.
11.Where can I find NDA previous year question papers PDF for free?
You can go through NDA previous year question papers for free on this page of MARKS, arranged paper by paper with solutions. Downloadable PDFs, subject wise and year wise, are being added.
12.Do NDA previous year question papers come with solutions?
Yes. The NDA papers on MARKS include worked solutions, so you can check your answer and see the reasoning behind it, not just the final option.
13.Can I practise NDA previous year questions chapter wise?
Yes. MARKS groups the NDA previous year questions by chapter as well, so you can drill one topic at a time and spend more effort on your weaker chapters.
14.Where can I find the last 5 years of NDA papers?
The most recent NDA papers (2022–2026) are on this page, each with solutions. They are the best guide to the current difficulty level, recent trends and the topics asked most often.