NDA coaching that prepares the written exam and the SSB together
The National Defence Academy entrance is a two-stage selection. The UPSC written paper decides who is called to the Services Selection Board, and the SSB decides who is recommended for training. A lot of coaching in the country is built around the first stage alone. At GS India Defence Academy, our NDA coaching in Dehradun runs both stages side by side, so a student who clears the written exam reaches the SSB already used to its routine, its tasks and its pace.
Classes are held in person at Street 1, Subharti Road, Nanda Ki Chowki, Lower Kolhupani, Dehradun. We do not run online classes, because a defence aspirant needs the discipline of a classroom and a peer group as much as a syllabus. In broad terms, study, physical training and SSB practice form the core of the programme, with the academic hours going to Mathematics and the General Ability Test. Batch timings and the exact schedule are confirmed at counselling.
If you want a place where the student can also live and train, this course is designed for you. It suits:
- Class 12 students (appearing or passed) who want to sit the next UPSC NDA exam
- Repeaters who have attempted the written paper once and want a more structured year
- Students who have cleared the written exam and need focused SSB preparation (see also our SSB interview coaching)
- Families from outside Uttarakhand who want separate boys’ and girls’ hostels with a mess
Younger students in Class 10 can start earlier through the NDA foundation course with schooling, and girls can read about the batch arrangements on the NDA coaching for girls page.
What the programme includes
- Classes in Mathematics and the General Ability Test (English and general knowledge)
- Regular mock tests in the exam format, with feedback on each paper
- SSB preparation through the year: psychology tests, group tasks and interview practice
- Physical training, with games and outdoor activity
- Hostel and mess for outstation students, optional for day scholars from Dehradun
Who can apply for the NDA exam
Eligibility is fixed by UPSC in each notification, and the dates move every cycle. The conditions below come from the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (II), 2026 notification, issued on 20 May 2026. Use them to understand the shape of the rules, then check the notification for the cycle you are targeting.
| Condition | NDA and NA (II) 2026 notification |
|---|---|
| Candidates | Unmarried male and female candidates who meet the nationality conditions in the notification |
| Age | Born not earlier than 1 January 2008 and not later than 1 January 2011, which works out to roughly 16½ to 19½ years |
| Army wing | Class 12 pass of the 10+2 pattern, or an equivalent examination conducted by a State Education Board or a university |
| Air Force and Naval wings, and the 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme at the Indian Naval Academy | Class 12 pass with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics |
| Students in Class 12 | Those appearing in the Class 12 examination can also apply; candidates appearing in Class 11 are not eligible |
| Marriage | A candidate who marries after applying is not selected for training |
UPSC notifies the NDA twice a year. The NDA (I) 2026 notice was dated 10 December 2025, and the NDA (II) 2026 notice followed on 20 May 2026, with the written examination held on 13 September 2026. The II-2026 notice listed 394 vacancies, including 24 for women, and described them as provisional because they depend on training capacity.
Medical and physical standards for each service wing are published separately and are checked at the SSB stage. Our counsellors walk parents through them early, because eyesight, height and weight are easier to plan for in Class 11 than in the week before the form closes. You can also try the academy’s defence eligibility checker for a first look at your own dates.
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NDA exam pattern and marking scheme
The written examination has two objective-type papers, and the SSB carries the same weight as the two papers put together. That is why a high written score alone does not make a cadet.
| Stage | Subject | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written paper I | Mathematics | 300 | 2½ hours |
| Written paper II | General Ability Test (English 200, General Knowledge 400) | 600 | 2½ hours |
| Written total | 900 | ||
| SSB | Intelligence and personality test | 900 | Several days |
A few rules from the notification are worth building habits around:
- Both papers are objective type, and the Mathematics paper is set in Hindi and English.
- Calculators and mathematical tables are not allowed in the examination hall.
- Wrong answers attract negative marking: one-third (0.33) of the marks assigned to the question is deducted, so guessing without elimination costs marks.
- The General Ability Test goes beyond English: its general knowledge half covers physics, chemistry, general science, history, geography and current events.
- Only candidates who qualify in the written paper go to the SSB, and final merit combines the written marks with the SSB marks.
Dehradun was one of the examination centres listed in the NDA-II 2026 notification, alongside Almora and Srinagar (Uttarakhand) in the state, which means a student who trains with us can often write the paper close to where they live and study. Centres are allotted on a first-apply-first-allot basis, so applying early helps.
