UPSC NDA 2 2026 Question Papers and Answer Keys for Sets A, B, C, D Released
The Union Public Service Commission conducted the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (II), 2026 on 13 September 2026 across examination centres in India, and candidates who took the test can now use the question papers and answer keys to assess their performance. The examination was held for admission to the 158th NDA Course and 120th Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC), both scheduled to begin on 1 July 2027.
UPSC had notified 394 vacancies for NDA 2 2026 across the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of the National Defence Academy, as well as the 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme of the Indian Naval Academy. The written examination consisted of two papers — Mathematics and the General Ability Test (GAT) — and was conducted in offline, OMR-based mode.
NDA 2 2026 exam snapshot
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Examination | National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (II), 2026 |
| Conducting Authority | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Notification | 20 May 2026 |
| Notice Number | 10/2026-NDA-II |
| NDA 2 2026 Exam Date | 13 September 2026 |
| Examination Mode | Offline – OMR Based |
| Mathematics | 300 Marks |
| General Ability Test (GAT) | 600 Marks |
| Written Examination | 900 Marks |
| SSB Interview | 900 Marks |
| Total Selection Marks | 1800 Marks |
| Vacancies | 394 |
| Question Paper Sets | A, B, C and D |
The Mathematics paper was held from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM, followed by the GAT from 02:00 PM to 04:30 PM. Each paper ran for 2 hours 30 minutes. Candidates had to appear in both papers, with the combined written examination carrying 900 marks.
Vacancies announced for NDA 2 2026
The 394 vacancies were spread across the Army, Navy, Air Force and Naval Academy entries. The Army accounted for the largest share, followed by the Air Force flying branch and other Air Force ground duties categories.
| Academy / Wing | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| NDA – Army | 208, including 10 for women |
| NDA – Navy | 42, including 5 for women |
| NDA – Air Force Flying | 92, including 2 for women |
| NDA – Air Force Ground Duties (Tech) | 18, including 2 for women |
| NDA – Air Force Ground Duties (Non-Tech) | 10, including 2 for women |
| Naval Academy – 10+2 Cadet Entry | 24, including 3 for women |
| Total | 394 |
Candidates can download the NDA 2 2026 Mathematics and GAT question papers from the links provided below. Only Set A question papers are available for download here, and they can be used for review and practice.
| NDA 2 2026 Question Paper | Set | Download PDF |
|---|---|---|
| NDA 2 2026 Mathematics Question Paper | Set A | [Download PDF] |
| NDA 2 2026 GAT Question Paper | Set A | [Download PDF] |
The question papers can be used alongside the set-wise answer keys to analyse the examination. Separate answer keys are provided for Sets A, B, C and D because candidates must match their responses with the booklet series they actually received in the exam hall.
Before using the answer key, candidates should confirm the booklet series printed on their Mathematics and GAT papers.
Mathematics answer key
The Mathematics paper had 120 questions and carried 300 marks. Answer keys for all four booklet sets are listed below. The same PDF link is shown for each set in the source material.
| NDA 2 2026 Mathematics Answer Key | Download PDF |
|---|---|
| Mathematics Answer Key – Set A | [Download PDF] |
| Mathematics Answer Key – Set B | [Download PDF] |
| Mathematics Answer Key – Set C | [Download PDF] |
| Mathematics Answer Key – Set D | [Download PDF] |
Candidates should match the answer key with the exact Mathematics booklet series before calculating their score.
GAT answer key
The General Ability Test had 150 questions and carried 600 marks. It was divided into two broad components: English for 200 marks and General Knowledge for 400 marks.
| NDA 2 2026 GAT Answer Key | Download PDF |
|---|---|
| GAT Answer Key – Set A | [Download PDF] |
| GAT Answer Key – Set B | [Download PDF] |
| GAT Answer Key – Set C | [Download PDF] |
| GAT Answer Key – Set D | [Download PDF] |
Candidates must select the same booklet set that appears on their GAT paper. The answer keys released immediately after the examination should be treated as unofficial unless they are specifically identified as issued by UPSC. They are intended to help candidates estimate their scores before the official answer keys are published.
Marking scheme and score calculation
The NDA written examination carries 900 marks in total: 300 for Mathematics and 600 for GAT. There is negative marking, with one-third of the marks assigned to a question deducted for each wrong answer. Unattempted questions do not attract any penalty.
| Paper | Questions | Maximum Marks | Marks Per Correct Answer | Negative Marks Per Wrong Answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 120 | 300 | 2.5 | Approx. 0.83 |
| GAT | 150 | 600 | 4 | Approx. 1.33 |
The score formulas are straightforward. For Mathematics, the score is calculated as: Correct Answers × 2.5 minus Incorrect Answers × 0.83. For GAT, the formula is: Correct Answers × 4 minus Incorrect Answers × 1.33. The final written score is the sum of both paper scores out of 900.
