NDA 2 Application Form 2026 Out: 394 Vacancies, Apply
UPSC released the NDA 2 Application Form 2026 on 20 May 2026 at upsconline.nic.in for 394 vacancies in the Army, Navy and Air Force wings. The last date to apply is 9 June 2026, and the written exam is on 13 September 2026. Both unmarried male and female candidates aged 16.5 to 19.5 years can apply. This guide covers vacancies, eligibility, fee, documents, and the step-by-step apply process.
Key Highlights
NDA 2 2026 application form release date: 20 May 2026 (Tuesday). The notification is out.
Total Vacancies: 394 posts across Army, Navy, Air Force and the Indian Naval Academy.
Last date to apply: 9 June 2026 (6:00 PM).
NDA 2 2026 exam date: 13 September 2026 (Sunday).
NDA 2 application form 2026 official website:
upsconline.nic.inandupsc.gov.in.Application fee: Rs. 100 (Female, SC, ST and JCO/NCO/OR ward candidates are exempt).
Eligible candidates: Unmarried male and female, born between 2 January 2008 and 1 January 2011.
Course filled: 158th NDA Course and 120th Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC).
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) released the official notification for the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (II), 2026 on 20 May 2026.
With the notification, the NDA 2 application form 2026 has gone live on the UPSC online portal.
UPSC has announced 394 vacancies for this cycle, covering the 158th NDA Course and the 120th Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC).
The written examination is scheduled for 13 September 2026 (Sunday) across designated centres in India.
Selected candidates will join the National Defence Academy at Khadakwasla, Pune, or the Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala, Kerala, with training scheduled to commence on 2 July 2027.
If you are 17 or 18 and your Class 12 board exams are wrapping up, this is the form to fill. If you have already cleared Class 12 and are under 19 years 6 months as of 1 July 2027, you also qualify.
This guide walks you through every step, from eligibility checks to the upload format for your photograph, all updated from the live notification PDF.
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The table below summarises the live notification details, sourced directly from the official UPSC PDF released on 20 May 2026.
Particulars | Details |
Examination Name | National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (II), 2026 |
Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
Notification Status | Out (Released on 20 May 2026) |
Total Vacancies | 394 |
Application Start Date | 20 May 2026 |
Application Last Date | 9 June 2026 (6:00 PM) |
Exam Date | 13 September 2026 (Sunday) |
Course Names | 158th NDA Course, 120th INAC |
Mode of Application | Online only |
Application Fee (General/EWS/OBC male) | Rs. 100 |
Fee Exemption | Female, SC, ST, Sons of JCOs/NCOs/ORs |
Official Notification PDF |
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Application Portal |
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Aspirant Tip: Download the official NDA 2 2026 notification PDF from upsc.gov.in and save it offline. The 50-plus page document carries the wing-wise vacancy split, medical standards and exam centre list that you will need at multiple stages.
The nda 2 2026 application form date is the most searched data point this week. The table below brings together the full schedule, sourced directly from the official UPSC notification dated 20 May 2026.
Event | Date |
NDA 2 2026 Notification Release | 20 May 2026 |
NDA 2 2026 Application Form Release Date | 20 May 2026 |
NDA 2 2026 Application Last Date | 9 June 2026 (6:00 PM) |
NDA 2 2026 Application Correction Window | 10 June 2026 to 16 June 2026 |
NDA 2 2026 Admit Card Release (Expected) | First week of September 2026 |
NDA 2 2026 Exam Date | 13 September 2026 (Sunday) |
NDA 2 2026 Written Exam Result (Expected) | Mid-October 2026 |
SSB Interview (Expected) | November 2026 onwards |
Training Commencement | 2 July 2027 |
Aspirant Tip: The application portal sees heavy traffic on the first two days and the last two days of the window. Apply between 23 May 2026 and 5 June 2026 to skip the load spikes.
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The nda 2 application form 2026 official website is upsconline.nic.in. UPSC moved all its application traffic to this portal in 2023 to keep the upsc.gov.in main page lighter.
Any link or PDF claiming to host the application form on a third-party site is fake. The Commission also publishes the notification on upsc.gov.in, where you can download the official PDF for reference.
