NDA Question Papers for Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT) can be accessed session-wise for candidates preparing for the upcoming NDA exam 2026 scheduled on September 13, 2026. The NDA Question Papers list includes the latest NDA 1 2026 question papers as well as papers from NDA 2 2025, NDA 1 2025, NDA 2 2024, NDA 1 2024 and NDA 2 2023, covering six recent examination sessions. Candidates can download these previous-year papers to practise with questions that have appeared in the actual UPSC NDA examination.
Solving the latest NDA paper first can help candidates understand the current level of the National Defence Academy exam and the nature of questions before moving to older papers. These papers are also useful for analysing subject-wise question trends, identifying frequently tested areas, and evaluating how well candidates can manage the Mathematics and GAT papers within the allotted examination time. Regular practice with previous year papers can also help candidates identify the topics that require additional preparation.
Table of Contents
- NDA Question Papers 2026: Download PDFs
- NDA 1 2026 Question Paper
- NDA Previous Year Question Papers: 2025, 2024 and 2023
- Which NDA Question Paper Should You Solve First?
- NDA Question Paper Analysis: What to Record After Every Paper
- NDA Mathematics Question Papers: How to Use Them
- NDA GAT Question Papers: How to Analyse Them
- NDA PYQs: How to Identify Repeated Concepts
- How Many NDA Papers Should You Solve Before NDA 2 2026?
- NDA Question Papers vs Mock Tests
- NDA Question Papers 2026: Common Mistakes Candidates Make
- NDA Question Papers 2026 FAQs
NDA Question Papers 2026: Overview
The NDA question papers provide candidates with an understanding of the structure and format followed in the UPSC NDA & NA written examination. The overview below highlights the latest available paper and the key details of the Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT) papers.
NDA Question Papers 2026: Download PDFs
The latest NDA 1 2026 papers are available for both Mathematics and GAT. These should be attempted first because they provide the most recent reference point before NDA 2 2026.
| Examination | Paper | Action |
| NDA 1 2026 | Mathematics | View / Download PDF |
| NDA 1 2026 | General Ability Test | View / Download PDF |
| NDA 2 2025 | Mathematics | Download PDF |
| NDA 2 2025 | General Ability Test | Download PDF |
| NDA 1 2025 | Mathematics | Download PDF |
| NDA 1 2025 | General Ability Test | Download PDF |
| NDA 2 2024 | Mathematics | Download PDF |
| NDA 2 2024 | General Ability Test | Download PDF |
| NDA 1 2024 | Mathematics | Download PDF |
| NDA 1 2024 | General Ability Test | Download PDF |
| NDA 2 2023 | Mathematics | Download PDF |
| NDA 2 2023 | General Ability Test | Download PDF |
The NDA 2 2026 question paper will be added after the September 13, 2026 examination.
NDA 2 Question Paper 2026
The NDA 2 2026 question paper is yet to be released, as the UPSC NDA & NA Examination (II) 2026 is scheduled to be conducted on September 13, 2026. The written examination will include separate papers for both Mathematics and the General Ability Test (GAT). The NDA 2 2026 Mathematics and GAT question papers are expected to be added after the examination once UPSC makes the official papers available.
Candidates looking for the NDA 2 2026 question paper PDF can check this page for the latest updates and download links of official NDA question papers. The official question papers can also be checked on the UPSC Previous Question Papers section, where the Commission uploads question papers for completed examinations, including separate Mathematics and GAT papers for NDA sessions.
NDA 1 2026 Question Paper
NDA 1 2026 Mathematics Question Paper
The NDA 1 2026 Mathematics paper is the latest available Mathematics paper for NDA preparation. Candidates preparing for NDA 2 2026 should attempt it as a complete paper before moving to older PYQs. The NDA 1 2026 Mathematics question paper consisted of 120 questions carrying 300 marks, with a duration of 2.5 hours. The section covers important topics across the Mathematics syllabus, while the paper's difficulty level and topic-wise question trends can vary with each session of the exam.
Download NDA 1 2026 Mathematics Question Paper
NDA 1 2026 General Ability Test Question Paper
The NDA 1 2026 GAT paper is the latest available General Ability Test paper. It should be used to assess preparation across the different GAT areas rather than treated as a single General Knowledge test. The NDA 1 2026 GAT question paper consisted of 150 questions carrying 600 marks, with a duration of 2.5 hours. The paper included questions from English and General Knowledge, with the latter covering different subject areas prescribed in the syllabus.
Download NDA 1 2026 GAT Question Paper
How to Download NDA Question Papers PDF?
Candidates can download previous year NDA papers by selecting the required examination year and paper. To download NDA question papers, candidates should follow these steps:
- Visit the UPSC official website at https://upsc.gov.in
- On the homepage, go to the Examinations section.
- Then, select Previous Question Papers from the available options.
- Look for the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination and select the required year and session.
- Choose the Mathematics or General Ability Test (GAT) question paper.
- Open the PDF and download or save it for practice.