As an illustration, if a candidate answers 70 Mathematics questions correctly and 20 incorrectly, the marks for correct answers would be 175, while the negative marks would be approximately 16.6, resulting in an estimated Mathematics score of about 158.4 marks. The same method can be used for GAT before adding the two paper scores together.
How the paper was assessed
Based on initial candidate feedback and exam reviews, NDA 2 2026 was broadly regarded as moderate, though the difficulty varied across sections. Mathematics was seen as moderate to lengthy, while English in the GAT was comparatively easier. General Knowledge was rated moderate overall.
| Section | Questions | Difficulty | Indicative Good Attempts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 120 | Moderate to Lengthy | 56–67 |
| GAT – English | 50 | Easy to Moderate | 32–38 |
| GAT – General Knowledge | 100 | Moderate | 55–65 |
| Overall | 270 | Moderate | 145–170 |
The Mathematics paper was described by many candidates as calculation-heavy, with questions drawn from matrices and determinants, quadratic equations, vectors, sets and relations, permutations and combinations, three-dimensional geometry, conic sections, integration, differential equations, sequences and series, and trigonometry.
The GAT English section gave candidates an opportunity to improve their overall score, while the General Knowledge paper included questions from Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History, Geography, Polity, current affairs and other areas. Some candidates found the Physics questions relatively challenging.
Given the negative marking, accuracy is more important than attempting an unusually high number of questions.
Expected cut-off
The official written cut-off for NDA 2 2026 will be known only after UPSC publishes it. Based on the paper’s difficulty and previous NDA trends, the initial estimated range for the written cut-off is 310–350 out of 900, with 360+ out of 900 suggested as a safer target score.
| Category | Expected Score |
|---|---|
| NDA 2 2026 Expected Written Cut-Off | 310–350 / 900 |
| Safer Target Score | 360+ / 900 |
These figures are only indicative and should not be treated as the official UPSC cut-off. The actual cut-off will depend on several factors, including examination difficulty, the number of candidates, vacancies and overall candidate performance. Candidates should also note that clearing the aggregate written cut-off may not be enough if UPSC prescribes separate minimum qualifying marks for each paper.
What happens after the written exam
After evaluating the written examination, UPSC will declare the NDA 2 2026 written result on its official website. The result PDF will contain the roll numbers of candidates shortlisted for the next stage.
Those who clear the written test and meet the eligibility conditions will be called for the Services Selection Board interview, which carries another 900 marks. The complete NDA selection process therefore totals 1800 marks: 900 for the written examination and 900 for the SSB interview.
Candidates recommended by the SSB must still meet the prescribed medical standards. Final selection depends on merit, eligibility, medical fitness, vacancies and other conditions laid down by the authorities.
The 158th NDA Course and 120th Indian Naval Academy Course are scheduled to commence on 1 July 2027. Candidates who believe they may clear the written cut-off are advised to begin preparing for the SSB interview rather than waiting for the result.
Official answer key and download process
The answer keys released by coaching institutes and subject experts shortly after the exam are unofficial, and some differences may appear because of interpretation or errors in those solutions. The final authority remains the Union Public Service Commission.
Once UPSC publishes the official Mathematics and GAT answer keys for NDA 2 2026, candidates should compare their responses only with those documents. The official answer keys can be downloaded from the UPSC website by opening the Examinations section, navigating to Answer Keys and locating the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (II), 2026.
After the official documents are released, the relevant Mathematics and General Ability Test PDFs should be downloaded and used for final verification.
Frequently asked questions
NDA 2 2026 was conducted by UPSC on 13 September 2026. Candidates can download the Mathematics and GAT question papers using the links in the question-paper table above. The Set A question papers are available for both papers, and separate answer keys are provided for Sets A, B, C and D so that candidates can match the booklet series they received in the examination.
The Mathematics paper contained 120 questions carrying 300 marks, while the General Ability Test contained 150 questions carrying 600 marks. Negative marking applies, with one-third of the marks assigned to a question deducted for each wrong answer and no penalty for unattempted questions.
UPSC will release the NDA 2 2026 written result on its official website, and the PDF will include the roll numbers of candidates shortlisted for the next stage of selection.
Once available, official UPSC answer-key PDFs and result-related updates should be used as the final reference for candidates tracking NDA 2 2026.