A quick way to bookmark the right pages.
Notification PDF and exam details:
upsc.gov.inOnline registration and application:
upsconline.nic.inOne Time Registration (OTR) login:
upsconline.nic.in/orarms/auth/index.php
Use a desktop or laptop for the application. The form has multiple uploads and a payment step. Mobile screens often misalign the image upload box, leading to size and resolution errors.
UPSC has announced a total of 394 vacancies for NDA 2 2026. The wing-wise split, as per the official notification PDF, is summarised below.
Wing | Total Vacancies | Reserved for Female Candidates |
Army Wing of NDA | 208 (approx) | 10 (approx) |
Navy Wing of NDA | 42 (approx) | 6 (approx) |
Air Force Wing of NDA | 120 (approx) | 6 (approx) |
Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC) | 24 (approx) | 5 (approx) |
Total | 394 | 27 (approx) |
Indicative split based on the official notification pattern. The exact wing-wise and gender-wise distribution is printed on Page 1 of the UPSC NDA 2 2026 notification PDF.
The vacancies are provisional. UPSC reserves the right to revise the total count and wing-wise split based on intake requirements communicated by the three services.
The Naval Academy seats also include vacancies allotted to the 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme.
Female candidates appear on the same merit list as male candidates, with seats earmarked within each wing.
UPSC checks every applicant on three buckets: age, education and marital status. Female candidates have been eligible to apply since the 2021 Supreme Court ruling, and the 2026 cycle continues with full gender parity across all three wings: Army, Navy and Air Force.
Age Limit
Only unmarried male and female candidates born not earlier than 2 January 2008 and not later than 1 January 2011 are eligible.
This works out to roughly 16.5 to 19.5 years as of 1 July 2027, the date of course commencement.
The date of birth printed on your Class 10 Matriculation or Secondary School Leaving Certificate is the only proof UPSC accepts.
UPSC does not allow age relaxation for any category, including SC, ST or PwBD, for the NDA exam.
Educational Qualification
Wing | Minimum Qualification |
Army Wing of NDA | Class 12 / HSC pass from a recognised board |
Air Force Wing of NDA | Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics |
Navy Wing of NDA | Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics |
120th Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC) | Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics |
Candidates appearing for Class 12 board exams in 2026 are also eligible, as long as they submit proof of passing before the deadline mentioned in the SSB call letter. Class 11 students are NOT eligible to apply.
Marital Status
Both male and female candidates must be unmarried at the time of application and must remain unmarried until the entire training is complete.
Marriage during training leads to immediate removal from the Academy with full recovery of training costs.
Nationality
Indian citizens are eligible. Subjects of Nepal and Bhutan, Tibetan refugees who came to India before 1 January 1962 with the intent of permanent settlement, and persons of Indian origin migrating from specified countries are also eligible, subject to an eligibility certificate from the Government of India.
Physical and Medical Standards
Candidates must meet strict height, weight, eyesight and overall medical fitness standards set by the Services Selection Board (SSB).
The minimum height for male candidates is 157 cm (152 cm for Gorkha, Garhwali, Kumaoni and North-Eastern candidates) and 152 cm for female candidates.
Eye standards differ by wing, with the strictest requirements for the Air Force Flying Branch.
The nda 2 2026 application form date for girl candidates is the same as for boys: 20 May to 9 June 2026.
The NDA exam process from 2026 makes no distinction between male and female applicants on the application timeline, fee or written exam.
Differences appear only at the physical and medical standards stage and the wing-wise vacancy split that UPSC has announced in the notification.
Four points female aspirants should keep in mind.
First, the application fee. Female candidates are fully exempt from the Rs. 100 fee. No payment step is required, but you still need to complete the application form upload and submission.
Second, the vacancy split. The 2026 notification has earmarked approximately 27 seats for women candidates across the four wings, within the total 394 vacancies. The exact branch-wise split appears in the notification PDF.
Third, the SSB process. Female candidates undergo the same five-day SSB Interview drill as male candidates. There is no separate SSB centre or process. The medical standards differ in height, weight and chest measurement, but the psychological, group testing and personal interview rounds are identical.
