
NDA Cutoff 2026: The Union Public Service Commission releases the exam cutoff after the declaration of final result. The National Defence Academy/Naval Academy exam will be conducted on April 12, 2026. The Commission will release the NDA 2026 cutoff in October 2026. The Commission releases the category-wise and force-wise cutoff on its official website- upsc.gov.in. The candidates will be required to breach their category-cutoff to get selected in the NDA result.
Candidates are to secure separate cut off marks in NDA exam and SSB interview. The cut off written is calculated out of 900 marks. NDA cut off 2026 for SSB interview is calculated out of 900 marks. NDA cut off for final selection is calculated out of 1800 marks. The exam for the next session will be held on September 14, 2026. Read below for more details on NDA cut off.
- NDA Cutoff 2026
- NDA Exam Schedule 2026
- How to Check NDA Cut off 2026?
- NDA Cut off for Written Exam
- NDA Cut off for Final Selection
- NDA Result
- NDA Cut off FAQs
NDA Cutoff 2026
The Union Public Service Commission will release the Cutoff and the scorecard of the candidates after the declaration of final result. The candidates will be required to check their scores after logging with their UPSC OTR and password. NDA cutoff for both sessions of the exam is released after the declaration of the final result. NDA cutoff is released separately for the written exam and final selection. The cutoff for the written exam is calculated out of 900 marks.
The final selection cutoff is calculated based on the marks secured by the last recommended candidates out of 1800 marks (900 marks of written exam and 900 marks of SSB Interview). The qualifying NDA cutoff marks prescribed for each subject were 25 per cent. Candidates are required to qualify NDA exam by securing separate cutoff marks in the written exam and SSB Interview. On the basis of NDA cutoff, candidates are recommended for admission to Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of National Defence Academy and Naval Academy.
Also Read: NDA Dates
Factors Affecting NDA Cut off
NDA cut off is calculated based on the following factors:
- Number of test-takers
- Total vacancies
- Exam difficulty
Commonly asked questions
NDA cut off is the minimum qualifying marks that candidates need to secure in the written exam and SSB interview. UPSC prescribes cut off marks for written exam and final selection. Candidates need to secure separate qualifying marks in written exam and SSB interview. Candidates securing the NDA cut off marks are called for subsequent rounds of selection process. NDA exam is conducted to select eligible candidates for admission to Army, Navy and Air Force wings of National Defence Academy and Indian Naval Academy course. NDA selection process comprises written exa and SSB interview. Candidates qualifying the written exam by securing the required cut off are called for the SSB interview. Candidates need to secure the cut off marks in the SSB interview also.
NDA cut off is released after the completion of the exam. The cut off is released separately for the written exam and final selection. There are also sectional cut off marks for the exam. Candidates need to secure 25 per cent in each subject of NDA exam. Based on the cut off marks of the written exam, candidates are selected for the SSB Interview. The final cut off is decided based on the written exam and SSB interview.
NDA Exam Schedule 2026
Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of NDA 2026 exam
| Dates | Upcoming Exam Dates |
|---|---|
| Apr ' 26 | NDA 1 2026 Result TENTATIVE |
| Dates | Past Exam Dates |
|---|---|
| 30 Apr ' 25 | NDA 1 Result 2025 |
| 26 Sep ' 23 | NDA 2 Result 2023 |
How to Check NDA Cut off 2026?
NDA cut off is announced after the completion of recruitment process. The cutoffs for written exam and final selection are released together. The process to check the cut off marks are given below.
- Visit UPSC
- Click the 'Examination' bar on the home page
- From the drop-down, select 'Cutoff' tab
- Clicking that, candidates are taken to the year-wise cut off page
- Check the same and save it
Commonly asked questions
NDA cutoffs are released on the official website in PDF form after the declaration of the final result. The cutoff marks are also provided on this page after it is announced by the examination authority. The cut off are released separately for written exam and final selection. Candidates need to secure the cut off marks inorder to get selected in the exam. The steps to check NDA cut off marks are given below:
- Visit the official website of UPSC
- From the 'Examination' tab, candidates need to go to the 'Cut off' tab
- In the cut off page, candidates will find the NDA cut off marks
- Check the cut off marks
The hard copy of NDA scorecard is not sent to candidates by post. Candidates need to download it online only. The scorecard is made available after the completion of the recruitment process. Candidates can download their scorecards by logging with the required credentials.
