National Defence Academy (NDA)

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NDA 2026 Overview

  • The National Defence Academy (NDA) and Naval Academy (NA) Examination is a national-level entrance examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for admission to the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of the National Defence Academy, as well as the 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme at the Indian Naval Academy.

  • NDA is conducted twice a year, generally in April and September. Candidates who qualify the written examination are called for the Services Selection Board (SSB) interview, followed by medical examination and other selection procedures.

  • Successful candidates undergo training at the National Defence Academy and subsequently at their respective service academies.

NDA 2026 Important Dates (Tentative)

  • Release of notification : Session 1 - 10 December 2025, Session 2 - 20 May 2026

  • Registration begins : Session 1 - 10 December 2025, Session 2 - 20 May 2026

  • Last date to apply : Session 1 - 30 December 2025, Session 2 - 11 June 2026

  • Admit Card Release : Session 1 - 02 April 2026, Session 2 - Early September

  • Exam Dates : Session 1 - 12 April 2026, Session 2 - 13 September2026

  • Result Announcement : Session 1 - 08 May 2026, Session 2 - ~october/November 2026

  • SSB Interview : Session 1 : June - September 2026, Session 2 - october/November Onwards

  • Course Commencement : January 2027, July 2027

Note: Dates are based on the UPSC Annual Calendar 2026 and are subject to change. The detailed notification should be checked for the final schedule.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Educational Qualification

    • Army Wing: Candidates must have passed or be appearing in Class 12 (10+2) or equivalent from a recognised board/university.

    • Air Force and Naval Wings: Candidates must have passed or be appearing in Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM).

    • 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme at Indian Naval Academy: Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics is required.

    • Students appearing in Class 12 can also apply, subject to fulfilling the required conditions at the time of selection.

  • Age & Marital Status

    • Only unmarried male and female candidates are eligible.

    • The age requirement is generally around 16.5 to 19.5 years, with the exact date-of-birth range specified separately in each NDA notification.

    • No age relaxation is generally provided; candidates must satisfy the exact date-of-birth criteria mentioned in the notification.

Note: The exact age/date-of-birth criteria for NDA 2026 will be confirmed in the official UPSC notification.

Selection Process

The NDA selection process consists of:

  1. Written Examination

  2. SSB Interview / Intelligence and Personality Test

  3. Medical Examination

  4. Final Merit List

Candidates must qualify at each stage to be considered for admission.

Exam Pattern

  • Mode: Offline / Pen-and-Paper based examination

  • Duration: 5 hours (Maths - 2.5 hour, General Ability Test (GAT) - 2.5 hour)

  • Sections: Mathematics, General Ability Test (GAT)

  • Question Types : Objective-type questions

  • Marking Scheme:

    • Maths - +2.5 (For correct answer), -0.83 (For incorrect answers) , 0 (for unattempted questions)

    • GAT - +4 (For correct answer), -1.33 (For incorrect answers) , 0 (for unattempted questions)

  • Total Questions: Maths -120, GAT - 150

  • Languages: English and Hindi

Syllabus

The NDA written examination covers topics broadly aligned with the Class 10, 11 and 12 level, along with general awareness and English.

  • Mathematics : Algebra, Matrices and Determinants, Trigonometry, Analytical Geometry, Differential Calculus, Integral Calculus, Vector Algebra, Statistics and Probability etc

  • General Ability Test (GAT)

    • English : Grammar and Usage, Vocabulary, Comprehension, Sentence Formation

    • General Knowledge : Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History, Geography, Current Affairs

    The detailed syllabus may be updated by UPSC. Candidates should refer to the latest official notification for the complete syllabus click here.

 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  • NDA is a national-level entrance examination conducted by UPSC for admission to the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of the National Defence Academy and the 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme at the Indian Naval Academy.

  • NDA is generally conducted twice a year, as NDA I and NDA II.

  • Candidates who meet the prescribed age, educational qualification, nationality and marital-status requirements can apply. Both male and female candidates are eligible.

  • Yes. Students appearing in Class 12 can apply, subject to fulfilling the eligibility conditions prescribed by UPSC.

  • Yes, for the Army Wing, students from any stream can apply, provided they meet the other eligibility requirements.

    For the Air Force and Naval Wings, candidates must have studied Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics in Class 12.

  • PCM is not compulsory for the Army Wing.

    However, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics are required for the Air Force and Naval Wings and the 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme at the Indian Naval Academy.

  • Yes. UPSC generally conducts NDA I and NDA II every year.

  • The written examination consists of two papers:

    • Mathematics – 300 marks

    • General Ability Test (GAT) – 600 marks

    The total is 900 marks, with 2½ hours allotted to each paper.

  • GAT stands for General Ability Test. It consists of English and General Knowledge sections.

  • Yes. Negative marking is applicable for incorrect answers in the written examination.

  • Candidates who qualify the written examination are called for the SSB Interview, followed by medical examination and preparation of the final merit list.

  • The Services Selection Board (SSB) assesses candidates on their intelligence, personality, leadership qualities, psychological suitability and other officer-like qualities.

  • Candidates must meet the exact date-of-birth criteria specified in the UPSC notification. NDA generally does not provide age relaxation.

  • Yes. Female candidates are eligible to apply for NDA, subject to the eligibility conditions prescribed by UPSC.

  • Yes. Candidates must meet the prescribed physical and medical standards for the respective service. Detailed standards are specified by the competent defence authorities.

  • NDA is a defence entrance examination for admission to the National Defence Academy and related 10+2 entry, while JEE Main is primarily an engineering entrance examination for admission to participating engineering institutes.

  • Yes. Candidates can apply for both examinations if they meet the eligibility criteria for the respective examination.