Are there any allowances along with the NDA salary?

There are multiple allowances offered to the Officers along with NDA salary such as Uniform Allowance, Dearness and Transport Allowance, Para Reserve Allowance, Technical Allowance, Children Education Allowance, Hostel Subsidy, High Altitude Allowance, etc. The Army Aviators (Pilots) in Lt and above in Level 10 and above serving in the Army Aviation Corps are entitled to flying allowance of INR 25,000 (R1H1 of Risk and Hardship Matrix).. .

What should I do if my name is more than 30 characters in the NDA form?

You can abbreviate your name within 30 characters and fill it in the name column of NDA application form. You need to send a signed written request to Joint Secretary (Examination), UPSC Dholpur House, Shahjahan Road, New Delhi 110069 by speed-post or fax by giving details of the full name and reasons for abbreviation in this regard. Applicants need to fill NDA application form online. Candidates are not required to sent the hard copy of the NDA application form. The application form can be filled in two parts. In Part 1 of NDA application form, candidates need to fill register for the exam, choose the preferred branch, verify the details and generate the registration ID. In Part 2, candidates need to select the exam centre, upload scanned images of photograph and signature. Before filling the application form, candidates need to complete the one time registration.

How many vacancies were announced for NDA 2 2024 exam?

A total of 404 vacancies were announced for NDA 2 2024 exam. The vacancy break-up is given below. Academy Wings No. of Vacancies NDA Army 208 (including 10 for female candidates) Navy 42 (including 06 for female candidates) Air Force Flying- 92 (including 02 for female candidates) Ground Duties (Tech)-18 (including 02 for female candidates) Ground Duties (Non Tech)-10 (including 02 for female candidates) Naval Academy (10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme) - 34 (including 05 for female candidate) Total 404

How many vacancies were announced for NDA 2 exam in 2023?

A total of 395 vacancies were announced for NDA 2 2023 exam. Out of total vacancies, 208 vacancies were announced for Army, 42 for Navy, 120 for Air Force and 25 for Indian Naval Academy (10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme). A total of 35 vacancies were announced for women candidates.

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.

How many questions are asked in NDA exam?

A total of 120 questions are asked in the Maths paper of NDA. Questions are usually asked from Algebra Matrices and Determinants Trigonometry Analytical Geometry Of Two and Three Dimensions, Differential Calculus, Integral Calculus, and Differential Equations Vector Algebra Statistics and Probability. In the GAT part of the NDA exam, a total of 150 questions are asked. This section is divided into parts. Part A comprises questions from English and Part B comprises questions from General Knowledge. In English questions are generally asked from Spotting Errors, Antonyms, Synonyms, Idioms, and Phrases and Fill in the Blanks. In General Knowledge, questions are asked from Physics Chemistry Biology Indian Polity, History, Geography, Economy, Defence Specific, Current Affairs & Static GK, etc.

What are the passing marks in NDA?

Candidates are required to score a minimum of around 25 per cent marks in each subject to clear the NDA written exam. The total marks allotted to the written exam are 900. Besides the subject-wise cut off marks, the examination authority also decides overall cut off marks for different defence services. Candidates are required to secure both section-wise and overall cut off marks. To be in the final merit list, candidates are required to secure separate qualifying marks in the written exam and SSB interview.

What is NDA Universal Registration Number?

URN is the Universal Registration Number which is generated after filling the Personal Details which once created forms the permanent record of the applicant using which he/she can fill all future applications of the Commission.

What photo-identity proofs do I need to upload during filling NDA application form?

Candidate should also have details of one photo ID such as Aadhar Card/ Voter Card/ PAN Card/ Passport/ Driving License/School Photo ID/Any other photo ID Card issued by the State/Central Government while filling the application form. Besides photo-identity proof, candidates are also required to upload their scanned photographs and signatures. Candidates need to bring the same photo-identity proof along with the admit card to the exam centre for appearing the written exam and SSB interview. The photo-identity proof that candidates upload during registration is used for all future reference by UPSC.The application form needs to be filled online only. Candidates must have their photographs and signatures duly scanned in the .jpg format in such a manner that each file should not exceed 300 KB each and must not be less than 20 KB in size for the photograph and signature. Candidates scan their photo-identity proof in PDF only. The size of the PDF file should not exceed 300 KB and must not be less than 20 KB.

What details should I retain after completion of successful submission of my NDA form?

The Account Creation details and CAF details including mobile number, email ID, password, URN number are permanent record and will be required every time the candidates fill any application. These may be retained and carefully preserved.

Does NDA select cadet according to academy vacancy or service vacancy?

