UPSC National Defence Academy (NDA) & Naval Academy (NA) II Examination 2026
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the official notification for the National Defence Academy (NDA) & Naval Academy (NA) II Examination 2026. This examination is conducted twice a year for recruitment into the Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of the National Defence Academy (NDA) and Indian Naval Academy (INA).
Important Dates
- Application Start Date: 28 May 2026
- Last Date to Apply Online: 17 June 2026
- Last Date for Fee Payment: 17 June 2026
- Application Correction Date: 18-24 June 2026
- Admit Card Release Date: 3-4 weeks before exam
- Written Exam Date: 06 September 2026
- Result Date (Written): November 2026
- SSB Interview Dates: December 2026 to April 2027
- Final Result Date: May 2027
- Training Start Date: July 2027
Application Fee
- General / OBC / EWS: ₹ 100/-
- SC / ST / PwD / Sons of JCOs/NCOs/Ors: ₹ 0/- (Exempted)
- Payment Mode: Online (Net Banking, Credit Card, Debit Card, UPI) or Offline (Cash at SBI Bank)
Age Limit (as on 01 July 2027)
- Minimum Age: 16.5 Years (16 Years 6 Months)
- Maximum Age: 19.5 Years (19 Years 6 Months)
- Born Between: 02 January 2008 to 01 July 2010
- Age Relaxation: No relaxation for any category (strict age limit)
Educational Qualification
For Army Wing of NDA:
- 10+2 (Intermediate) pass in any stream from a recognized board
- OR equivalent examination recognized by the government
- Candidates appearing in 10+2 examination can also apply provisionally
For Air Force & Naval Wings of NDA and for Naval Academy (10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme):
- 10+2 (Intermediate) pass with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (PCM) subjects from a recognized board
- Minimum 60% marks in PCM for Navy and Air Force
- Candidates appearing in 10+2 examination can also apply provisionally
Minimum Marks Required:
- Army Wing: Pass class (No minimum percentage required)
- Navy & Air Force: Minimum 60% aggregate marks in PCM
- SC/ST Candidates: Pass class (No minimum percentage required for Army Wing only)
Vacancy Details
Total Posts: 394
Academy-wise Vacancy Breakup:
- National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla: 304 Posts
- • Army Wing: 208 Posts (193 General + 15 Reserved)
- • Navy Wing: 42 Posts (38 General + 4 Reserved)
- • Air Force Wing: 54 Posts (48 General + 6 Reserved)
- Naval Academy (NA), Ezhimala (10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme): 90 Posts (85 General + 5 Reserved)
Category-wise Vacancy Breakdown (Total 394):
- General (UR): 180 Posts
- OBC: 106 Posts
- SC: 59 Posts
- ST: 29 Posts
- EWS: 20 Posts
Job Location: National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla, Pune & Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala, Kerala
Exam Pattern
For NDA (Army, Navy, Air Force) - Paper I & II:
- Paper I - Mathematics: 120 Questions, 300 Marks, 2.5 Hours
- Paper II - General Ability Test (GAT): 150 Questions, 600 Marks, 2.5 Hours
- Total Marks: 900 Marks
- Total Duration: 5 Hours (2 Papers)
- Negative Marking: 1/3 mark deduction for each wrong answer
Paper I - Mathematics Syllabus:
- Algebra, Matrices & Determinants, Trigonometry
- Calculus, Vector Algebra, Statistics & Probability
- Analytical Geometry (2D & 3D), Differential Equations
- Complex Numbers, Quadratic Equations, Binomial Theorem
- Permutation & Combination, Sequences & Series
Paper II - General Ability Test (GAT) Syllabus:
- Part A - English (200 Marks): Grammar, Vocabulary, Comprehension, Spotting Errors, Sentence Improvement, Synonyms/Antonyms, Idioms & Phrases, Cloze Test
- Part B - General Knowledge (400 Marks):
- • Physics, Chemistry, Biology (Basic Concepts)
- • History of India (Ancient, Medieval, Modern)
- • Geography (Physical, Political, Economic)
- • Indian Polity & Constitution
- • Indian Economy
- • Current Events (National & International)
- • Defence & Security related news
- • Sports, Awards, Books & Authors, Important Days
- • General Science & Technology
- • Environment & Ecology
Selection Process
The selection will be based on the following stages:
- Written Examination (Objective Type): Conducted by UPSC across various centers in India
- SSB Interview (Services Selection Board): 5-day selection process for candidates who qualify written exam
- Medical Examination: Thorough medical checkup as per defence standards
- Final Merit List: Based on written exam marks + SSB marks + medical fitness
SSB Interview Details
The SSB Interview is a 5-day process conducted at various SSB centers across India (Allahabad, Bhopal, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Gandhinagar, Kapurthala, Mysore, Visakhapatnam):
Day 1 (Screening Test):
- OIR Test (Officer Intelligence Rating) - Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning
- PPDT (Picture Perception & Discussion Test) - 30 seconds to observe picture + 4 minutes to write story + group discussion
- Result declaration (Screened In/Screened Out)
Day 2 (Psychological Tests):
- TAT (Thematic Apperception Test) - 12 pictures + 1 blank slide
- WAT (Word Association Test) - 60 words, 15 seconds each
- SRT (Situation Reaction Test) - 60 situations, 30 seconds each
- SDT (Self Description Test) - 5 questions about yourself
Day 3 & 4 (Group Tasks - GTO):
- GD (Group Discussion) - Current topics
- GPE (Group Planning Exercise) - Outdoor/Indoor planning
- PGT (Progressive Group Task) - Outdoor obstacle tasks