Fourth, training and placement. Female cadets train at the National Defence Academy alongside male cadets from the first day. The NDA at Khadakwasla is India's first tri-colour academy that trains male and female cadets together for all three wings.
Aspirant Tip for Female Aspirants: The Air Force Flying Branch has the strictest eye standards in NDA. If you wear glasses, check the diopter limits carefully before opting for it as a wing preference. Naval Academy and Army wing offer wider medical flexibility.
Category | Application Fee |
General | Rs. 100 |
EWS | Rs. 100 |
OBC | Rs. 100 |
SC | Exempt |
ST | Exempt |
Female (All Categories) | Exempt |
Sons of JCOs / NCOs / ORs (as specified) | Exempt |
Fee modes accepted:
Cash deposit at any branch of the State Bank of India (SBI)
Net banking through SBI
Visa, MasterCard or RuPay credit or debit card
Save the fee transaction receipt offline. The portal generates a payment confirmation ID. UPSC also publishes a "fictitious fee list" of applications where payment did not reach the Commission.
If your name appears there, you have ten days to submit documentary proof of payment to the Under Secretary (NDA), UPSC, by post or in person.
How to Apply for NDA 2 Application Form 2026: Step-by-Step
Use the eleven-step drill below. Each step links to the next, so a missed step costs you the application.
Go to
upsconline.nic.in. Land on the homepage and select "Online Application for Various Examinations of UPSC".Choose NDA Examination (II), 2026. Click the active link against the exam name. The link is now live as of 20 May 2026.
Complete One Time Registration (OTR), if not done already. Enter name, father's name, mother's name, date of birth, email and mobile number. The portal sends OTPs to verify both.
Set a strong password. UPSC requires alphanumeric combinations with at least one special character. Note it down.
Login with OTR credentials. Use email, mobile or OTR ID with the password.
Fill Part 1 of the application. Personal details, education details, parents' details, communication address.
Pay the application fee. General, EWS and OBC candidates pay Rs. 100. Female, SC and ST candidates skip this step. The portal moves to Part 2 only after fee confirmation or fee exemption.
Upload photograph, signature and photo identity proof. Photograph and signature must be JPG, between 20 KB and 300 KB, with a clearly visible date of capture. Photo ID can be Aadhaar, PAN, Passport, Driving Licence or Voter ID.
Choose your exam centre. UPSC allots centres on a first-apply-first-allot basis. Pick a centre you can reach within 90 minutes of home.
Review the entire form. Use the "Print Preview" option to scan every field. Wrong dates of birth, wrong wing preferences and unsigned photographs are the top three rejection reasons.
Click "I have read the Declaration and Agree". Submit. Download the confirmation PDF. Take two printouts and save one digital copy in your cloud drive.
Aspirant Tip: The portal logs you out after 30 minutes of inactivity. Keep your scanned documents ready in one folder before you start the form. A clean run takes 25 to 35 minutes.
NDA 2 2026 Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme
A clear view of the exam pattern is part of your application decision. You should know what you are signing up for before you click submit.
Paper | Subject | Marks | Duration | Question Type |
Paper 1 | Mathematics | 300 | 2.5 hours | Objective (MCQ) |
Paper 2 | General Ability Test (GAT) | 600 | 2.5 hours | Objective (MCQ) |
Total (Written) | - | 900 | 5 hours | - |
SSB Interview | Personality + Intelligence | 900 | 5 days | Multi-stage |
Grand Total | - | 1800 | - | - |
The General Ability Test (GAT) further breaks into English (200 marks), Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History, Geography and Current Affairs. Negative marking applies at one-third of the marks allotted to each question.
The Mathematics paper is in English only. The GAT is bilingual (English and Hindi).
To clear the written exam, you must score the qualifying minimum in each paper, which UPSC fixes year-on-year. The cutoff is then drawn from the combined written and SSB total.
Documents Required for NDA 2 Application Form 2026
Keep these ready before you start the form.
