NDA & NA (I) and (II) Exam

What is NDA & NA (I) and (II) Exam?

The NDA exam is conducted by UPSC for admission to the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of the NDA. This exam is a gateway for candidates looking forward to joining Defence Forces including Army, Navy and Air Force.

This is a national level exam conducted twice a year: NDA I and NDA II to help candidates make a career in Defence services. National Defence Academy & Naval Academy (NDA & NA) Examination will be a two-step process where candidates first need to take the exam and then qualify the personality test or interview conducted by the Service Selection Board (SSB). The UPSC is solely responsible for issuing guidelines for selection and the final conduct of the entrance examination.

Supreme Court Allows Women To Appear For UPSC NDA Exam

On August 18, the Supreme Court has passed an interim order to allow women to join UPSC National Defence Academy & Naval Academy (NDA & NA) exam. The apex court has directed the concerned authority to make necessary arrangements that allow women to sit for the UPSC NDA (II) exam 2021 scheduled on November 14.

NDA & NA (I) 2021

The Commission has released the NDA & NA (I) 2021 notification on December 30. The online applications will be accepted until January 19, 2021. The notification was released for admission to the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of the NDA for the 147th Course, and for the 109th Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC) commencing from January 2, 2022. The number of vacancies are given below for NDA & NA (I) 2020. 

Note: Candidates should note that the 120 vacancies under Air Force including 28 for Ground Duties. 

NDA & NA (II) 2020 (Tentative) 

The Commission will release the NDA & NA (II) 2020 notification on June 6. The online applications will be accepted until July 6, 2020. The notification was released for admission to the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of the NDA for the 146th Course, and for the 108th Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC) commencing from 2nd July 2020. The approximate number of vacancies are given below for NDA & NA (II) 2020. 

NDA Notification 2021

Every year, the UPSC releases the NDA exam notification to shortlist the candidates for the courses in National Defence Academy (NDA) and Naval Academy (NA). Candidates who are aspiring for the Defence Services are advised to download NDA notification pdf. The recruitment NDA exam notification contains all the details such as application process, eligibility, exam pattern and selection process. Explore the NDA notification 2020 pdf below. 

NDA Application Form 2021

The first step of the selection process will begin with the NDA registration. After checking all the details meticulously in the NDA notification, candidates should start registering for the exam. The NDA exam application form will be available only on the official website of the UPSC. Candidates are advised to explore the complete details about NDA application form steps below.  

• Visit the official website of UPSC
• Go to the ''Apply Online'' tab
• Select the ''Online Application for Various Examinations''
• Click on the ''ONLINE APPLICATION FOR VARIOUS EXAMINATIONS OF UPSC''
• Start the NDA registration process with Part-I.
• Fill-up all the details
• Pay the NDA application fee. 
• Upload the scanned photograph and signature 
• Agree to the declaration 
• Submit the application. 
• Download the NDA application form for future reference. 

Eligibility Criteria

1. Physical Criteria

   Candidates must be physically and mentally fit for admission to National Defence Academy (NDA) and Naval Academy (NA) Examination (I) & (II), 2020. Every year, many candidates fail to qualify in the medical test. Hence, candidates are advised to get themselves medically examined before applying for the examination. 

   Aspirants are also advised to rectify a few minor defects/ ailments such as Wax (ears), Deviated Nasal Septum, Hydrocele/Phimosis, Overweight/Underweight, Under Sized Chest, Piles, Tonsillitis and Varicocele. 

   Height And Weight Standard

   The minimum acceptable height is 157 cms (162.5 cms for Air Force). The minimum height is relaxed by 5 cms for Gorkhas and individuals belonging to hills of North-Eastern regions of India, Garhwal and Kumaon. However, the minimum height is reduced by 2 cms for candidates belonging to Lakshadweep. 

   Height/ Weight Standards - Army/ Air Force
   Height in Centimetres (without shoes)	Weight in Kgs
   	16-17 years	17-18 years	18-19 years
   152	42.5	44	45
   155	43.5	45.3	47
   157	45	47	48
   160	46.5	48	49
   162	48	50	51
   165	50	52	53
   167	51	53	54
   170	52.5	55	56
   173	54	57	58
   175	56	59	60
   178	58	61	62
   180	60	63	64.5
   183	62.5	65	66.5

   Navy 

   Height/ Weight Standards - Navy
   Height in Centimetres (without shoes)	Weight in Kgs
   	16 years	17 years	18 years
   152	44	45	46
   155	45	46	47
   157	46	47	49
   160	47	48	50
   162	48	50	52
   165	50	52	53
   168	52	53	55
   170	53	55	57
   173	55	57	59
   175	57	59	61
   178	59	61	62
   180	61	63	64
   183	63	65	67

   Candidates have to meet the special requirement as a pilot in the Air Force. The acceptable measurements of leg length, thigh length and sitting height are given below 

   	Minimum	Maximum
   Leg Length	99.00 cms	120.00 cms
   Thigh Length	-	64.00 cms
   Sitting Height	81.50 cms	96.00 cms

   Vision Standard 

   Naval Candidates

   • Uncorrected without glass 6/6, 6/9
   • Corrected with glass 6/6, 6/6 
   • Limits of Myopia –0.75
   • Limits of Hypermetropia +1.5
   • Binocular vision III
   • Limits of colour perception I 

