UPSC NDA 2026 Selection Process, Written Exam & SSB Interview

Exam On - 12 Apr '26

Updated on Mar 24, 2026 16:10 IST

By Shikha Goyal, Assistant Manager

NDA Selection Process 2026: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is the conducting body that conducts the NDA exam. The selection process consists if the written exam, SSB Interview, Medical Examination and Final Merit List. The total marks for the NDA exam allotted is 1800 out of which written exam is of 900 marks and SSB is of 900 marks. The training academy is National Defence Academy. The NDA exam is conducted twice a year.

Both male and female candidates can apply for the exam. Candidates between16.5 to 19.5 years and who have passed Class 12 pass can apply for the exam. NDA 2026 selection process started with the release of notification. A total of 394 vacancies are announced for NDA 1 2026 exam. The application form was available from December 10 to 30. The exam will be conducted on April 12, 2026. Read below for more details on NDA selection process.

Table of contents

NDA Selection Process 2026
Training Process of Girl Cadets in NDA
NDA Salary
NDA Vacancies 2026
NDA Selection Process FAQs

NDA Selection Process 2026

NDA is one of the most competitive defence exams in the country. Through this, candidates are selected for training at the prestigious National Defence Academy. The selection process of NDA is explained below.

Release of Notification

NDA notification is released online in PDF form. It comprises the details related to the exam. Candidates are advised to read the UPSC NDA notification PDF before applying.

Filling Application Form

Application process is completely online. Candidates need to first create their profiles with UPSC for filling NDA application form. This is called one time registration and through this they can apply for any exam conducted by the Commission. After profile creation, candidates can access the detailed application form. The fee is INR 100 for General Categories. SC/ST candidates/female candidates/Wards of JCOs/NCOs/ORs are exempted from fee payment.

Issue of Admit Card

The call letter is issued online for the written exam. Registered candidates can download their NDA admit cards by logging with the required credentials. The hard copy of the admit card is not sent by post.

NDA Exam

NDA exam is conducted in two stages-written and SSB Interview. The marks allotted to the written exam are 900. The SSB carries 900 marks. Merit is decided based on the performance in both the stages. Candidates are required to be medically fit.

Also Read:

NDA Syllabus

NDA Exam Pattern

Declaration of Result

The result is announced separately for written exam and final selection. NDA result is made available in PDF form roll-number and name-wise. NDA cut off is released after the declaration of the final result.

Also Read: NDA Answer Key

Commonly asked questions

Q: What is the maximum number of attempts allowed for NDA exam?

Candidates can apply for the exam within their age. The educational qualification is Class 12 pass. The eligibility is prescribed by the examination authority for candidates. Applications are accepted only who satisfies the eligibility.

Q: What is the complete selection process of NDA exam?

The step-by-step selection process of NDA exam is explained below:

Filling the Application Form

The application process is completely online. Interested candidates need to apply from the official website. The application fees are INR 100, however, SC/ST candidates/Sons of JCOs/NCOs/ORs were exempted from paying the fees. NDA application form comprises two parts: Part I (Registration) and Part II (Filling the application form).

Release of Admit Card

NDA admit card is released online three weeks before the exam. All registered candidates can download the admit card by logging with either registration number or roll number. The hard copy of the NDA admit card is not sent to candidates by post.

Appearing in Written Exam

The written exam comprises two sections: Mathematics and General Ability Test. The total marks of the written exam are 900. Each paper is held for 2 ½ hours. Total questions asked in GAT are 150 while it is 120 in Mathematics.

Declaration of Result

NDA result is declared in two stages: written and final. The result of both the stages is declared online. The results are made available in PDF format. NDA resultdisplays the roll numbers of qualified candidates. NDA Cutoff is announced after the completion of selection process.

Appearing in SSB Interview

SSB Interview comprises two stages. Stage I comprise Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and Picture Perception Description Test (PP&DT). The candidates will be shortlisted based on the combination of performance in OIR Test and PP&DT. Stage II comprises Interview, Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests and the Conference. These tests are conducted over four days.

Final Selection

To be acceptable should secure the minimum qualifying marks separately in written exam and SSB Interview. Subject to these conditions the qualified candidates will be placed in a single combined list on the basis of total marks secured by them in the written exam and SSB Interview.

