The National Defence Academy (NDA) examination is one of the most popular ways for young Indians to become officers in the Army, Navy and Air Force. It is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) twice a year, known as NDA-I and NDA-II. Many students in Class 11 and 12 dream of clearing it. But before applying, every aspirant must check one thing first: the eligibility criteria.
This article explains the NDA exam eligibility for 2026 in simple language. It covers nationality, age limit, educational qualification, marital status, physical standards, fee and the basic exam pattern. The details here are based on the official UPSC notification for the NDA and NA Exam 2 2026.
Important Dates (NDA-2 2026)
The table below shows the key dates from the official UPSC notification for NDA-2 2026.
| Event | Date |
| Date of notification | 20 May 2026 |
| Last date to apply | 9 June 2026 (up to 6:00 PM) |
| Date of written examination | 13 September 2026 |
| Course and commencement | 158th NDA Course and 120th INAC, commencing 1 July 2027 |
Candidates must apply online only, through the UPSC website at upsconline.nic.in. No other mode is allowed.
NDA Eligibility 2026: The Four Main Conditions
There are four main eligibility conditions for the NDA exam: nationality, age and marital status, educational qualification, and physical standards. A candidate must meet all of them. Each one is explained below.
1. Nationality
A candidate must be an unmarried male or female, and must be one of the following:
- a citizen of India, or
- a subject of Nepal, or
- a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma (Myanmar), Sri Lanka, or the East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire and Ethiopia, or from Vietnam, with the intention of settling permanently in India.
Candidates in the second and third categories must have a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India. This certificate is not required for Gorkha subjects of Nepal.
2. Age Limit, Gender and Marital Status
Check your age eligibility for NDA 2 Exam 2026
Only unmarried male and female candidates are eligible. For the NDA-II 2026 exam, the candidate must be born not earlier than 1 January 2008 and not later than 1 January 2011.
A few important points about age and marital status:
- The date of birth accepted is only the one recorded in the Matriculation (Class 10) or Secondary School Leaving Certificate, or an equivalent certificate. No other proof of age, such as a horoscope or birth extract, is accepted.
- Once the date of birth is submitted, it cannot be changed later.
- Candidates must promise not to marry until they finish their full training.
- A candidate who marries after applying will not be selected, even if successful in the exam. A candidate who marries during training will be discharged and will have to refund the training expenses.
Not sure if your date of birth fits the NDA-II 2026 eligibility? Use our free NDA Age Calculator to check your eligibility in seconds. Click here (paste link here)
3. Educational Qualification
The required qualification depends on the wing the candidate is applying for. The table below makes this clear.
| Wing / Entry | Required Educational Qualification |
| Army Wing of the NDA | Class 12 pass (10+2 pattern) or equivalent, from a recognised Board or University |
| Air Force and Naval Wings of the NDA | Class 12 pass with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (10+2 pattern) or equivalent |
| 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme (Indian Naval Academy) | Class 12 pass with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (10+2 pattern) or equivalent |
Some key points on qualification:
- Candidates who are appearing in their Class 12 exam can also apply. They must provide proof of passing by the prescribed date, which for NDA-II 2026 is 10 June 2027. If they fail to submit this proof in time, their candidature will be cancelled.
- Candidates studying in Class 11 are not eligible.
- Candidates debarred by the Ministry of Defence from holding a commission are not eligible.
4. Physical Standards
Candidates must be physically and mentally fit according to the physical standards laid down by the Government. The detailed standards are given in the notification. Many qualified candidates are later rejected on medical grounds, so the notification advises aspirants to get themselves medically checked before applying, and to correct minor problems such as ear wax, deviated nasal septum, or being overweight or underweight.
There is also a clear rule on tattoos. Permanent tattoos are allowed only on the inner side of the forearm (from the inside of the elbow to the wrist) and on the back of the palm. Tattoos on any other part of the body are not acceptable, with a special exception for certain tribal customs, decided case by case.
One More Condition: Disciplinary Eligibility
A candidate who has resigned or been withdrawn on disciplinary grounds from any of the training academies of the Armed Forces is not eligible to apply.
Similarly, candidates who were removed from an earlier NDA or Indian Naval Academy course for lack of officer-like qualities or on disciplinary grounds will not be admitted again. However, candidates who were earlier withdrawn on medical grounds, or who left voluntarily, may still be eligible if they meet the medical and other prescribed conditions.
Application Fee
The fee is low, and several categories are fully exempted. The table below shows the structure.
| Category | Fee |
| General / OBC / EWS (male) | ₹100 |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) / Scheduled Tribe (ST) | Exempted (no fee) |
| All female candidates | Exempted (no fee) |
| Wards of JCOs / NCOs / ORs (as specified in the notification) | Exempted (no fee) |
Note that OBC and EWS candidates do not get any fee exemption and must pay the full ₹100.
Vacancies (NDA-II 2026)
The approximate number of vacancies for the NDA-II 2026 examination is given below. Vacancies for men and women are notified separately.
| Academy / Service | Male | Female | Total |
| NDA Army | 198 | 10 | 208 |
| NDA Navy (Executive branch) | 37 | 5 | 42 |
| NDA Air Force – Flying | 90 | 2 | 92 |
| NDA Air Force – Ground Duties (Tech) | 16 | 2 | 18 |
| NDA Air Force – Ground Duties (Non-Tech) | 8 | 2 | 10 |
| Naval Academy (10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme) | 21 | 3 | 24 |
| Total | 370 | 24 | 394 |
These vacancies are provisional and may change.