Class 10 Matriculation certificate (for date of birth proof)
Class 12 board result or admit card (if appearing)
Recent passport-size photograph (JPG, 20 to 300 KB)
Scanned signature (JPG, 20 to 300 KB)
Scanned photo identity proof (Aadhaar, PAN, Passport, Driving Licence or Voter ID)
Valid email ID and mobile number
Online payment method (for General, EWS and OBC candidates)
The photograph must be taken within ten days of the application submission and must carry the date printed at the bottom.
UPSC has tightened this rule from the 2024 cycle to filter out fake or borrowed photographs.
NDA 2 Selection Process 2026
The NDA selection is a three-stage funnel.
Written Examination (900 marks): Conducted by UPSC on 13 September 2026. Two papers in offline pen-and-paper mode.
SSB Interview (900 marks): Five-day process at the Services Selection Board centres. Day 1 is the Officer Intelligence Rating and Picture Perception Test. Days 2 to 4 cover Group Testing, Psychological Tests, and the Personal Interview. Day 5 is the Conference and final result.
Medical Examination: Detailed medical board after SSB recommendation. Candidates can appeal if medically rejected by submitting an Appeal Medical Board (AMB) request.
The final merit list is drawn from the combined written and SSB total of 1800 marks. Medical fitness is mandatory but does not contribute marks to the merit.
NDA Career Path and Salary
A selected candidate at NDA earns a stipend during training. After commission, the pay structure follows the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force pay matrix.
Stage | Pay (Indicative) |
NDA Cadet (Training) | Rs. 56,100 stipend |
Lieutenant / Sub-Lieutenant / Flying Officer | Rs. 56,100 to Rs. 1,77,500 |
Captain / Lieutenant / Flight Lieutenant | Rs. 61,300 to Rs. 1,93,900 |
Senior Ranks (with allowances) | Up to Rs. 2,50,000+ |
Beyond pay, the NDA officer receives a Defence Service Allowance, Field Area Allowance, High Altitude Allowance, free medical care for self and family, subsidised housing, and a defined pension after twenty years of service. The non-cash value of the package is significant.
Common Mistakes Aspirants Make in NDA 2 Application Form 2026
A first-time applicant typically slips on one of these.
Wrong date of birth entry. Use only the date as printed on the Class 10 certificate. Aadhaar or school records may differ.
Skipping the wing preference order. UPSC asks for a preference order for Army, Navy, Air Force and Naval Academy. Fill all four in your preferred order. Do not leave any blank.
Photograph without a date stamp. From 2024 onwards, UPSC requires the date of capture printed on the photograph. A studio printout from last year will not work.
Same email or mobile reused from another application. Each OTR profile is unique. Do not let a sibling or a friend share credentials.
Submitting on the last day. Server load on 9 June 2026 will spike from 4 PM to 6 PM. Aim to submit by 7 June 2026.
Centre choice based on coaching, not commute. Pick the nearest centre. A four-hour commute on exam morning hurts your score more than any last-minute revision can fix.
Frequently asked question (FAQs)
What is the NDA 2 2026 application form release date?
What is the NDA 2 2026 application form date for girl candidates?
Which is the NDA 2 application form 2026 official website?
What is the age limit for the NDA 2 2026 application form?
How many vacancies have been announced for NDA 2 2026 and when is the exam?
The NDA 2 application form 2026 is now live, with 394 vacancies on offer across the Army, Navy, Air Force and the Indian Naval Academy.
This is your first formal step into a uniformed life. Treat it with the same seriousness as the written exam. A clean, accurate application protects you from procedural rejection at later stages, when stakes are infinitely higher.
Apply between 23 May and 5 June 2026. Spend the next four months on Mathematics, English and General Ability Test preparation.
Keep one hour every weekend for physical fitness, because the SSB and medical stages do not care how well you scored on paper if you cannot meet the standards on the ground.
All the best for 13 September 2026.
Gajendra Singh Godara is an IIT Bombay graduate and a UPSC aspirant with 4 attempts, including multiple Prelims and Mains appearances. He specializes in Polity, Modern History, International Relations, and Economy. At PadhAI, Gajendra leverages his firsthand exam experience to simplify complex concepts, creating high-efficiency study materials that help aspirants save time and stay focused.
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