New Careers Academy
Knowledge is Strength · Chandigarh
Best NDA Coachingin India
Written exam and SSB interview training under one roof — limited batches, ex-defence mentors and 59+ years of putting cadets into Khadakwasla.
Sainik School & RMS alumnitrained and selected from this campus
trained
Written by the NCA Academy team · Reviewed by Capt. Dhaliwal, SSB Interview Mentor
NCA Academy (New Careers Academy), Chandigarh, founded in 1967, is one of India’s oldest defence coaching institutes. It has recorded 39,000+ selections across NDA, CDS, AFCAT and SSB in 59+ years, and teaches the NDA written exam and the SSB interview on the same campus. NDA courses start at ₹8,000, with live and mentor-supported plans at ₹12,000 and ₹16,000.
Recent NDA Selections
Cadets who cleared the NDA written exam and the SSB interview after training at NCA Academy, Chandigarh.
NCA Academy · Chandigarh
Three Generations.One Academy.
Fathers, grandfathers and now sons — trained at NCA Academy and commissioned into the Indian Armed Forces. Meet our 2nd and 3rd generation officers.
Iqbaljit Singh
CDS OTA · 3rd Generation
A serving officer today. His grandfather and father both trained at NCA Academy.
Sartaj Mangat
CDS IMA · 3rd Generation
Third-generation officer, coached at NCA Academy for IMA and the SSB interview.
Angad Bains
CDS IMA · 3rd Generation
Followed his father and grandfather into service, clearing CDS and SSB from NCA.
Sartaj Singh
CDS OTA · 2nd Generation
Cleared CDS OTA and is serving in the Indian Army.
Chirag Ghuman
AFCAT · 2nd Generation
His father is also an NCA alumnus. Cleared AFCAT written and took a top rank in AEC SSB.
NDA Coaching Fees
NCA Academy runs NDA coaching both online and offline. New batches start every Tuesday at the Mohali campus.
| Plan | Fee | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Recorded | ₹8,000 | The full recorded NDA syllabus — Maths and GAT. Study at your own pace. |
| Live + Recorded | ₹12,000 | Daily live classes plus every recording for revision. |
| Mentor Support + SSB | ₹16,000 | Live and recorded classes, one-to-one mentor support and full SSB interview coaching. |
| Programme | Fee | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| 2-Year Programme | ₹1,60,000 | The complete NDA written course with SSB interview training included. |
| 6-Month Programme | ₹48,000 | Classroom coaching for the full NDA written syllabus. |
| 3-Month Programme | ₹32,000 | Intensive classroom coaching for the NDA written exam. |
| Crash Course | ₹14,000 | Short, exam-focused revision before the NDA written paper. |
Hostel: accommodation at the Mohali campus is ₹10,000 per month and is charged separately from the course fee.
NDA 1 2027 and NDA 2 2027 Batches
NCA Academy runs rolling admissions for both 2027 cycles. New batches begin every Tuesday at the Mohali campus, and online plans start the same week.
| Batch | Target exam | Mode | Starts |
|---|---|---|---|
| AGNI BATCH | NDA 1 2027 | Written + SSB, live online or Mohali campus | Every Tuesday |
| LAKSHYA BATCH | NDA 1 2027 | Online live, 9-month intensive | Every Tuesday |
| VEER BATCH | NDA 2027 onwards | 2-year foundation for Class 11 and 12 | Rolling |
| RUDRA BATCH | SSB interview | 14-day intensive, Mohali or online | Every Tuesday |
Full details on the 2027 cycle: NDA 1 2027 notification · application form · complete exam guide · expected cut off.
