NDA-2 2026 Paper Analysis and Expected Cutoff Marks

The highly anticipated NDA-2 2026 examination was conducted, and all those who have appeared for the written test will be eager to understand the NDA-2 exam analysis. This includes cut-off marks, good attempts, and the difficulty level of the question papers. The UPSC conducted the NDA-2 2026 exam for recruitment to the Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of the National Defence Academy and Indian Naval Academy.

A detailed analysis of the NDA-2 2026 paper will benefit candidates trying to understand the tentative cut-off marks. The level of difficulty of the test and the topics covered will help a candidate understand how well they performed in comparison to others. Therefore, for a better evaluation of a candidate’s performance in the NDA-2 2026 exam, we bring you the paper analysis, including the good attempts and cut-off marks, in this article. The analysis has been done based on the NDA-2 2026 Mathematics and GAT papers, including their subject-wise and topic-wise breakup.

NDA-2 2026 Exam Overview

The NDA-2 2026 exam is conducted in two papers. The Mathematics paper will be held from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM, whereas the General Ability Test will be conducted from 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM. Each paper is of 2½ hours duration. Both papers contain a total of 900 marks.

The basic examination details are given below:

Difficulty Level & Good Attempts

Overall, the NDA-2 2026 exam was [Easy/Moderate/Moderate to Difficult] in terms of difficulty. The Mathematics paper was [difficulty level], whereas the General Ability Test was [difficulty level]. Those who maintained a good sense of speed and accuracy were able to complete a substantial number of questions.

The difficulty level and good attempts may vary for each candidate based on their preparation, question selection, and accuracy.

NDA Exam Analysis 2026 Good Attempts

The NDA-2 2026 examination had questions from various fields of Mathematics and General Ability. Since negative marking is applicable in the examination, candidates had to take into account not only the number of questions that they attempted but also their accuracy.

The expected good attempts for both papers are presented below:

These ranges would help candidates to get a rough idea of where they stand after the exam. However, good attempts should not be considered as the cut-off score, as it would depend on a lot of parameters.

NDA Exam Analysis 2026 Mathematics Section

The Mathematics paper of NDA-2 2026 had questions from different areas of the prescribed syllabus. The distribution of questions from different topics has been mentioned below:

The Mathematics section was intended to assess candidates on concepts, calculations, and solving questions within the given time. 

NDA Exam Analysis 2026 General Ability Section

The General Ability Test contained questions related to English and General Knowledge. The paper comprised topics such as current affairs, history, geography, polity, economics, and general science.

The question distribution is given below on a topic-wise basis.

The GAT paper tested candidates across multiple areas, requiring a combination of conceptual understanding, factual knowledge, and awareness of current events. 

NDA Cutoff – Overview

The NDA cutoff is the minimum marks required for the candidate to qualify for the next stage of selection. The written exam cutoff is decided on the basis of the performance of all the candidates, the difficulty level of the examination, and the number of vacancies. Major factors that affect the NDA cutoff are:

• Vacancies

• Number of candidates appearing for the examination

• Difficulty level of the question paper

• Overall performance of candidates

• Marks scored by candidates in the written examination

• Minimum qualifying marks prescribed for each paper

Candidates must keep in mind that just clearing the overall cutoff will not be sufficient if a candidate does not clear the prescribed sectional qualifying requirement.

NDA-2 2026 Expected Cutoff

Based on the difficulty level of the NDA-2 2026 examination, candidate performance, and the previous year's cut-off trends, the expected written cut-off is estimated below:

Note: The above figures are only expected cut-off marks. The official cut-off will be released by UPSC after the completion of the selection process.

The final selection cut-off is calculated out of 1800 marks that combine the written examination marks and marks obtained in the SSB Interview.

NDA Previous Year Cutoff for Written Exam

The previous NDA cut-off marks can help candidates understand the variation in qualifying marks across different examination sessions.

Candidates can use these previous cut-off figures as a reference while evaluating their NDA-2 2026 performance. However, the cut-off can vary significantly from one examination to another depending on the difficulty level and overall competition.

Final Selection Cutoff (Out of 1800)

The final selection cut-off is based on the combined marks obtained in the written examination and the SSB Interview.

The final cut-off should not be mixed up with the written exam cut-off. Those who have cleared the written test are called for the SSB Interview, and the final merit list is prepared considering the marks scored by the candidates in both the stages (written exam and interview), provided they meet the eligibility and medical criteria.

Key Takeaways for Aspirants

• Analyse your performance on the basis of accuracy as well as the number of attempts.
• Compare your expected score with previous NDA cut-off trends.
• Do not get demoralized if you do not meet the expected cut-off; keep your preparation for the SSB interview on track.
• Candidates who are expecting to clear the written cut-off should start their SSB preparations without waiting for the official result.
• Focus on building up your conceptual clarity and speed for the next NDA examinations.
• Keep following current affairs and revise important topics regularly.

Conclusion

The NDA-2 2026 examination has given candidates a chance to evaluate their performance in Mathematics, English, General Knowledge, and current affairs. The actual cut-off will be determined by UPSC, but the paper analysis and previous trends may help the candidates estimate their position.

For candidates expected to qualify, it is time to move on to the SSB (Services Selection Board) preparation, while those who did not perform up to the mark can use the analysis to determine their weak areas and prepare better for the next NDA exam.