hamburger

NDA Preparation 2023: Subject Wise Tips and Strategy

By BYJU'S Exam Prep

Updated on: September 11th, 2023

NDA preparation 2023 tips and strategies provided here will help you gain an edge over your competition in the upcoming exam. In order to successfully pass any competitive examination, you need to follow a tried and tested strategy which you will find here to ace your exam preparations. NDA exam is conducted to recruit suitable candidates for the position of Officer trainees/Cadets in the defence services in India. As aspiring candidates have to appear for a written test to proceed with the further rounds of recruitment, our NDA Preparation 2023 tips will help you score well.

Scale up your preparation strategy for the NDA exam and get recommendations for the best books and study material. Get detailed NDA preparation tips 2023 for every subject – Maths, English, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Current Events, etc.

 

NDA Preparation 2023

For your NDA preparation 2023, simply studying rigorously is not enough. You need to have an exam strategy and refer to the best NDA Books for solid preparation. There are a few more study tips, which we have discussed here. These will help you to identify the areas that you should work on the most from an exam point of view. You do not need to study the entire book and be well-versed with every concept and topic. Focusing on ones that are frequently asked in the NDA Exam would be enough. Find out subject-wise NDA preparation tips that work for both Paper 1 and Paper 2 below.

NDA Preparation for Maths

Maths is not everyone’s cup of tea. With our NDA preparation tips for Maths, you will be able to cover the syllabus of this subject and be prepared to score well in this paper. The total number of questions in the Mathematics paper is 120, for a total of 300 marks. Find out how you can strategize for excelling in this paper below:

  • Practice, Practice, Practice – In a subject like Maths, the more you practice, the more you will get better.
  • Polish Your Concepts – Use beginner-friendly Maths books to revisit fundamental concepts.
  • Use an Audio-Visual Study Approach.
  • Practice solving previous years’ papers and mock tests. 

NDA Preparation 2023 for GAT

The NDA GAT (General Ability Test) tests the candidate’s general knowledge about certain subjects and current affairs. For NDA preparation, you must be familiar with the following information about the GAT exam:

NDA Preparation for GAT

Parts

Subjects

No. of Questions

Marks for each correct answer

Marks for each wrong answer

Maximum Marks

Part A

English

50

+4

-1.33

200

Part B

Physics

25

100

Chemistry

15

60

General Science

10

40

History

20

80

Geography

20

80

Current Events

10

40

Total Marks

150

600

NDA English Preparation

While preparing for the NDA Syllabus for English, you must understand the relevance of topics from an exam point of view. The English section of the paper will judge your understanding of the English language, grammar, and comprehension. Being proficient in the language and having a rich vocabulary will boost your NDA preparation for English.

The NDA English section is for 200 marks, so make sure you are taking your time to prepare for the exam. Here are some NDA preparation tips for English:

  • Cover the Syllabus – The first requirement is that you cover the entire syllabus, including topics like grammar and usage, reading comprehension, synonyms & antonyms, fill in the blanks, spot the error, para jumbles, etc.
  • Read Extensively – The best way to prepare for a language exam is to read. Reading is basically a wide segment that includes newspapers, novels, storybooks etc. 
  • Grab Your Newspapers – It will not only improve your vocabulary but also keep you up to date about Current Affairs. You can also take online subscriptions to newspapers and current affairs magazines.
  • Don’t Study the Boring Way – There are a number of interactive mobile applications that will help you master your command of the English language. 

NDA Preparation Tips for Physics

The NDA Physics section usually carries 23-25 questions on general physics topics. You do not need to specialize in Physics to master this subject for the NDA exam preparation. Here are some tips that will help you feel more confident about your NDA preparation for Physics: 

  • Focus on Hot Topics – The Physics syllabus for the exam is very extensive. It covers too many topics but you don’t need to cover all of them. Just focus on the ones that carry the most weightage, like Ohm’s Law, Mass, Force, and Momentum. That being said, do not ignore any topic. Just spend lesser time understanding and memorizing them. 
  • Note Things Down – The candidate should make notes of important definitions and formulae. Go through these notes every single day for revision and effective memorization.
  • Identify Your Strengths – The most important aspect of physics is that it is not limited to sums. If the candidate finds the numerical portion of physics tough, he should strengthen his theoretical portion first and then come back to the sums.
  • Practice Every Day – The candidate should list down all the formulae and solve at least 8-10 sums for each formula.

NDA Exam Preparation for Chemistry

The NDA Chemistry section has questions mainly based on chemical formulae and reactions. The topics covered are elements, mixtures, compounds, physical & chemical changes, acids, bases, salts, simple chemical equations, laws of chemical combination, properties of air & water, oxidation, reduction, carbon and different forms, the structure of an atom, atomic equivalent, molecular weight, valency, mole concept, fertilizers, preparation of substances like soap, glass, cement, preparation, and properties of hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide.

