Weightage of Marks for Different Subjects within the General Ability Test in the NDA Exam

The General Ability Test is one of the two papers in the NDA (National Defence Academy) exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in India. The General Ability Test is further divided into two sections: English and General Knowledge. Both sections carry equal weightage of marks. Let's delve into the weightage of marks for each subject within the General Ability Test in detail:

English

The English section of the General Ability Test focuses on assessing the candidate's proficiency in the English language. It consists of various topics such as grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, and basic understanding of English. The weightage of marks for the English section is as follows:

1. Grammar: Grammar questions test the candidate's knowledge of sentence structure, parts of speech, tenses, and other grammar rules. Approximately 30-40% of the marks in the English section are allocated to grammar-related questions.

2. Vocabulary: Vocabulary questions aim to evaluate the candidate's understanding of words, their meanings, synonyms, antonyms, idioms, and phrases. Around 20-30% of the marks in the English section are dedicated to vocabulary-based questions.

3. Comprehension: Comprehension passages are provided to assess the candidate's ability to comprehend and interpret written information. Questions related to the given passages carry a weightage of approximately 20-30% in the English section.

4. Basic English: This category includes questions on basic English concepts such as sentence formation, word order, subject-verb agreement, and error detection. These questions generally account for around 10-20% of the marks in the English section.

General Knowledge

The General Knowledge section of the General Ability Test evaluates the candidate's knowledge and awareness of various subjects such as current affairs, history, geography, science, and general awareness. The weightage of marks for the General Knowledge section is as follows:

1. Current Affairs: Current affairs questions focus on recent events, national and international news, sports, awards, and important updates. Approximately 30-40% of the marks in the General Knowledge section are allocated to current affairs.

2. History: History questions revolve around important events, personalities, and civilizations from ancient to modern times. These questions carry a weightage of around 20-30% in the General Knowledge section.

3. Geography: Geography questions cover topics like continents, countries, capitals, physical features, climate, and natural resources. Around 15-25% of the marks in the General Knowledge section are dedicated to geography-related questions.

4. Science: Science questions test the candidate's knowledge of basic scientific principles, discoveries, inventions, and everyday applications of science. These questions generally account for approximately 10-20% of the marks in the General Knowledge section.

5. General Awareness: General awareness questions aim to assess the candidate's knowledge of various fields such as sports, culture, books, authors, and important national and international organizations. These questions carry a weightage of around 10-20% in the General Knowledge section.

It is important to note that the weightage of marks may vary slightly from year to year, but the overall distribution remains similar. Candidates should focus on all the subjects within the General Ability Test to maximize their chances of scoring well in the NDA exam.