NDA Exam Guide 2026

NDA 2026 notification updates and complete exam guide. Check exam dates, vacancies, eligibility criteria, selection process, syllabus, and application details.

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📊 Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme

📊 Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme

Academy/Wing	Required Education
Army Wing of National Defence Academy (NDA)	12th Class pass of the 10+2 pattern of School Education or equivalent.
Air Force & Naval Wings of NDA AND Indian Naval Academy (10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme)	12th Class pass with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics of the 10+2 pattern or equivalent.

📊 NDA Eligibility for Male in Indian Army

Age (yrs)	Minimum weight for all ages	Age: 17 to 20 yrs	Age: 20+01 day - 30 yrs	Age: 30 + 01 day - 40 yrs	Age: Above 40 yrs
Height (cm)	Weight (Kg)	Weight (Kg)	Weight (Kg)	Weight (Kg)	Weight (Kg)
140	35.3	43.1	45.1	47.0	49.0
141	35.8	43.7	45.7	47.7	49.7
142	36.3	44.4	46.4	48.4	50.4
143	36.8	45.0	47.0	49.1	51.1
144	37.3	45.6	47.7	49.8	51.8
145	37.8	46.3	48.4	50.5	52.6
146	38.4	46.9	49.0	51.2	53.3
147	38.9	47.5	49.7	51.9	54.0
148	39.4	48.2	50.4	52.6	54.8
149	40.0	48.8	51.1	53.3	55.5
150	40.5	49.5	51.8	54.0	56.3
151	41.0	50.2	52.4	54.7	57.0
152	41.6	50.8	53.1	55.4	57.8
153	42.1	51.5	53.8	56.2	58.5
154	42.7	52.2	54.5	56.9	59.3
155	43.2	52.9	55.3	57.7	60.1
156	43.8	53.5	56.0	58.4	60.8
157	44.4	54.2	56.7	59.2	61.6
158	44.9	54.9	57.4	59.9	62.4
159	45.5	55.6	58.1	60.7	63.2
160	46.1	56.3	58.9	61.4	64.0
161	46.7	57.0	59.6	62.2	64.8
162	47.2	57.7	60.4	63.0	65.6
163	47.8	58.5	61.1	63.8	66.4
164	48.4	59.2	61.9	64.6	67.2
165	49.0	59.9	62.6	65.3	68.1
166	49.6	60.6	63.4	66.1	68.9
167	50.2	61.4	64.1	66.9	69.7
168	50.8	62.1	64.9	67.7	70.6
169	51.4	62.8	65.7	68.5	71.4
170	52.0	63.6	66.5	69.4	72.3
171	52.6	64.3	67.3	70.2	73.1
172	53.3	65.1	68.0	71.0	74.0
173	53.9	65.8	68.8	71.8	74.8
174	54.5	66.6	69.6	72.7	75.7
175	55.1	67.4	70.4	73.5	76.6
176	55.8	68.1	71.2	74.3	77.4
177	56.4	68.9	72.1	75.2	78.3
178	57.0	69.7	72.9	76.0	79.2
179	57.7	70.5	73.7	76.9	80.1
180	58.3	71.3	74.5	77.8	81.0
181	59.0	72.1	75.4	78.6	81.9
182	59.6	72.9	76.2	79.5	82.8
183	60.3	73.7	77.0	80.4	83.7
184	60.9	74.5	77.9	81.3	84.6
185	61.6	75.3	78.7	82.1	85.6
186	62.3	76.1	79.6	83.0	86.5
187	62.9	76.9	80.4	83.9	87.4
188	63.6	77.8	81.3	84.8	88.4
189	64.3	78.6	82.2	85.7	89.3
190	65.0	79.4	83.0	86.6	90.3
191	65.7	80.3	83.9	87.6	91.2
192	66.4	81.1	84.8	88.5	92.2
193	67.0	81.9	85.7	89.4	93.1
194	67.7	82.8	86.6	90.3	94.1
195	68.4	83.7	87.5	91.3	95.1
196	69.1	84.5	88.4	92.2	96.0