Training Process of Girl Cadets in NDA

The girls of the age group 16 ½ to 19 years are eligible to undergo three-year training in NDA. The military training of the girl cadets is conducted in a gender-neutral manner. A total of 1.7 lakh women candidates applied for UPSC NDA 2 exam 2021. Out of these 1002 women candidates had qualified the written exam. The training objective of the girl cadet at NDA continue to remain as centre excellence for producing military leaders equipped with professional, moral and physical attributes with minimum changes to the existing curriculum in training, drill outdoor training, etc. Owing to the physiological differences between male and female cadets, there might be certain changes in the physical training of girl cadets.
Also Read:

NDA Preparation

NDA Books

Commonly asked questions

Q: What is the process of training in NDA Pune?

NDA is the joint training institute for all three services-Army, Navy and Air Force. After joining the NDA cadet undergo training for three years. After graduating from NDA candidates are sent to their respective training academies for one year of training before commissioning. Army cadets are sent to the Indian Military Academy (Dehradun), naval cadets to the Indian Naval Academy (Ezhimala), and Air Force cadets to the Air Force Academy (Dundigal, Hyderabad).

Q: What after final selection in NDA?

The selected candidates undergo training at NDA. After passing out from NDA, cadets go to the respective defence academies for further training.

Q: How are candidates assessed in NDA SSB Interview?

Candidates are judged based on their Psychological Aptitude and Intelligence in the SSB Interview of NDA exam. The Ministry of Defence establishes NDA SSB (Service Selection Board). NDA SSB is the body that schedule, organise and conduct SSB interview for the aspirants applying for Indian Military Forces. SSB Interview is conducted at the NDA SSB Centres. The NDA SSB interview is conducted for Intelligence and Personality Test. Aspirants applying for the Air Force have to separately qualify for the CPSS (Computerized Pilot Selection System) & PABT (Pilot Aptitude Battery Test).

NDA Salary

The stipend given to Gentlemen Cadets during the entire duration of training in Service academies is INR 56,100. After the successful training, the NDA salary of the Officer Commissioned will be fixed in the first Cell of Level 10. They also receives various allowances.

Commonly asked questions

Q: How much will the NDA salary be fixed after the successful training of the Officer Commissioned?

NDA salary to be fixed after the successful training of the Officer Commissioned is given below.

NDA Salary After 7th Pay Commission
NDA Posts	NDA Pay Scale	NDA Pay Level
Stipend during training at IMA	56,100	Level 10
Lieutenant	56,100 -1,77,500	Level 10
Captain	61,300- 1,93,900	Level 10 B
Major	69,400-2,07,200	Level 11
Lieutenant Colonel	1,21,200-2,12,400	Level 12A
Colonel	1,30,600-2,15,900	Level 13
Brigadier	1,39,600-2,17,600	Level 13A
Major General	1,44,200-2,18,200	Level 14
LT General HAG Scale	1,82,200-2,24,100	Level 15
HAG + Scale	2,05,400-2,24,400	Level 16
VCOAS/Army CDr/Lt Gen (NFSG)	2,25,000 (fixed)	Level 17
COAS	2,50,000 (fixed)	Level 18

Q: What are the monetary benefits given to NDA Officers in case of mishap?

The monetary benefits given to NDA Officers in case of mishap are given below:

In case of disability

Monthly Ex-gratia amount of INR 9,000 per month.
Ex-gratia disability award of INR 16,200 per month
Constant Attendant Allowance (CCA of INR 6, 750 per month for 100 per cent disable on the recommendation of Invaliding Medical Board (IBM).

In case of death

Ex-gratia amount of INR 12.5 Lacs to the NoK.
The Ex-gratia amount of INR 9,000 per month to the NoK.
The Ex-gratia awards to Cadets (Direct)/NoK, will be sanctioned purely on ex-gratia basis and the same should not be treated as pension for any purpose.

Q: Is NDA exam tough to crack?

NDA exam is highly competitive. Candidates can crack the exam with proper preparation and practice.

NDA Vacancies 2026

NDA 1 2026 vacancies were announced along with the notification. This includes vacancy details for women candidates. UPSC NDA vacancies are announced separately for different branches of recruitment. Check below the vacancy break-up.

Academy	Wings	No. of Vacancies
NDA	Army	208 (including 10 for female candidates)
	Navy	42 (including 05 for female candidates) (All Executive Branch)
	Air Force	(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)
Naval Academy (10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme)	-	24 (including 03 for female candidates) (All Executive Branch)
Total		394

Commonly asked questions

Q: Can women candidates apply for Indian Naval Academy courses for NDA exam?

Women candidates can apply for Indian Naval Academy courses for NDA exam. In 2024, vacancies were released for women candidates for admission to Indian Naval Academy courses.

Q: How many vacancies were announced for NDA 1 2026 exam?

