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The NDA examination, which the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts, defines the selection path for entry into the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy. Since lakhs of aspirants compete for a handful of prestigious seats each year, candidates must understand the NDA Cut-Off trends, predict the 2025 scores accurately, and analyze the exam’s difficulty for success. This detailed guide uses the latest expert evaluations and exam reviews to cover all aspects of the UPSC NDA Cutoff for 2025.
Why the NDA Cutoff Holds Significance?
Cutoff marks serve as a vital guide for aspirants because they clearly define the minimum performance required to proceed in the multi-stage selection process. The UPSC releases these cutoffs for NDA 1 and NDA 2 separately. Furthermore, it publishes individual branch-wise cutoffs in the final stage. This structure encourages candidates to plan their preparation strategically and remain current on evolving trends. In addition, aspirants who target scores higher than the minimum cutoffs effectively secure a stronger, safer position on the final merit list.
NDA Cutoff Mark Structure
NDA selection process uses two main cutoff benchmarks:
- Written Exam Cutoff (Out of 900): Experts project the cutoff for NDA 1 2025 will range between 375 – 385 marks. This projection results from evaluating previous years’ trends, current candidate feedback, and overall exam difficulty.
- Final Cutoff (Out of 1800, Written + SSB): For a secure position on the final merit list, candidates will need to score approximately 710 – 720 marks.
Crucially, every candidate must score at least 25% in both the Mathematics (75 marks) and GAT (150 marks) papers to qualify for the SSB interview, even if their aggregate score meets the overall cutoff. This rule ensures all candidates demonstrate a balanced skill set across both subjects.
NDA 2 Cutoff 2025: Predictions and Analysis
Since the NDA 2 exam for 2025 concluded on September 14, 2025, analysts have reviewed both candidate feedback and preliminary data. Consequently, we can provide a focused prediction for the NDA 2 2025 cutoff.
Expected NDA 2 2025 Cutoff: Your Targets
| Cutoff Stage | Total Marks | Expected Score Range |
| Written Exam | 900 | 365 – 375 marks |
| Final Cutoff | 1800 (Written + SSB) | 700 – 715 marks |
Candidates generally rated this year’s paper as “easy to moderate.” Therefore, strong candidate performances will likely keep the cutoff closer to the higher end of this range. Given the intense competition, we advise aspirants to aim higher than these minimum projected scores.
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Reviewing Previous Year Cutoff Trends
Studying past results allows aspirants to observe how the cutoff changes in direct response to the number of vacancies, overall candidate performance, and exam difficulty. Therefore, even minor changes in any of these factors can significantly alter eligibility criteria.
Recent Cutoffs for Reference (Illustrative)
| Year | Written Cut-Off (Out of 900) | Final Cutoff (Out of 1800) |
| 2024 (NDA I) | 291 | 654 |
| 2023 (NDA I) | 301 | 664 |
| 2022 (NDA I) | 360 | 720 |
The Army, Navy, and Air Force wings typically see comparable written stage cutoffs. Nevertheless, the Air Force often demands the highest final merit score due to its specialized aptitude requirements and intense competition.
| Wing | Vacancies (Illustrative) | Written Stage Cutoff | Final Stage Cutoff |
| Army | 208 | 301 | 664 |
| Navy | 42 | 301 | — |
| Air Force | — | 301 | — |
| Naval Academy | 25 | 301 | — |
Clearly, vacancy numbers have a direct effect: more seats may slightly lower the cutoffs, while fewer seats invariably increase the competition.
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Analysis of the NDA 2 2025 Exam Difficulty
Most candidates rated the NDA 2 exam for 2025 as easy to moderate. Many aspirants found the Mathematics section straightforward conceptually but challenging in terms of time management. Conversely, the GAT paper offered a balanced mix, combining familiar General Knowledge and English questions with a few unexpected ones.
Good Attempts and Safe Scores
Successful test-takers achieved these approximate targets with high accuracy:
- Mathematics: 30–35 correct responses
- GAT: 58–65 correct responses
A test-taker with strong time management skills could easily excel because both papers featured many direct, solvable questions. However, careless errors significantly impacted the final outcomes for many aspirants.
Practical Strategy: How to Boost Your NDA Success
Active preparation and a calculated strategy matter just as much as theoretical knowledge for achieving success. Therefore, aspirants must:
- Review previous years’ question papers to identify recurring and high-yield topics.
- Take mock tests regularly; this greatly improves speed and accuracy.
- Focus equally on Mathematics and GAT, because the UPSC requires balanced performance for qualification.
- Stay tuned to the official website, upsc.gov.in, for all official notifications, including the final cutoff publications.
Moreover, you can elevate your approach by regularly discussing queries and uncertainties with mentors or peers. Finally, knowing the cutoff trends helps candidates set practical targets, minimize surprises, and develop realistic strategies for both practice and the final exam.
FAQs: UPSC NDA Cutoff 2025 and NDA 2
Q1. When will the official NDA 2 2025 cutoff be announced?
The UPSC will release the NDA 2 2025 cutoff after the completion of the selection process and SSB interviews, on its official website.
Q2. What is the expected cutoff for NDA 2 written exam in 2025?
The expected NDA 2 written cutoff for 2025 is around 365–375 marks out of 900 based on initial analysis and expert predictions.
Q3. What is the minimum qualifying mark for each NDA paper?
Candidates must score at least 25% marks in each subject—Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT)—to be eligible for evaluation and SSB interview.
Q4. How are final merit cutoffs decided after SSB?
Final merit cutoffs combine marks from the written exam and SSB interview, totalling out of 1800 marks. The final cutoff is expected to be in the range of 700–715 marks for NDA 2 2025.
Q5. Do cutoff marks vary for different academies like Army, Navy, and Air Force?
Yes, cutoff marks can vary across the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Naval Academy, depending on the number of vacancies, candidate performance, and level of competition.
Q6. Is the NDA cutoff the same for female and male candidates?
The cutoff score is common for all candidates, while vacancies are allocated separately for female and male aspirants in different branches.
Q7. Why should candidates aim above the minimum cutoff?
Aiming above the cutoff ensures better chances of final selection, as the competition is intense and cutoff trends fluctuate annually.
Q8. What factors influence NDA cutoff each year?
Key factors include exam difficulty, number of candidates, vacancies, and overall performance of candidates in that cycle.
Q9. Can candidates check their marks after the written result?
Yes, candidates can check their individual marks once the mark sheet is published on the UPSC official website, typically within 10–15 days of result announcement.
Q10. What comes after clearing the NDA written exam cutoff?
Successful candidates move to the SSB interview stage, followed by a medical examination and final merit list preparation.
Q11. Is there negative marking in NDA 2025?
Yes, NDA written papers contain negative marking for incorrect answers in both Mathematics and GAT.
Q12. How can I download my NDA scorecard and result?
The NDA result and scorecard are available on the UPSC official portal (upsc.gov.in). Use your roll number and birthdate to access these documents.
Q13. What is the difficulty level of NDA 2 2025?
NDA 2 2025 was rated easy to moderate, with strong time management and accuracy required to maximize good attempts.
Q14. What is considered a “good attempt” in NDA 2 2025?
For NDA 2 2025, good attempts are roughly 30–35 questions in Mathematics and 58–65 in GAT, subject to accuracy.
Q15. How many seats are available in NDA 2 2025?
The NDA 2 2025 exam offered approximately 406 seats for entry into the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Naval Academy branches.