NDA select cadet based on service vacancy. It is according to the number of officers required at that time. But the academy accommodation also plays a role. The existing infrastructure at the academy can accommodate a certain number of cadets each term. If it is extended or the intake is greater than the capacity, the training standards will drop.

NDA Recruitment 2026: Check Vacancies, Eligibility, Selection Process & Result

NDA 2 2026 Exam

13 Sep '26

Updated on Jun 7, 2026 14:40 IST

By Shikha Goyal, Assistant Manager

NDA Recruitment 2026: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will conduct the NDA 2 exam on September 13, 2026. The admit card for the same will be released three or four days prior to the examination date at upsc.gov.in. The UPSC NDA & NA 1 recruitment notice was published on December 10, 2025. The NDA 2 application form is available from May 20 to June 9, 2026. The NDA 2 notification was released on May 20 officially.

NDA recruitment notification is made available in PDF form and contains details such as eligibility criteria, vacancies, reservation policy, admit card, stages of exam, etc. NDA recruitment is done for admission to Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of National Defence Academy and Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC). NDA recruitment is one of the sought-after defence entrance exams in the country. Read below for more details on NDA recruitment.

Table of contents

NDA Registration 2026
NDA Exam Schedule 2026
NDA Eligibility
Details of NDA Exam Pattern and Syllabus
NDA Salary
NDA Vacancies 2026
NDA Selection Process
NDA Recruitment 2026 FAQs

NDA Registration 2026

Interested candidates need to fill NDA application form online. The application fee can be paid both online and offline which is INR 100. Candidates must note that the application fee is exempted for SC/ST candidates/Sons of JCOs/NCOs/ORs. Only unmarried male and female candidates who have completed Class 12 can apply for the exam. To fill the application form, candidates need to first complete the one time registration. After generation of one time registration ID, candidates will be able to fill the application form. The process to fill the application form is given below.

Visit UPSC
Create the One Time Registration Password
Login to fill the detailed application form
Candidates need to enter all the required details in the application form
Submit the same after paying the fees

Also Read: NDA vacancy

NDA Exam Schedule 2026

Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of NDA 2026 exam

Dates	Upcoming Exam Dates
Sep ' 26	NDA 2 Admit Card 2026 TENTATIVE
13 Sep ' 26	NDA 2 2026 Exam
Sep ' 26	NDA 2 Provisional Answer Key 2026 TENTATIVE
Oct ' 26	NDA 2 Result 2026 TENTATIVE

Dates	Past Exam Dates
20 May ' 26	NDA 2 2026 notification
20 May ' 26 - 11 Jun ' 26	NDA 2 2026 application
08 May ' 26	NDA 1 2026 Result
View More Past Events (18)

NDA Eligibility

NDA eligibility is fixed by the examination authority. The age of candidates is 16.5 to 19.5 years. Candidates must have passed Class 12. Those who appeared in the Class 12 exam can also apply. Candidates must check the eligibility before applying.

Details of NDA Exam Pattern and Syllabus

NDA exam is divided into a written exam and SSB Interview. The written as per NDA exam pattern comprises two papers-GAT and Maths. The total marks allotted to the written exam are 900. The SSB Interview is held for 900 marks. Candidates can check below the paper pattern.

Papers	Subject	Maximum marks	Duration
Paper 1	Mathematics	300	2 ½
Paper 2	GAT	600	2 ½
Total		900	5 hours

NDA syllabus is simple and comprises the topics that candidates have studied in Class 10, 11, and 12 standards. The Mathematics section comprises topics from Algebra, Matrices, and Determinants, Trigonometry, Integral Calculus, and Differential Equation, Vector Algebra, etc. GAT comprises topics from General Knowledge and English.

NDA Marking Scheme for Maths

Candidates will get 2.5 marks for each correct answer and there is also a negative marking of 0.83 marks deducted for each incorrect answer. Candidates can check below the marking scheme as well as the number of questions.

Total Marks	300 Marks
Total No. of Questions	120
Correct Answer	2.5 marks
Marks deducted for the wrong answer	- 0.83
Total duration of Mathematics Paper	2 Hours 30 Minutes

Candidates who will qualify the NDA 2026 exam will give SSB interview. The NDA written exam consists of two subjects namely Maths and GAT. There is a negative marking in the UPSC NDA exam and total marks allotted are 900. The NDA exam pattern is very crucial for the candidates to understand as it provides the overall structure of an exam. It highlights marking scheme, total marks, duration of an exam, shift timings, etc. The NDA exam is conducted twice every year in April and September. The mode of an exam is offline. Candidates who will clear the written exam will be called for the SSB interview. Knowing the exam pattern is necessary for the exam. It helps to know the structure of the paper.

