NDA 2 Exam Analysis 2026; Check Difficulty Level of Maths and GAT
NDA 2 Exam Analysis 2026 covers the difficulty level, subject-wise questions, good attempts, important topics, and an overall paper review of UPSC NDA 2 2026 exam. The exam was conducted on Sep 13, 2026 (Sunday), in offline pen-and-paper mode. Mathematics was conducted from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM, followed by the General Ability Test (GAT) from 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM. Based on candidate feedback and post-exam analysis, the Mathematics paper was Moderate to Lengthy and calculation-intensive, while GAT was Easy to Moderate overall, with English comparatively easier and General Knowledge moderate. Candidates can check the detailed difficulty level, good attempts and important topics below.
Click Here to Download: NDA 2026 Question Paper with Solutions
NDA 2 Exam Analysis 2026 Overall Difficulty Level
NDA 2 2026 consisted of Mathematics and the General Ability Test (GAT). Based on candidate feedback, Mathematics was Moderate to Lengthy, with several calculation-intensive questions requiring effective time management. GAT was comparatively more manageable, with English being Easy to Moderate and the General Knowledge portion Moderate. Overall, the NDA 2 2026 written examination was Moderate.
| Section | Difficulty Level | Good Attempts |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | Moderate to Lengthy | 56–67 |
| GAT | Easy to Moderate | 87–103 |
| Overall Paper | Moderate | 145–170 |
NDA 2 2026 Mathematics Analysis
NDA 2 Mathematics paper consisted of 120 objective questions carrying 300 marks. Based on candidate feedback, the Mathematics paper was Moderate to Lengthy and included several calculation-intensive questions. Around 56–67 questions can be considered good attempts with reasonable accuracy.
Questions were asked from Algebra, Matrices and Determinants, Trigonometry, Analytical Geometry, Differential Calculus, Integral Calculus, Vector Algebra, Statistics, Probability and other prescribed topics. Matrices and Determinants, Quadratic Equations, Vector Algebra, Sets, Relations and Functions, Permutation and Combination, 3D Geometry and Conic Sections had noticeable representation. Formula-based questions were relatively manageable, while some questions from Calculus and Differential Equations required lengthy calculations.
Check Detailed:- NDA 2 Maths Analysis 2026
NDA 2 2026 GAT Analysis
NDA 2 GAT (General Ability Test) paper consisted of 150 objective questions carrying 600 marks, divided into English (50 questions, 200 marks) and General Knowledge (100 questions, 400 marks). The overall GAT paper was Easy to Moderate. Around 87–103 questions can be considered good attempts across English and General Knowledge with reasonable accuracy.
English was Easy to Moderate, with questions from grammar, vocabulary, spotting errors, synonyms, antonyms and reading comprehension. The General Knowledge portion was Moderate and included Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography, Polity and Current Affairs. Science questions were largely based on fundamental concepts, while Current Affairs covered recent national, international, defence and other important developments.
Check Detailed:- NDA 2 GAT Analysis 2026
NDA 2 2026 Expected Cutoff
NDA 2 2026 was conducted on September 13, 2026. Based on the overall Moderate difficulty level of the examination, candidate feedback, recent NDA cutoff trends and the level of Mathematics and GAT papers, the expected written cutoff is provided below. UPSC will release the official NDA 2 2026 cutoff after completion of the selection process.
| Stage | NDA 2 2026 Expected Cutoff |
|---|---|
| Written Examination | 320–345 marks out of 900 |
| Safe Score | 350+ marks |
| Final Cutoff – Written + SSB | 680–710 marks out of 1800 |
The expected written cutoff may vary depending on overall candidate performance, vacancies and the final evaluation of the Mathematics and GAT papers. For reference, the official NDA 2 2024 written cutoff was 305 marks, while NDA 2 2025 had a written cutoff of 304.90 for male candidates and 358.84 for female candidates, with at least 25% marks required in each subject.
NDA 1 2026 Exam Analysis
NDA 1 2026 was conducted by UPSC on April 12, 2026. Overall, the examination was Moderate, with Mathematics emerging as the comparatively tougher and more time-consuming paper, while GAT was moderate and relatively balanced.
| Paper/Section | Difficulty Level | Good Attempts | Major Topics/Areas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | Moderate to Difficult | 55–70 | Algebra, Calculus, Trigonometry, Coordinate Geometry, Matrices & Determinants, Probability |
| English | Easy to Moderate | 38–42 | Grammar, Vocabulary, Error Detection, Sentence Improvement, Comprehension |
| General Knowledge | Moderate | 32–36 | Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography, Polity, Current Affairs |
| GAT Overall | Moderate | 70–78 | English + General Knowledge |
| Overall NDA 1 2026 | Moderate | 140–160 with good accuracy | Mathematics was lengthy; English was comparatively scoring |
NDA 1 2026 Subject-wise Analysis
| Subject | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | Mathematics was the toughest part of NDA 1 2026. The paper was calculation-heavy and included several multi-step questions. Algebra and Calculus had noticeable weightage, while Trigonometry, Coordinate Geometry, Matrices, Determinants and Probability were also important. |
| English | The English portion of GAT was Easy to Moderate and comparatively scoring. Questions mainly tested grammar, vocabulary, sentence improvement, error detection and comprehension. |
| General Knowledge | GK was Moderate and covered a broad mix of Science, History, Geography, Polity and Current Affairs. Science had significant representation, while several questions required conceptual rather than purely factual knowledge. |
| Overall | NDA 1 2026 was Moderate overall. Mathematics demanded greater calculation speed and time management, whereas GAT offered better scoring opportunities, particularly through English. |
The NDA 1 2026 written examination consisted of 120 Mathematics questions for 300 marks and 150 GAT questions for 600 marks, giving a total of 900 marks. Each paper had a duration of 2 hours 30 minutes.