📊 NDA Eligibility for Male in Indian Navy

Height in Mtrs	Up to 17 yrs	17 yrs + 1 day to 18 yrs	18 yrs + 1 day to 20 yrs	20 yrs + 1 day to 30 yrs	Above 30 yrs
Mini mum Weig ht in Kg	Maxi mum Weig ht in Kg	Mini mu m Wei ght in Kg	Maxi mum Weig ht in Kg	Mini mu m Wei ght in Kg	Max imu m Wei ght in Kg	Mini mum Weig ht in Kg	Maxi mum Weig ht in Kg	Mini mu m Wei ght in Kg	Maxi mum Weig ht in Kg
1.47	37	45	40	45	40	48	40	50	40	52
1.48	37	46	41	46	41	48	41	50	41	53
1.49	38	47	41	47	41	49	41	51	41	53
1.5	38	47	42	47	42	50	42	52	42	54
1.51	39	48	42	48	42	50	42	52	42	55
1.52	39	49	43	49	43	51	43	53	43	55
1.53	40	49	43	49	43	51	43	54	43	56
1.54	40	50	44	50	44	52	44	55	44	57
1.55	41	50	44	50	44	53	44	55	44	58
1.56	41	51	45	51	45	54	45	56	45	58
1.57	42	52	46	52	46	54	46	57	46	59
1.58	42	52	46	52	46	55	46	57	46	60
1.59	43	53	47	53	47	56	47	58	47	61
1.6	44	54	47	54	47	56	47	59	47	61
1.61	44	54	48	54	48	57	48	60	48	62
1.62	45	55	49	55	49	58	49	60	49	63
1.63	45	56	49	56	49	58	49	61	49	64
1.64	46	56	50	56	50	59	50	62	50	65
1.65	46	57	50	57	50	60	50	63	50	65
1.66	47	58	51	58	51	61	51	63	51	66
1.67	47	59	52	59	52	61	52	64	52	67
1.68	48	59	52	59	52	62	52	65	52	68
1.69	49	60	53	60	53	63	53	66	53	69
1.7	49	61	53	61	53	64	53	66	53	69
1.71	50	61	54	61	54	64	54	67	54	70
1.72	50	62	55	62	55	65	55	68	55	71
1.73	51	63	55	63	55	66	55	69	55	72
1.74	51	64	56	64	56	67	56	70	56	73
1.75	52	64	57	64	57	67	57	70	57	74
1.76	53	65	57	65	57	68	57	71	57	74
1.77	53	66	58	66	58	69	58	72	58	75
1.78	54	67	59	67	59	70	59	73	59	76
1.79	54	67	59	67	59	70	59	74	59	77
1.8	55	68	60	68	60	71	60	75	60	78
1.81	56	69	61	69	61	72	61	75	61	79
1.82	56	70	61	70	61	73	61	76	61	79
1.83	57	70	62	70	62	74	62	77	62	80
1.84	58	71	63	71	63	74	63	78	63	81
1.85	58	72	63	72	63	75	63	79	63	82
1.86	59	73	64	73	64	76	64	80	64	83
1.87	59	73	65	73	65	77	65	80	65	84
1.88	60	74	65	74	65	78	65	81	65	85
1.89	61	75	66	75	66	79	66	82	66	86
1.9	61	76	67	76	67	79	67	83	67	87
1.91	62	77	67	77	67	80	67	84	67	88
1.92	63	77	68	77	68	81	68	85	68	88
1.93	63	78	69	78	69	82	69	86	69	89
1.94	64	79	70	79	70	83	70	87	70	90
1.95	65	80	70	80	70	84	70	87	70	91

📊 NDA Eligibility for Female for Indian Navy

Height (In cms)	Weight (in kgs) for Different Age Groups
-	20 years	18 years	16 years
152	46	45	44
155	47	46	45
157	49	47	46
160	50	48	47
162	52	50	48
165	53	52	50
167	55	53	52
170	57	55	53
173	59	57	55
175	61	59	57
178	62	61	59
180	64	63	61
183	67	65	63