NDA 2027 Age Limit and Eligibility
Candidates must be unmarried and meet the UPSC age window for the specific NDA cycle. Age is calculated against the date of birth range published in each notification, so NDA 1 2027 and NDA 2 2027 have different eligible birth windows.
| Criterion | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian citizen, plus other categories specified by UPSC |
| Marital status | Unmarried |
| Age | Approximately 16.5 to 19.5 years, against the date-of-birth window in each notification |
| Army wing | Class 12 pass or appearing, any stream |
| Navy and Air Force wings | Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics |
| Physical standards | Height, weight and medical criteria set by the Services |
Read the full breakdown: NDA 1 2027 eligibility — age limit, education and physical standards.
NDA 2027 Exam Pattern and Syllabus
The written exam is two papers on one day — Mathematics for 300 marks and the General Ability Test for 600 — followed by the five-day SSB interview worth 900 marks.
Detailed topic-by-topic coverage: NDA 1 2027 exam pattern and syllabus.
Preparation guides
What Is Covered in the NDA Syllabus?
NCA Academy teaches the full UPSC syllabus for both papers across every plan, including the recorded course.
| Section | Topics covered |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | Algebra, Matrices and Determinants, Trigonometry, Analytical Geometry, Differential Calculus, Integral Calculus, Differential Equations, Vector Algebra, Statistics and Probability |
| English | Grammar and usage, vocabulary, comprehension, cohesion in extended text |
| General Knowledge | Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History, Geography, Current Events |
| SSB Interview | Screening, Psychology tests, GTO ground tasks, Personal Interview, Conference |
How Should You Prepare for the NDA Exam?
Most candidates lose marks in Mathematics and in the SSB interview, not in General Knowledge. Understanding where the marks actually sit changes how you spend your year.
Where the 1,800 marks sit
The SSB interview alone is worth half the total. Most candidates give it a fraction of their preparation time.
- 01
Start with Mathematics
Paper 1 · 300 marks
Maths decides most NDA results. Daily practice on Class 11 and 12 fundamentals, then previous year questions, beats reading new theory late in the year.
- 02
Treat GAT as two subjects
Paper 2 · 600 marks
English and General Knowledge need different routines — grammar and vocabulary drills for one, daily current affairs for the other.
- 03
Solve previous year papers
Pattern recognition
UPSC repeats question types. Working through past papers under timed conditions builds speed and exposes weak topics early.
- 04
Prepare SSB from day one
900 marks
The SSB interview carries more marks than both written papers combined. Officer-like qualities are built over months, not in the fortnight before the board.
- 05
Take weekly mock tests
Measurement
Weekly full-length mocks with an All India Rank show where you stand against other aspirants, not against your own notes.
- 06
Fix negative marking habits
Scoring
Both papers carry negative marking. Knowing when not to attempt a question is worth as many marks as knowing the answer.
Who Will Teach You?
SSB training at NCA Academy is run by retired officers of the Indian Armed Forces — not by generalist tutors. The same people who have sat on selection boards prepare you to face one.
Indian Army
Capt. Dhaliwal
SSB Mentor · Psychologist
Leads psychology testing and personality development.
Indian Air Force
Gp Capt V.K. Aggarwal
SSB Interview Coach
Retired Group Captain. Conducts interview practice.
Indian Army
Col Ravi Sharma
SSB Mentor · GTO Expert
Retired Colonel. Runs GTO ground tasks and outdoor assessment.
Indian Army
Lt Gen Dhaliwal
Senior Mentor
Retired Lieutenant General. Mentors candidates through selection.
NCA Academy
Hartaj Dhaliwal
SSB Strategist
Conducts personal interview practice and communication training.
Written Exam Faculty
Mathematics and General Ability Test teaching team for the NDA written papers.
Aekanan
Written Exam Faculty
Amit
Written Exam Faculty
Gaurav
Written Exam Faculty
Harsh
Written Exam Faculty
Vishal
Written Exam Faculty
Hear It From Selected Students
Cadets who trained at NCA Academy talk about the written exam and the SSB interview in their own words.