Previous Year NDA Exam Analysis
Candidates can refer to the previous years' NDA exam analysis to understand the difficulty level and topic-wise question distribution.
NDA 2 GAT Exam Analysis 2025
NDA 2 GAT paper was moderate in difficulty. The section-wise question distribution is given below.
| Subject | No. of Questions |
|---|---|
| English | 50 |
| History | 15 |
| Polity | 3 |
| Geography | 20 |
| Current Affairs | 10 |
| Static GK | 3 |
| Economy | 2 |
| Physics | 23 |
| Chemistry | 16 |
| Biology | 8 |
NDA 2 Maths Exam Analysis 2025
NDA 2 Maths paper was conducted from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM. The topic-wise question distribution is given below.
| Topic | Questions |
|---|---|
| Trigonometry | 4 |
| Height & Distance | 2 |
| Sequence & Series | 4 |
| Complex Number | 3 |
| Inequality & Logarithms | 2 |
| Permutation & Combination | 6 |
| Quadratic Equation & Cube Roots | 5 |
| Binomial Theorem | 3 |
| Matrices & Determinants | 8 |
| Probability | 4 |
| Binary | 2 |
| Sets, Relations & Functions | 8 |
| Limits, Continuity & Differentiability | 5 |
| Integration & Its Application | 6 |
| Vector | 5 |
| Conic Section | 3 |
| 3D Geometry | 5 |
| Statistics & DI | 6 |
| Circle | 3 |
NDA 2 2026 Exam Pattern
NDA 2 2026 consisted of two objective-type papers: Mathematics and General Ability Test. Mathematics carried 300 marks, while GAT carried 600 marks.
| Paper | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 120 | 300 | 2½ Hours |
| GAT | 150 | 600 | 2½ Hours |
| Total | 270 | 900 | 5 Hours |
The question papers were objective type. Mathematics and Part B of GAT were set bilingually in Hindi and English. Negative marking was applicable for incorrect answers.
NDA 2 2026 Mathematics and GAT Comparison
Mathematics and GAT differed considerably in their syllabus, marks, question pattern and difficulty level. Mathematics contained 120 questions for 300 marks, while GAT contained 150 questions for 600 marks. Based on the post-exam analysis, Mathematics was more time-consuming and calculation-intensive, while GAT offered comparatively better scoring opportunities.
| Particular | Mathematics | GAT |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 120 | 150 |
| Marks | 300 | 600 |
| Duration | 2½ Hours | 2½ Hours |
| Major Areas | Algebra, Calculus, Matrices, Trigonometry, Vector Algebra, Geometry | English + General Knowledge |
| Difficulty Level | Moderate to Lengthy | Easy to Moderate |
| Good Attempts | 56–67 | 87–103 |
Overall, NDA 2 2026 was Moderate. Mathematics required greater calculation speed, accuracy and time management, while GAT was comparatively more manageable. English was Easy to Moderate, whereas the General Knowledge portion was Moderate.
NDA 2 Exam Analysis 2026 FAQs
Ques: What is considered a good score in NDA 2 2026?
Ans: Based on the post-exam difficulty level and recent cutoff trends, a score of around 350 marks or above in the written examination can be considered a comparatively safe target. However, the actual qualifying cutoff will be determined by UPSC based on candidate performance, vacancies and other factors.
Ques: Does UPSC normalize NDA marks since candidates appear on the same day?
Ans: No. Normalisation is generally required when examinations are conducted in multiple shifts with different question papers. NDA 2 2026 was conducted nationwide with the same Mathematics and GAT sessions, so written marks are not subject to shift-wise normalisation.
Ques: How do mathematics and GAT marks count toward NDA merit?
Ans: The written exam score out of 900, combining Mathematics and GAT, is added to the SSB interview score out of 900 to form the final merit score out of 1800. A candidate must clear the written cut-off before proceeding to the SSB stage.
Ques: How can candidates verify their responses after NDA 2 2026?
Ans: Candidates can initially compare their answers with unofficial answer keys released by coaching institutes after the examination to estimate their scores. UPSC releases the official NDA answer keys on its website after completion of the examination and selection process.
Ques: Does UPSC publish an official difficulty rating for NDA papers?
Ans: No. UPSC does not release an official difficulty rating for Mathematics or GAT. Difficulty levels reported in exam analysis content are based on candidate feedback and expert paper review.
Download the PREPP App and attempt FREE NDA Mock Tests and get complete study material!
Full Test 10: UPSC NDA General Ability
Full Test 09: UPSC NDA General Ability
NDA 2 2026 Maths Question Paper (13-Sep-2026)
NDA 2 2026 GAT Question Paper (13-Sep-2026)
17 February 2025 | The Hindu Must Read Articles | Current Affairs
16 February 2026 | The Hindu Must Read Articles | Current Affairs
13 February 2026 | The Hindu Must Read Articles | Current Affairs
Comments