Most lists of “best books for NDA” give you a dozen titles. You need far fewer. The written exam has two papers, Mathematics (300 marks) and the General Ability Test (600 marks), and each needs one book that teaches the topics plus one source of past questions. NDA & NA (I) 2027 is on 11 April 2027, and UPSC’s calendar puts the notification on 2 December 2026. This page lists the NDA books that do that job, maps them to UPSC’s official papers, shows each edition’s ISBN, past-paper range and price, and points you to the free official papers first. Preparing for CDS after graduation instead? See our CDS books guide.
By PrepPick Editorial Team · Last updated 2 November 2026
Editions checked on 27 Oct 2026; prices rechecked on 2 Nov 2026. Most Amazon prices on this page are Great Indian Festival sale prices seen on 2 Nov 2026; they may change once the sale is over, so check the price and edition on the listing before you pay.
Quick answer
- If you buy only one book: Arihant’s Pathfinder NDA/NA Entrance Exam (English, ISBN 9789364375153). It covers both papers, Maths and the General Ability Test (GAT), with theory, practice MCQs and solved papers. ₹484 on Amazon, MRP ₹880. Hindi medium: the Hindi edition, ₹495 on Amazon.
- Budget pick (cheapest book covering both NDA papers): Arihant’s UPSC NDA/NA Chapterwise 20 Solved Papers (2025–2016), which covers Maths and GAT in one volume. ₹341 for the Hindi edition on Amazon; English-medium buyers pay ₹394 for the English edition on Amazon. Add the free 2026 papers from UPSC, because this book stops at 2025.
- Want the newest past papers in a book? Oswaal’s 13 Years’ Chapterwise sets for 2014–2026 (I & II) were published on 14 Oct 2026 and include the September 2026 papers.
- Free first: UPSC’s previous question papers page has the official NDA Maths and GAT papers, and NCERT Class 11–12 Maths covers most of Paper I.
- Next exam: NDA & NA (I) 2027 is on 11 April 2027. The notification is due on 2 December 2026, and applications close on 22 December 2026 (UPSC Calendar 2027).
How this page is built: exam facts come from UPSC’s NDA & NA (II) 2026 notice and UPSC’s 2027 calendar, with paragraph references. Book details come from each publisher’s or retailer’s listing on 27 Oct 2026. Our methodology · About PrepPick
NDA paper pattern in one table
The 2027 (I) notice isn’t out yet. Until it is, the pattern below comes from the NDA & NA (II) 2026 notice (Notice No. 10/2026-NDA-II, 20 May 2026). Check the new notice when it comes out on 2 December.
| Paper | Code | Duration | Marks | Language of question booklet | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 01 | 2½ hours | 300 | Hindi and English | Appendix-I, A.1 and A.2 |
| General Ability Test (GAT) | 02 | 2½ hours | 600 | Part A (English) in English; Part B (GK) in Hindi and English | Appendix-I, A.1 and A.2 |
| Written total | 900 | Appendix-I, A.1 | |||
| SSB test/interview | 900 | Appendix-I, A.1 |
Three rules from the notice shape how you practise:
- Negative marking: one-third (0.33) of a question’s marks is cut for each wrong answer. Marking two options counts as wrong; a blank answer costs nothing (Appendix-II, para 3).
- No calculators or log tables (Appendix-I, A.6). Practise Maths by hand from day one.
- GAT breaks ties. If two candidates have equal final marks, the higher written total ranks first, then the higher GAT score (para 10.1).