NDA Previous Year Question Papers: 2025, 2024 and 2023
The previous-year collection currently covers five earlier examination sessions in addition to NDA 1 2026.
| Year | Examination | Mathematics | GAT |
| 2025 | NDA 2 | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| 2025 | NDA 1 | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| 2024 | NDA 2 | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| 2024 | NDA 1 | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| 2023 | NDA 2 | Download PDF | Download PDF |
NDA 2 2025 Question Papers
| Paper | |
| Mathematics | Download NDA 2 2025 Mathematics PDF |
| General Ability Test | Download NDA 2 2025 GAT PDF |
NDA 1 2025 Question Papers
| Paper | |
| Mathematics | Download NDA 1 2025 Mathematics PDF |
| General Ability Test | Download NDA 1 2025 GAT PDF |
NDA 2 2024 Question Papers
| Paper | |
| Mathematics | Download NDA 2 2024 Mathematics PDF |
| General Ability Test | Download NDA 2 2024 GAT PDF |
NDA 1 2024 Question Papers
| Paper | |
| Mathematics | Download NDA 1 2024 Mathematics PDF |
| General Ability Test | Download NDA 1 2024 GAT PDF |
NDA 2 2023 Question Papers
| Paper | |
| Mathematics | Download NDA 2 2023 Mathematics PDF |
| General Ability Test | Download NDA 2 2023 GAT PDF |
Which NDA Question Paper Should You Solve First?
If you are preparing specifically for NDA 2 2026, do not start randomly with an old paper.
Use this order:
| Priority | Paper | Why You Should Solve It |
| 1 | NDA 1 2026 | Most recent available paper |
| 2 | NDA 2 2025 | Recent alternate examination session |
| 3 | NDA 1 2025 | Compare the two 2025 papers |
| 4 | NDA 2 2024 | Expand question-type exposure |
| 5 | NDA 1 2024 | Identify longer-term recurring concepts |
| 6 | NDA 2 2023 | Additional PYQ practice |
The first three papers are particularly important because they give you three recent examination sessions to compare before moving further back.
NDA Question Paper Analysis: What to Record After Every Paper
Simply writing down the score after completing a PYQ does not tell you what to improve.
After each paper, maintain the following record:
| Metric | What to record |
| Questions attempted | Total attempts |
| Correct | Number of correct responses |
| Incorrect | Number of wrong responses |
| Unattempted | Questions left unanswered |
| Time taken | Actual completion time |
| Conceptual errors | Questions where the underlying concept was unknown |
| Application errors | Concept known but incorrectly applied |
| Calculation errors | Arithmetic/sign/unit mistakes |
| Guessing errors | Questions attempted without sufficient confidence |
| Time-pressure errors | Questions you could have solved but could not reach |
This creates a much more useful picture of your preparation.
Example
Suppose a candidate analyses a Mathematics paper and finds:
| Error Type | Questions |
| Concept not known | 7 |
| Wrong application | 4 |
| Calculation errors | 3 |
| Time pressure | 8 |
| Incorrect guesses | 2 |
The next step should not automatically be “solve another paper”.
The candidate should revise the seven concept gaps, practise the four application errors and work on speed for the eight questions lost to time.
That is the purpose of PYQ analysis.
NDA Mathematics Question Papers: How to Use Them
Mathematics carries 300 marks in the NDA written examination. Therefore, PYQs should be used to determine both topic-level weakness and paper-management problems.
For every Mathematics question you get wrong, mark it against one of these categories:
| Category | Meaning | What to do next |
| Concept gap | You did not know how to approach it | Revise the chapter |
| Formula gap | You knew the concept but forgot the formula | Add it to formula revision |
| Application gap | You knew the formula but could not apply it | Solve similar PYQs |
| Calculation error | Method was correct but calculation failed | Practise timed calculations |
| Question-selection error | You spent too much time on a difficult question | Practise skipping and returning |
| Time shortage | You could solve it but never reached it | Improve paper sequencing |
This is particularly important for Mathematics because a candidate can have adequate syllabus coverage but still lose marks because too much time is spent on difficult questions.
NDA GAT Question Papers: How to Analyse Them
GAT carries 600 marks, so candidates should not analyse the entire paper as one subject.
Break your performance into its major areas.
| GAT Area | What Your PYQ Analysis Should Tell You |
| English | Whether vocabulary, grammar or comprehension is limiting your score |
| Physics | Whether basic concepts or application-based questions are causing errors |
| Chemistry | Whether factual knowledge or concepts need revision |
| General Science | Which school-level science areas require revision |
| History | Whether factual recall is the main problem |
| Geography | Which physical or Indian geography concepts need revision |
| Current Affairs | Whether recent events are being missed |
| General Knowledge | Which static areas repeatedly produce errors |
For GAT, make a separate list of facts/concepts you did not know. Do not simply copy the complete question into your notes.
For example:
Poor revision note:“Question asked about X — answer was Y.”