   Air Force Candidates

   Candidates who are wearing spectacles habitually are not eligible for Air Force. According to the official sources, the minimum distant vision 6/6 in one eye and 6/9 in other, correctable to 6/6 only for Hypermetropia. Colour vision CP-I Hypermetropia: +2.0 D Sph Manifest Myopia : Nil Retinoscopic Myopia : 0.5 in any Meridian permitted Astigmatism : + 0.75 D Cyl (within + 2.0 D.Max) Maddox Rod Test. 

   at 6 meters Exo-6 prism D	at 33 cms Exo-16 prism D
   Eso-6 prism D	Eso-6 prism D
   Hyper-1 prism D	Hyper-1 prism D
   Hypro-1 prism D	Hypo-1 prism D

   Physical Conditioning 

   The aspiring candidates are advised to be in the good physical condition by following the routine mentioned below. 

   1. Running 2.4 km in 15 minutes

   2. Skipping

   3. Pushups and sit ups (minimum 20 each)

   4. Chin ups (minimum 08)

   5. Rope climbing 3-4 metres. 

2. Nationality:

   A candidate must be either:

   (i) a Citizen of India, or
   (ii) a subject of Nepal, or
   (iii) a subject of Bhutan, or
   (iv) a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before January 1, 1962, with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
   (v) a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka or East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, and Ethiopia or from Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.

   Note:

   • Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) above shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India
   • Certificate of eligibility will not, however, be necessary in the case of candidates who are Gorkha subjects of Nepal

3. Educational Qualification:

   1. For Army Wing of National Defence Academy:
   
      The candidates must have the Class 12 pass of the 10+2 pattern of School Education or equivalent examination conducted by a State Education Board or a University.
   
   2. For Air Force and Naval Wings of National Defence Academy and for the 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme at the Indian Naval Academy:
    
      The candidates must have the Class 12 pass of the 10+2 pattern of School Education or equivalent with Physics and Mathematics conducted by a State Education Board or a University.

   Note:

   • Candidates who are appearing in the 12th Class under the 10+2 pattern of School Education or equivalent examination can also apply for this examination. Such candidates who qualify the SSB interview but could not produce Matriculation/10+2 or equivalent certificate in original at the time of SSB interview should forward duly self-attested Photocopies
   • Candidates appearing in the 11th class exam are not eligible for this examination
   • Those candidates who have yet to qualify in the 12th class or equivalent examination and are allowed to appear in the UPSC Examination should note that this is only a special concession given to them. They are required to submit proof of passing the 12th class or equivalent examination by the prescribed date of UPSC (i.e. for NDA (I) is December 24, 2019, and for NDA (II) is June 24, 2020) and no request for extending this date will be entertained on the grounds of late conduct of Board/University Examination, delay in declaration of results or any other ground whatsoever
   • Candidates who are debarred by the Ministry of Defence from holding any type of Commission in the Defence Services shall not be eligible for admission to the examination and if admitted, their candidature will be cancelled
   • Those candidates who have failed INSB/PABT earlier are not eligible for Air Force

4. Age Limit :

   Age Limits, Sex and Marital Status:

   For NDA & NA (I):

   Age Limit: Only unmarried male candidates born not earlier than July 2, 2000, and not later than July 1, 2003, are eligible.

   For NDA & NA (II):

   Age Limit: Only unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 2001, and not later than January 1, 2004, are eligible.

   Note:

   • The date of birth accepted by the Commission is that entered in the Matriculation or Secondary School Leaving Certificate or in a certificate recognised by an Indian University as equivalent to Matriculation or in an extract from a Register of Matriculates maintained by a University which must be certified by the proper authority of the University or in the Higher Secondary or an equivalent examination certificates.
   •  Candidates should note that only the date of birth as recorded in the Matriculation/Higher Secondary Examination Certificate available or an equivalent certificate on the date of submission of applications will be accepted by the Commission and no subsequent request for its change will be considered or granted
   • Candidates should also note that once a date of birth has been claimed by them and entered in the records of the Commission for the purpose of admission to an examination, no change will be allowed subsequently or at any subsequent examination on any ground whatsoever
   • The candidates should exercise due care while entering their date of birth in the respective column of the Online Application Form for the examination. If on verification at any subsequent stage any variation is found in their date of birth from the one entered in their matriculation or equivalent examination certificate, disciplinary action will be taken against them by the Commission under the Rules
   • Candidates must undertake not to marry until they complete their full training. A candidate who marries subsequent to the date of his application though successful at this or any subsequent Examination will not be selected for training. A candidate who marries during training shall be discharged and will be liable to refund all expenditure incurred on him by the Government.

Roles and Responsibilities

• On reporting to the Academy, a cadet is allotted to one of the 18 Squadrons, which becomes his home-away-from-home for the next three years. The Squadrons are named as Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hunter, India, Juliet, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Panther, Quebec, and Romeo. No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 Battalions have four squadrons each while No. 5 has 2 squadrons. Each squadron has approximately 100 to 120 cadets drawn from senior as well as junior courses under training in the Academy
• They earn INR 21,000 as stiffened. After completing three years training in Pune, they will obtain a degree from JNTU in computer science/ B.A. after that trade training is given and their career starts in Indian army lieutenant. And navy candidates can start their career as a sub-lieutenant and those who selected air force start their career flying officer