National Defence Academy (NDA) Exam

The National Defence Academy is one of the premiers Military Academy of India. It is a joint services academy of the Indian Armed Forces, where cadets of the three services, the Army, the Navy and the Air Force train together. The NDA is located in Khadakwasla, Pune, Maharashtra. The National Defence Academy (NDA) entrance exam is conducted by UPSC for selecting candidates. The candidates who want to appear in the NDA exam should fulfill all the eligibility conditions before applying for the examination. Candidates are required to apply online by using the website upsconline.nic.in.

 Eligibility:

The candidate must be a male and unmarried. Also the candidate should be Indian national. If the candidate is a subject of Bhutan, or a subject of Nepal, or a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before the 1st January, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, can also apply for the interview.
Also 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 can also apply for the Interview.

 Educational Qualifications:

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 of the 10+2 pattern of School Education or equivalent with Physics and Mathematics conducted by a State Education Board or a University.
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. They are required to submit proof of passing the 12th class or equivalent examination by the time of admission.

 Physical Standards:

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A candidate who has resigned or withdrawn on disciplinary grounds from any of the training academies of Armed Forces is not eligible to apply.

 How to Apply:

Candidates are required to apply Online by using the website upsconline.nic.in. A candidate is required to specify clearly in the Online Application Form the Services (Army/Navy/Air Force) for which he wishes to be considered in the order of his preference. Also Allotment of Centres is done on first-apply-first-allot basis and once the capacity of a particular centre is attained, the same will be frozen.
They have to also submit corresponding document proof online method only. Candidates can pay their exam fees either by depositing the money in any Branch of SBI by cash, or by using net banking facility of State Bank of India or by using Visa/MasterCard/Rupay Credit/Debit Card. Fee once paid shall not be refunded under any circumstances nor can the fee be held in reserve for any other examination or selection.
E-Admit card generally issued three weeks before the commencement of the examination. The e-Admit Card will be made available on the UPSC website (upsconline.nic.in) for being downloaded by candidates.

 Selection Process:

The exam is a two-stage selection procedure based on Psychological Aptitude Test and Intelligence Test has been introduced at Selection Centres/Air Force Selection Boards/Naval Selection Boards. All the candidates will be put to stage-one test on first day of reporting at Selection Centres/Air Force Selection Boards/Naval Selection Boards. Only those candidates who qualify at stage one will be admitted to the second stage/remaining tests. Those candidates who qualify stage II will be required to submit the Original Certificates along with one photocopy each of: (i) Original Matriculation pass certificate or equivalent in support of date of birth, (ii) Original 10+2 passes certificate or equivalent in support of educational qualification.
To be acceptable, candidates for the Army/Navy/Naval Academy and Air Force should secure the minimum qualifying marks separately in Written examination and in Officer Potentiality Test as fixed by the Services Selection Board at their discretion.
Over and above candidates for the Air Force, and all the SSB qualified candidates as per their willingness, eligibility and preference for Air Force, should separately qualify the CPSS.
Subject to these conditions the qualified candidates will then be placed in a single combined list on the basis of total marks secured by them in the Written Examination and the Services Selection Board Tests. The final allocation/selection for admission to the Army, Navy, Air Force of the National Defence Academy and 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme of Indian Naval Academy will be made upto the number of vacancies available subject to eligibility, medical fitness and merit-cum-preference of the candidates.