For NDA preparation for Chemistry, you can use NCERT books, and focus on the following points:

  • Identify the Repeating Questions – In the Chemistry section, questions on the mole concept and P block are repetitive. You can identify such questions by referring to theNDA Previous Year Papers.
  • Utilize Online & Offline Study Material – Private publication books can also be used in addition to NCERT books. Alternatively, the candidate can also use free online study material.
  • Revise Noes Daily – Make notes of the formulae, stick them on a wall so that you see them, and revise them every single day. 

NDA Preparation for Biology

The Biology section in the NDA exam preparation covers topics like cells and tissues, living and non-living organisms, human body and organs, development and reproduction in plants and animals, common epidemics – causes and preventions, balanced diet and food as an energy source for living beings, solar system, meteors, comets, eminent scientists and their achievements, etc. Here are the tips to memorize this for your NDA preparation:

  • Make Bullets – Such topics are relatively easy to cover as they can be made into bullet points and memorized.
  • Refer to School Books – Using school books to study is great for your NDA preparation.
  • Watch Videos – You can watch videos of the topics on the internet. It will help you grasp concepts more quickly.

NDA Preparation Tips 2023 for History & Geography

In the exam, the history and geography sections constitute 70-80 marks each and are one of the easiest scoring papers in the examination as they deal with simple factual information. For NDA preparation, here is the information about the topics covered in these subjects:

Subject

Topics

History 

Indian Independence and Freedom Movement, World War I, World War II, Cold War, Russian Revolution, Panchayati Raj, socialism and communism, the role of India in the present world, Five-year plans of India, Cultures, and civilizations of India, Indian constitution, development of science and technology and its impact on the modern world, and famous personalities (for instance, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, etc.).

Geography

Earth – shape, size, origin, rotation and revolution, ocean currents and tides, International date-line, vegetation, agricultural and industrial activities, climatic conditions (types of climate), weather, rocks – formation and classification, coordinates (latitudes and longitudes), natural disasters such as volcanoes and earthquakes, atmosphere (composition, temperature, humidity), sea, air, and land routes, geographical phenomenon – atmospheric pressure, cyclones, and anti-cyclones.

Here are the NDA preparation tips you can use for this section of the exam:

  • Use NCERT Books – The simplest and most concise books for preparing the History and Geography section are the NCERT class IX and X books. They give a brief yet clear idea about all the above-mentioned topics.
  • Note Down the Dates – For the History section, you need to note down the dates of all important events. Revising the notes is the only way you’ll be able to remember such extensive information. 
  • Get Visual – You can get visuals during your NDA preparation 2023 and watch videos to grasp Geography concepts. Studying Geography becomes much more interesting with videos.

NDA Preparation for Current Affairs

The NDA current events section includes questions related to the latest happenings in India and around the world. Some of the topics covered under this section are politics, eminent personalities, sports, cinema, awards and recognitions, cultural events, science and technological breakthrough, government rules and policies, countries and prime ministers or presidents, countries and capitals, finance and banking, etc. Here are some NDA preparation tips you can use to cover the syllabus of current affairs:

  • Catch Up with the News – The candidate must be up to date about the events that have occurred globally as well as locally over the last year.
  • A few ways in which the candidate can stay updated are:
    (a) He/She must make it a habit to read newspapers daily
    (b) Blogs are another source of information
    (c) The candidate must opt for watching the news or learning about a particular topic on YouTube if he/she is more comfortable with visual learning.
    (d) There are many applications available online that will help a candidate get daily updates about current events.
  • Books – Books or Magazines for Current Affairs are available online and offline. You can use them to get comprehensive information about the latest current events. 

NDA Preparation Strategy

Here is the NDA preparation strategy that you can use for every subject:

  • Write down all important formulae, dates, names, equations, etc. in the form of bullet points to aid in last-minute revision.
  • Form study groups to ensure the exchange of ideas and information.
  • Solve previous years’ question papers to get a clear idea about the weightage given to each topic.
  • Try giving more importance to difficult topics if time permits, else the candidate must work on strengthening those topics that he finds easy
  • Give as manyNDA Mock Tests as possible to get an idea of the amount of time that can be spent per topic or per question.
  • Learn space management
  • Regularly read English newspapers or watch English news channels to enhance vocabulary as well as stay up to date on current affairs and events
  • Try remembering shortcuts, especially in the case of physics formulae and chemical equations
  • Understand the topic as far as possible and avoid memorizing everything as too much information may get jumbled up.

Last 10 Days Strategy for NDA Preparation

During NDA preparation, the first aim of the candidates is to qualify for the written test which will be 900 marks. Here, we have come up with the last 10 days revision tips that must be followed by focusing on the important topics of the exam.

