NDA FAQ

You must satisfy all four of the following:

• Nationality: Indian citizen, or subject of Nepal/Bhutan, or Tibetan refugee (settled before 1 Jan 1962), or Indian-origin person from specified countries.
• Age: Between 16.5 and 19.5 years on the date specified in the notification. Both male and female unmarried candidates are eligible.
• Marital Status: Must be unmarried at the time of joining NDA.
• Education: Passed or appearing in Class XII (10+2) from a recognised Board.

It depends on which wing you want to join:

• Army Wing: Class XII passed in any stream — Arts, Commerce, or Science.
• Navy & Air Force Wings: Class XII with Physics and Mathematics as subjects is mandatory.

If you are from Arts/Commerce, you can still join the Indian Army through NDA — but the Navy and Air Force paths require PCM.

The age window is set per notification. For NDA 1 2026 (exam April 2026):

Born between 2 Jul 2007 and 1 Jul 2010

For NDA 2 2026 (exam September 2026), the UPSC releases a separate notification with a different DOB window — typically 6 months later. The overall range is always 16.5 to 19.5 years as of a specific cut-off date mentioned in the notification.

Yes. Following the Supreme Court order in 2021 and subsequent notifications, female candidates are now eligible to apply for NDA. They must meet the same eligibility criteria as male candidates — be unmarried, within the age window, and have the required educational qualifications. Separate vacancies are notified for women.

No minimum percentage is required to appear in the NDA written exam. You only need to have passed Class XII (or be appearing for it). However, at the time of joining NDA after clearing all stages, you must have passed Class XII. The written exam merit and SSB interview performance determine selection — not your board exam percentage.

There is no fixed limit on the number of attempts. You can attempt NDA as many times as you remain within the age window of 16.5 to 19.5 years. Since the exam is held twice a year, a candidate typically gets 4–6 attempts depending on their date of birth. Once you cross 19.5 years, you are no longer eligible.

The NDA written exam has two papers, both conducted on the same day:

Paper	Subject	Marks	Duration	Questions
Paper I	Mathematics	300	2.5 hours	120
Paper II	General Ability Test (GAT)	600	2.5 hours	150
Total Written		900	5 hours total	270

GAT includes English (200 marks) and General Knowledge (400 marks). Questions are MCQ-based with negative marking.

The Mathematics paper covers standard Class XI–XII topics:

• Algebra — Sets, quadratic equations, complex numbers, matrices, determinants, binomial theorem, permutations & combinations
• Trigonometry — Ratios, identities, heights & distances, inverse trigonometric functions
• Calculus — Limits, derivatives, integration, differential equations
• Vector Algebra, Statistics & Probability
• Coordinate Geometry — Lines, circles, conics
• Analytical Geometry in 3D — Planes, lines in space

NCERT Class XI–XII Mathematics is the best foundation. Supplement with NDA-specific practice books.

GAT (600 marks, 2.5 hours) is split as:

• English — 200 marks (50 Qs): Grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, spotting errors, sentence arrangement, fill in the blanks.
• General Knowledge — 400 marks (100 Qs): Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History of India, Indian Geography, Current Affairs, and General Awareness.

GK is the larger section and covers a broad range. Focus on NCERT books for Science and Social Studies (Class VI–XII), along with current affairs for the past 6–12 months.

Candidates who qualify the written exam are called for the SSB (Services Selection Board) Interview. The full selection process is:

1. Written Exam — UPSC conducts, shortlists candidates for SSB
2. SSB Interview — 5-day process at SSB centres across India
3. Medical Examination — 3–5 days at Military Hospitals
4. Merit List + Training — Final merit based on Written + SSB marks

The SSB is a 5-day assessment of your personality, leadership, and officer potential. It has two stages:

• Stage I (Day 1–2): OIR (Officer Intelligence Rating) test + PPDT (Picture Perception & Discussion Test). Candidates who fail Stage I are sent home on Day 2.
• Stage II (Day 2–5): Psychology Tests (TAT, WAT, SRT, SDT), Group Testing Officer Tasks (GTO — group discussions, outdoor tasks, command tasks, lecturette), and Personal Interview.
• Day 5: Conference — all assessors review your overall performance. Recommended / Not Recommended decision announced.

UPSC does not officially declare a fixed cut-off. The cut-off varies every cycle based on the number of vacancies and the difficulty of the paper. Based on historical trends:

• Written exam cut-off: typically around 300–360 out of 900 (varies significantly).
• Final merit cut-off (Written + SSB combined): typically around 700–750 out of 1800.

Focus on scoring well in both Mathematics and GAT — a strong GAT score can compensate for a weaker Maths performance.

NDA training at Khadakwasla (Pune) lasts 3 years and includes:

• NDA (3 years): Academic + military + physical training. You earn a B.Sc. or B.A. degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) upon completion.
• Pre-Commission Training (1–1.5 years): At respective service academies — IMA (Dehradun), INS Zamorin (Ezhimala), Air Force Academy (Hyderabad) — for final officer training.

You are a Commissioned Officer (Second Lieutenant / Sub-Lieutenant / Flying Officer) on passing out.

Yes. NDA cadets receive a stipend of approximately ₹56,100 per month during their training period to cover personal expenses. Accommodation, food, uniform, and medical care are provided by the academy. After commissioning, officers receive full pay as per 7th Pay Commission scales.

Standards vary by wing. General benchmarks:

• Height (minimum): 157 cm for Army; 162.5 cm for Air Force and Navy.
• Eyesight: Stricter requirements for Air Force. For Army: corrected vision acceptable in some cases. Check the official notification for current standards as these get revised.
• Medical Fitness: No significant history of major illness, surgery, or psychiatric conditions. Full examination at Military Hospitals post SSB recommendation.

Application is fully online through upsc.gov.in. UPSC introduced a new 4-module system for 2026:

1. Universal Registration (URN) — create once, valid for all future UPSC exams for life.
2. Common Application Form (CAF) — educational qualifications, service preference. Both an uploaded photo AND a live-captured photo are required.
3. Exam-Specific Module — select NDA/NA exam, choose examination centres, pay fee.
4. Submit and save the confirmation. No corrections allowed after final submission.

Application fee: ₹100 (SC/ST/Sons of JCOs/NCOs: exempt).

For the written exam: just your admit card + valid photo ID.

For SSB reporting, carry originals + 2 attested photocopies of:

• Matriculation/Class X certificate (proof of date of birth)
• Class XII marksheet / passing certificate (or appearing proof)
• NDA call-up letter
• Travel tickets (for TA reimbursement)
• Caste certificate if applicable
• Recent passport-size photographs (at least 10)

Yes. The NDA written exam (Mathematics and GAT) is available in both English and Hindi. You choose your language preference during the application. The English paper within GAT is, however, conducted only in English by definition.