How I Cleared NDA 1 2024
Cleared NDA with Class 12 Boards Together
NDA 2 2021 Selected — Sameer Khan
Tejas Chandel — NDA Coaching Experience
5 Tips to Clear NDA — Selected Candidate
NCA Academy — Student Experience
Meet Hardit AI — Your Personal NDA Mentor
Every NCA Academy student gets Hardit AI, an AI study mentor built around the NDA syllabus. It tracks your test performance, spots weak areas before they cost you marks, and rebuilds your study plan around your rank goal.
How Do You Choose an NDA Coaching Institute?
Seven questions worth asking any defence coaching institute before you pay a fee, and how NCA Academy answers each one.
| What to ask | Why it matters | NCA Academy |
|---|---|---|
| How long has it been running? | A long record means the teaching method has been tested across many exam cycles, not one good year. | Founded in 1967. Training NDA candidates from Chandigarh for 59+ years. |
| Is SSB taught on the same campus? | The SSB interview carries 900 marks — more than either written paper. Splitting written and SSB across two providers costs time and continuity. | Both taught on one campus, by the same institute. |
| Who takes the SSB sessions? | Officer-like qualities are best assessed by people who have sat on the other side of a selection board. | Ex-defence officers, including a Lt General, a Group Captain and serving-era Army officers. |
| Are past students traceable? | Named, verifiable selections are harder to fake than a headline number. | Named cadets with photographs, plus 2nd and 3rd generation officers from the same families. |
| Is there an offline and an online route? | Not every candidate can relocate, and not every candidate learns well alone. | Both. Classroom programmes at Mohali and recorded, live and mentor-supported online plans. |
| Is the fee structure published? | Undisclosed pricing usually means it changes per enquiry. | Every plan and fee listed publicly on this page. |
| How large is a batch? | Individual feedback is impossible in a hall of two hundred. | Limited batch size, with weekly tests and doubt sessions. |
Ask the same seven questions of any institute you are considering, and compare the answers side by side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the best NDA coaching institute in India?
NCA Academy in Chandigarh, founded in 1967, is one of India’s oldest defence coaching institutes, with 39,000+ selections across NDA, CDS, AFCAT and SSB. It teaches the NDA written exam and the SSB interview on one campus, with retired defence officers on the interview panel.
How much does NDA coaching cost at NCA Academy?
NCA Academy offers three NDA plans: a recorded course at ₹8,000, a live plus recorded course at ₹12,000, and a mentor support plan including full SSB coaching at ₹16,000. New batches begin every Tuesday at the Mohali campus.
Does NCA Academy teach the SSB interview as well as the written exam?
Yes. Written exam and SSB interview training run on the same campus. SSB coaching covers psychology testing, GTO ground tasks and the personal interview, guided by retired officers including Capt. Dhaliwal, Gp Capt V.K. Aggarwal and Col Ravi Sharma.
How old is NCA Academy?
NCA Academy was founded in 1967 and has trained defence aspirants for 59+ years, making it one of India’s oldest defence coaching institutes. Several current students are second and third generation officers whose fathers and grandfathers also trained here.
Can I take NDA coaching online from anywhere in India?
Yes. The recorded plan at ₹8,000 and the live plus recorded plan at ₹12,000 are delivered online, so candidates anywhere in India can prepare without relocating to Chandigarh.
Who conducts the NDA exam and how often?
The NDA exam is conducted twice a year by the Union Public Service Commission. Official notifications, eligibility criteria and exam dates are published at upsc.gov.in.
Start your NDA preparation
Limited batch sizes. New batches every Tuesday at the Mohali campus.
- Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) — Official body conducting NDA, CDS, and CAPF examinations.
- Join Indian Army — Official Recruitment Portal — Authoritative source for Army recruitment notifications.
- Ministry of Defence, Government of India — Official ministry overseeing defence recruitment policies.
NDA Coaching in Chandigarh — NDA written + SSB coaching at our Sector 35 C centre.
CDS Coaching in Chandigarh — UPSC CDS preparation at Sector 35 C, Chandigarh.
2570, Sector 35 C, Chandigarh — 160035 | +91 95010 70051
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