History for NDA
~9 min read
- What: NDA History covers Indian history (Ancient, Medieval, Modern) + selected World History (Industrial Revolution, American/French/Russian Revolutions, World Wars).
- Marks: Roughly 10-15 questions × 4 marks = 40-60 marks per paper.
- Source: Romila Thapar (Ancient + Medieval), Bipan Chandra (Modern), Arjun Dev (World), NCERT classes 6-12. 215 NDA History PYQs analysed.
History in the NDA Paper
History is the third-largest GAT topic after Geography and Science. Strong on facts, names, dates, and events — and stable from year to year. NDA particularly favours Modern Indian History (1857 onwards), where roughly 50% of history questions concentrate.
19-Topic Syllabus
Cluster A — Ancient India (4)
Cluster B — Medieval India (4)
Cluster C — Modern Indian History (7)
Cluster D — World History & Post-1947 (4)
Exam Pattern
| Cluster | Questions/Paper | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Ancient India | 1-2 | 4-8 |
| Medieval India | 2-3 | 8-12 |
| Modern Indian History | 5-7 | 20-28 |
| World History | 1-2 | 4-8 |
| Post-1947 | 1 | 4 |
8-Week Plan
- Week 1: Ancient India (Harappan, Mahajanapadas, Mauryan, Gupta).
- Week 2: Medieval India (Vijayanagara, Mughal, Foreign travellers, Bhakti-Sufi).
- Week 3: Early Modern (Reform movements, British policies).
- Week 4: 1857 Revolt + British Acts & Education.
- Week 5: Gandhian era + Mass movements.
- Week 6: Revolutionaries + INA + Independence.
- Week 7: World history (Industrial, American, French, Russian, World Wars).
- Week 8: Post-Independence + revision.
Reference Books
| Book | Use |
|---|---|
| Romila Thapar — Ancient + Medieval Indian History | Core for ancient and medieval clusters |
| Bipan Chandra — India's Struggle for Independence + India Since Independence | Core for modern + post-1947 |
| Arjun Dev — Story of Civilisation Part I & II | World history |
| NCERT Class 6-12 History | Visual aid, simpler reading |
| NDA Previous Year Papers | 215 PYQs — top-priority practice |
Drill NDA History
Topic-tagged History mocks across all 19 sub-topics with 215 PYQs grounded explanations.
Start Free Mock TestFAQs
Which is the highest-weightage cluster?
Modern Indian History — 5-7 questions per paper. Cover 1857 to 1947 thoroughly first.
How many marks does History carry in NDA?
Roughly 40-60 marks per paper (10-15 questions × 4 marks). Negative marking is one-third.
Is World History important?
Yes — 1-2 questions per paper, usually on Industrial Revolution, French Revolution, World Wars. Don't skip.
Are NCERTs enough?
NCERTs (6-12) cover ~60-70% of NDA History. Pair with Bipan Chandra (Modern) and Romila Thapar (Ancient/Medieval) for full coverage.
Should I memorise dates?
Yes — high-frequency dates (1857, 1885 INC, 1905 Partition, 1919 Jallianwala, 1942 Quit India, 1947 Independence, world wars dates). About 50 key dates cover most questions.