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. NDA Exam 2018 schedules for NDA I and NDA II exam has already been released by UPSC.

National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination 2018 will be a two-step process where candidates first need to take the exam and then qualify the SSB interview conducted by the Service Selection Board.

NDA I 2018 is expected to be organized on April 22, 2018, while NDA II will be conducted on September 09, 2018. So, candidates planning to take the exam should fill the application form before the last date and start preparation of NDA & NA 2018 exam.

The UPSC is solely responsible for issuing guidelines for selection and the final conduct of the entrance examination.

Eligibility Criteria

1. Physical Criteria

   Candidates must be physically and mentally fit according to prescribed physical standards for admission to National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (I) & (II), 2018.
   
   A candidate who has resigned or withdrawn on disciplinary grounds from any of the training academies of Armed Forces is not eligible to apply.

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 (i.e. for NDA (I) is December 24, 2018, and for NDA (II) is June 24, 2019) 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, 1999, and not later than July 1, 2002, are eligible.

   For NDA & NA (II):

   Age Limit: Only unmarried male candidates born not earlier than January 2, 2000, and not later than January 1, 2003, 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 Rs.21000 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