UPSC NDA 2026
National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination — Complete Official Handbook: Notification, Syllabus, Age Eligibility, Salary Hierarchy & Cut-Off Analysis.
Official UPSC NDA Portals & Candidate Document Preparation
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UPSC NDA 2026 Overview
UPSC NDA (National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination) is the premier tri-service military officer entrance examination conducted twice a year (NDA I & NDA II) by the Union Public Service Commission for Class 12 candidates.
NDA 2026 offers entry into the Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of the Armed Forces with approximately 404 notified vacancies (including vacancies for female cadets). The selection procedure consists of a nationwide Written Examination (Mathematics of 300 marks and General Ability Test of 600 marks), followed by an intensive 5-day Services Selection Board (SSB) Interview assessing psychological profile, leadership, and officer potential (900 marks), culminating in strict Military Medical Standards.
Successful cadets undergo 3 years of rigorous academic and physical training at Khadakwasla, Pune, receiving a Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) degree, followed by one year of pre-commissioning training at IMA, INA, or AFA before being commissioned as Lieutenants, Sub-Lieutenants, or Flying Officers at Pay Level 10 (₹56,100 starting basic pay) with Military Service Pay (MSP) and flying/field allowances.
UPSC NDA 2026 Important Dates
| Notification Release | 1 April 2026 |
| Application Opens | 1 April 2026 |
| Application Last Date | 25 April 2026 |
| Tier 1 Exam Date | 7 September 2026 |
| Official Website | https://upsc.gov.in |
UPSC NDA Eligibility Criteria 2026
Educational Qualification
12th Pass with Physics & Mathematics (for Air Force & Navy). Army: 12th Pass any stream
Age Limit
16.5–19.5 years (as on 1st January 2026)
No age relaxation except as per government rules for reserved categories
Nationality
Indian Citizen / subject of Nepal or Bhutan
Check Your UPSC NDA Eligibility
Official Norms: No age relaxation except as per government rules for reserved categories
UPSC NDA Selection Process
Written Exam — Mathematics (300 marks) + GAT (600 marks)
SSB Interview — 5-day selection process (900 marks)
Medical Examination
Final merit = Written + SSB (subject to medical fitness)
UPSC NDA Exam Pattern 2026
Paper 1 — Mathematics
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Algebra, Trigonometry, Calculus, Statistics | 120 | 300 |
| Total | 120 | 300 |
Paper 2 — GAT
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| English | 50 | 200 |
| General Knowledge | 100 | 400 |
| Total | 150 | 600 |
UPSC NDA Syllabus 2026
Full Syllabus →Mathematics
English
General Knowledge
Download the complete UPSC NDA topic-wise syllabus PDF →Premium (₹199/yr)
UPSC NDA Posts — Which is Best?
UPSC NDA offers 3+ posts across different departments. Here's a comparison to help you decide your target post before filling the form.
| Post | Salary | Promotion |
|---|---|---|
Army Officer (via NDA) Lieutenant TOP PICK | ₹56,100 – ₹70,000 | fast |
Navy Officer (via NDA) Sub Lieutenant | ₹56,100 – ₹75,000 | fast |
Air Force Officer (via NDA) Flying Officer | ₹56,100 – ₹80,000 | fast |
UPSC NDA Salary Structure
Salary varies based on post, city tier (X/Y/Z) for HRA, and DA rate. Figures above are indicative for 2026 DA rates.
UPSC NDA Cut-off Marks & Predictor
All Cut-offs →Check Your Selection Probability
Input your raw marks & shift details for instant normalized score estimate and category rank band prediction.
UPSC NDA 2025 Tier 1 Cut-off
Cut-offs vary by post. Detailed post-wise cut-offs (2015–2026) available withSarkariPaper Premium →
UPSC NDA Preparation Strategy
Phase 1: Maths + English (Month 1–3)
- ›Complete 11th–12th Maths syllabus thoroughly
- ›Practice 120 Maths questions in 2.5 hours
- ›Build English vocabulary — 20 words/day
- ›Solve previous 10 years NDA papers
Phase 2: GK + SSB Prep (Month 4–6)
- ›Study Lucent GK + current affairs
- ›Start physical fitness training daily
- ›Learn about Indian Armed Forces structure
- ›Practice SSB tasks: group discussion, lecturette
UPSC NDA Frequently Asked Questions
What is NDA eligibility?▼
How many NDA vacancies in 2026?▼
What is NDA SSB interview?▼
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Rukmani Yadav
✓ Verified ExpertUPSC & State PSC Research Lead · 9+ Years in Civil Services & Administrative Research
Rukmani is an expert on constitutional recruitment commissions including UPSC Civil Services, NDA, CDS, and State Public Service Commissions (HPSC, UPPSC, BPSC, MPPSC, RPSC). She tracks Gazette notifications and administrative cadre rules.