NDA books compared
Prices checked on 2 Nov 2026. Most Amazon prices are Great Indian Festival sale prices and may change after the sale; check the edition, ISBN and past-paper range on the listing before you pay.
| Book (publisher) | Type | Edition / date on listing | Paper(s) | Past papers inside | Language | Pages | ISBN | MRP | Price on 2 Nov 2026 | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pathfinder NDA/NA Entrance Exam (Arihant) | Theory + MCQs + solved papers | Published 19 Nov 2024 | Maths + GAT | Solved papers 2024 and 2023, per the listing | English | 1,056 | 9789364375153 | ₹880 | ₹484 Amazon; ₹598 Arihant | The one book to buy |
| Pathfinder NDA/NA Entrance Exam, Hindi (Arihant) | Theory + MCQs + solved papers | Published 18 Nov 2024 | Maths + GAT | Solved papers 2024 and 2023, per Arihant’s store | Hindi | 1,194 | 9789364373524 | ₹895 | ₹495 Amazon; ₹608 Arihant | Hindi-medium all-in-one |
| DEFENDER NDA/NA Guide 2026 (Disha) | Theory + practice + PYQs | 1st ed., 29 Nov 2025 | Maths + GAT | 2017–2025 (Phase I & II), per Disha | English (Hindi edition too) | 800 | 9789371868785 | ₹1,000 | ₹550 Amazon | A newer all-in-one alternative to Pathfinder |
| UPSC NDA/NA 2026 Chapterwise 20 Solved Papers (Arihant) | Solved papers, by chapter | Published 10 Dec 2025 | Maths + GAT | 2016–2025 (20 papers) | English | 664 | 9789373948034 | ₹645 | ₹394 Amazon; ₹483 Arihant | Topic practice in English (English edition of the budget pick) |
| UPSC NDA/NA Chapterwise 20 Solved Papers, Hindi (Arihant) | Solved papers, by chapter | Published 11 Dec 2025 | Maths + GAT (per the publisher’s cover) | 2016–2025 | Hindi | 600 | 9789373948843 | ₹595 | ₹341 Amazon | Budget pick: the cheapest book covering both NDA papers; Hindi medium (English-medium buyers pay ₹394 for the edition above) |
| NDA/NA 13 Years’ Chapterwise & Topicwise Solved Papers, set of 2 (Oswaal) | Solved papers, by chapter | Published 14 Oct 2026; “For 2027 Exam” | Maths + GAT (2 books) | 2014–2026 (I & II) | English | 1,280 | 9788166922329 | ₹1,758 | ₹1,342 Amazon | The newest papers, sorted by topic |
| Same, Mathematics only (Oswaal) | Solved papers, by chapter | 14 Oct 2026 | Maths | 2014–2026 (I & II) | English | 696 | 9788166242038 | ₹879 | ₹645 Amazon | Maths-only practice |
| Same, General Ability Test only (Oswaal) | Solved papers, by chapter | 14 Oct 2026 | GAT | 2014–2026 (I & II) | English | 584 | 9788166242021 | ₹879 | ₹571 Amazon | GAT-only practice |
| NDA/NA 19 Previous Years’ Solved Papers, Yearwise, set of 2 (Oswaal) | Full papers, year by year | 14 Oct 2026; “For 2027 Exam” | Maths + GAT (2 books) | 2017–2026 (I & II) | English | 1,040 | 9788166922336 | ₹1,548 | ₹1,006 Amazon | Timed full-paper practice |
| 20 Year-wise NDA/NA Previous Year Solved Papers, 8th ed. (Disha) | Full papers, year by year | 8th ed. | Maths + GAT | 2016 (II) to 2026 (II), 20 papers, per Disha | English | 744 | 9789371864145 | ₹900 | ₹583 Amazon, sold by a third-party seller | Timed practice, one volume |
| NDA Book 2026, 23 Previous Years Solved Papers (PW) | Solved papers, by chapter | Published 29 Sep 2025 | Maths + GAT | 2014 to September 2025 | English | 764 | 9789371535847 | ₹725 | ₹413 Amazon | An alternative to Arihant’s solved papers |
| Objective English for Defence Exams (Disha) | English practice | Published 17 Dec 2025 | GAT Part A | NDA, CDS and AFCAT papers 2021–2025, by chapter, per Disha | English | 400 | 9789371862554 | ₹525 | ₹351 Amazon | Extra English practice |
What buyers say: on Amazon, buyers of the English Pathfinder call it useful for NDA preparation, praise the range of practice questions and see it as good value. Buyers of Disha’s Defender guide like having theory and topic-wise past questions in one volume. Buyers of Disha’s Objective English mention plenty of practice and a well-organised vocabulary section.
