NDA Eligibility Criteria 2026: Age Limit, Qualification, Nationality & Physical Standards

UPSC NDA Eligibility Criteria 2026: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the NDA & NA exam twice a year to select candidates for pre-commission training in the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of the National Defence Academy and for the Indian Naval Academy. In order to apply for this training, candidates must satisfy the eligibility requirements such as age limit (typically between 16.5 and 19.5 years), educational qualifications (12th pass or equivalent with specified subjects), nationality, and marital status. This article explains the detailed eligibility conditions for NDA 2026. 

UPSC NDA Eligibility Criteria 2026

Candidates must verify the eligibility criteria before applying for the UPSC NDA exam. The candidate must ensure that they fulfill all the eligibility requirements by going through the detailed notification. The major eligibility parameters include:

• Age Limit

• Educational Qualification

• Nationality

• Marital Status & Physical Standards

Apply Here for UPSC NDA I 2026

UPSC NDA Age Limit 2026

Age is one of the important eligibility criteria for UPSC NDA 2026. As per the official notification, the age eligibility is based on the date of birth being in the range specified by the Commission.

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 Secondary School Examination or an equivalent examination certificates.

UPSC NDA Age Limit 2026

• Minimum Age: 16.5 years

• Maximum Age: 19.5 years

• Date of Birth Range (NDA-I 2026): Born between 2 July 2007 and 1 July 2010 (both dates inclusive)

UPSC NDA Educational Qualification 2026

Candidates must satisfy the academic requirements of the UPSC NDA exam as outlined below:

Educational Qualification

• For Army Wing of National Defence Academy: 12th Class pass of the 10+2 pattern of School Education or equivalent examination conducted by a State Education Board or a University.

• For Air Force and Naval Wings of National Defence Academy and for the 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme at the Indian Naval Academy: 12th Class pass with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics of the 10+2 pattern of School Education or equivalent conducted by a State Education Board or a University. 

UPSC NDA Nationality Criteria 2026

As per the official notification, to be eligible for NDA 2026, a candidate must satisfy one of the following nationality conditions:

A candidate must be unmarried male / female and must be:

(i) a citizen of India, or

(ii) a subject of Nepal, or

(iii) a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka and East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire and Ethiopia or Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.

Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (ii) and (iii), 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. 

Marital Status Requirement

• Only unmarried candidates (male & female) are eligible to apply for UPSC NDA 2026.

• Candidates must undertake not to marry until they complete their full training. A candidate who marries subsequent to the date of his/her 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/her by the Government.

NDA 2026 Physical Standards Requirement

Physical Standards are required at the time of SSB Interview which is the second stage in the selection process after the written examination. The candidates who have qualified the written examination will be called upon for the SSB Interview and Medical Tests. The physical standards include parameters such as height, weight, vision, and overall health.

Documents to Prove NDA Eligibility

When filling the UPSC NDA 2026 online application, candidates should be ready with the following documents (as applicable):

• 10th & 12th Mark Sheets

• Birth Certificate or School Leaving Certificate

• Nationality Proof (Aadhaar/Passport/Voter ID)

• Identity Proof with Photograph

• Unmarried Status Declaration

• Category Certificate (if applicable)

Failing to upload the required documents can make the application incomplete and lead to rejection.