NATIONAL DEFENCE ACADEMY AND NAVAL ACADEMY EXAMINATION-II, 2026

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the notification for the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination-II, 2026, inviting applications for 394 posts across the Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of the NDA and the 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme at the Indian Naval Academy. Candidates who have passed or are appearing in the 12th Class (with specific subjects for Air Force and Naval Wings) are eligible to apply. The application window closes on June 9, 2026. Successful candidates will undergo training with a stipend of Rs. 56,100/- per month, leading to commissioning as officers with attractive pay scales.

Important Dates

The key dates for the NDA & NA Examination-II, 2026 are as follows:

Vacancy Details

A total of 394 vacancies are to be filled through this examination. The distribution of vacancies across different academies and services is as follows:

Note: Vacancies are provisional and may be changed.

Eligibility Criteria

Nationality

A candidate must be an unmarried male/female and 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 East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, or Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.

(Candidates belonging to categories (ii) and (iii) require a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India, except for Gorkha subjects of Nepal).

Age Limits, Sex and Marital Status

Only unmarried male/female candidates born not earlier than 01st January 2008 and not later than 01st January 2011 are eligible.

Educational Qualifications

• For Army Wing of National Defence Academy: 12th Class pass of the 10+2 pattern of School Education or equivalent examination conducted by a State Education Board or a University.
• For Air Force and Naval Wings of National Defence Academy and for the 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme at the Indian Naval Academy: 12th Class pass with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics of the 10+2 pattern of School Education or equivalent conducted by a State Education Board or a University.

Candidates who are appearing in the 12th Class under the 10+2 pattern of School Education or equivalent examination can also apply. Such candidates must submit proof of passing the 12th class or equivalent examination by 10th June 2027.

Application Fee

Candidates (except SC / ST candidates / female candidates / Wards of JCOs/NCOs/ORs) are required to pay a fee of Rs. 100/- (Rupees one hundred only). The fee can be paid using net banking, Visa/Master/RuPay Credit/Debit Card, or UPI Payment.

SC/ST candidates and Wards of serving/ex-Junior Commissioned Officers/Non-Commissioned Officers/Other Ranks of Army and equivalent ranks in the Indian Navy/Indian Air Force (if studying in Military School/Sainik School) are exempted from fee payment.

How to Apply

Candidates must apply online through the Commission’s website https://upsconline.nic.in. Applicants are advised to go through the General instructions, Profile/Module-wise instructions, and document uploading instructions available on the home page of the portal before filling the form. The application process involves Account creation, Universal Registration, Common Application Form, and an Examination Specific Module.

Applicants are required to upload their photograph and capture a live photograph while filling the Common Application Form (CAF). Signatures must be uploaded by signing three times (one below the other) on a plain white paper using black ink.

The online application link will be disabled after 06:00 P.M. on 9th June 2026. No withdrawal or modification of applications is allowed after submission.

Selection Process

The selection process for NDA & NA Examination-II, 2026 involves two main stages:

1. Written Examination: Conducted by UPSC, consisting of objective-type questions in Mathematics and General Ability Test. There will be negative marking for wrong answers (one-third of the marks assigned to that question).
2. SSB Interview (Intelligence and Personality Test): Candidates who qualify the written examination will appear for a two-stage SSB interview process.

Physical Standards

Candidates must be physically and mentally fit according to the prescribed physical standards for admission to the National Defence Academy. Medical fitness criteria are subject to revision. Common defects/ailments that may lead to rejection include Wax (Ears), Deviated Nasal Septum, Hydrocele/Phimosis, Overweight/Underweight, Under Sized Chest, Piles, Gynaecomastia, Tonsillitis, and Varicocele. Permanent body tattoos are generally not permitted, with specific exceptions for forearm and tribal customs.

Training and Pay

Selected candidates will undergo preliminary academic and physical training for 3 years at the National Defence Academy. Naval Academy (10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme) candidates will undergo 4 years of training at the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala. During training, cadets receive a fixed stipend of Rs. 56,100/- per month.

Upon successful commissioning, officers will be placed in Level 10 of the Pay Matrix, with a starting pay of Rs. 56,100 – 1,77,500/- for a Lieutenant. Various allowances such as Military Service Pay (MSP) of Rs. 15,500 p.m., Field Area Allowances (High, Medium, Low), Dearness Allowance, Para Allowance, Dress Allowance (Rs. 20,000/- per year), Children Education Allowance, and Hostel Subsidy are also admissible.

Examination Centres

The examination will be held at numerous centres across India. Applicants are advised to apply early to secure a centre of their choice as allotment is on a first-apply-first-allot basis, and centres have a ceiling on the number of candidates.

A comprehensive list of examination centres is provided in the official notification, including cities like Agartala, Agra, Ahmedabad, Aizawl, Ajmer, Aligarh, Almora, Alwar, Ananthapuramu, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Bareilly, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Bilaspur, Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore, Cuttack, Dehradun, Delhi, Dharamshala, Dharwad, Dispur, Faridabad, Gangtok, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Gaya, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Gurugram, Gwalior, Panaji (Goa), Hisar, Hyderabad, Imphal, Indore, Itanagar, Jabalpur, Jaipur, Rajkot, Jammu, Jodhpur, Sambalpur, Jorhat, Shillong, Kannur, Shimla, Kanpur, Siliguri, Kargil, Srinagar, Chennai, Kochi, Srinagar (Uttarakhand), Coimbatore, Kohima, Surat, Cuttack, Kolkata, Thane, Dehradun, Kozhikode (Calicut), Leh, Thiruvananthapuram, Delhi, Tiruchirapalli, Dharamshala, Tirupati, Dharwad, Udaipur, Dispur, Madurai, Varanasi, Faridabad, Mandi (Himachal Pradesh), Vellore, Gangtok, Meerut, Vijayawada, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Gaya, Mysuru, Hanumakonda (Warangal Urban), Ghaziabad, Nagpur.

Important Links

• Apply Online: https://upsconline.nic.in
• Official Website (UPSC): https://upsc.gov.in
• Official Website (Army): https://www.joinindianarmy.nic.in
• Official Website (Navy): https://www.joinindiannavy.gov.in
• Notification PDF: Download Here

NATIONAL DEFENCE ACADEMY AND NAVAL ACADEMY EXAMI FAQ

What is the last date for NATIONAL DEFENCE ACADEMY AND NAVAL ACADEMY EXAMI?

The last date is 09 Jun 2026.

What is the qualification for NATIONAL DEFENCE ACADEMY AND NAVAL ACADEMY EXAMI?

The required qualification is 12th Class pass of the 10+2 pattern of School Education or equivalent examination (for Army Wing); 12th Class pass with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics of the 10+2 pattern of School Education or equivalent (for Air Force and Naval Wings). Candidates appearing in 12th Class can also apply..

Where can I apply for NATIONAL DEFENCE ACADEMY AND NAVAL ACADEMY EXAMI?

Candidates can apply through the official apply link given in the Important Links section.