How to Apply for NDA 2026
Candidates must apply online only, through the UPSC portal at upsconline.nic.in. No other mode is allowed. The application has the following parts:
- Account creation on the portal
- Universal Registration Number (URN) profile
- Common Application Form (CAF)
- Examination Specific Module (including fee and centre choice)
- Fee payment
- Centre selection
- Uploading of photograph, signature and documents
Candidates must give correct details of date of birth, educational qualification and photo ID. If any information is found to be wrong, the candidature can be cancelled. Using the Aadhaar Card as the ID document is strongly advised for smooth verification.
Correction and Withdrawal
Candidates should fill the form very carefully, because for NDA-II 2026:
- The application cannot be withdrawn after submission.
- No correction or change in the application form is allowed after submission.
- UPSC gives a one-time facility to edit the URN profile, but changes made there will not apply to a form already submitted.
Basic Exam Pattern
Although this article is about eligibility, it helps to know the exam pattern. The NDA selection has two stages: a written exam and the SSB interview.
| Stage | Subject / Test | Maximum Marks | Duration |
| Paper I | Mathematics | 300 | 2½ hours |
| Paper II | General Ability Test | 600 | 2½ hours |
| Written Total | 900 | ||
| SSB Test / Interview | 900 |
The written papers are objective type. The Mathematics paper and Part B of the General Ability Test are set bilingually, in both Hindi and English. There is negative marking: one-third (0.33) of the marks for a question is deducted for every wrong answer. Marking more than one answer is also treated as wrong, but a blank answer carries no penalty.
SSB Selection Process
Candidates who clear the written exam are called for the Services Selection Board (SSB) interview. The SSB has two stages, spread over about five days.
Stage I includes the Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) test and the Picture Perception and Description Test (PP&DT). Only candidates who clear Stage I move on to Stage II.
Stage II includes the Interview, Group Testing Officer (GTO) tasks, Psychology tests and the Conference. These are conducted over four days. The candidate is assessed for officer-like qualities and trainability, and is finally marked as Recommended or Not Recommended.
CPSS for the Air Force Flying Branch
Candidates who choose the Air Force Flying Branch must also clear the Computerised Pilot Selection System (CPSS). An important rule: the CPSS is given only once in a candidate’s lifetime. A candidate who fails the CPSS cannot apply for the Flying Branch again. However, such candidates, and those not tested due to the Habitual Wearing of Glasses (HWG) category, may still be considered for Air Force Ground Duty branches if willing and otherwise eligible.
Documents Required at the SSB
Candidates called for the SSB must carry their original documents, including:
- Original Matriculation (Class 10) certificate or equivalent, as proof of date of birth
- Original Class 12 pass certificate or marksheet, as proof of educational qualification
- One photocopy of each original certificate
- A valid photo ID
After a candidate is recommended by the SSB, a medical board decides final fitness, and only candidates declared medically fit are admitted to the academy.
NDA eligibility for 2026 is simple to understand once it is broken into four parts: nationality, age and marital status, education, and physical fitness. The most important things to check are your date of birth, your unmarried status, and your Class 12 subjects, especially Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics for the Air Force and Navy. A candidate who meets all these conditions and applies on time has taken the first solid step towards a proud career as an officer in the Indian Armed Forces.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Who can apply for the NDA exam in 2026?
Only unmarried male and female candidates who meet the nationality, age, educational and physical standards laid down by UPSC can apply.
Q2. What is the age limit for NDA-II 2026?
The candidate must be born not earlier than 1 January 2008 and not later than 1 January 2011.
Q3. Can girls apply for the NDA exam?
Yes. Unmarried female candidates are eligible, and separate vacancies are notified for women. Female candidates are also exempted from the application fee.
Q4. What educational qualification is needed for the NDA?
For the Army Wing, Class 12 pass in any stream is enough. For the Air Force, Naval Wings and the Naval Academy entry, Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics is required.
Q5. Can a Class 12 appearing student apply for the NDA?
Yes. Students appearing in Class 12 can apply, but they must provide proof of passing by the date set by UPSC. Class 11 students cannot apply.
Q6. What is the NDA application fee?
The fee is ₹100 for general, OBC and EWS male candidates. SC, ST and all female candidates, and certain wards of JCOs/NCOs/ORs, are exempted.
Q7. Is the NDA exam married candidates allowed?
No. Only unmarried candidates can apply. A candidate must not marry until the full training is complete.
Q8. How many marks is the NDA written exam?
The written exam is 900 marks in total — Mathematics (300) and General Ability Test (600). The SSB interview is a separate 900 marks.
Q9. Is there negative marking in the NDA exam?
Yes. One-third (0.33) of the marks for a question is deducted for each wrong answer in the objective papers.
Q10. Where do I apply for the NDA exam?
Candidates must apply online only, on the UPSC website at upsconline.nic.in. No other mode is allowed.
Q11. What is CPSS and who has to take it?
CPSS (Computerised Pilot Selection System) is a pilot aptitude test that candidates for the Air Force Flying Branch must clear. It is given only once in a lifetime. A candidate who fails it cannot apply for the Flying Branch again, but may still be considered for Air Force Ground Duty branches.
(Disclaimer: This article is based on the latest official UPSC notification for the NDA and Naval Academy Examination (II), 2026 (Notice No. 10/2026-NDA-II). Candidates must always read the official UPSC notification before applying. This article is for educational and awareness purposes for defence aspirants.)
