UPSC NDA 2026: Eligibility, Age Limit, Vacancy & Selection Process
NDA is the only route in this list where you can be selected before you turn 19, and the only one where the government pays for your degree. Candidates and parents consistently underestimate how narrow the window is — you are effectively eligible for two or three attempts across Classes 11 and 12, and then it closes permanently.
UPSC NDA 2026 at a glance
| Conducting body | Union Public Service Commission |
|---|---|
| Examination | National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination |
| Total vacancies | Not announced |
| Qualification | Class 12 pass; Physics and Mathematics required for Air Force and Navy |
| Age limit | 16–19 years as on 01 Jul 2027 (relaxation below) |
| Application dates | Not announced not yet verified as published ↗ |
| Application fee | ₹100 (nil for SC, ST and sons of JCOs/NCOs/ORs) |
| Exam date | Not announced not yet verified as published ↗ |
| Salary | ₹56,100 – ₹1,77,500 per month (Level 10 (on commissioning)) |
| Apply online | UPSC application portal ↗ |
| Official website | upsc.gov.in ↗ |
Are you eligible for UPSC NDA 2026?
UPSC NDA counts your age on 01 Jul 2027, and nobody gets relaxation — a single day over is out. Enter your date of birth and we will check it exactly.
UPSC NDA age limit and relaxation 2026
The age limit for UPSC NDA 2026 is 16 to 19 years as on 01 Jul 2027. No category relaxation applies — not for OBC, not for SC or ST. That is unusual, and it is why this window matters more than any other on the site: it opens at 16, shuts at 19, and does so for everyone equally. A candidate who misses it has no later route to the same commission.
| Category | Relaxation | Effective maximum age |
|---|---|---|
| Every category | No relaxation | 19 years |
There is no OBC, SC/ST or PwD extension for this entry. The window is the same for every candidate, which is why missing it costs a full cycle. Full age relaxation rules →
UPSC NDA posts and salary
| Post | Department | Pay level | Monthly pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Army wing | Indian Military Academy, Dehradun | Level-10 | ₹56,100–1,77,500 |
| Navy wing | Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala | Level-10 | ₹56,100–1,77,500 |
| Air Force wing | Air Force Academy, Hyderabad | Level-10 | ₹56,100–1,77,500 |
UPSC NDA selection process
| Stage | Details |
|---|---|
| Written exam | Mathematics (300 marks) and General Ability Test (600 marks). |
| SSB Interview | Five-day Services Selection Board process, 900 marks. |
| Medical | Detailed medical examination by a military board. |
Who should apply for UPSC NDA
For unmarried candidates aged 16 to 19 who want a commissioned career in the armed forces. Physics and Mathematics in Class 12 are mandatory for the Air Force and Navy wings, so the stream decision in Class 11 already determines your options.
- Candidates must be unmarried. Marriage during training results in discharge.
- Physics and Mathematics in Class 12 are compulsory for the Air Force and Navy wings, but not for the Army wing.
- The SSB is a five-day process assessing officer-like qualities, not academic knowledge.
UPSC NDA 2026 — आयु सीमा और योग्यता
राष्ट्रीय रक्षा अकादमी परीक्षा (UPSC NDA) 2026 के लिए आयु सीमा 01 Jul 2027 को 16 से 19 वर्ष है। इस प्रवेश में किसी भी श्रेणी को आयु में छूट नहीं मिलती।
शैक्षणिक योग्यता: 12वीं पास; वायुसेना और नौसेना के लिए भौतिकी और गणित अनिवार्य। पदों की संख्या अभी घोषित नहीं · वेतन ₹56,100 से ₹1,77,500 प्रति माह · आवेदन की तिथियाँ अभी घोषित नहीं।
अपनी योग्यता मुफ़्त जाँचें →UPSC NDA 2026 — frequently asked questions
What is the age limit for NDA?
Can a commerce or arts student apply for NDA?
Is NDA a good option compared to preparing for CDS later?
What UPSC NDA is actually like
NDA leads to a commission in the Army, Navy or Air Force after three years at Khadakwasla followed by service-specific training. It is a military career decided at eighteen, and that is the honest framing: a candidate commits before most people have finished a first degree.
The SSB interview is five days of assessment that has little in common with the written paper — group tasks, psychological tests and a personal interview looking for officer-like qualities rather than knowledge. Candidates who clear the written and fail SSB repeatedly usually fail on the same thing each time, and it is coachable but not crammable. The medical is thorough and disqualifies for conditions most people do not know they have. With no relaxation for any category and a ceiling of 19½, this window is the least forgiving on the site.
Verified 2026-08-17 4 of 7 critical fields checked against the official notification. Checked against the notification on upsc.gov.in ↗.
UPSC NDA — official documents
Published by Union Public Service Commission on upsc.gov.in. Every link below goes to the commission's own file, not to a copy. Dates are the ones the commission declared on each document.
UPSC NDA 2026 — important links
| Apply online | Applications for UPSC exams open on upsconline.gov.in ↗ |
| Official website | upsc.gov.in ↗ |
| Check your eligibility | Am I eligible for UPSC NDA? — free |
| Admit card, result, answer key | Admit cards · Results · Answer keys |
| Syllabus and exam pattern | Selection process for UPSC NDA |
| Where UPSC publishes them | Admit cards, results and syllabus appear on the official site linked above. |
| How we track this exam | |
| New UPSC notices on upsc.gov.in are picked up every 4 hours; dates read from them are marked until someone confirms them. | |
Questions about UPSC NDA
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Vacancy figures, dates and salaries are compiled from official notifications and change between cycles. Age limits vary between posts within the same exam. Always confirm against the official notification on upsc.gov.in before applying.