| Conducting body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Official website ↗ |
|---|---|
| Posts | Army wing, National Defence Academy, Navy wing, National Defence Academy, Air Force wing, NDA: Flying, Air Force wing, NDA: Ground Duties (Technical), Air Force wing, NDA: Ground Duties (Non-Technical), Indian Naval Academy (10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme) |
| Qualification | Army wing of NDA: Class 12 pass under the 10+2 pattern from a State Education Board or University. Air Force and Navy wings of NDA and the Naval Academy 10+2 Cadet Entry: Class 12 pass with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Students appearing in Class 12 can apply but must submit proof of passing by 10 June 2027. Class 11 students are not eligible. |
| Date of birth | Born between 1 January 2008 and 1 January 2011, both dates included |
| Domicile | Not required |
| Selection stages | Written exam by UPSC: Mathematics (300 marks) and General Ability Test (600 marks) → SSB intelligence and personality test (900 marks): Stage I screening with OIR tests and PP&DT, then Stage II interview, group testing, psychology tests and conference over four days → CPSS for Air Force aspirants → Medical examination → Final merit on written plus SSB marks, prepared separately for men and women |
| Latest notification | National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (II), 2026 (Notice No. 10/2026-NDA-II) · 394 vacancies |
Last checked . Sources
About NDA
UPSC holds the NDA and NA exam twice a year to pick cadets who train at the National Defence Academy and the Indian Naval Academy straight after Class 12. NDA-II 2026 (notice no. 10/2026, dated 20 May 2026) is for the 158th NDA course and the 120th Indian Naval Academy course, with 394 vacancies: 370 for men and 24 for women. Selection is a written exam by UPSC followed by an SSB interview, and merit and results for men and women are prepared separately.
Eligibility
Date of birth
Born between 1 January 2008 and 1 January 2011, both dates included.
Qualification
Army wing of NDA: Class 12 pass under the 10+2 pattern from a State Education Board or University. Air Force and Navy wings of NDA and the Naval Academy 10+2 Cadet Entry: Class 12 pass with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Students appearing in Class 12 can apply but must submit proof of passing by 10 June 2027. Class 11 students are not eligible.
Other conditions
- Age for NDA-II 2026: only unmarried candidates born not earlier than 1 January 2008 and not later than 1 January 2011.
- You must not marry until full training is complete. A cadet who marries during training is discharged and has to refund the expenditure.
- Nationality: citizen of India, a subject of Nepal, or a person of Indian origin who migrated from specified countries with intent to settle in India. Categories other than Indian citizens need a certificate of eligibility, except Gorkha subjects of Nepal.
- Fee: Rs 100. SC/ST candidates, female candidates and wards of JCOs/NCOs/ORs covered in the notice are exempt.
- Candidates who choose the Air Force also take the Computerised Pilot Selection System (CPSS) after clearing the SSB. Those who fail CPSS or wear glasses habitually can be considered for Air Force Ground Duties if willing.
Selection process
- Written exam by UPSC: Mathematics (300 marks) and General Ability Test (600 marks)
- SSB intelligence and personality test (900 marks): Stage I screening with OIR tests and PP&DT, then Stage II interview, group testing, psychology tests and conference over four days
- CPSS for Air Force aspirants
- Medical examination
- Final merit on written plus SSB marks, prepared separately for men and women
Exam pattern
Written exam (Paper I)
Mode: Objective type, pen and paper, bilingual (Hindi and English) · Duration: 2.5 hours · Negative marking: One third of the marks for a question deducted per wrong answer
| SUBJECT | MARKS |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | 300 |
Written exam (Paper II: General Ability Test)
Mode: Objective type; Part B is bilingual · Duration: 2.5 hours · Negative marking: One third of the marks for a question deducted per wrong answer
| SUBJECT | MARKS |
|---|---|
| Part A: English | 200 |
| Part B: General Knowledge | 400 |
SSB test/interview
| SUBJECT | MARKS |
|---|---|
| Intelligence and personality test | 900 |
NDA syllabus
Mathematics
- Algebra: sets, relations, complex numbers, progressions, quadratic equations, permutations and combinations, binomial theorem, logarithms
- Matrices and determinants
- Trigonometry
- Analytical geometry of two and three dimensions
- Differential calculus
- Integral calculus and differential equations
- Vector algebra
- Statistics and probability
General Ability Test: English
- Grammar and usage
- Vocabulary
- Comprehension
- Cohesion in extended text
General Ability Test: General Knowledge
- Physics (about 25% of Part B)
- Chemistry (about 15%)
- General Science (about 10%)
- History, Freedom Movement and related topics (about 20%)
- Geography (about 20%)
- Current Events (about 10%)
What they ask
Mathematics is the heavier scoring risk: 300 marks of Class 11 and 12 level algebra, trigonometry, coordinate geometry, calculus, vectors and probability, done without a calculator or log tables. The General Ability Test gives English 200 marks and General Knowledge 400 marks, and the notice spells out the GK weightage, with Physics alone at about a quarter of Part B. Every wrong answer costs one third of that question's marks, so guessing on shaky Maths questions hurts. The SSB carries another 900 marks, which makes the interview as heavy as the written paper in the final merit.
How to prepare
- Build Maths from your Class 11 and 12 NCERT chapters in the order the syllabus lists them, and time yourself without a calculator, since the exam does not allow one.
- Use the GK weightage in the notice to split your time: Physics, History and Geography together cover about 65% of Part B, so do them before niche current affairs.
- Because a wrong answer costs one third of the marks, practise UPSC's previous NDA papers and track how many attempted questions you get right before deciding how much to guess.
- Start SSB preparation early: practise picture description and group discussion, and keep your Personal Information Questionnaire answers honest, as the interview carries 900 marks.
- Do a short daily topic-wise quiz on the free Improvam app for Maths and GK revision alongside full-length NDA papers.
NDA is one of the exams in the Improvam app. Open it to start a practice quiz.
Open in the Improvam appPrevious papers and answer keys
NDA FAQs
Yes. Students appearing in Class 12 can apply, but they must send proof of passing by the date in the notice, which is 10 June 2027 for NDA-II 2026. Class 11 students cannot apply.
Sources
- UPSC notice: NDA and NA Examination (II), 2026 ↗ (official, checked )
Checked against official sources on . Rules change with each notification, so read the latest one before you apply.