Useful revision note:“Revise X: definition, related concept, and two associated facts.”
The second format helps when revising before the examination.
NDA PYQs: How to Identify Repeated Concepts
Previous-year papers are more useful when compared side by side.
Create a tracker such as:
| Topic | NDA 2 2023 | NDA 1 2024 | NDA 2 2024 | NDA 1 2025 | NDA 2 2025 | NDA 1 2026 |
| Topic A | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Topic B | — | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Topic C | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
The purpose is not to predict that the same question will appear in NDA 2 2026.
Instead, repeated appearances tell you which concepts deserve another revision before the examination.
A candidate should therefore use PYQs to answer:
“What should I revise next?”
rather than only:
“How many papers have I completed?”
How Many NDA Papers Should You Solve Before NDA 2 2026?
The answer depends on how much preparation time remains.
If you have enough time to analyse them properly, work through the complete available set. If time is limited, prioritise the most recent papers.
| Available Time | Priority |
| More than 4 weeks | NDA 1 2026 + both 2025 papers + selected 2024 papers |
| 2–4 weeks | NDA 1 2026 + NDA 2 2025 + NDA 1 2025 |
| Less than 2 weeks | Latest papers first; focus on analysis and revision rather than completing every old paper |
| Final few days | Revise mistakes, formulas, factual notes and previously attempted PYQs |
The key distinction is between paper completion and paper analysis. If completing an additional paper leaves no time to revise the mistakes from the previous one, the additional paper has limited value.
NDA Question Papers vs Mock Tests
Both serve different purposes.
| NDA Previous-Year Paper | Mock Test |
| Uses an actual UPSC paper | Usually created by a test provider |
| Shows actual UPSC question framing | Can provide additional practice |
| Useful for identifying recurring concepts | Useful for increasing question exposure |
| Best for understanding the actual paper | Best for repeated timed practice |
| Limited number of genuine papers available | Large number of mocks available |
For NDA 2 2026, genuine PYQs should not be replaced entirely by mock tests. Use the actual papers first to understand the examination, then use mocks for additional timed practice.
NDA Question Papers 2026: Common Mistakes Candidates Make
Solving the paper without a timer
A PYQ solved casually at home does not tell you whether you can manage the actual examination.
Checking the answer immediately
If you look at the solution after every difficult question, you lose the diagnostic value of the paper.
Recording only the total score
A 450-mark score does not explain whether the problem is Mathematics, English, Science, current affairs, accuracy or time management.
Memorising PYQ answers
The value of a previous-year question is in the concept and question type, not merely the answer.
Ignoring unattempted questions
An unattempted question can mean either “I did not know this” or “I knew this but ran out of time”. Those require completely different preparation strategies.
NDA Question Papers 2026 FAQs
Is the NDA 1 2026 question paper available?
Yes. NDA 1 2026 Mathematics and General Ability Test question papers are available. The Mathematics PDF is 30.43 MB and the GAT PDF is 25.98 MB.
Which is the latest NDA question paper available?
NDA 1 2026 is the latest available question paper. For candidates preparing for NDA 2 2026, it should be the first paper attempted.
Where can I download NDA Mathematics question papers?
NDA Mathematics question papers from NDA 1 2026, NDA 2 2025, NDA 1 2025, NDA 2 2024, NDA 1 2024 and NDA 2 2023 are available in the download section above.
Where can I download NDA GAT question papers?
GAT question papers for the available NDA examination sessions are provided in the download tables above, including the latest NDA 1 2026 GAT paper.
Is the NDA 2 2026 question paper available?
No. The NDA 2 2026 examination is scheduled for September 13, 2026, so its question paper will become available only after the examination.
Which NDA PYQs are most important for NDA 2 2026?
Start with NDA 1 2026, followed by NDA 2 2025 and NDA 1 2025. These are the three most recent available examination papers and provide the strongest immediate reference for preparation.
How should I analyse NDA previous-year papers?
Record correct, incorrect and unattempted questions, then classify every mistake as a concept gap, application error, calculation error, guessing error or time-pressure error. Use that classification to decide what to revise next.
Should I solve NDA PYQs as full-length tests?
Yes, particularly the latest papers. Attempt them under the actual paper duration instead of solving questions chapter-wise. Afterward, analyse the paper before starting another one.
Are NDA previous-year questions repeated?
UPSC may test the same concepts or question types across different examinations, but candidates should not expect questions to be repeated exactly. PYQs should therefore be used to identify recurring concepts and UPSC's question style rather than memorise answers.
Are previous-year papers enough for NDA 2 2026 preparation?
No. PYQs show how UPSC tests the syllabus, but they do not replace syllabus revision. Their most useful role is to identify weak areas, test preparation under exam conditions and determine what needs to be revised next.
Should I solve older NDA papers if I have limited preparation time?
Prioritise the latest papers. If time is limited, complete NDA 1 2026, NDA 2 2025 and NDA 1 2025 first and analyse them properly before moving to older papers.