Undoubtedly NDA is the best thing that can happen to a young boy, who has just passed out from school. In order to have long career in the Indian Armed Forces, NDA is the best gateway you can take. NDA or National Defence Academy Exam is conducted by UPSC. It is a two stage exam, where the written exam is followed by interview for the successful candidates. This article will cover the written exam portion. I hope after reading this article you’ll be a lot clear about how to prepare for you NDA written Exam. The written exam is divided into two papers, one is of mathematics (300 marks) and the other is of General Ability Test (600 marks: 200 marks English, 400 marks GK).
Strategy: Our strategy while preparing is definitely to cover the maximum portion and solve the maximum questions based on the part we have studied. Now to begin with I would suggest do quality study, do not run after quantity. If you study two chapters and can answer any question based on that, it is better than you studying five chapters and answering only few questions based on them. Since currently you have time of around 3 months, you can study and cover maximum portion. Given below are the tips to prepare for your NDA Exam.
- Know your syllabus: The best way to win in a war is know your enemy well, know their strength, weakness etc. Similarly in any exam, the best way to prepare is to know the syllabus well. If you know the syllabus nicely, know its depth, half the battle is won. If you are aware of the syllabus, you’ll be saved any extra effort for the things not mentioned and you’ll be saved from missing anything of importance.
- Make a schedule: It is somewhat difficult to do two things simultaneously, i.e. preparing for your board exams and preparing for your NDA exam, which is a bit on different track due to the involvement of GK in it. So make a schedule and follow it strictly. Divide the time you get in spare from your coaching and 12th studies, give some extra time to NDA preparation. When you divide the time you’ll easily do productive work.
- Know your strengths: There are areas which you love to study and areas which you do not want to see. So know what things you like. Then mix up the things you like to study and the things you don’t. For example you might like polity and hate geography, so study two chapters of geography then study polity to treat yourself.
- Say hello to the basics: NDA exam is not a very ski-fi complicated exam. If you are in touch with your basics then you can solve a lot of questions. But sadly as we move to higher classes we forget these basics. It is strongly advised to clear up your basics in every subject. Understand the things rather than mugging them up.
- Make written notes: The best to learn something is to write it. Notes will help you in not only learning things quickly, they’ll come handy if you want to look up something rather quickly. You can study from different sources and combine everything, sort it out and write down the gist at one place, in this way you’ll get reference of all the important things related to any subject.
- Revise: Every day before starting anything new revise the older things. They’ll settle down in your mind like cement.
- Select your books wisely: There are many NDA reference books in the market, it is advisable to first search thoroughly about any book and then buy it. We try to help you by posting the book reviews. Also merely studying from a single reference book will not help that much, read your course books for better understanding of things. This is because the reference books have ample questions but lack in detailed study material.
- Previous years papers: They are an important tool to help you understand the depth of your syllabus. Use them wisely. Also practice as many questions, mock tests as you can.
- Consistency: Consistency is very important to get success. This may sound didactic but it’s true. If anybody can help you the best it’s you. Be consistent and do not procrastinate. Every other thing can wait. If you put your 100 percent effort now, your life will change in a much better way after you make it in NDA.
