NDA exam 2026: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has published detailed exam schedule for the NDA exam 2026 on the official website - upsc.gov.in. The NDA exam 2026 will take place on April 12, 2026 in two shifts. The Mathematics paper of NDA exam will be conducted from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM and the General Ability Test will be held from 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM. The UPSC activated the NDA Application Form 2026 Link on December 10, along with the release of notification PDF and the last date to fill out the application form was December 30, 2025.
The last date to fill out the NDA 1 Application Form 2026 was December 30, 2025. The NDA 1 2026 examination is set to be conducted on April 12, 2026. NDA application form fees are INR 100 and SC/ST candidates/female candidates/Wards of JCOs/NCOs/ORs are exempted from fee payment. Candidates who have passed or are appearing in Class 12 can apply for the exam and they should be between 16.5 to 19.5 years.
The NDA 2 examination 2026 notification will be released on May 20, 2026, along with the application form. The application window will be closed on June 9, 2026. The UPSC NDA 2 examination 2026 is set to be conducted on September 13, 2026.
Latest Update:
- UPSC has released the NDA 1 detailed exam schedule on the official website.
- NDA 1 2026 exam notification has been released on December 10, 2025, apply online till December 30.
- UPSC NDA 1 exam 2026 is scheduled to be conducted on April 12, 2026.
What is the NDA & NA Exam?
The NDA & NA exam stands for the National Defence Academy & Naval Academy exam. The NDA & NA exam is conducted to recruit eligible candidates in the Army, Air Force, and Navy wings of NDA & Indian Naval Academy Courses. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the NDA & NA exam twice a year. Both exams are referred to as the NDA 1 exam & NDA 2 exam, respectively.
The NDA exam is the most sought-after defense exam conducted for candidates who are aspiring to join the Indian Armed Forces. The exam is conducted in two stages: (i) NDA written examination, and (ii) SSB Interview.
NDA Exam 2026: Highlights
Candidates can check the NDA exam overview in the table given below:
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Particulars
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Details
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Exam Name
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National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination (NDA & NA)
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Exam Level
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National
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Exam Frequency
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Two times a year (April & September)
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Exam Mode
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Offline
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Exam Phases
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2 (Written exam and SSB Interview)
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No. of Papers
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GAT
Mathematics
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Exam Duration
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GAT: 2.5 hours
Mathematics: 2.5 hours
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Total Questions
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GAT: 150
Mathematics: 120
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Total Marks
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Written Exam: 900
SSB Interview: 900
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Marking Scheme
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GAT: 4 marks for correct answers and 1.33 marks for wrong answers
Mathematics: 2.5 marks for correct answers and 0.83 mark for wrong answers
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Language/Medium of Exam
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English and Hindi
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UPSC NDA Notification 2026
The official NDA 1 Notification 2026 has been released on December 10, 2025. The UPSC NDA notification is an official document that contains all important information about the NDA examination. Candidates must read the official NDA notification PDF to ensure that they do not overlook any important information.
The notification includes the NDA 2026 eligibility criteria, exam pattern, and syllabus. Any changes to the NDA exam's eligibility criteria, exam pattern, or syllabus will be noted in the notification.
The NDA notification 2026 will also includes detailed information on the physical standards and measurements that the candidate must meet in order to be considered for the final selection. Candidates must ensure that they meet all of the medical requirements outlined in the notification.
With the release of the notification, the NDA 1 Application Form 2026 has also been activated at upsconline.nic.in. The last date to apply for the NDA 1 is December 30, 2025.
How to Fill NDA Application Form 2026?
Candidates can check the steps to fill out the NDA application form below:
- Visit the UPSC's official website.
- Fill out the Part I of the application online, which is registration.
- Login with your registration details to get access to the Part II of the application form
- Fill out the Part II application form completely.
- Submit the fees and print the application form.
NDA Exam Dates 2026
UPSC has released the NDA 1 & NDA 2 exam dates for the year 2026 in the tables below:
NDA 1 Exam Dates 2026
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Particulars
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Details
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Application Form Starts
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December 10, 2025
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Application Form Ends
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December 30, 2025
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Admit Card
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To be notified
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Exam Date
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April 12, 2026
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Result
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To be notified
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NDA 2 Exam Dates 2026
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Particulars
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Details
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Application Form Starts
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May 20, 2026
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Application Form Ends
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June 9, 2026
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Admit Card
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To be notified
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Exam Date
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September 13, 2025
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Result
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To be notified |
NDA Eligibility Criteria 2026
Candidates seeking to join any of the three wings of the Indian Armed Forces through the NDA & NA exam must fulfil the eligibility criteria set by the concerned authorities. The NDA eligibility criteria are a set of conditions (educational, age, and nationality) that candidates must meet before they decide to take the examination. The eligibility criteria also involve certain specific medical conditions and physical standards that aspirants must fulfil.