Two things to check on any solved-papers listing. First, the year range: only the Oswaal “(I & II)” sets and Disha’s 8th edition above give a past-paper range that runs to 2026. Older Oswaal listings say “Includes 2026 Paper-I” only, so look for “(I & II)” before you buy. Second, the format: chapterwise books suit topic practice; yearwise books suit timed mock papers.
Pathfinder NDA book: is it enough?
The Pathfinder NDA/NA book from Arihant suits a first attempt. It covers both papers in one volume, in English and Hindi. Two limits matter. The English listing was published on 19 Nov 2024 and mentions solved papers for 2024 and 2023 only, so pair it with the free 2025 and 2026 papers on UPSC’s site. And it’s one book for nine subjects, so for Maths you’ll want the NCERT chapters in the next section as well.
One more check: a third-party Amazon listing sells a “Pathfinder NDA/NA 2026, 12th edition” with no ISBN shown, at ₹841. Arihant’s own store lists no such edition on 27 Oct 2026 and still sells ISBN 9789364375153. Buy the edition whose ISBN matches the publisher’s store, and avoid listings that show no ISBN.
NDA Maths books: which book is good for NDA Maths?
Paper I is Class 11–12 maths with a few extra topics. NCERT teaches most of it for free; a solved-papers book shows how UPSC asks it. The topic list below follows the notice (Appendix-I, Paper I). NCERT chapter numbers are for the current rationalised textbooks.
| Official Maths topic (NDA notice) | NCERT base (free) | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Algebra: sets, relations, complex numbers, AP/GP/HP, quadratic equations, linear inequations, permutations and combinations, binomial theorem | Class 11: Ch 1 Sets, Ch 2 Relations and Functions, Ch 4 Complex Numbers and Quadratic Equations, Ch 5 Linear Inequalities, Ch 6 Permutations and Combinations, Ch 7 Binomial Theorem, Ch 8 Sequences and Series | Chapterwise solved papers (Arihant, Oswaal, PW), Algebra chapter |
| Algebra extras: binary numbers, logarithms | Binary numbers: not in current NCERT Maths. Logarithms: only as a function (Class 12: Ch 5, section 5.4) and the Class 11 appendix on infinite series | Pathfinder or Disha Defender theory, then past questions |
| Matrices and Determinants, including Cramer’s rule | Class 12: Ch 3 Matrices, Ch 4 Determinants | Solved papers; learn Cramer’s rule from the guide book |
| Trigonometry: identities, multiple angles, inverse functions, heights and distances, properties of triangles | Class 11: Ch 3 Trigonometric Functions; Class 12: Ch 2 Inverse Trigonometric Functions; Class 10: Some Applications of Trigonometry | Solved papers; properties of triangles from the guide book |
| Analytical Geometry 2D and 3D: lines, circle, conics, direction cosines, planes, sphere | Class 11: Ch 9 Straight Lines, Ch 10 Conic Sections, Ch 11 Introduction to Three Dimensional Geometry; Class 12: Ch 11 Three Dimensional Geometry | Solved papers; planes and the sphere from the guide book (Class 12 Ch 11 now covers lines only) |
| Differential Calculus: functions, limits, continuity, derivatives, maxima and minima | Class 11: Ch 12 Limits and Derivatives; Class 12: Ch 1 Relations and Functions, Ch 5 Continuity and Differentiability, Ch 6 Application of Derivatives | Solved papers |
| Integral Calculus and Differential Equations, including area under curves | Class 12: Ch 7 Integrals, Ch 8 Application of Integrals, Ch 9 Differential Equations | Solved papers; hyperbolic-function integrals from the guide book |
| Vector Algebra, including work done and moment of a force | Class 12: Ch 10 Vector Algebra | Solved papers |
| Statistics and Probability: mean, median, mode, variance, correlation and regression, Bayes’ theorem, binomial distribution | Class 10: Ch 13 Statistics (mean, median, mode); Class 11: Ch 13 Statistics, Ch 14 Probability; Class 12: Ch 13 Probability | Solved papers; correlation, regression and the binomial distribution from the guide book |
So which book is good for NDA Maths? If you’re in Class 11 or 12, your NCERT textbook plus one chapterwise solved-papers book (Arihant at ₹394 or Oswaal’s Maths volume at ₹645) covers the paper. If you need theory for the extra topics, Pathfinder or Disha’s Defender covers them. For deeper problem practice in calculus and coordinate geometry, see our Class 11–12 maths books (they overlap with NDA Maths). JEE books go beyond NDA level, so use them for weak chapters only.
