Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has invited applications for the National Defence Academy (NDA) & Naval Academy (NA) Examination (II), 2025, for admission to the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of the NDA for the 156th Course and for the 118th Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC) commencing on 1st July, 2026.

The number of vacancies expected is 406 as follows: (a) NDA: Army-208 (including 10 for female candidates); Navy-42 (5 for females); Air Force: (i) Flying-92 (02 females) (ii) Ground Duties (Tech)- 18 (2 females) (iii) Ground Duties (Non Tech)-10 (2 females) (b) Naval Academy (10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme): 36 (4 females).

Eligibility: Applicant must be an unmarried male/female satisfying the nationality condition given in the detailed notification at https://upsconline.nic.in/ and born not earlier than 1st January, 2007 and not later than 1st January, 2010.

Educational Qualifications: (i) For Army Wing of NDA: 12th Class pass of the 10+2 pattern of school education/equivalent (ii) For Air Force and Naval Wings of NDA and for the 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme at the INA: 12th Class pass with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics of the 10+2 pattern of School Education/equivalent. Those who are appearing in 12th Class under the 10+2 pattern of school education or equivalent examination can also apply for this examination provisionally. They need to submit the result of the qualifying course by 10th June, 2026.

The applicant must be physically fit according to physical standards for admission to the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (II), 2025, as per guidelines given in Appendix III of the Notification.

Application: Application is to be submitted online at https://upsconline.nic.in/ latest by 11.59 pm on 17th June, 2025. The applicant is required to specify clearly in the online application form the services for which he/she wishes to be considered in the order of preference.

Application Fee: Applicants excepting SC/ST candidates/female candidates/Wards of JCOs/NCOs/ORs specified in the notification who are exempted from payment of fee are required to pay a fee of Rs. 100/- online by using Visa/Master/RuPay Credit/Debit Card/UPI Payment or by using internet banking of any bank.

Scheme of selection: The selection process consists of a written test carrying 900 marks and an SSB test/interview carrying 900 marks. The written examination will have 2 papers, each of 2½ hours duration. Paper 1 will be Mathematics, carrying 300 marks, and Paper 2 will be General Ability Test, carrying 600 marks, both with objective-type questions only. There will be negative marking for wrong answers marked. Details and syllabus are given in the notification.

Date of Examination: NDA & NA Examination will be conducted by UPSC on 14th September, 2025. Eligible candidates will be issued an e-Admit Card which will be made available at http://upsc.gov.in about a week before the date of examination for candidates to download.

Services Selection Board: UPSC shall prepare a list of candidates who obtain the minimum qualifying marks in the written examination as fixed by the Commission. Such candidates shall appear before a Services Selection Board (SSB) for an Intelligence and Personality Test where candidates for the Army/Navy wings of the NDA and the 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme of the Indian Naval Academy will be assessed on Officers Potentiality, and those for the Air Force, in addition to the above, will have to qualify for the Computerised Pilot Selection System (CPSS). Candidates with the Air Force as one of the choices would also undergo CPSS if they qualify for SSB and are willing.

The SSB procedure consists of a two-stage selection process – Stage I and Stage II. Only those candidates who clear the stage I are permitted to appear for stage II. Details are given in the Notification at https://upsconline.nic.in/

Training: The selected candidates for the three services – Army, Navy and Air Force – are given preliminary training, both academic and physical, for a period of 3 years at the National Defence Academy, which is an inter-service institution. The training during the first two and a half years is common to the cadets of three wings. All the cadets on passing out will be awarded degrees from Jawaharlal Nehru University Delhi as under: (a) Army Cadets – B.Sc/B.Sc (Computer)/B.A.; (b) Naval Cadets – B.Tech Degree; (c) Air Force Cadets – B.Tech Degree/B.Sc/B.Sc (Computer). All the cadets undergoing the B.Sc/B.Sc (Computer)/BA degree programme shall be awarded the degree on the successful completion of academics, physical and service training at NDA. All the cadets undergoing the B.Tech programme shall be awarded the B.Tech degree on the subsequent Pre Commissioning Training Academies/Institutions/Ships/Aircraft. On passing out from the National Defence Academy, Army Cadets go to the Indian Military Academy, Dehra Dun, Naval Cadets to Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala and Air Force cadets and Ground Duty-Non Tech streams to Air Force Academy, Hyderabad and Air Force cadets of Ground Duty–Tech stream to Air Force Technical College, Bengaluru. The selected candidates of the Naval Academy will be given preliminary training both academic and physical, for a period of 04 years at Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala. The cadets of 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme will be awarded a B. Tech Degree on successful completion of training. On successful completion of the prescribed training, the cadets will be appointed as Commissioned Officers.

The cost of training including accommodation, books, uniforms, boarding and medical treatment will be borne by the Government. Parents or guardians of cadets, will, however, be required to meet their pocket and other private expenses.

For more details, the Notification may be seen.