NDA Eligibility 2026 Age Limit, Qualification & Physical Standards

The NDA eligibility criteria are the minimum criteria which a candidate has to meet to appear for the National Defence Academy (NDA) entrance exam conducted by the UPSC. NDA eligibility criteria involve nationality, Age, Educational Qualifications, Marital status, gender, and physical and medical eligibility criteria.

Meeting the eligibility criteria applies throughout the application procedure till the completion of the selection stages:

• Written Examination
• Services Selection Board (SSB) Interview
• Document Verification
• Final Medical Examination

If a candidate is found not to fulfil the eligibility criteria at any stage, candidature may stand cancelled. The latest UPSC norms specify that any male or female candidate is eligible for the examination provided all other mentioned eligibility criteria are met by the concerned candidate.

The precise eligibility dates will be communicated separately via the official UPSC NDA notification for both NDA 1 and NDA 2. NDA II 2026 application form concluded on June 11, 2026, with a small extension of the last date. The written test for NDA II will be held on September 13, 2026.

Aspirants should ensure they fulfil:

• Date of birth eligibility
• Closing date of application
• Educational qualification cut-off date
• Medical examination schedule
• Document verification timeline

The eligibility criteria consist of multiple conditions that every applicant must fulfill.

A candidate must be:

• A citizen of India, or
• A subject of Nepal, or
• A person of Indian origin who has migrated from specified countries with the intention of permanently settling in India, subject to eligibility conditions notified by the Government of India.

Certain categories require a Certificate of Eligibility issued by the Government of India unless exempted under official rules.

Age eligibility must be within the date of birth provided by the respective UPSC notification. NDA exam typically allows applicants within the age of about 16 years to 19 years, but actual age limits are published for every examination only in the official notification.

Unmarried candidates only are allowed to apply for admission. Candidates must remain unmarried during the entire duration of the training course. A candidate's marriage during training is subject to the candidate’s disqualification/resignation from the academy as per the service rules.

National Defence Academy is open to both boys and girls for admission as long as candidates are qualified according to eligibility criteria and vacancies.

Educational eligibility differs according to the service wing chosen.

The age criterion is among the most important aspects of NDA eligibility.

Candidates should carefully compare their date of birth with the range prescribed in the official notification.

UPSC states a specific date of birth eligibility window for all NDA examinations to ascertain the suitable candidate. A candidate whose date of birth falls within the stated limit is only permitted to take the NDA test. For the NDA exam, the date of birth in Class X or an equivalent document is regarded as conclusive, and it shall be final when verifying candidates’ records.

Unlike many competitive examinations, UPSC does not provide category-wise age relaxation for the NDA examination.

The age limit remains the same for:

• General
• OBC
• SC
• ST
• EWS

No relaxation is granted based on the reservation category.

Educational qualifications vary depending on the service wing.

Candidates must have passed Class 12 or equivalent examination from a recognized board.

Students from Science, Commerce, or Arts streams are eligible for the Army Wing.

Candidates must have passed Class 12 with:

• Physics
• Mathematics

From a recognized board.

Only candidates satisfying these subject requirements are eligible for these wings.

Candidates who will appear in Class XII or are awaiting results may apply provisionally. But, the candidates must submit proof of qualifying the requisite examination within the stipulated time frame fixed by UPSC/Concerned Academy. The candidature may stand cancelled in the event of non-submission of required educational documents.

Nationality requirements are prescribed by UPSC and the Government of India.

Most applicants are Indian citizens, while certain other categories are eligible, subject to specified conditions and documentary proof.

Candidates should carefully read the official notification if applying under special nationality provisions.

Yes. Female candidates are now eligible to participate in the NDA exam after revised eligibility guidelines were issued. Other aspects of their entry into the services, including the selection procedure, written test, SSB interview, medical examination, and training curriculum, are largely the same as those of male applicants but vary depending on the branch/service and reported vacancies.

Only Unmarried candidates shall be eligible. Candidates should also promise not to get married during the training period. In case of violation, the training is liable to be terminated, and training expenses are liable to be recovered as per prevailing Rules and Regulations.

Qualifying the written examination alone is insufficient.

Candidates must also satisfy the medical standards prescribed for commissioning into the Armed Forces.

Candidates should possess:

• Good physical health
• Sound mental health
• Normal body proportions
• No chronic diseases affecting military duties
• Satisfactory physical fitness

The medical examination follows standards prescribed by the Armed Forces Medical Services.