NDA Cut off for Written Exam
NDA cutoff for the written exam is decided out of 900 marks. UPSC also decides on sectional for the written exam. The sectional cut off is calculated on the basis of the total marks of each section. The sectional cut off is 25 per cent in each subject. Candidates securing equal to or more than the cut off marks are called for SSB Interview.
Also Read: NDA selection process
NDA Previous Years' Cut off for Written Exam
NDA 1 Cut off 2025
| Name of the Wing | Minimum qualifying standard at the written stage(out of 900 marks) | Marks secured by last recommended candidate at Final Stage(out of 1800 marks) |
|---|---|---|
| Army, Air Force, Indian Navy and Indian Naval Academy Courses |
334 (With at least |
699 |
NDA 2 2024 Cut off
| Sl.No. | Name of the Wing | Vacancies | Number of Recommended candidates | Minimum qualifying standard at the written stage(out of 900 marks) | Marks secured by last recommended candidate at Final Stage(out of 1800 marks) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |
Army, Air Force, Indian Navy and Indian Naval Academy Courses |
208 (including 10 for |
792 |
305 (With at least 25% marks in each subject) |
673 |
NDA 1 2024 Cut off
NDA 1 2024 cut off has been released. Check below the cut off marks.
| Branch | Written Exam Cut off | Final Cut off |
|---|---|---|
| Army, Navy, Air Force and Naval Academy | 291 (With at least 20% marks in each subject) | 654 |
NDA Cut off 2023
NDA 2023 cut off for written exam and final selection is given below.
NDA 1 Cut off 2023
| Name of the Wing | Minimum qualifying standard at the written stage (out of 900) | Marks secured by last recommended candidate [Final Stage] (out of 1800) |
|---|---|---|
| Army |
301 (With at least 25% marks in each subject) |
664 |
|
Navy |
||
|
Air Force |
||
| Naval Academy |
||
| Total |
NDA 2 Cut off 2023
| Name of the Wing | Vacancies | Number of Recommended candidates | Minimum qualifying standard at the written stage (out of 900 marks) | Marks secured by last recommended candidate at Final Stage (out of 1800 marks) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army |
208 (including 10 for female candidates) |
|
|
|
| Navy |
42 (including 12 for female candidates) |
|
|
|
| Air Force |
|
|
|
|
| Flying |
92 (including 02 for female candidates) |
699 |
292 (With at least 20% marks in each subject) |
656 |
| Ground duties (Tech) |
18 (including 02 for female candidates) |
|||
| Ground duties (Non-Tech) |
10 (including 02 for female candidates) |
|
|
|
| Naval Academy |
25 (including 07 for female candidates) |
|
|
|
| Total |
395 |
|
|
|
NDA Cut off for written exam from 2022 to 2016
| Year | NDA 1 cut off (Out of 900 marks) |
|---|---|
| 2022 |
360 (With at least 25% marks in each subject) |
| 2021 |
343 (With at least 25% marks in each subject) |
| 2020 |
355 (With at least 25% marks in each subject) |
| 2019 |
342 (With at least 25% marks in each subject) |
| 2018 |
338 (With at least 25% marks in each subject) |
| 2017 |
342 (With at least 25% marks in each subject) |
| 2016 |
288 (With at least 25% marks in each Subject) |
| Year | NDA 2 cut off (Out of 900 marks) |
|---|---|
| 2022 |
316 (With at least 20% marks in each subject) |
| 2021 |
355 (With at least 25% marks in each subject) |
| 2020 |
355 (With at least 25% marks in each subject) |
| 2019 |
346 (With at least 25% marks in each subject) |
| 2018 |
325 (With at least 25% marks in each subject) |
| 2017 |
258 (With at least 25% marks in each subject) |
| 2016 |
229 (With at least 20% marks in each subject) |
Commonly asked questions
To clear the NDA exam, you generally need to score between 340 to 360 out of 900 marks. NDA cut off for written exam is calculated out of 900. NDA cut off for final selection is calculated out of 1800. NDA cut off is calculated based on difficulty level of the exam, number of test takers, number of vacancies.
