NEELGYAN EXAM GUIDE
NDA and Naval Academy Examination Guide
National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination
2026 examination cycle · Union Public Service Commission
Written and source-checked by NeelGyan Team · Last verified 2 August 2026
Checked against the official sources linked below
Current cycle
NDA II 2026
Current stage
Written examination upcoming
Next key date
13 September 2026
Vacancies
394 provisional
Conducting body
Union Public Service Commission
Selection route
Written exam → SSB → medical → merit
2026 cycle tracker
- Notification20 May 2026
- ApplicationsClosed 11 June 2026
- Written exam13 September 2026You are here
- Written resultAwaited
- SSBAfter written qualification
- Medical and meritAfter SSB
On This Page
Exam Resources
Conducting body
Union Public Service Commission
Student level
Class 12 officer-entry route
About NDA & Naval Academy Examination
What is NDA & Naval Academy Examination?
The National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination is UPSC’s Class 12 entry route to Army, Navy and Air Force wings of the NDA and the notified 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme at the Indian Naval Academy. The written examination is followed by Services Selection Board assessment, medical examination and final service-wise merit.
For NDA II 2026, UPSC notified 394 provisional vacancies and scheduled the written examination for 13 September 2026. Vacancies are split by wing, branch and gender; a candidate must meet the education rule for the selected wing as well as the age, marital, physical and medical requirements.
This guide keeps the URL yearless while clearly labelling current-cycle facts. The linked UPSC notification and examination page remain final if a date, vacancy or service instruction changes.
Latest NDA Updates
Verified updates, newest first
NDA Highlights
Key verified exam details
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Education | Class 12; PCM required for Navy and Air Force routes |
| NDA II birth window | 1 January 2008 to 1 January 2011, inclusive |
| Written maximum | 900 marks |
| SSB maximum | 900 marks |
| Negative marking | One-third of the question’s marks for a wrong answer |
| Current status | Written examination scheduled |
NDA 2026 Important Dates
Official notification and exam timeline
| Milestone | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Notification | Published | |
| Extended application deadline | Closed | |
| Written examination | Scheduled |
NDA Application Process and Fees
Official application route and fee details
The NDA II 2026 application window is closed. A future applicant should use only the newest UPSC notification and online application portal rather than reusing this cycle’s dates.
Candidates choose eligible service and academy preferences, upload the required identity and image records, pay the applicable fee and retain the final application details. Preference does not override education, age or medical eligibility.
Review the date of birth exactly against the notice. UPSC accepts the date recorded in the Matriculation or equivalent certificate for age verification.
| Candidate category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General, EWS and OBC male candidates | ₹100 |
| Female candidates | Exempt |
| SC and ST candidates | Exempt |
| Eligible wards of JCOs, NCOs and Other Ranks studying in specified institutions | Exempt under the notice conditions |
- The notification does not provide a general OBC or EWS fee exemption.
NDA Eligibility Criteria
Qualification, age and other requirements
Army Wing
Class 12
- Pass Class 12 or equivalent from a recognised board.
- NDA II birth window: 1 January 2008 through 1 January 2011.
- Selection still requires SSB and Army medical fitness.
Navy and Naval Academy
PCM required
- Pass Class 12 or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.
- The Naval Academy entry is part of the same UPSC notice but has separate provisional vacancies.
- Navy physical and medical standards apply.
Air Force Wing
PCM required
- Pass Class 12 or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.
- Flying and ground-duty preferences do not remove Air Force aptitude and medical requirements.
- The current notice separates Flying, Ground Duty Technical and Ground Duty Non-Technical vacancies.
Age and Marital Status
Unmarried
- Candidates must fall inside the exact inclusive birth window in the notice.
- Candidates must remain unmarried until training as required by the notice.
- Use the Matriculation or equivalent certificate as the date-of-birth record.
NDA Admit Card
Verified current-cycle status
Current status: No NDA II 2026 e-admit card was listed by the verification date.
Download the e-admit card only after UPSC publishes it. Check venue, reporting time, photograph and identity instructions in the candidate document.
NDA Exam Pattern and Selection Process
Stages, papers and qualifying rules
- Written examMathematics 300 + GAT 600
- SSB900 marks across the two-stage assessment
- MedicalService and branch standards
- Final allocationMerit, preferences, eligibility and vacancies
NDA Written Examination Pattern
| Paper | Duration | Maximum marks |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 2½ hours | 300 |
| General Ability Test | 2½ hours | 600 |
| Written total | 5 hours | 900 |
- Both papers are objective type.
- One-third of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for a wrong answer; an unanswered question has no penalty.
General Ability Test Structure
| Part | Area | Maximum marks |
|---|---|---|
| Part A | English | 200 |
| Part B | General Knowledge | 400 |
- The General Knowledge component covers Physics, Chemistry, General Science, Social Studies, Geography and Current Events as described in the syllabus.
NDA Syllabus Overview
Subjects and stages in the official syllabus
- Mathematics covers algebra, matrices and determinants, trigonometry, analytical geometry, differential calculus, integral calculus and differential equations, vector algebra, statistics and probability.