NDA Eligibility Criteria: Nationality
The aspirant must be:
- a citizen of India, or
- a subject of Nepal, or
- a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka and the East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire and Ethiopia or Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.
Provided that a candidate in categories (2) and (3) above must be someone in whose favour the Government of India has issued a certificate of eligibility. Candidates who are Gorkha subjects of Nepal, on the other hand, will not need a certificate of eligibility.
NDA Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit
To apply for the NDA exam, aspirants must ensure that their age falls within the NDA age limit bracket. Candidates can learn more about the exam's age restrictions by reading the following:
- Candidates must be unmarried..
- Only unmarried male/female candidates born not earlier than 02nd July, 2006 and not later than 1st July, 2009 are eligible for NDA 1 exam 2025.
NDA Eligibility Criteria: Education Qualification
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Post (Wing)
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Eligibility Condition
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Army Wing
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Candidate must have passed 10+2 in any stream
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Air Force and Naval Wing
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Candidates must have passed their 10+2 or equivalent from a recognized board or institution with Physics Chemistry, and Mathematics.
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NDA Eligibility Criteria: Physical Standard
Male Candidates
The shortest acceptable height is 157 cm. Height relaxation is permitted for candidates residing in the following areas, as well as talented male athletes:
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Category
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Minimum Height
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Tribals from Ladakh Region
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155 Cm
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Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep, and Minicoy Islands
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155 Cm
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Gorkhas, Nepali, Assamese, Garhwali, Kumaoni, and Uttarakhand
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152 Cm
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Bhutan, Sikkim & North East Region
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152 Cm
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Extra Talented Sports Candidate
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155 Cm
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Female Candidates
Female candidates must be 152 cm tall to be considered. However, candidates residing in the following areas are eligible for height relaxation:
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Category
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Minimum Height
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Tribals from Ladakh Region
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150 Cm
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Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep, and Minicoy Islands
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150 Cm
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Gorkhas, Nepali, Assamese, Garhwali, Kumaoni, and Uttarakhand
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147 Cm
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Bhutan, Sikkim & North East Region
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147 Cm
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NDA Exam Pattern 2026
Candidates seeking admission to the National Defense Academy and Naval Academy must be familiar with the NDA exam pattern. It helps candidates understand the structure of the examination and develop a strategy for attempting the paper.
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Particulars
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Details
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Mode of Exam
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Offline
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Medium of Exam
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English & Hindi
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No. of Papers
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Paper I: General Aptitude Test (GAT)
Paper II: Mathematics
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Number of questions
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General Aptitude Test (GAT): 150
Mathematics: 120
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Total marks
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General Aptitude Test (GAT): 600
Mathematics: 300
SSB Interview: 900
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Negative Marking
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General Aptitude Test (GAT): 1.33 marks for each incorrect answer
Mathematics: 0.83 marks for each incorrect answer
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Duration of the Exam
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General Aptitude Test (GAT): 2.5 hour
Mathematics: 2.5 hour
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Timing of the Exam
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General Aptitude Test (GAT): 10 am to 12.30 pm
Mathematics: 2 pm to 4.30 pm
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NDA Marking Scheme 2026
Aspiring candidates can check the table below to learn more about the marking scheme of the NDA Math & GAT paper.
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Particulars
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Mathematics
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General Ability Test
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Number of questions
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120
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150
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Marks Per Question
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2.5
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4
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Total marks
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300
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600
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Negative Marking
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0.83
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1.33
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NDA Syllabus 2026
The NDA Syllabus includes subjects such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, History, General Science, Geography, and English. The Mathematics paper is taken separately, whereas the other subjects are combined in the General Aptitude Test (GAT). The NDA Syllabus is tabulated below:
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Subjects
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Topics
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General Ability Test
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Part A: ENGLISH
Part B: General Knowledge
Sub-Topics in General Knowledge:
- Physics
- Chemistry
- General Science
- History, Freedom Movement etc
- Geography
- Current Events
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Mathematics
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- ALGEBRA
- MATRICES AND DETERMINANTS
- TRIGONOMETRY
- ANALYTICAL GEOMETRY OF TWO AND THREE DIMENSIONS
- DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS
- INTEGRAL CALCULUS AND DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
- VECTOR ALGEBRA
- STATISTICS AND PROBABILITY
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NDA Admit Card 2026
NDA 1 exam is scheduled to be conducted on April 12, 2025. The admit card will be released on the official website. The NDA 1 admit card contains the following details:
- Name of the Candidate
- Date of Birth
- Roll Number
- Category
- Exam Center
- Exam Date
- Exam Timings
- Signature & Photograph
How to Download NDA 1 Admit Card 2025?
To download the NDA 1 admit card, check out the steps below:
- Visit the UPSC's official website.
- On the home page, candidates will find a link to the E-Admit Card for NDA & Naval Academy Examination.
- After clicking the link, the instruction page will appear, which candidates must read and accept.
