NDA-1 2026 Paper Analysis and Expected Cut Off Marks

The much-awaited NDA-1 2026 exam is now over, and students across India are discussing how their paper went, how tough it was, and what the expected cut-off might be. If you’ve appeared for the exam or are planning to in the future, this detailed analysis will give you a clear idea of where you stand and what you can expect next.

NDA-1 2026 Exam Overview

The NDA 2026 exam was conducted in two papers, each covering different sections of the syllabus. The first paper was held from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM and included questions from Mathematics, while the second paper took place from 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM and focused on General Ability topics. 

For NDA 1 2026, both papers together carry a total of 900 marks, with 2½ hours allotted for each paper. The detailed section-wise weightage of the question paper is given below.

Difficulty Level & Good Attempts

Overall, in terms of difficulty, the NDA 1 2026 was at a moderate level. Aspirants who had a good speed and accuracy could have answered the following set of questions:

NDA Exam Analysis 2026 Good Attempts

The NDA Examination held in 2026 consisted of questions that were distributed across different areas of Mathematics and General Ability.

It must be remembered by the aspirants to make good attempts as well as a balance between correct answers and the number of attempts made. The following is the attempt analysis in both subjects:

These good attempt ranges serve as a benchmark for candidates to evaluate their performance and strategise their approach toward attempting questions in future examinations.

NDA Exam Analysis 2026 Mathematics Section

In the NDA 2026 exam, the mathematics section checked candidates on a few mathematical aspects. Here is a look at the different topics and the number of questions:

NDA Exam Analysis 2026 General Ability Section

The General Ability section had questions from different subjects, which form the overall assessment. Below is the summary of topics with the number of questions:

NDA Cut Off – Overview

The NDA cut-off marks are the minimum marks candidates need to qualify for the next stages of the selection process of the SSB Interview and Medical Examination. The cut-off is dependent on:

• Total number of candidates
• Vacancies available
• Difficulty level of the exam
• Marks obtained in the written exam

NDA 1 2026 Expected Cut Off

The final selection cut-off is out of 1800 marks (900 for the written exam + 900 for SSB/Medical).

NDA Previous Year Cut Off for Written Exam

Final Selection Cut Off (Out of 1800)

Key Takeaways for Aspirants

• Focus more on Mathematics and Science, as they are crucial for scoring well in the exam.
• Give proper attention to Current Affairs and Geography for the General Ability Test.
• Keep track of previous cut-off trends to set a clear target score.
• Work on improving both accuracy and speed, as they play a key role in your success.