- GAT Part A tests English grammar, usage, vocabulary, comprehension and cohesion.
- GAT Part B covers Physics, Chemistry, General Science, Social Studies, Geography and Current Events in the proportions described by UPSC.
- SSB is not another written-syllabus test; it assesses officer-like qualities through screening, psychology, group tasks, interview and conference.
Mathematics
Class 11–12 oriented algebra, trigonometry, geometry, calculus, vectors, statistics and probability.
English
Grammar, usage, vocabulary, comprehension and cohesion within GAT Part A.
General Knowledge
Science, social studies, geography and current events within GAT Part B.
SSB Assessment
OIR and PP&DT screening followed by psychology, GTO tasks, interview and conference.
NDA Answer Key
Verified current-cycle status
Current status: The NDA II written examination has not yet been held, so no official answer key is available.
Do not label a coaching solution as the UPSC answer key. Use UPSC’s official publication and representation route after the examination.
NDA Result
Verified current-cycle status
Current status: NDA I 2026 written result is published; NDA II 2026 result is not.
NDA I and NDA II are separate cycles. Written qualification leads to SSB processing and is not final selection.
NDA Cut-off
Verified current-cycle status
Current status: No NDA II 2026 cut-off has been published.
UPSC cut-offs are cycle-specific and are normally available only after the selection process. Historical scores cannot establish a safe score for NDA II.
NDA II Vacancies by Service
Provisional vacancies notified by UPSC
The notice’s 394 vacancies are provisional and divided by service, branch and gender. Final allocation depends on merit, preferences, eligibility and medical fitness.
- Army wing of NDA
- Navy wing of NDA
- Air Force Flying and Ground Duty branches
- Indian Naval Academy 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme
NDA II 2026 Provisional Vacancies
| Route | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Army | 198 | 10 | 208 |
| Navy | 37 | 5 | 42 |
| Air Force Flying | 90 | 2 | 92 |
| Air Force Ground Duty Technical | 16 | 2 | 18 |
| Air Force Ground Duty Non-Technical | 8 | 2 | 10 |
| Naval Academy 10+2 Cadet Entry | 21 | 3 | 24 |
| Total | 370 | 24 | 394 |
- Vacancies are provisional and may be changed by the services.
Official sources for this table
NDA Preparation Strategy
A syllabus-first preparation route
- Start with the official notice and make a one-page checklist of eligibility, documents and every qualifying stage before studying from secondary material.
- Use the official syllabus or subject list to create weekly topic blocks, then practise timed questions in the same language and duration as the notified test.
- Maintain an error log for knowledge gaps, rushed reading and avoidable negative marks; revise the log before taking another mock.
- Train for the physical stage progressively and safely. Test-day standards are qualifying requirements, not a substitute for sustained conditioning.
- Recheck the candidate dashboard and official portal at every stage because venue, admit-card and reporting instructions are candidate-specific.
NDA Books and Study Material
- Keep the current official notification, syllabus and candidate instructions as the source-of-truth set.
- Use NCERT Mathematics and Science selectively to repair school-level concepts required by the notified syllabus.
- Use one dependable English grammar and comprehension reference instead of collecting overlapping guides.
- Build current-affairs notes from government releases and a compact newspaper workflow, then connect them to static subjects.
- Prefer official previous papers or service practice tests for calibration; a coaching mock does not establish the real cut-off or difficulty.
NDA Previous Question Papers
Official question-paper resources
Use official NDA papers to calibrate both level and speed. Attempt Mathematics and GAT separately under their full notified time limits, then analyse negative-marking losses.
NDA Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NDA II 2026 exam date?
UPSC scheduled the NDA II 2026 written examination for 13 September 2026.
How many NDA II 2026 vacancies are there?
The notification lists 394 provisional vacancies across Army, Navy, Air Force branches and the Naval Academy route.
Can girls apply for NDA?
Yes. The NDA II 2026 notice includes male and female vacancies, subject to the same current notice and service-specific eligibility rules.
Is PCM compulsory for NDA?
PCM is required for Navy, Air Force and the Naval Academy route. The Army wing requires Class 12 pass without that specific subject combination.
What is the NDA age limit?
For NDA II 2026, candidates must have been born from 1 January 2008 through 1 January 2011, inclusive. Each later notice has its own exact birth window.
Is there negative marking in NDA?
Yes. One-third of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for a wrong answer.
Does clearing the NDA written exam guarantee selection?
No. Written-qualified candidates must clear SSB and medical standards and rank within the applicable service and gender vacancies.
What is the NDA selection process?
The route is the UPSC written examination, SSB assessment, service medical examination and final service-wise allocation based on merit and preferences.
Official Information and Sources
Primary notice and authority links
Related Defence and Recruitment Exams
Compare eligibility, selection stages and official current-cycle status
Verify Before You Apply
Eligibility, dates, fees, vacancies, pattern and status can change. Read the latest notice on the official authority’s website before applying. NeelGyan does not collect application fees or guarantee admission or selection.