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The SSB, and how we prepare for each stage
The Services Selection Board assesses officer-like qualities through a sequence of tests, interviews and group tasks. UPSC’s notification describes a two-stage procedure. Stage I consists of the Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and the Picture Perception and Discussion Test, and candidates are shortlisted on a combination of the two. Only those who clear Stage I go on to Stage II, which comprises the interview, the Group Testing Officer tasks, the psychology tests and the conference, conducted over four days. The outline below shows how we prepare for each part, which is why we begin SSB work in the first month of the batch rather than after the written result.
| Phase | What happens | How we prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Stage I | OIR tests and the picture perception and discussion test, with shortlisting on both | Timed reasoning practice, story-writing drills, mock discussion circles |
| Stage II: psychology tests | Thematic perception, word association, situation reaction and self-description | Timed writing practice with feedback |
| Stage II: group tasks | Group discussion, planning exercise, obstacle tasks and group tasks | Outdoor sessions that rehearse teamwork, leadership and fair play |
| Stage II: interview and conference | Personal interview, then the board conference | Mock interviews on your own background and decisions |
None of this works if a student is hearing the vocabulary for the first time at the board. Over a full year the habits become natural: speaking in front of a group, writing a quick story without overthinking, finishing an obstacle with a teammate behind you. Students who have already cleared the written exam can also join the stand-alone SSB interview coaching course.
How the NDA batch is organised
The NDA batch is organised so that no part of the selection is left to the last few weeks. The programme combines several elements, and the plan for your batch is shared at counselling.
- Mathematics: concept classes in algebra, trigonometry, calculus, coordinate geometry, vectors and probability, with a problem set after each topic.
- General Ability Test: English grammar, comprehension and vocabulary, alongside general science, history, geography and current affairs.
- Physical training: strength, stamina and flexibility work, with games and outdoor activity, so that fitness is a habit by the time the board arrives.
- SSB sessions: psychology writing, group tasks and interview rehearsal, scheduled alongside the written-exam classes.
- Mock tests: papers in the exam format, with analysis of each one, so that revision is built on actual weak spots.
The mock tests follow the UPSC paper layout. Parents who want to see the classrooms before enrolling can visit the academy; the contact page gives the address and routes from the railway station, the ISBT and the airport.
Fees for the NDA course
The fee table for the NDA course is shown further down this page, with the batch durations on offer and the standard hostel and mess charges. The complete structure, including registration and the refundable hostel security, sits on the fee structure page so that you do not have to compare numbers across several places. If you want to talk it through, the counselling call is free.
Hostel and mess for NDA aspirants
Outstation families usually ask the same things first: Is it safe? Will the food suit my child? Who looks after the routine? The academy has separate hostels for boys and girls, and a mess. A student who lives at the academy avoids the commute that eats into study time in a city, and meals, training and study can follow a steady routine. Day scholars from Dehradun are equally welcome and can join the batch without the hostel. For rooms, meals, visiting rules and monthly charges, read the hostel and mess page.
NDA coaching in Dehradun: common questions
FAQs
Questions parents ask us.
Can't find yours? Ask on WhatsApp; a counsellor usually replies within working hours.
Ask on WhatsAppCan girls join the NDA batch at GS India Defence Academy?
Yes. Women are eligible to apply under the current UPSC notification, and girls attend the same classes as boys. Girls who need accommodation stay in the separate girls' hostel. The dedicated page on NDA coaching for girls explains the arrangements.
I am in Class 12 now. Can I join the NDA batch?
Yes, students appearing in Class 12 can apply for the NDA exam, so you can begin preparation while you finish your boards. Batch start dates are timed around board exams, and the counsellor will suggest the best month to join.
Is SSB training part of the NDA course?
Yes. SSB preparation runs through the year alongside the written-exam classes, so that students are not starting from zero after the result. Students who clear the written exam can also take the dedicated SSB course.
Do I have to stay in the hostel?
No. Day scholars from Dehradun are welcome, and the hostel and mess are optional for outstation students. We do recommend the hostel for students from other cities, because it saves travel time and keeps the routine steady.
Does the academy run online NDA classes?
No. All teaching is classroom-based in Dehradun, because the written syllabus, physical training and SSB practice work best when students prepare together in person.
Where can I see the latest exam dates and age limits?
UPSC publishes them in each notification on upsc.gov.in. The academy's eligibility checker and the sources listed on this page will help you reach the right document, and our counsellors can explain how the dates affect your batch.
Related courses
- NDA foundation course for students who finish Class 10 and want schooling plus NDA coaching together
- NDA crash course for a one-month revision push before the paper
- SSB interview coaching after the written exam is cleared
- CDS coaching for graduates aiming at the IMA, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy or OTA
- Why students from across India choose Dehradun for a fuller look at the city and the route
- Past results and the academy faculty pages, as and when they are published