Was NDA 1 2026 Maths tough? Don’t rely on anyone’s opinion. Download the NDA (I) 2026 Mathematics paper from UPSC’s papers page, sit it in 2½ hours without a calculator, and judge it against the table above.
NDA GAT books: English and General Knowledge
GAT carries 600 of the 900 written marks, and it decides ties. Part A is English (200) and Part B is General Knowledge (400).
English (Part A, 200 marks)
The notice says the English paper tests “grammar and usage, vocabulary, comprehension and cohesion in extended text”. Pathfinder and Disha’s Defender each have an English section. For extra practice, Disha’s Objective English for Defence Exams (₹351) is written for NDA, CDS and AFCAT. If grammar is your weak area, our English grammar practice books page and the SSC English books guide cover deeper options.
General Knowledge (Part B, 400 marks)
The notice splits Part B into six sections and gives their approximate share of Part B marks itself, in a note after Section F of the GK syllabus (Appendix-I, Paper II). Use that split to plan your time.
| GK section (notice) | Approx. share of Part B, per the notice | Free base (NCERT) | Book |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Physics | 25% | Class 9–10 Science; Class 11–12 Physics for weak topics | Pathfinder or Defender GK section; physics concept books only for weak topics |
| B. Chemistry | 15% | Class 9–10 Science | Guide book; chemistry concept books only for weak topics |
| C. General Science (biology, the human body, food, the solar system) | 10% | Class 9–10 Science | Guide book |
| D. History, Freedom Movement, Constitution and Administration | 20% | NCERT books for history and polity (Class 8–12 history) | Guide book; deeper history books are optional |
| E. Geography | 20% | NCERT Class 11 Fundamentals of Physical Geography, Class 11–12 India geography | Guide book; deeper geography books are optional |
| F. Current Events | 10% | Newspapers and the last 12 months of events | A current-affairs source; Lucent GK for static GK revision |
Do you need separate Physics and Chemistry books? Usually not. The syllabus stays at the level of school science (Archimedes’ principle, Ohm’s law, acids and bases, and so on), so NCERT Class 9–10 Science plus the guide book’s GK section is enough for most candidates.
Hindi-medium NDA books (NDA book in Hindi)
The Maths paper and Part B (GK) of GAT are printed in both Hindi and English. Part A (English) is in English only (notice, Appendix-I, A.2). So a Hindi-medium candidate still needs English practice.
