National Defence Academy (NDA) & Navy Academy (NA) are popular exams among youth. Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts NDA exams twice a year for the Army, Navy, and Airforce aspirants. NDA I & NDA II Candidates who wish to apply for National Defence Academy can fill up an NDA form and sit for their exams. Earlier UPSC NDA 1 exam was to be conducted on 21st April 2024. UPSC NDA I notification has been released on 20th December 2023 & UPSC NDA II notification has been released on 15th May 2024 on the official website. UPSC NDA Exams 2024 will take place on 21st April 2024 (NDA I & NA I) and 01st September 2024 (NDA II & NA II) respectively.NDA application form 2024 last date is 09th January 2024 for NDA I exam and 04th June 2024 for NDA II exam. NDA aspirants who wish to apply for the exam can submit the UPSC NDA application form between 20th December 2024 to 09th January 2024. There are a total of approx. 395 vacancies released for NDA recruitment by the Commission. In order to get recruited for the NDA post, candidates must qualify the two stages - NDA written exam and NDA SSB Interview. Candidates who are willing to take the NDA exam should know about the NDA syllabus, registration process, exam date, eligibility, etc.
On August 18th, the Supreme Court passed a remarkable order allowing women to take the NDA exam. Women candidates will now be able to take admission in Army, Navy and Airforce wings of National Defence Academy. SC has also ordered that the admissions will be subject to final orders of the court. UPSC has been directed by the SC to advertise the matter widely and work upon the corrigendum. NDA I and NA I 2024 exams will be conducted on 21st April 2024. NDA II and NA II 2024 exams wll be conducted on 01st September 2024.
The Commission had delivered the NDA and NA (I) 2024 notice on December 20, 2023. By 09th January 2024, online NDA application forms will be considered. The notification was released for admission to the Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of the NDA for the 149th Course, and for the 111th Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC) initiating from February 2024/March 2024 (Tentatively). The number of NDA vacancies is approx. 395 for NDA and NA (I) 2024.
Exam Events |
Dates |
|---|---|
Date of NDA I Notification |
December 20, 2023 |
Date of NDA I Application |
December 20, 2023 |
Last date to Apply for NDA I |
January 09, 2024 |
Date of Commencement of Examination |
April 21, 2024 |
NDA I Admit Card Release Date |
TBA |
NDA I Result Date |
TBA |
The Commission had delivered the NDA and NA (II) 2024 notice on 15th May 2024. By 04th June 2024, online NDA application forms will be considered. The notification was released for admission to the Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of the NDA for the 150th Course, and for the 112th Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC) initiating from Jully 2024/August 2024 (Tentatively). The number of NDA vacancies is approx. 400 for NDA and NA (II) 2024.
Exam Events |
Dates |
|---|---|
Date of NDA II Notification |
15th May 2024 |
Date of NDA II Application |
15th May 2024 |
Last date to Apply for NDA II |
04th June 2024 |
Date of Commencement of Examination |
01st September 2024 |
NDA II Admit Card Release Date |
TBA |
NDA II Result Date |
TBA |
UPSC NDA Selection Process
National Defence Academy consists of two stages of selection of the candidates. First is the written exam & the other is the SSB (Service Selection Board) interview. After the candidates have completed their NDA registration form, they have to take a written test and clear the SSB interview. It is a test regarding a candidate's intelligence and personality.
After the interview, candidates for admission to Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of NDA and INAC are selected based on written exams and interviews.
Candidates preparing for NDA exams should know the NDA syllabus thoroughly. Mathematics and General Ability Test are the subjects that cover the NDA syllabus. If we talk about the NDA Pattern, the exam is conducted in two stages - NDA written exam and NDA SSB Interview. To get shortlisted for the NDA post, candidates must pass both the stages of the NDA exam.
For a detailed Syllabus, you can refer to NDA Syllabus 2024 by clicking on the link.
Eligibility for NDA Exam
NDA candidates must fulfill the following eligibility criteria to apply for the UPSC NDA examination.
Nationality
The candidate is supposed to be an unmarried male who must be -
(i) a citizen of India, or
(ii) a subject of Nepal, or
(iii) a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, and East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, and Ethiopia or Vietnam as a permanent resident of India.
(iv) a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1 January 1962, to permanently settle in India.
Age Limit, Gender & Marital Status
Only unmarried male candidates who were born not earlier than 2nd July 2005 and not later than 1st July 2008 are eligible to apply for NDA exams. The minimum age is 16.5 years during the commencement of course.(not later than 1st Jully 2008) The maximum age is 19.5 years during the commencement of course. (not earlier than 2nd July 2005)
Educational Qualification
For Army Wing of NDA- An NDA & NA Candidate should be a class 12th pass out of 10+2 pattern of school education or similar level exam conducted by Secondary Education Board or University.
For Airforce & Naval Wings of National Defence Academy & for 10+2 cadet entry scheme at Indian Naval Academy
NDA candidate should be a 12th class pass out with Physics, Chemistry & Mathematics of 10+2 pattern of school education or similar level exam conducted by Secondary Education Board or University.
Note
Class 11th students are not eligible to fill an NDA application form or apply for the NDA examination.
Physical Standard
NDA Exam Vacancies 2024
UPSC NDA is a crucial point to focus on. NDA has released the application notification from 21st December 2022 to 10th January 2023. The regulatory body will recruit approx. 395 candidates for the NDA post selection. Although the NDA vacancy notification is out, it is provisional and might change if the authority finds to increase the number of vacancies due to the availability of training capacity.
| Course | Vacancy |
|---|---|
| 148th National Defence Academy (Indian Army) | 208 (Including 10 female vacancies) |
| 148th National Defence Academy (Indian Navy) | 42 (Including 03 female vacancies) |
| 148th National Defence Academy (Indian Air Force) | 120 (Including 06 female vacancies) |
| 110th Indian Naval Academy Course | 25 (Male Candidates only) |
| Total | 395 |
UPSC NDA 1 exam to be conducted on 21st April 2024. UPSC has released the official notification on their website. NDA 2 exam to be conducted on 01st September 2024.
Only unmarried male candidates who were born not earlier than 2nd July 2005 and not later than 1st July 2008 are eligible to apply for NDA exams. NDA candidates must be between 16.5 to 19.5 years to sit for the exam. To know more details regarding the eligibility criteria of NDA exam candidates can click on the link.
After the UPSC aspirants have cleared the NDA written exam and SSB Interview, they turn into an Officer or Lieutenant. The basic pay for an NDA aspirant is Rs 56100/- to 177500/- including all the allowances and benefits.
The NDA syllabus includes Mathematics and General Ability Test as the subjects. The NDA syllabus usually follows the syllabus of class 10th to 12th standard. Candidates can go through NCERT publications for the best NDA books and prepare for the exam.To know the complete details regarding the UPSC NDA syllabus you can follow the link.
NDA exam results will be out together with the NDA Cut Off list. UPSC NDA 1 exam will be taking place on 21st April 2024. Although exams are yet to take place, our experts have curated the NDA Expected Cut off 2023 list. For NDA 1 written exam the cut off is 345 - 355 (with 25% marks in each subject) and for final exam the cut off is 705 -715. For NDA 2 written exam the cut off is 349 - 359 (with 25% marks in each subject) and for the final exam the cut off is 709 - 719.
Yes, girls can now apply for the NDA exam. On 18th September 2021 Supreme Court took a remarkable decision allowing women to sit for the NDA exam. UPSC will conduct the NDA exam for women. Girls will now be able to take the NDA exam.