- Then, candidates will be able to download their admit cards using their Registration ID or Roll Number.
- Choose one of them and enter the information requested by the commission.
- The UPSC NDA admit card will appear on the screen after you submit your information.
- Download and print the admit card for future reference.
NDA Exam Center 2026
UPSC conducts the NDA & NA exams across multiple exam centres. These NDA exam centres are spread across more than 70 cities of the country. The centres will be released in the official NDA notification.
UPSC NDA Exam Day Guidelines
Candidates who have applied for the exam and received their admit cards must be familiar with the NDA exam day guidelines/instructions in order to avoid confusion on exam day. The following are the exam day guidelines for the NDA and NA exams:
- Candidates must carry their NDA admit card to the exam centre.
- Check your admit card carefully to ensure there are no errors.
- Along with the admit card, bring ID proofs such as an Aadhar card, a driver's license, or a voter ID card.
- Take no paper, books, sheets, or calculators into the examination hall.
- Rough sheets will be provided to candidates by the exam centre; therefore, candidates should avoid bringing their own rough sheets.
NDA Answer Key 2026
After the recruitment process is completed, the UPSC releases the NDA answer key. Several coaching institutes, however, release unofficial answer keys after the written examination. Candidates can use the NDA unofficial answer key to determine their likely score.
NDA Result 2026
The NDA result is announced after the successful completion of the NDA written exam. The result is declared in the form of a PDF containing the names and roll numbers of the candidates selected for the SSB Interview round.
SSB Interview Result 2026
The results of the SSB interview round are announced on the fifth day, which is conference day. Candidates who pass the SSB Interview round are designated as recommended candidates and must pass a medical examination. The final merit list is prepared following the successful completion of the medical examination of recommended candidates.
NDA Cutoff 2026
After the recruitment process is completed, UPSC publishes the NDA cutoff. To pass both stages, candidates must clear the cutoffs for the NDA written exam and the SSB interview. Both the written exam and the SSB round are taken into account in the final merit list.
Candidates can check the NDA Cutoff 2023 in the table below:
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Exam
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Written Exam Cutoff (Out of 900)
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Final Cutoff (Out of 1800)
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NDA 1 Exam
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301
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664
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NDA 2 Exam
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292
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656
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Read More: NDA Cutoff 2026
NDA Vacancy 2026
NDA 1 vacancy 2026 will be relaesed along with the notification by the UPSC on the official website. Meanwhile, candidates can check NDA 2 Vacancy 2025 . The NDA vacancies are announced along with the release of the official notification. Aspirants can check the NDA 2 2025 vacancy in the table below:
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NDA
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Naval Academy
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Total
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Army
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Air Force
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Navy
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406
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208 (including 10 for female candidates)
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(i) Flying-92 (including 02 for female candidates)
(ii) Ground Duties (Tech)-18 (including 02 for female
candidates)
(iii) Ground Duties (Non-Tech)- 10 (including 02 for
female candidates)
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42 (including 5 for female candidates)
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36 (including 4 female candidates)
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NDA Salary 2026
There are a variety of benefits and allowances included in the NDA salary, such as allowances, perks, and other benefits. The benefits and allowances a serviceman receives may differ depending on his rank and location.
During their training period, students are paid a stipend of INR 56,100. Trainees are paid the government-specified salaries once they are commissioned into different wings.
Candidates can check the table below for more information on NDA salary:
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Ranks
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Salary (Per Month)
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Lieutenant
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INR 56,100/- to INR 1,77, 500/-
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Captain
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INR 61,300/- to 01,93,900/-
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Major
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INR 69,400/- to 02,07,200/-
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Lieutenant Colonel
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INR 01,21,200/- to 02,12,400/-
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Colonel
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INR 01,30,600/- to 02,15,900/-
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Brigadier
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INR 01,39,600/- to 02,17,600/-
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Major General
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INR 01,44,200/- to 02,18,200/-
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Lt. General HAG Scale
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INR 01,82,200/- to 02,24,100/-
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HAG+ Scale
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INR 02,05,400/- To 02,24,400/-
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VCOAS/ Army Cdr/ Lt Gen (NFSG)
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INR 02,25,000/- Fixed
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COAS
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INR 02,50,000/- Fixed
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Read More: NDA Salary 2026
NDA Previous Year Question Papers
Aspirants preparing for the NDA and NA exams should practice with NDA previous year question papers. It enables candidates to understand the exam pattern and the likelihood of questions that can be repeated and are important in the exam.
NDA Mock Test Papers - Candidates must extensively practice NDA mock test papers to assess their strengths and weaknesses. The mock test papers must be solved in the same manner as the NDA & NA exams.
The NDA & NA exam is conducted for candidates who wish to join the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force. The exam is held twice a year in April & September. Candidates wishing to join any of the wings of the Indian Armed Forces must fulfil the eligibility criteria set by the conducting authority.