  • The aspirants must prepare a schedule for their preparation & accordingly divide time for both papers. The aspirants must refer to theNDA NCERT Books for preparation.
  • The Mathematics, Physics & Chemistry sections should be prepared from the 12th Class books, and Biology, Geography, Political Science, History, and Economics should be prepared up to the 10th Class level.
  • The aspirants must know the basic concepts of mathematics as the questions are asked in both forms, i.e., to complete the statement or to solve.
  • Make a revision sheet for the Mathematics section. It should have significant points & formulas in it. Revise the basic grammar rules in order to score high in reading comprehension, basic grammar & vocabulary.
  • The English section for 200 marks is one of the most scoring sections in the exam, so it’s essential to prepare for it well.
  • Current Affairs is one of the most critical sections in the entrance examination.
  • The aspirants must be well aware of the incidents or events that took place, at least 5- 6 months ago. You can also check the most important questions of Current Affairs for the exam.
  • NDA preparation is all about managing one’s time that has been allotted in a good manner. Also, try mastering the shortcut methods & save time. Don’t waste your time solving a question that one doesn’t have any idea about. Instead of that, jump on to the next question.
  • If a candidate is naturally strong in English since his school days, one won’t have much problem in dealing with the English section of the examination. Otherwise, he’ll have to polish his skills. The best way to do this is by reading. Reading English storybooks, newspapers, novels, etc. will help you improve one’s language as well as work on vocabulary at the same time. This will also improve one’s grammar & writing skills to an extent.
  • For Chemistry, the aspirants must know the basic concepts, and compounds & mixtures, and classifications of elements.

Last Minute Tips for NDA Preparation

In order to cover the syllabus of the exam, aspirants require months of NDA preparation but now the confusion is how to summarize it. So to provide your NDA preparation with those final touches you must do the following:

  • Importance of Revision for the Exam – It’s very important to do your revision thoroughly before the exam, in order to brush up on everything that you have learned so far. Now avoid revising your books, in fact, revise from the notes that you have been preparing till now. Looking at your own notes, you will be able to refresh the topic in your mind.
  • Do not Prepare Anything New before the Exam – Since the aspirants are just left with one day, it’s not relevant to prepare anything new because you might not be able to grasp the concept of it properly. Also, it might fill your mind with fear of forgetting, and confusion which is something you do not want to have now. So it’s better to stay happy and satisfied with what you have prepared so far.
  • Previous Year Question Papers of the Exam – Solving previous year’s question papers are always a great idea as it helps you in bracing up for your exam. But do not forget that it’s not your final exam. So do not let the result of the mock test affect your mind.
  • Importance of Rest before the Exam – Give your mind some rest, and keep it calm and composed before the exam. It’s very important for aspirants to stay in a cool state of mind. Do not panic, take proper sleep before the exam, and enter the examination hall with a balanced state of mind, as you have prepared yourself so you know the answer to the questions that will be asked to you.

NDA 2023 Exam Pattern

The NDA Exam Pattern is structured into two main stages:

  • Written Examination
  • SSB Interview (Service Selection Board)

The written exam itself comprises two components:

  • Mathematics
  • GAT (General Ability Test)

Both segments have a duration of 2 ½ hours each. The Mathematics section holds a total of 300 marks, while the GAT is allocated 600 marks. Moving to the SSB Interview, it carries a total weighting of 900 marks.

Within the General Ability Test, there are two distinct parts:

English

General Awareness and General Knowledge Test

For the GAT, the marks distribution is outlined as follows:

NDA General Ability Test

Sections

Maximum marks

Part A – English

200

Part B – General Awareness

Physics

100

History, Freedom Movement, etc.

80

Geography

80

Chemistry

60

General Science

40

Current Events

40

Total

GAT

600

According to the UPSC’s marking scheme, there is no deduction for unanswered questions. However, negative marking is implemented for incorrect answers, as outlined below:

Negative Marking Scheme

Written Exams

Marks for each correct answer

Marks deducted for each incorrect answer

Mathematics

2.5

0.83

GAT

4

1.33

This comprehensive framework provides insight into the NDA Exam Pattern for 2023, aiding candidates in their preparation strategy.

Best Books for NDA Preparation

With the exam approaching, you must be looking for the best NDA preparation books. We have enlisted some of the best books for the NDA exam preparation, to help you study better. Find the subject-wise book recommendations for NDA preparation:

Subject

Best Books for NDA Preparation

Maths

Mathematics for NDA & NA by R.S. Agarwal

English

Objective General English (Arihant Publication) by S. P. Bakshi,

Wren & Martin’s High School English Grammar & Composition by S. Chand,

Word Power Made Easy (Goyal Publishers) by Norman Lewis

Physics

NCERT (11th n 12th)

NCERT Exemplar

Chemistry

NCERT (11th n 12th)

NCERT Exemplar

Biology

Objective GK (Lucent Publication) by Sanjiv Kumar

History & Geography

Objective GK (Lucent Publication) by Sanjiv Kumar

Current Events

Pratiyogita Darpan/ Competition Success Review

That’s all from our side. We will be providing more useful tips for NDA 2023. Also, check NDA Study Material here.

BYJU’S Exam Prep NDA Online Coaching supports your exam preparation from every aspect. The online course contains unlimited live classes taught by expert teachers, mock tests, and revision notes. 

Our Apps Playstore
POPULAR EXAMS
SSC and Bank
Other Exams
GradeStack Learning Pvt. Ltd.Windsor IT Park, Tower - A, 2nd Floor, Sector 125, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201303 help@byjusexamprep.com
Home Practice Test Series Premium