A total of 394 vacancies were announced for NDA 1 2026 exam. The break-up is given below.

Academy	Wings	No. of Vacancies
NDA	Army	208 (including 10 for female candidates)
	Navy	42 (including 05 for female candidates) (All Executive Branch)
	Air Force	(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)
Naval Academy (10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme)	-	24 (including 03 for female candidates) (All Executive Branch)
Total		394

Q: What is psychological test in NDA SSB interview?

The pyschological tests in NDA SSB interview comprises the following:

Thematic Apperception Test
Word Association Test
Situation Reaction Test
Self Description Test

NDA Selection Process FAQs

Candidates can check below the FAQs related to NDA selection process.

Q: Is NDA exam conducted every year?

NDA exam is conducted every year twice in a year. The exam is conducted to select candidates for admission to Army, Navy and Air Force wings of NDA and Indian Naval Academy courses. The selection process comprises written exam and SSB Interview. The total marks allotted to the written exam are 900. The SSB interview carries 900 marks.

Q: What is the per month salary for NDA Officers?

NDA salary per month is INR 56,100 during the training period. After joining NDA, candidates get the starting salary. Over the time, the NDA salary increases based on the experience and performance. NDA salary per month for Lieutenant is between INR 56,100-1,77,500. The highest NDA salary for Officer is INR 2,50,000 per month for the Chief of Army Staff. The month-wise NDA salary is given below:

Captain: INR 61,300-1,93,900
Major: INR 6,94,00-2,07,200
Lieutenant Colonel: INR 1,21,200-2,12,400

Q: What is NDA marking scheme?

There are negative marks for wrong answers in NDA exam. 1/3 of the marks allotted to each question are deducted for the incorrect answer. There is no deduction in marks for unanswered questions.

Q: What is the insurance policy given to the selected cadets in NDA?

Army group insurance fund cover is INR 15 Lakh. An ex-gratia amount of INR 12.5 Lacs or INR 9,000 per month is paid to the NoK.

Q: What is the current NDA salary during the entire duration of training in Service academies?

NDA salary during the entire duration of training is INR 56,100. Candidates starting salary during the training period and in the initial phase of their job. Over time, the post and salary of NDA officers keep increasing based on their performance and experience. The NDA salary per month for the Lieutenant post ranges from INR 56,100 to 1,77,500, while the highest salary for NDA Officer is INR 2,50,000 per month for the Chief of Army Staff.

Q: What is the full form of NDA?

NDA stands for National Defence Academy. NDA is situated at Khadakwasla, Pune, Maharashtra and it is one of the most prestigious military training institutions in the world. NDA trains cadets for Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. The cadets are trained to become officers in the Indian Armed Forces upon graduation. Cadets are received a Bachelor's degree in the field of engineering or technology or any other field. NDA exam is conducted for two courses every year, one starting in January and the other starting in July. The courses are of three years duration and cadets are trained in various aspects of military and academic education. NDA exam comprises written exam and SSB interview.

Q: What are the ranks given to the candidates on successful commissioning?

On successful commissioning in Army, candidates are given the rank of Lieutenant. In Navy, candidates are given the rank of Sub Lieutenant. In Air Force, candidates are given the rank of Flying Officer. The starting NDA salary of an Officer is INR 56,100. This is the stipend offered to the candidates during the training period and the minimum salary that a Lieutenant gets. It keeps on increasing as per the level of the post.

Q: What is pre-commissioning stipend for NDA Gentlemen Cadets?

The Lady/Gentlemen Cadets during pre commission trg when in receipt of stipend are insured for INR One Cr as applicable to officers of the regular Army. Monthly AGIF subscription will be deducted directly by PCDA (O), Pune. For those who are invalidated out by Invalidated Medical Board (IMB) on account of disability and not entitled to any pension will be provided INR 25 Lacs for 100 percent disability. This will be proportionately reduced to INR 5 Lacs for 20 percent disability. However, for less than 20 percent disability, an ex-gratia grant of INR 50,000 only will be paid. Disability due to alcoholism, drug addiction
and due to the diseases of pre-enrolment origin will not qualify for disability benefit and ExGratia Grant. In addition, Lady/Gentleman Cadets withdrawn on disciplinary grounds, expelled as an undesirable or leaving the Academy voluntarily will not be eligible for disability benefits and Ex-Gratia.

Q: How the candidates are selected against NDA vacancies?

Candidates for NDA exam are selected as per the vacancies. The written exam is held for 900 marks. The SSB interview is conducted for 900 marks. The final selection of candidates is done based on both the stages.