📊 NDA Eligibility for Male in Indian Air Force

Height (in cm)	Age Range (in Years) / Weight (in Kgs)
15-16	16-17	17-18	18-19
152	41	42.5	44	45
155	42	43.5	45.3	47
157	43	45	47	48
160	45	46.5	48	49
162	46	48	50	51
165	48	50	52	53
167	49	51	53	54
170	51	52.5	55	56
173	52.5	54.5	57	58
175	54.5	56	59	60
178	56	58	61	62
180	58.5	60	63	64.5
183	61	62.5	65	66.5

📊 NDA Eligibility for Female in Indian Air Force

Height (in cm)	Age Range (in Years) / Weight (in Kgs)
15-16	16-17	17-18	18-19
147	38	40	41	42
148	39	40	42	43
149	39	41	42	43
150	40	41	43	44
152	41	42.5	44	45
155	42	43.5	45.3	47
157	43	45	47	48
160	45	46.5	48	49
162	46	48	50	51
165	48	50	52	53
167	49	51	53	54
170	51	52.5	55	56
173	52.5	54.5	57	58
175	54.5	56	59	60
178	56	58	61	62
180	58.5	60	63	64.5
183	61	62.5	65	66.5

📊 Exam Information 8

Visual Standards for Army and Navy Officers	Naval	Air Force
Manifest Myopia	N.A.	Nil Re
Uncorrected without glass	6/6	6/6, 6/9
Corrected with glass	6/6	6/6 (only for Hypermetropia)
Limits of Myopia	-0.75	Nil
Colour Vision	N.A.	CP-I (MLT)
Astigmatism	N.A.	+0.75 Cyl (within + 2.0 D.Max)
Limits of Hypermetropia	+1.5	+2.00 D Sph
Near Vision	N.A.	N-5 each eye
Limits of Colour Perception	I	Nil
Binocular Vision	III	Nil
Telescopic Myopia	N.A.	0.5

📊 Criteria for Spinal Conditions

Disease	Description
Spondylolisthesis/spondylolysis	A condition where one vertebra slips out of place onto the vertebra below it. Spondylolysis is a crack or stress fracture in one of the vertebrae.
Compression fracture of vertebrae	A fracture that occurs when a vertebra in the spine collapses due to injury or disease, such as osteoporosis.
SC Heuerman's disease (Adolescent kyphosis)	Also known as Scheuermann kyphosis, a condition of hyperkyphosis that involves the vertebral bodies and discs of the spine identified by anterior wedging of greater than or equal to 5 degrees in 3 or more adjacent vertebral bodies.
Degenerative Disc Disease	A condition where the discs between the vertebrae of the spine break down, leading to pain, weakness, and numbness.
Presence of Schmorl's nodes at more than one level	Schmorl's nodes are small protrusions of the intervertebral disc into the vertebral body. Their presence at more than one level can indicate degenerative changes in the spine.
Atlantooccipital and atlantoaxial anomalies	Anomalies or malformations in the joint between the skull and the first cervical vertebra (atlantooccipital joint) or the joint between the first and second cervical vertebrae (atlantoaxial joint).
Loss of cervical lordosis when associated with clinically restricted movements of the cervical spine	Cervical lordosis refers to the natural curvature of the cervical spine. Loss of cervical lordosis can indicate a problem with the spine, especially when it is associated with restricted movements of the cervical spine.
Unilateral / Bilateral cervical ribs with demon stable neurological or circulatory deficit	Cervical ribs are extra ribs that grow from the neck vertebrae. They are usually harmless, but in some cases, they can cause neurological or circulatory problems.
Arthritis/spondylosis	A general term for degenerative changes in the spine, including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, osteoarthritis, spondylosis, and degenerative joint disease. It can also refer to non-articular rheumatism, such as lesions of the rotator cuff, tennis elbow, recurrent lumbago, etc.
Hemi vertebrae and/or incomplete block (fused) vertebrae at any level in the cervical, dorsal or lumbar spine and complete block (fused) vertebrae at more than one level in the cervical or dorsal spine	Hemi vertebrae are partial vertebrae that do not form completely. Incomplete block vertebrae are partially fused vertebrae. Complete block vertebrae are fully fused vertebrae. These conditions can occur at any level in the cervical, dorsal, or lumbar spine.
Scoliosis is more than 15 degrees as measured by Cobb's method	Scoliosis is a condition where the spine curves sideways. Cobb's method is a way to measure the degree of curvature in the spine. A scoliosis curve of more than 15 degrees is considered significant.
Unilateral sacralisation or lumbarisation (complete or incomplete) at all levels and bilateral incomplete sacralisation or lumbarisation	Sacralisation and lumbarisation are conditions where the sacrum (the triangular bone at the base of the spine) or the lumbar vertebrae (the lower back) fuse together. Unilateral sacralisation or lumbarisation refers to the fusion of only one side, while bilateral incomplete sacralisation or lumbarisation refers to the fusion of both sides but not completely.
Mention of any other disease by the specialist	The specialist may mention other diseases or conditions that affect the spine, such as granulomatous disease of the spine.

