Best Study Material Required To Clear NDA Exam 2025

NDA Exam Study Material

Preparing for the National Defence Academy (NDA) exam requires the right strategy, consistency, and most importantly the right study materials. With countless books and resources available, choosing the best ones can be confusing. This blog will help you understand exactly which study materials you need to crack the NDA exam with confidence.

Mission NDA Book

If you’re looking for a single book that covers the entire syllabus, look no further than Mission NDA. It is specifically designed for NDA aspirants and includes:

• Chapter-wise theory and level based practice questions for Mathematics
• Complete coverage of English grammar, vocabulary, comprehensions and more
• General Science, History, Geography, Polity and Defence
• Previous year questions and mock tests for practice

Why it’s useful: Mission NDA offers concept clarity, multiple solved examples, and UPSC-standard questions all in one place. The book has proven its worth in previous NDA exams, with a majority of questions directly reflecting its content.

NCERT Books

NCERT books are the foundation for NDA preparation, especially for Mathematics and General Science.

• Mathematics: Class 11–12 NCERT books help build strong conceptual clarity.
• Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology): Class 9–10 books are sufficient for NDA-level questions.
• History, Geography, Polity: Class 8 – 10 books offer a basic understanding of important topics in GAT.

Tip: Make notes while reading NCERTs for easy revision.

Current Affairs Sources

The General Ability Test includes current affairs from the last 6–8 months. Use the following sources:

• The Hindu / The Indian Express (Newspaper)
• Monthly current affairs magazines like Pratiyogita Darpan, Competition Success Review
• Defence-related updates 

Why it’s useful: Staying updated helps you answer current affairs, defence news, and general awareness questions. A strong grasp of current affairs can help you score easy marks and significantly boost your overall score in the GAT section.

NDA & NA Previous Years Paper

Solving previous years’ NDA papers is one of the best ways to understand the exam pattern.

• Helps with time management
• Identifies repeated question trends
• Improves accuracy and confidence

Tip: Attempt at least one full-length paper every week in exam-like conditions

NDA Countdown Mock Test Papers

For exam-level practice, NDA Countdown provides:

• Full-length mock tests
• OMR sheets for real-time practice
• Questions based on the latest UPSC pattern

Why it’s useful: Practicing mocks helps improve speed, accuracy, and boosts exam-day confidence.

English Grammar & Vocabulary Books

• Wren & Martin’s English Grammar – For grammar rules and sentence structure
• Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis – For vocabulary building

These books are excellent for mastering the English section of GAT.