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The UPSC NDA (National Defence Academy) Exam is a national-level competitive exam conducted twice a year by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). It is the premier gateway for unmarried male and female candidates to join the Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of the Indian Armed Forces as officers. [1, 2, 3]
📅 Key Dates for NDA II 2026
- Notification & Application Date: 20 May 2026 – 11 June 2026
- Written Exam Date: 13 September 2026
- Course Commencement: 1 July 2027 [2]
🧑✈️ Eligibility Criteria
To apply for the NDA exam, candidates must meet the official UPSC eligibility parameters: [3]
- Nationality: Must be an Indian citizen. [2, 4]
- Marital Status: Only unmarried male and female candidates are eligible. [2, 3]
- Age Limit: Candidates must be between 16.5 and 19.5 years old. For the NDA II 2026 cycle, candidates must be born between 1 January 2008 and 1 January 2011. [3, 4, 5]
- Educational Qualification:
- Army Wing: Class 12 pass (10+2 pattern) in any stream.
- Air Force, Navy, & Naval Academy: Class 12 pass with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (PCM).
- Note: Candidates currently appearing in Class 12 are also eligible to apply. [2, 3]
📝 Selection Process & Exam Pattern
The selection involves a rigorous three-stage filtering process: [6, 7]
1. Written Examination (Offline, MCQ Format) [4, 8, 9, 10]
The written test takes place on a single day, lasting 5 hours total, split into two papers: [2, 11]
- Paper 1: Mathematics | 120 Questions | 300 Marks | 2.5 Hours
- Covers Class 11 & 12 algebra, trigonometry, calculus, matrices, and statistics. [11, 12, 13, 14, 15]
- Paper 2: General Ability Test (GAT) | 150 Questions | 600 Marks | 2.5 Hours
- Divided into Part A (English – 200 marks) and Part B (General Knowledge/Sciences/Current Affairs – 400 marks). [2, 11, 16]
- Negative Marking: 1/3rd of the marks assigned to that question are deducted for every wrong answer. [11]
2. SSB Interview (5-Day Process)
Candidates qualifying the written cut-off are called by the Services Selection Board (SSB). It tests: [6]
- Intelligence and personality
- Psychological suitability
- Group discussions and outdoor physical tasks [6, 12, 17, 18, 19]
3. Medical Examination
Final recommendations depend on passing the strict physical and medical health standards set by the military. [3, 6]
💼 Vacancies & Perks
- Total Vacancies (NDA II 2026): 394 seats (370 for male candidates, 24 for female candidates).
- Starting Salary: Selected cadets undergo training and are commissioned as Lieutenants with a starting basic pay of ₹56,100 per month, plus Military Service Pay (MSP) of ₹15,500 and hefty allowances. [2, 20]
Official registrations and future admit cards can be accessed directly through the UPSC Online Portal. [2, 21]
If you are preparing for the exam, let me know if you would like me to share the detailed syllabus breakdown for Mathematics and GAT, or provide some preparation strategies!
[5] https://sarkariresult.com.cm
[9] https://indiandefenceinstitute.com
[10] https://www.merishiksha.org
[11] https://digitalbenchers.com
[12] https://www.jobaajlearnings.com
[16] https://www.pw.live
[18] https://www.myprivatetutor.com