| Book | ISBN | Price on 2 Nov 2026 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pathfinder NDA/NA (Hindi), Arihant | 9789364373524 | ₹495 Amazon | All-in-one guide |
| UPSC NDA/NA Chapterwise 20 Solved Papers 2025–2016 (Hindi), Arihant | 9789373948843 | ₹341 Amazon | Arihant’s cover lists Maths (गणित) and GAT (सामान्य योग्यता परीक्षा), though one line of its store description mentions Maths papers only |
| DEFENDER NDA/NA Guide 2026, Hindi edition, Disha | 9789371865104 | ₹550 Amazon | All-in-one guide; Disha says its past questions cover six years up to 2023, older than the English edition’s 2017–2025 |
हिंदी में सारांश: NDA की लिखित परीक्षा में दो पेपर होते हैं: गणित (300 अंक, 2½ घंटे) और सामान्य योग्यता परीक्षा (GAT, 600 अंक, 2½ घंटे), जिसमें अंग्रेज़ी 200 और सामान्य ज्ञान 400 अंक का है। गणित और सामान्य ज्ञान का प्रश्नपत्र हिंदी और अंग्रेज़ी दोनों में आता है, पर अंग्रेज़ी वाला भाग केवल अंग्रेज़ी में होता है। हर गलत उत्तर पर उस प्रश्न के एक-तिहाई अंक कटते हैं, और कैलकुलेटर की अनुमति नहीं है। एक ही किताब लेनी हो तो Arihant की Pathfinder NDA/NA (हिंदी, ₹495) लें; कम बजट में Arihant की 20 Solved Papers (हिंदी, ₹341) लें, जो दोनों पेपर (गणित और GAT) कवर करने वाली सबसे सस्ती किताब है (अंग्रेज़ी संस्करण ₹394) और 2026 के प्रश्नपत्र UPSC की वेबसाइट से मुफ़्त डाउनलोड करें। NDA (I) 2027 की अधिसूचना 2 दिसंबर 2026 को और परीक्षा 11 अप्रैल 2027 को है (UPSC कैलेंडर 2027)।
Free official NDA papers vs solved-paper books
UPSC puts every recent NDA question paper online for free. Its previous question papers page lists the GAT and Mathematics papers for NDA (II) 2026, (I) 2026, (II) 2025, (I) 2025, (II) 2024 and (I) 2024, with older years further down. The NDA (II) 2026 exam page added both papers on 14 Sep 2026.
| Need | Free official source | When a solved book helps |
|---|---|---|
| The newest questions (2026) | UPSC papers page | Only Oswaal’s (I & II) sets and Disha’s 8th edition list 2026 papers |
| Practice by topic | NCERT exercises | Chapterwise books group 10–20 years of questions by topic |
| Answers and working | Not on UPSC’s papers page | Every solved book listed here has solutions |
| Timed full papers | Print the UPSC paper and time yourself | Yearwise books save printing |
How should I prepare for NDA with these books?
Count back from 11 April 2027. That gives you about 23 weeks from 2 Nov 2026.
| Weeks | Dates | Maths | GAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–5 | Now – 30 Nov 2026 | NCERT: sets, functions, trigonometry, complex numbers, quadratics, sequences | English grammar basics; NCERT Class 9–10 Science |
| 6–8 | 1–22 Dec 2026 | Matrices, determinants, permutations, binomial theorem | History, polity. Apply between 2 and 22 Dec |
| 9–13 | 23 Dec 2026 – 31 Jan 2027 | Calculus, differential equations, vectors | Geography; chemistry; vocabulary |
| 14–17 | 1–28 Feb 2027 | 3D geometry, statistics, probability; chapterwise past questions | GK past questions by section; current events |
| 18–21 | 1–28 Mar 2027 | One full official paper a week, 2½ h, no calculator | One full GAT paper a week, 2½ h |
| 22–23 | 29 Mar – 10 Apr 2027 | Revise wrong answers only | Revise current events and wrong answers |
Check the e-admit card date in the 2027 (I) notice. For the 2026 (II) exam, the notice said it would be issued on the last working day of the week before the exam (para 4), and UPSC’s exam page shows it uploaded on 3 Sep 2026.
Fakes, old editions and “free PDF” sites
- Read the ISBN. A real ISBN has 10 or 13 digits. Some coaching-set listings show a shorter number in the ISBN field. Match the ISBN on the listing to the publisher’s own store.
