UPSC NDA 2 Answer Key 2026: Download NDA & NA II Maths & GAT Question Paper Solutions for Sets A, B, C, D at upsc.gov.in

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has officially published the question booklets and provisional solution keys for the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (NDA & NA II) 2026. Candidates who took part in the nationwide written examination for admission to the 394 Cadet Vacancies in the Army, Navy, and Air Force Wings of the NDA for the 156th Course and the 118th Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC) can now download the verified official answer keys for Mathematics (Code 01) and General Ability Test - GAT (Code 02) across Sets A, B, C, and D from the Commission portal at upsc.gov.in.

The NDA & NA examination is India most coveted entry-point for young men and women after Class 12 seeking lifelong careers as commissioned officers in the armed forces. Candidates who clear the written qualifying cutoff and achieve the mandatory minimum 25% score in both papers will receive call-up letters for the 5-day Services Selection Board (SSB) Interview conducted by the Army, Navy, and Air Force selection centers. Selected cadets undergo three years of joint academic and military training at the prestigious NDA Khadakwasla, Pune, followed by one year of pre-commission training at IMA, INA, or AFA, drawing a monthly cadet training stipend of Rs. 56,100 under Pay Matrix Level 10.

UPSC NDA II Recruitment 2026: Wing-Wise and Gender-Wise Vacancy Breakdown

The 394 cadet vacancies are distributed across defense branches and gender categories as notified by the Ministry of Defence:

UPSC NDA II Answer Key Download Procedure & Paper Sets at upsc.gov.in

Candidates can download their official question paper and solution key by following these steps on the Commission website:

1. Visit the official portal of Union Public Service Commission: upsc.gov.in.
2. Under the primary navigation menu, click on the "Examinations" tab.
3. Select "Answer Keys" from the options displayed.
4. Locate the notification link reading "National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (II), 2026: Official Answer Keys".
5. Choose your examination paper to download:
   • Mathematics (Code 01): Sets A, B, C, and D Answer Key PDF.
   • General Ability Test - GAT (Code 02): Sets A, B, C, and D Answer Key PDF.
6. Download the PDF files and compare your marked responses against the Commission official answers.
7. Calculate your provisional raw score: multiply correct Maths answers by 2.5 and deduct 0.83 per error; multiply correct GAT answers by 4.0 and deduct 1.33 per error.
8. Print the score calculation summary for verification during SSB interview reporting.

UPSC NDA II Written Examination Pattern & Marking Scheme

The written examination consists of two separate objective papers conducted on the same day in morning and afternoon sessions:

Negative Marking Protocol: Negative marking is strictly enforced. For Paper-I (Mathematics), 0.83 marks are deducted for every wrong attempt. For Paper-II (GAT), 1.33 marks are deducted per wrong response. Unattempted questions receive zero penalty. A minimum of 25% marks is mandatory in each of the two papers to qualify for evaluation.

Detailed Subject-Wise Syllabus for UPSC NDA II Examination

The NDA curriculum evaluates high school mathematical mastery and broad-spectrum general aptitude:

• Mathematics (300 Marks):
  • Algebra: Concept of set, operations on sets, Venn diagrams, Relations, Equivalence relations, Complex numbers, Representation in a plane, Modulus and argument, Binary system, Arithmetic, Geometric, Harmonic Progressions, Quadratic equations with real coefficients, Permutations and Combinations, Binomial theorem, Logarithms.
  • Matrices and Determinants: Types of matrices, Operations on matrices, Determinant of a matrix, Basic properties of determinants, Adjoint and inverse of a square matrix, Applications in solving linear equations.
  • Trigonometry: Angles and their measures in degrees and radians, Trigonometric ratios, Trigonometric identities, Inverse trigonometric functions, Applications of heights and distances.
  • Analytical Geometry of 2D and 3D: Rectangular Cartesian coordinate system, Distance formula, Equation of a line in various forms, Angle between two lines, Distance of a point from a line, Equation of a circle in standard and general form, Standard forms of parabola, ellipse, and hyperbola, Direction cosines and direction ratios of a line in 3D, Equation of a plane and line in 3D.
  • Differential and Integral Calculus: Concept of limit, continuity, and differentiability, Derivatives of composite functions, Tangents and normals, Maxima and minima, Integration as inverse of differentiation, Definite integrals, Area bounded by curves.
  • Vector Algebra & Statistics: Vectors in two and three dimensions, Dot product, Cross product, Scalar triple product, Frequency distribution, Cumulative frequency, Mean, Median, Mode, Variance, Standard deviation, Probability, Addition and multiplication theorems, Bayes' theorem.
• General Ability Test - GAT (600 Marks):
  • Part A: English (200 Marks / 50 Qs): Grammar, Usage, Vocabulary, Comprehension passages, Sentence ordering, Error spotting, Idioms and phrases.
  • Part B: General Knowledge (400 Marks / 100 Qs): Section A: Physics (100 Marks), Section B: Chemistry (60 Marks), Section C: General Science (40 Marks), Section D: History, Freedom Movement (80 Marks), Section E: Geography (80 Marks), Section F: Current Events (40 Marks).

UPSC NDA II Expected Cut-Off Marks & Qualifying Benchmarks

The Commission determines the qualifying cut-off score based on overall applicant performance and paper difficulty:

Cadet Stipend & Commissioned Officer Pay Structure: Level 10 Matrix

Cadets at the National Defence Academy and Indian Naval Academy receive financial support and transition to premier officer pay scales upon commissioning:

Candidate Guidelines & Preparation Strategy for SSB Interview

Aspirants clearing the written benchmark must direct their focus toward the 5-day SSB interview selection:

1. Stage-I Screening Readiness: Practice verbal and non-verbal reasoning for Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and develop confident 1-minute story narration during Picture Perception & Discussion Tests (PPDT).
2. Physical Fitness Regimen: Run 3 kilometers daily, practice push-ups, chin-ups, and abdominal crunches to tackle the 10 individual obstacle courses at the SSB testing grounds.
3. Current Affairs Mastery: Follow national security policy, international relations, defense procurement programs, and major sports tournaments to contribute effectively in Group Discussions (GD) and Lecturette rounds.
4. Original Document Checklist: Ensure original Class 10 and 12 marksheets, pass certificates, admit card, valid government photo identity proof, and 20 identical passport-size photographs are assembled for reporting at the assigned Service Selection Board center.

Official Portals & Direct Answer Key Download Links

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)