📊 Criteria for CNS

CNS Condition	Description
Mental illness/psychological afflictions	A candidate giving a history of mental illness/psychological afflictions requires detailed investigation and psychiatric referral. Such cases should normally be rejected.
Personality and stability	Every examiner should form a general impression of the candidate’s personality as a whole and may enquire into an individual’s stability and habitual reactions to difficult and stressful situations.
Family history and prior medication use	Family history and prior history of using medication are also relevant.
Insomnia, phobias, nightmares, sleepwalking, or bedwetting	History of insomnia, phobias, nightmares, or frequent sleepwalking or bedwetting, when recurrent or persistent, will be a cause for rejection.
Headaches	Common types of recurrent headaches are those due to former head injury or migraine. Other forms of occasional headaches must be considered in relation to their probable cause. A candidate with a migraine, which was severe enough to make him consult his doctor, should normally be a cause for rejection.
Migraine with visual disturbance or Migrainous epilepsy	Even a single attack of migraine with visual disturbance or Migrainous epilepsy is to be made unfit.

📊 Criteria for Body Tattoos

Criteria	Approval
Tattoos on inside of the forearms from the elbow to the wrist	Acceptable
Tattoos on the reverse side of the palm/back (dorsal) side of both hands	Acceptable
Tattoos on the inside of the elbow to the wrist	Not acceptable
Tattoos on any other part of the body that are permanent	Not acceptable
Tattoos on the backside of palm and inner part of the arm from elbow to the wrist	Subject to doctor certification
Tattoos as per the customs of a tribe	Approval will be granted

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Q1.What is NDA eligibility 2026?

NDA eligibility criteria are specified by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in the NDA official notification. It includes factors like nationality, age limit, educational qualification, and physical & medical requirements.

Q2.When will UPSC release the NDA eligibility 2026 criteria?

The NDA eligibility criteria for 2026 has been released by UPSC along with the official notification. Candidates can check out the criteria above.

Q3.What is the educational qualification required for NDA eligibility 2026?

Candidates who have passed or are either appearing for the class 12th exam are eligible to fill in the NDA Application Form. Students who have passed Class XII examination from a recognized board are eligible to apply for NDA exam. However, students applying for Air Force and Naval Wings must have passed Class XII with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as subjects.

Q4.Can females apply for UPSC NDA Exam?

Yes, unmarried female candidates can appear in NDA Exam.

Q5.What are the physical and medical standards required for NDA eligibility 2026?

Candidates must meet the physical and medical standards set by the UPSC. These standards include height, weight, chest measurement, and eyesight requirements.

Q6.What is the 12th Percentage required for NDA Eligibility ?

Candidates must have passed 12th class with a minimum of 60%.

Q7.How many attempts for NDA can a candidate make?

There is no restriction on the number of attempts for the NDA exam. However, candidates should keep in mind that the age limit for the NDA exam is between 16.5 and 19.5 years.

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