As scheduled earlier in the UPSC Calendar, the UPSC has released the notification for UPSC NDA-1 2026. The notification includes all the details related to the released vacancy, including the form date & duration, eligibility, exam date, age limit, etc. To gain a detailed understanding of these details, this article will provide valuable insights.

Let you know, UPSC conducts this exam twice a year to fill certain seats in NDA (National Defence Academy) and INA (Indian Naval Academy). The NDA is for the Army, Air Force, and Navy.

UPSC NDA-1 2026 Important Dates

• Starting date of application: 10 December 2025
• Last date of application: 30 December 2025 (till 6:00 PM)
• Exam date: 12 April 2026
• The admit card will be available: One week before the exam
• Total Posts: 394

Branch-wise Posts

National Defence Academy (NDA)

Service	Male	Female	Total
Army	198	10	208
Navy	37	05	42 (All Executive Branch)
Air Force – Flying	90	02	92
Air Force – Ground Duty (Tech)	16	02	18
Air Force – Ground Duty (Non-Tech)	08	02	10

Indian Naval Academy (INA) – 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme

Male	Female	Total
21	03	24 (All Executive Branch)

Eligibility Criteria for UPSC NDA-1 2026

Gender and Marital Status:  

Unmarried Male and Female candidates

Age Limit: 

Candidates born between 1 July 2007 and 1 July 2010 (both dates inclusive).

Educational Qualification:

Army: 12th class passed (from any stream)

Navy, Air Force and INA: Physics, Chemistry and Maths are compulsory in 12th

Note: Students appearing in the 12th class can also apply.

Registration Fee

General/OBC Category: ₹100/- SC/ST/Female Candidates/Wards of JCOs/NCOs/ORs: Fee Exemption

Selection Process

• Phase 1: Written Exam
• Phase 2: SSB Interview (in 2 stages – Screening & Psychological + Group Tests)
• For Flying Branch: CPSS test is also required.

Result

After the written exam, the list of candidates qualified for the SSB interview will be released. The final merit list will be prepared based on the total written and SSB marks. In the event of a tie, the rank will be determined based on—

1. Written total
2. GAT marks
3. Age (senior candidate gets a higher rank)