While preparing for a competitive exam like NDA or JEE, most of the aspirants keep their options open to get the best opportunity to start their career. Still, most of the students remain confused and often ponder upon questions like which exam is tough, especially the NDA aspirants. If you are one of these students trying to prepare for both or one of the exams, this blog might be the one for you.
In this blog, we will discuss whether the NDA is tougher than the JEE Mains exams.
Read below to find out.
1. Purpose of the Exam
NDA—recruitment in Indian armed forces.
JEE Mains—to get admission to IITs, NITs, and other engineering colleges.
Read More - What Type of GK is Asked in NDA?
2. Syllabus
EXAM |
JEE MAINS |
NDA |
MATH |
11-12th level NCERT |
Advanced and conceptual |
GENERAL ABILITY |
Not included |
English, GK, science, current affairs, history, politics, economics, mental ability, geography, etc. |
PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY |
11th-12th standard (conceptual and application) |
Basic level |
To get a better idea about the exams and their syllabi, try downloading NDA books 2025 and JEE Mains books 2025.
3. Which Exam is for You?
The answer is quite simple and depends on two things:
1. Aim
If you aim to serve in the Indian Army, prepare for the NDA exam. To become an engineer and attend colleges like IIT or NIT, try the JEE Mains.
2. Your Background
If your background consists of studying subjects like physics, chemistry, and mathematics, JEE Mains might feel more natural. Otherwise, if your background consists of diverse subjects, you can target clearing the NDA exam along with similar syllabus exams to increase your chances of getting a job in the public sector.
Verdict
To declare one exam tougher than the other, you need to evaluate your knowledge and background first and then consider the following aspects:
1. Academics: Clearing JEE Mains means you need to have a good grasp on mathematics, physics, and chemistry concepts and their applications.
On the other hand, preparing for the NDA will include learning a lot of theoretical subjects and basic math. To know better, have a look at NDA chapter-wise previous year questions.
2. Overall selection: After clearing JEE Mains, you will have to prepare and appear in JEE Advanced. While the syllabus remains unchanged, the questions will be more intricate.
After clearing the NDA exam, you will have to appear for the SSB interview, which will test your physical fitness, leadership skills, and psychology as well.
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Final Thought
Both exams require extensive preparation, but NDA requires not only academic prowess but also physical and psychological preparation to clear the exam since it aims to test your all-round skills to designate you a position. Whatever exam you try to prepare for, make sure to give your best and utilize the resources well.
All the best!