- HGT (Half Group Task) - Smaller group tasks
- IOT (Individual Obstacles) - 10 obstacles to complete
- Command Task - Leading a group
- Lecturette - 3 minutes speech on given topic
Day 4 (Personal Interview):
- Detailed interview with the board members
- Questions on personal background, academics, GK, current affairs, defence awareness
- Confidence, communication skills, and personality assessment
Day 5 (Conference):
- Final assessment by all board members
- Result declaration (Recommended/Not Recommended)
Physical Standards
- Height (Male): Minimum 152 cms (157 cms for Air Force)
- Weight: Proportionate to height and age
- Chest (Male): Minimum expansion of 5 cms (Fully expanded: 77 cms minimum)
- Eye Sight:
- • Army: 6/12 (without glasses), correctable to 6/6
- • Navy: 6/12 (without glasses), correctable to 6/6
- • Air Force: 6/6 (without glasses) - No correction allowed
- BMI: Within normal range (18-24)
- No Color Blindness, No Night Blindness
- No Tattoos (except traditional permanent tattoos on inner forearm or back of hand)
- No Flat Foot, No Knock Knees, No Bow Legs
- Dental: Minimum 14 dental points (healthy teeth and gums)
Training Details
- NDA Training Duration: 3 Years (Bachelor's Degree in Arts/Science/Computer Science)
- NA Training Duration: 4 Years B.Tech Course
- Training Location: National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla, Pune & Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala, Kerala
- Degree Awarded: Bachelor's Degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) for NDA; B.Tech from JNU for Naval Academy
- Stipend During Training: ₹ 56,100/- per month
- After Commission: Level 10 (₹ 61,300 - ₹ 1,93,100) with MSP ₹ 15,500/-
Salary & Benefits
- Stipend during Training (NDA/NA): ₹ 56,100/- per month
- After Commission (Level 10): ₹ 61,300 - ₹ 1,93,100
- Military Service Pay (MSP): ₹ 15,500/- per month
- Dearness Allowance (DA): As per government norms (currently 50%)
- Free Accommodation: Government quarters/Single accommodation provided
- Medical Facilities: Free medical treatment for self and dependents
- Leave: 60 days annual leave + 20 days casual leave + 30 days sick leave
- Other Allowances: Flying Allowance (for Air Force), Submarine Allowance (for Navy), Sea Duty Allowance, Field Area Allowance, High Altitude Allowance, etc.
- Retirement Benefits: Pension, Gratuity, and other post-retirement benefits
How to Apply for UPSC NDA & NA II 2026
Candidates can apply online through the official UPSC website. Follow these steps:
- Visit the official UPSC website: https://upsconline.nic.in
- Click on "Online Application for Various Examinations"
- Select "National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination (NDA) II 2026"
- Register with your email ID and mobile number (Part I Registration)
- Fill the detailed application form with personal, educational, and contact details (Part II Registration)
- Upload scanned photo, signature, and other required documents
- Pay application fee online (₹ 100 for General/OBC/EWS) or select offline payment option
- Submit the application form and take a printout for future reference
Documents Required
- 10th Mark Sheet & Certificate (for date of birth proof)
- 10+2 (Intermediate) Mark Sheet & Certificate (for appearing candidates - provisional certificate)
- Recent Passport Size Photograph (10-50 KB, JPEG format)
- Signature (10-20 KB, JPEG format)
- Caste Certificate (OBC/SC/ST/EWS, if applicable)
- PwD Certificate (if applicable)
- NCC Certificate (if applicable for bonus marks)
- Sons of JCOs/NCOs/Ors Certificate (for fee exemption, if applicable)
Important Information
- Marital Status: Only unmarried male candidates are eligible
- Citizenship: Must be a citizen of India
- Number of Attempts: No limit on attempts (age limit applicable)
- Service Commitment: Permanent Commission - Minimum 15-20 years service
- Bonus Marks: NCC Certificate holders (Air Wing/Senior Division) are given bonus marks in SSB
- Physical Fitness: Candidates must be physically fit for training as per defence standards
Exam Centers (Major Cities)
Agartala, Ahmedabad, Aizawl, Aligarh, Allahabad, Bangalore, Bareilly, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore, Cuttack, Dehradun, Delhi, Dharwad, Dispur, Gangtok, Gwalior, Hyderabad, Imphal, Itanagar, Jaipur, Jammu, Jodhpur, Jorhat, Kochi, Kohima, Kolkata, Leh, Lucknow, Madurai, Mumbai, Mysore, Nagpur, Panaji, Patna, Port Blair, Raipur, Ranchi, Sambalpur, Shillong, Shimla, Srinagar, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchirappalli, Tirupati, Udaipur, Varanasi, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam
Tips for Preparation
- Mathematics: Focus on NCERT textbooks (Class 11 & 12), solve previous year papers
- English: Read newspapers daily, practice grammar and vocabulary
- General Knowledge: Study NCERTs (Class 6-12), follow current affairs for 6-8 months
- SSB Preparation: Join mock SSB sessions, practice group discussions, improve communication skills
- Physical Fitness: Regular running, push-ups, sit-ups, swimming (especially for Navy & Air Force aspirants)
Important Links:
Apply Online (UPSC Website)
Download Official Notification PDF
Download Syllabus PDF
UPSC Official Website
NDA Official Website
Tags: UPSC NDA 2026, NDA II Recruitment, National Defence Academy, NDA Exam, Naval Academy, Army Jobs, Navy Jobs, Air Force Jobs, Defence Jobs, UPSC Exam, SSB Interview, NDA Notification, 10+2 Pass Jobs, Sarkari Result