NDA Salary

The Gentleman cadets undergoing training at IMA are INR 56,100. After the successful training, the NDA salary of the Officer Commissioned will be fixed in the first Cell of Level 10. Besides, candidates are also entitled to various benefits. The rank-wise salary of Officers is given below:

Ranks	NDA salary (In INR)
Lt to Maj	Lt: Level 10 (56,100-1,77,500) Capt: Level10 B (61,300-1,93,900) Maj: Level 11 (69,400-2,07,200)
Lt Col to Maj Gen	Lt Col: Level 12A (1,21,200-2,12,400) Col: Level 13 (1,30,600-2,15,900) Brig: Level 13A (1,39,600-2,17,600) Maj Gen - Level 14 (1,44,200-2,18,200)
Lt Gen to HAG Scale	Level 15 (1, 82, 200-2,24,100)
HAG+Scale	Level 16 (2,05,400-2,24,400)
VCOAS/ArmyCdr/Lt Gen (NFSG)	Level 17 (2,25,000) (fixed)
COAS	Level 18 (2,50,000) (fixed)

NDA Vacancies 2026

NDA vacancy 2026 will be released along with the notification. The vacancies are released for different academies. Candidates can check below the last year vacancy break-up.

NDA 2 Vacancy 2025

Academy	Wings	No. of Vacancies
NDA	Army	208 (including 10 for female candidates)
	National Defence Academy Navy	42 (including 05 for female candidates are allotted for Navy NDA )
	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)	-	36 (including 04 for female candidates)

NDA Selection Process

The selection of candidates is done based on the written exam and SSB Interview. UPSC will prepare a list of candidates who obtain the minimum qualifying marks in the written exam. Such candidates are required to appear before the Services Selection Board for Intelligence and Personality Test. Candidates need to secure separate qualifying marks for the written exam and SSB Interview. On the basis of candidates' performance in the written exam and SSB Interview NDA selection is done. The final allocation to the Army, Navy, Air Force of the National Defence Academy and 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme of Indian Naval Academy is done based on the number of NDA vacancies, eligibility criteria, medical fitness, and merit-cum-preference of candidates.

Read More:

NDA Recruitment 2026 FAQs

Candidates can check below NDA recruitment 2026 FAQs.

Q: What are the stages of NDA selection process?

NDA exam is conducted in two stages: written and SSB Interview. Candidates qualifying the written exam of NDA by securing the required cut off marks are called for the SSB interview. The SSB Interview is divided into two stages. Candidates qualifying theStage 1 are called for the Stage 2 exam. Stage 1 of the SSB Interview comprises Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and Picture Perception and Description Test (PP&DT). Stage 2 comprises Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests, and the Conference. This stage carries 900 marks.

Q: What is the standard of questions in the NDA exam?

NDA exam carries two papers-Maths and GAT of Class 10, 11 & 12 levels. The GAT paper is further divided into two parts-English and General Awareness. With a good preparation, candidates can crack the exam. Candidates can also refer to the high school level books to clear their concepts of topics asked in the exam.

Q: How many vacancies were announced for NDA 1 2023?

UPSC announced 395 vacancies for NDA 1 2023. A total of 208 (including 10 for female candidates) were announced for Army, 42 (including 03 for female candidates) for Navy and 120 for Air Force (two vacancies each were earmarked for Flying and Ground Duty (Technical & Non-Technical Branches). NDA exam is conducted for admission of candidates to the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of NDA and Indian Naval Academy courses.

Q: What are the important topics for NDA General Knowledge?

Questions in this section of NDA exam are asked from General Science, Indian history, Physics Geography, Chemistry and Current Events. Candidates must read the newspapers and watch news channels to know about the national and international events. Candidates must refer to the six months Current Affairs for NDA exam.

Q: How much time is required for NDA Exam Preparation?

NDA preparation requires one year to six months. Candidates must focus on all subjects and topics relevant to the exam. They should attempt mock tests. Candidates must know the exam pattern and syllabus. They should also solve the previous years question papers.

Q: How to prepare for NDA exam in three months?

Candidates must prepare a proper study plan for NDA exam. Besides, they must solve previous years question papers. Attempt mock tests to know the strong and weak areas.To crack the exam, the preparation should be good.

Q: How do I use previous years' question papers to prepare for NDA?

NDA exam consists of two papers- Maths and GAT. Total marks allotted to the The following tips help candidates to prepare for NDA exam.
Understand the exam
Know the syllabus
Solve the previous years question papers
Prepare a timetable
Follow the study routine
Attempt mock tests