- Read the year range, not the cover year. A “2026” cover can hold papers only up to 2025. The range in the title (such as “2014–2026 (I & II)”) is what counts.
- Watch “Old Edition” tags and third-party sellers. Amazon marks some listings “(Old Edition)”. Third-party listings with no ISBN are hard to match to a publisher’s edition.
- Skip “NDA books PDF” sites. Scanned copies of paid books are often old editions and breach copyright. The official papers are free and legal on UPSC’s site.
FAQs
Which book is good for NDA Maths?
Start with NCERT Class 11 and 12 Maths, which covers most of Paper I, and add one chapterwise solved-papers book such as Arihant’s 20 Solved Papers (₹394) or Oswaal’s 13 Years’ Maths volume (₹645, includes both 2026 papers). Use Pathfinder or Disha’s Defender only for topics NCERT leaves out, such as binary numbers, correlation and regression, and the sphere.
Is Pathfinder enough for NDA?
For many first-time candidates it covers the syllabus, but the English listing (published 19 Nov 2024) mentions solved papers only for 2024 and 2023. Pair it with the free 2025 and 2026 papers on UPSC’s site and NCERT Maths for practice depth.
Do I need separate Physics and Chemistry books for NDA?
Usually not. The GK syllabus keeps physics and chemistry at school-science level, so NCERT Class 9–10 Science plus the guide book’s GK section is enough for most candidates. Use a Class 11–12 concept book only for a topic you keep getting wrong.
Are NDA papers available in Hindi?
The Mathematics paper and Part B (General Knowledge) of the GAT are set in both Hindi and English, but Part A (English) is in English only, per the NDA (II) 2026 notice. Pathfinder, Arihant’s solved papers and Disha’s Defender all have Hindi editions.
Can a 17-year-old apply for NDA?
Usually yes, if the date of birth falls within the notice’s window. For NDA (II) 2026, unmarried candidates born between 1 January 2008 and 1 January 2011 could apply, and Class 12 students could apply while appearing. Check the exact window in the NDA (I) 2027 notice, due on 2 December 2026.
Where can I get official NDA question papers?
From UPSC’s previous question papers page at upsc.gov.in, which lists the NDA GAT and Mathematics papers from 2026 back to earlier years. Each exam’s own page on upsc.gov.in also carries its papers; NDA (II) 2026’s were added on 14 September 2026.
Is there negative marking in NDA?
Yes. One-third of the marks for a question is deducted for each wrong answer, and marking more than one option counts as wrong. Unanswered questions carry no penalty (NDA (II) 2026 notice, Appendix-II).
When is the NDA (I) 2027 exam?
11 April 2027, per UPSC’s Calendar 2027. The notification is due on 2 December 2026 and the last date to apply is 22 December 2026. UPSC says these dates can change, so check upsc.gov.in.
Sources (checked 27 Oct 2026)
- UPSC: NDA & NA Examination (II), 2026 notice (Notice No. 10/2026-NDA-II, 20 May 2026): scheme, syllabus, negative marking, eligibility, tie-breaking
- UPSC: NDA & NA (II), 2026 exam page (papers 14 Sep 2026; results 9 and 13 Oct 2026)
- UPSC: Previous year question papers
- UPSC: Calendar 2027 (as on 20 May 2026)
- Book details and prices: Amazon.in (Great Indian Festival sale prices), Arihant Books and Disha Publication product pages, 27 Oct 2026; prices rechecked 2 Nov 2026. How we check prices and editions
Updated 27 Oct 2026: what changed
- New page: NDA books for 2026–27, with the paper pattern from UPSC’s NDA (II) 2026 notice, the NDA (I) 2027 dates from UPSC’s 2027 calendar, 12 editions compared with ISBNs, past-paper ranges and dated prices, a Maths topic-to-NCERT map, the GK section split from the notice, Hindi-medium options and a plan counting back to 11 April 2027.