Live Blogs Manegement

Shift 2 of the UPSC NDA & NA (II) 2026 examination, dedicated to the General Ability Test (GAT), commenced punctually across all 86 test cities at 2:00 PM. Candidates are solving 150 objective-type questions worth 600 total marks. Gate access closed strictly at 1:50 PM in compliance with UPSC directives.

The historical data shows that the qualifying cut-off marks for 900 total marks for NDA written test usually lie between 350 to 360 marks. The deciding factors behind the final cut-off marks are overall paper difficulty, turnout, and the number of vacancies available.

The candidates who pass the cut-off for the written test are eligible to attend the 5-day interview procedure for the Services Selection Board (SSB) interview, which is allotted 900 marks. The process involves Stage I (Intelligence Test and Picture Perception Test) and Stage II (Psychological Tests, Group Tests, Personal Interview, and Conference).

The candidates appearing for the Shift 2 exam will have to bear the negative marking as per the conventional UPSC pattern. The paper two (GAT) carries four marks for a correct answer, while one loses 1.33 marks for a wrong answer (one-third penalty). Questions left unanswered are not penalized.