Minimum acceptable height varies depending on:

• Gender
• Service
• Region of domicile
• Growth standards

Weight should be proportionate to height and age according to official medical guidelines.

Relaxations in minimum height may apply to candidates from specific geographical regions such as Gorkhas and certain North Eastern and hill areas, as notified by the Government.

The common criteria of vision are:

Fair vision at distance, adequate near vision. Normal color vision, if appropriate for the entry no gross abnormalities. Any candidate who has had a specific type of eye surgery and/or exceeds the normal limits of vision may be medically disqualified as per the guidelines at that time.

These commonly seen reasons could be:

• Heart defects and serious cardiac conditions
• Asthma and uncontrolled Asthma
• Acute impairment of hearing
• Spinal curvatures in severe forms
• Flat feet
• Knock knees
• Grave psychiatric illness
• Progressive neurological disorder
• Some other dermatological conditions, uncontrolled diabetes

Final medical fit is decided by the authorized Armed Forces Medical Board.

Permanent tattoos are typically only accepted for placement on the inner side of the forearm and back of the hand, subject to set conditions. Tribal tattoos may be allowed in accordance with Government Policy. Tattoos outside of acceptable area locations could render an applicant medically unfit.

Having spectacles is not a bar to candidature. Your suitability is based on the amount of your refractive error, your vision levels, the condition of your eyes, and the medical standard prescribed for the service. It is important that during the medical examination, you fulfill the prescribed eye standard.

The eligibility criteria vary for the wing you choose:

1. ARMY Wing- Students should have passed 12th from the ARTS, COMMERCE, and SCIENCE streams.
2. AIR FORCE AND NAVY- The student must have passed 12th level in physics and Maths.

Hence, please check the subjects for eligibility of your concerned wing before filling the form.

A diploma qualification alone does not automatically satisfy NDA educational eligibility.

Candidates must meet the educational qualification prescribed by UPSC. Diploma holders should carefully check whether their qualification is recognized as equivalent to Class 12 under the applicable rules before applying.

Yes, candidates appearing for the Class 12 exam are eligible to apply. But they must pass the exam and produce the required certificate before the given last date by UPSC/ Academy.

There is no separate educational or age relaxation for NCC candidates in the NDA examination.

However, NCC experience may prove beneficial during personality assessment, leadership evaluation, and the SSB interview.

Foreigners/persons of Indian origin are also eligible to appear under any of the mentioned nationalities as specified in the UPSC notification. But they would have to acquire a Certificate of Eligibility from the Government of India unless an exemption is granted by the relevant rules.

Candidates would not be eligible in case of:

• Having more or less an age limit.
• Being married.
• Lack of Educational Qualification.
• Not meeting the Nationality Qualification criteria
• Not being medically fit.
• Submission of fake or wrong information.
• Non-fulfillment of the document verification process.
• Having not satisfied with the respective subjects of the concerned wing services.

Candidates should keep the following documents ready:

• Class 10 certificate (proof of date of birth)
• Class 12 mark sheet or passing certificate
• Identity proof
• Recent passport-size photographs
• Category certificate (if applicable)
• Nationality or eligibility certificate (where applicable)
• Valid photo identification
• Other documents specified in the UPSC notification

Original documents are verified during later stages of selection.

Applications may be rejected due to:

• Incorrect personal details
• Wrong date of birth
• Incomplete application form
• Non-payment of fee (where applicable)
• Invalid photograph or signature
• Failure to meet eligibility criteria
• Multiple conflicting applications
• Submission of false information

Candidates should carefully review their application before final submission.

• Read the official UPSC notification thoroughly.
• Verify your date of birth before applying.
• Choose the service wing based on your educational qualification.
• Ensure all uploaded documents are accurate.
• Maintain physical fitness well before the medical examination.
• Do not rely on unofficial information regarding eligibility.
• Preserve all original educational documents until completion of the selection process.

Getting an adequate comprehension of the NDA Eligibility 2026 eligibility criteria can pave the path towards a flawless NDA application. In each phase of the selection procedure, candidates are examined for eligibility on factors like nationality, age limit, academic achievements, marital status, and medical standards. Given the stern application of the NDA selection eligibility criteria, each and every aspirant should ensure they comply with the specified standards of eligibility for NDA application, just so they don't end up getting eliminated.

Pay close attention to the notification for NDA recruitment, maintain the paperwork diligently, and be physically and mentally fit to face the examination procedure without any issues or disqualifications.

Proper understanding of these NDA recruitment eligibility criteria rules will certainly boost their morale while facing the written exam and SSB and pave the way towards NDA.