Start with the official scope
Science revision needs a map, not random chapters.
The UPSC NDA & NA Examination (II), 2026 notice places Physics, Chemistry and General Science inside the 400-mark General Knowledge part of the 600-mark General Ability Test.
The notice also says the listed topics indicate the scope and are not exhaustive. That means a sensible plan should cover every named area, connect related concepts and use previous papers to understand how knowledge is tested. This guide does not predict future question counts or claim an unofficial pattern change.
Physics map
Organise Physics around ideas you can explain and apply.
Properties, units and pressure
Revise mass, weight, volume, density, specific gravity, states of matter, Archimedes’ principle, pressure and the barometer. Practise choosing the correct relationship and unit before calculating.
Motion, forces and energy
Cover velocity, acceleration, Newton’s laws, momentum, equilibrium, gravitation, work, power and energy. Draw a quick force or motion sketch when a question describes a situation.
Cause, effect and everyday examples
Connect temperature, latent heat and heat transfer with sound waves, reflection, refraction, mirrors, lenses and the human eye. Explain each phenomenon in one sentence before memorising facts.
Circuits, magnets and simple machines
Revise conductors, Ohm’s law, simple circuits, electrical power, cells, magnetic effects and the working principles of familiar devices named in the syllabus.
Chemistry map
Build from classification to reactions and materials.
Elements, compounds and equations
Distinguish physical and chemical changes, elements, mixtures and compounds. Practise reading symbols, formulae and simple equations rather than memorising isolated definitions.
Gases, oxidation and reduction
Review the preparation and properties of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide, then connect them with oxidation and reduction.
Properties with real uses
Cover acids, bases, salts, forms of carbon, fertilizers and the materials used in soap, glass, ink, paper, cement, paints, matches and gunpowder.
Structure, valency and mass
Revise the elementary structure of the atom, valency and molecular or equivalent weights at the level indicated by the official syllabus.
General Science map
Do not reduce General Science to a list of biology terms.
The official scope includes the difference between living and non-living things; cells, protoplasm and tissues; growth and reproduction in plants and animals; the human body and important organs; common epidemics and prevention; food, nutrients and a balanced diet; the solar system, meteors, comets and eclipses; and achievements of eminent scientists.
Structure and function
Link cell and tissue structure to organs and body functions. For plants and animals, compare growth and reproduction instead of studying them as unrelated facts.
Cause, spread and prevention
Create a three-column table for common epidemics: cause or agent, route of spread and prevention. Use current school-level science sources and avoid self-diagnosis or medical-treatment claims.
Nutrients and balanced diet
Know the functions and common sources of major nutrients, then practise identifying what makes a diet balanced rather than labelling single foods as complete solutions.
Processes and contributions
Use diagrams for eclipses and the solar system. Match scientists with verified contributions, not motivational quotations or viral trivia.
A repeatable week
Use three learning sessions and one mixed review.
- Monday — Physics concepts: revise one connected topic group, make a half-page concept sheet and solve a short objective set.
- Wednesday — Chemistry concepts: review definitions, reactions and applications, then correct every wrong option with a reason.
- Friday — General Science: use diagrams or comparison tables for life science, health, nutrition or space.
- Sunday — Mixed retrieval: attempt a timed mixed set, classify errors and choose the next week’s weak areas.
On other days, spend five to ten minutes recalling formulas, diagrams or definitions without looking at notes. If school examinations are close, reduce NDA question volume but keep one mixed weekly review.
The 45-minute session
Separate learning, retrieval and correction.
Learn one concept cluster
Read school notes or a reliable textbook section. Write the central rule, relationship or process in your own words.
Recall without notes
Close the book and reconstruct a diagram, formula map, reaction chain or comparison table. Reopen it only to find omissions.
Solve objective questions
Answer a small mixed set. Mark confidence as high, medium or low so that a correct guess does not hide a knowledge gap.
Update the error log
Record whether the mistake came from a concept gap, fact gap, calculation, reading error or uncontrolled guess.
Use official papers correctly
Previous papers are evidence, not a prediction machine.
UPSC provides official NDA General Ability Test question papers, including the 2026 papers, on its previous question papers page. Use them after covering a topic group.
- Tag each science question as Physics, Chemistry or General Science.
- Write the exact concept needed, not only the correct option.
- Separate knowledge errors from rushed reading and calculation errors.
- Retest missed concepts with new questions after two or three days.
- Do not convert one paper’s topic mix into a promise about the next examination.
For the complete written-paper structure, read the NDA exam pattern, syllabus and SSB guide. Use the mock-test error-log method when you begin full timed papers.
Negative marking
Track certainty as well as correctness.
The cited UPSC notice states that an incorrect objective answer attracts a deduction of one third of the marks assigned to that question. A blank answer has no penalty, and marking more than one option is treated as wrong even if one marked option is correct.
During practice, label every answer as confident, narrowed to two, or unsupported guess. Review accuracy within each group. This builds an attempt strategy from your own evidence instead of copying a fixed attempt target from someone else.
Common preparation errors
Avoid five shortcuts that create weak recall.
- Studying only Class 11–12 chapters and ignoring school-level fundamentals named in the NDA syllabus
- Memorising formulas without units, conditions or a simple application
- Reading solutions immediately instead of trying retrieval first
- Collecting current-affairs science facts while leaving core Physics, Chemistry and General Science unfinished
- Counting questions solved but not recording repeated error causes
A four-week checkpoint
Measure coverage and correction, not just hours.
At the end of four weeks, check whether every official science topic has a status: not started, learning, practised or stable. Choose one weak cluster from each subject for the next cycle. Reattempt an old mixed set without reading the earlier corrections first.
A useful plan should produce fewer repeated errors and faster explanation of basic concepts. If scores move without understanding—for example because guesses happened to work—keep the topic in revision.
Official-source note
Check the notice for the examination you will take.
This guide was reviewed on 28 October 2026 against the UPSC NDA & NA Examination (II), 2026 notice and the official previous-question-paper page. It is preparation guidance, not a replacement for a future examination notice. Recheck the scheme, syllabus, eligibility and instructions when UPSC publishes the notice for your attempt.
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