UPSC NDA II 2021: Know how to score 450+ marks in exam

The Union Public Service Commission will conduct the NDA II 2021 exam on September 5 as per the official notification. The NDA II 2021 registrations are open till June 29 on the official website – upsc.gov.in.

Being one of the most desirable channels for recruitment as an officer in the Indian defence lineup, the NDA exam is extremely competitive in nature and demands months of organised study to secure a score, good enough to get a seat in one of the defence training institutes. The exam carries a total of 900 marks and based on cut-offs from previous year exams, a score of 450 or more is required to crack the exam.

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A candidate can score high marks in the NDA exam with an organized study plan. With around three month’s time at hand, candidates must refer to the NDA 2021 syllabus and identify all the important study topics. An organised timetable will help to complete preparations for each topic while leaving out adequate time for revisions as well.

One of the most important strategies to score 450+ marks in the NDA exam is by focusing on the GAT paper. The GAT paper carries 600 marks and it is based on subjects like English, general science, history of India, geography, current events, social sciences etc.

There is significant scope of enhancing the chances of scoring higher marks in this paper since the mathematics paper carries only 300 marks. Candidates can to NDA previous year question papers to know the type and pattern of questions asked from the GAT section. The target must be to score at least 350 or more marks in this section.

While the GAT paper carries higher marks, candidates must not neglect the mathematics paper. Since mathematics is practice intensive at the 10+2 level, candidates must practice solving numerical problems on a daily basis. Certain topics such as matrices & determinants, probability, trigonometry consist of tricky questions. One must also work on time management for this paper.

To save time in the exam hall, candidates are advised to be well versed with critical concepts and memorise important facts, figures, formulas, values, etc. For example, one must memorise the values of trigonometric ratios, know important logarithmic values and be able to perform simple calculations without the need for pen and paper. Candidates can use flashcards or short notes to note down important formulas for subsequent revisions.

The NDA admit card will be out just before the exam marking the start of last-minute preparations. The study plan must be devised in such a way that the entire syllabus could be completed by this time along with adequate revision. During the last few days, candidates must solve as many NDA mock tests and sample papers as possible to evaluate their shortcomings and work on them just before the exam.

Another important strategy is to remain updated with current affairs, general knowledge, history, geography, science topics of the contemporary world. Military-based current affairs is an important topic for the NDA exam and without adequate knowledge, answering questions wrongfully will only impact the NDA final score since there is negative marking.