NDA 2 is hard in terms of difficulty level. It is conducted for candidates who have passed Class 12. The test comprises two papers. The total marks allotted are 900. Selection is done based on the written exam and SSB Interview.
NDA Cut off for Final Selection
NDA cut off for final selection is the marks secured by the last finally recommended candidates. The cut off for this stage is decided out of 1800 marks (900 marks of written exam + 900 marks of Interview.
Previous years’ NDA Cut off for Final Selection
| Year | NDA 1 cut off (Out of 1800 marks) |
|---|---|
| 2022 |
720 |
| 2021 |
709 |
| 2020 |
723 |
| 2019 |
704 |
| 2018 |
705 |
| 2017 |
708 |
| 2016 |
656 |
| Year | NDA 2 cut off (Out of 1800 marks) |
|---|---|
| 2022 |
678 |
| 2021 |
726 |
| 2020 |
719 |
| 2019 |
709 |
| 2018 |
688 |
| 2017 |
624 |
| 2016 |
602 |
Also Read: NDA salary
Commonly asked questions
NDA cut off is released after the declaration of the final result. The cut off is released separately for written exam and final selection. The process to check NDA cut off are given below.
- Visit UPSC
- Go to the 'Cut off' page from 'Examination'
- Click the NDA cut off link
- The cut off is displayed on the screen
- Download the cut off and save it
NDA Result
NDA result for written exam is announced within 15 days after the exam is conducted. NDA exam result is made available roll number and name-wise. Candidates qualifying the written exam are called for SSB Interview. The final selection is done based on written exam and SSB Interview.
Commonly asked questions
NDA 1 result 2026 will be announced in the third week of April. The result will be made available roll-number and name-wise. Candidates need to secure the qualifying marks in the exam.
UPSC NDA & NA II 2026 result is expected to be announced in September. The result PDF will comprise the roll numbers of qualified candidates. Selection of candidates is done based on merit.
NDA Cut off FAQs
Candidates can check below NDA Cut off FAQs.
Commonly asked questions
NDA 1 2025 cut off marks are given below.
| Name of the Wing | Minimum qualifying standard at the written stage (out of 900 marks) | Marks secured by last recommended candidate at Final Stage (out of 1800 marks) |
|---|---|---|
Army, Air Force, Indian Navy and Indian Naval Academy Courses | 334 (With at least 25% marks in each subject) | 699 |
NDA 2 2024 cut off marks are given below.
| Sl.No. | Name of the Wing | Vacancies | Number of Recommended candidates | Minimum qualifying standard at the written stage (out of 900 marks) | Marks secured by last recommended candidate at Final Stage (out of 1800 marks) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Army, Air Force, Indian Navy and Indian Naval Academy Courses | 208 (including 10 for |
792 |
305 (With at least 25% marks in each subject) |
673 |
NDA marks are rounded off up to two decimal digits for all stages. This done by applying the standard rounding off principle,
wherever applicable. While applying the tie-breaking principles, the rounded-off marks upto two decimal digits are considered for resolving all tie cases.
No, NDA cut offs are the same for all armed forces - Army, Navy, Air Force and Naval Academy. The cut off for the written exam is calculated out of 900 marks. Moreover, candidates are also required to secure the sectional cut off marks in the exam. Candidates need to secure separate cut off marks in the written exam and final selection. NDA Cut Off is released after completion of the NDA exam along with the NDA Result. NDA cutoff is will be released separately for the written exam and the final selection. The written exam cutoff is calculated out of 900 marks. The last selected candidates’ scores are used to determine the final selection cutoff, which is based on their performance out of 1800 marks (900 for the written exam and 900 for the SSB interview).
Wherever two or more candidates have secured equal aggregate marks in NDA & NA exam, the ties are resolved in accordance with the following principles approved by the Commission:
- In case of equal marks in aggregate, the candidate senior in age may be placed at higher rank and
- In case of the candidates having same age and same aggregate marks, the candidate getting higher aggregate score in written papers may be placed at higher rank
After declaration of NDA exam results, candidates are required to register themselves for SSB Interview. After this process, they are allotted date, time and admit card for SSB Interview.
