Chemistry

NDA Chemistry Syllabus and Preparation Guide for GAT

Study GAT Chemistry at the official UPSC depth: changes, substances, equations, gases, acids and salts, carbon and everyday materials.

In short

GAT Chemistry is Section B of Part B. The official scope stays elementary: physical and chemical changes, elements and compounds, simple equations, air and water, common gases, oxidation and reduction, acids and bases, carbon, fertilisers, everyday materials, elementary atomic structure and valency.

Official syllabus coverage

What UPSC names

  • physical and chemical changes;
  • elements, mixtures and compounds;
  • symbols, formulae and simple chemical equations;
  • law of chemical combination, excluding problems;
  • properties of air and water;
  • preparation and properties of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide;
  • oxidation and reduction;
  • acids, bases and salts;
  • different forms of carbon;
  • natural and artificial fertilisers;
  • materials used to prepare soap, glass, ink, paper, cement, paints, safety matches and gunpowder;
  • elementary structure of atom;
  • atomic equivalent and molecular weights;
  • valency.

Study method

A five-step routine

  • Learn the distinction between substances and changes.
  • Practise simple formula and equation recognition.
  • Build a gas-properties table.
  • Revise common acids, bases, salts and everyday materials.
  • Keep atomic structure elementary.

Boundary

Excluded

No JEE or NEET reaction-mechanism depth, advanced physical chemistry or invented numerical weightage.

Checked against official NDA & NA GAT sources

Scope authority is the official UPSC NDA notification. Section proportions, where shown, are official approximate syllabus proportions and never predicted weightage.

Last updated
12 September 2026