NDA result is announced separately for written exam and SSB interview. After the result for the written exam is announced, candidates are called for SSB Interview. After completion of the SSB Interview, UPSC prepares a merit list based on the performance in the written exam and SSB interview. Allotment of candidates are done based on the written exam and SSB interview.
The medicals after NDA SSB are called SMB (Special medical Board). This done at the Military Hospitals. Each recommended candidate are required to go through it. The TR/PR candidates get another chance to prove themselves medically fit within 42 days from the medical conference, this is called AMB (Appeal medical Board). This takes place at Command Hospitals. The candidates who are rejected from AMB may or may not get the chance for Review Medical Board (RMB). RMB is not the right of the candidate but is given by reviewing your ailment by senior doctors of Army at the office of DGMS behind North Block, near Rashtrapati Bhavan. It usually takes about a month.
UPSC prescribes qualifying marks for each subject of NDA exam. Besides, the examination authority also releases the cut off marks for written exam and final selection. The section-wise qualifying marks are 25 per cent.
In case the aggregate final marks are equal then securing more marks in the written exam are placed in higher rank. Candidates securing more marks in Paper 2 (GAT) are placed in higher rank. Age is also given preference while resolving the ties.
NDA Exam
Student Forum
Answered Yesterday
You can check Ground Zero Defence Academy in Dehradun. I've heard they focus on written + physical + SSB preparation together. You may visit and decide as per your comfort
B
Beginner-Level 1
Answered a week ago
Hi Krishna, NDA preparation and JEE preparation are very different in orientation. The General Studies and English paper in NDA makes all the difference. The General Studies in NDA has a vast syllabus and can not be prepared in one or two months.
JEE preparation need a concentrated effort because th
A
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
Hi Vaibhav, the NDA applications were open from December 10 to 30, 2025. The Commission also provided the application correction window for one week after that on its official website. Now it is not available.
The NDA exam 2026 will be conducted on April 12.
A
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
The 4 new NDA recommendations of Doon Defence Dreamers were reported from multiple SSB and AFSB boards, reflecting performance across different centres rather than a single location. The recommendations came from Army SSB boards such as Allahabad and Bhopal, along with Air Force Selection Boards (AF
d
Beginner-Level 2
Answered a month ago
When I started looking for online NDA coaching programs, my main goal was to find something that went beyond just recorded lectures. I compared multiple online platforms and also visited several coaching institutes in Dehradun to understand how their online and hybrid programs actually support stude
d
Beginner-Level 2
Answered a month ago
Candidates after joining Navy gets the position of Sub Lieutenant. With promotions, candidates reach to the level of Admiral. The posts offered to candidates in Navy are given below.
Sub Lieutenant |
Lieutenant |
Lt Commander |
Commander |
Captain (Selection) |
Captain (Time Scale) |
Commodore |
Rear Admiral |
Vice Admiral |
Admiral |
M
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
Candidates after clearing NDA and commissioning get the position of Lieutenant. The posts offered to candidates are given below.
Lieutenant |
Captain |
Major |
Lieutenant Colonel |
Colonel (Selection) |
Colonel (Time Scale) |
Brigadier |
Major General |
Lieutenant General |
General |
I
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
NDA salary from Lt. Col level 12A is between INR 1,21,200 to 2,12,400. The same for Col. level 13 is INR 1,39,600-2,17,600. It is INR 1,44,200-2,18,200 for Maj General Level 14.
B
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
NDA salary for Lt. Level 10 is INR 56, 100 to 1,77,500. The salary for Capt. level 10 B is INR 61,300-1,93,900. NDA Salary for Major Level 11 is INR 69,400-2,07,200.
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
NDA admit card is released one week before the exam day. NDA 1 hall ticket is expected in April. The call letter for NDA 2 will be released in September. Candidates can download their admit cards online only.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Exam On - 12 Apr '26
Which are the op NDA coaching in Dehradun?