NDA 2 Notification 2026 Out for 394 Vacancy, Check Exam Date, Apply Online

The UPSC NDA 2 Notification 2026 has been officially released on 20 May 2026 for candidates who want to join the defence forces after Class 12. The National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination-II, 2026 will be conducted by UPSC on 13 September 2026. Through this exam, candidates can get admission into the Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of NDA. The recruitment is being conducted for the 158th NDA Course and the 120th Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC) starting from 1 July 2027. Interested candidates can submit their online applications from 20 May 2026 to 09 June 2026. Aspirants should carefully check eligibility details before applying. Candidates can visit the official UPSC website for complete notification details and registration.

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NDA 2 Notification 2026 PDF Download

The official NDA 2 Notification 2026 PDF is now released by UPSC on its website. Candidates can check the NDA 2 Notification to know the all the important details such as eligibility, exam pattern, syllabus, selection process, and dates. Reading the notification helps candidates to start their preparation early. We have provided the complete NDA 2 Notification 2026 PDF and all important details below. Candidates should keep checking for the latest updates.

Download NDA Notification 2026 PDF

What is NDA 2 Exam Date 2026?

The NDA 2 Exam 2026 will be conducted on 13th September 2026 by UPSC. The exam will be held for the candidates who are seeking admission in the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of the National Defence Academy. It will also be conducted for the 120th Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC). Candidates should complete their preparation well before the exam date.

Download NDA Exam Date 2026 PDF

NDA 2 Exam Notification 2026: Overview

The UPSC has released the NDA Notification at upsconline.nic.in. The candidates are advised to go through the details very carefully including eligibility, educational qualifications, age limits and the selection process including the Written Exam and SSB Interview, especially as the NDA Exam Date 2026 has already been declared for both the sessions.

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What is the NDA Exam?

The NDA exam is conducted by UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) in India twice a year. It is a national level exam which is conducted for the selection of candidates in the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. The exam is open to unmarried male and female candidates who are citizens of India and meet certain age and educational qualifications. This recruitment offers a valuable opportunity for 12th-pass candidates to join the Defence forces.

• The candidates will be called for the Written examination followed by the SSB Interview (Intelligence and Personality Test).
• The selected candidates will also get a salary of Rs. 56,100 per month.
• The candidates must qualify in all the stages of the selection process to get recruited.

UPSC NDA 2 Vacancy 2026

The official UPSC NDA 2 Vacancy 2026 details have been released. A total of 394 vacancies have been announced for admission to the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Naval Academy wings. Out of the total NDA 2 vacancies 2026, 370 seats are for male candidates and 24 seats are for female candidates across different services. 

When will NDA 2 Registration Form 2026 Start?

The NDA 2 Registration Form 2026 has already started from 20th May 2026 along with the official notification. Eligible candidates can apply for the post till 9th June 2026. You will be able to complete the application process through the UPSC website. Candidates should keep their documents and required details ready before filling the form. It is advisable to complete the registration process before the last date to avoid any last minute problems. We will give here the direct NDA 2 Apply Online link once it gets activated.

Direct Link for NDA Registration Form 2026

How to Apply Online For NDA Exam 2026?

Open the UPSC website as mentioned in the NDA Notification 2026 and fill in your basic details carefully first.Then, upload your documents, pay the fee, and fill out the form in a few easy steps.

Step 1: First of all visit the official UPSC site and then open the One Time Registration (OTR) section. Here, you have to create an account which wil be valid for any UPSC exam.

Step 2: After that start making your account with the Part I form. Then enter your basic details like your name, date of birth, address, and educational information.

Step 3: Then complete all the fields in the Part I form and it should be correct.

Step 4: Then the system will give you a unique Registration ID.

Step 5: Then use your Registration ID to pay the exam fee on the UPSC portal. The fee amount can vary as per your category, so you should pay the correct amount.

Step 6: After the fee is paid, you can go back to the UPSC website and open the Part II form to choose your exam center and upload any documents.

Step 7: After submitting Part II, you can now take a printout of the final application form. This copy is very much important for future use during the exam process.

UPSC NDA 2026 Application Fees

Candidates applying under the NDA 2026 Notification should note that SC/ST category candidates are exempt from paying the examination fee. Where applicable, the fee can be paid via cash at any SBI branch, net banking, Visa/MasterCard/Rupay credit or debit cards, or UPI. The application fee is non-refundable, and complete fee details are provided below.

Know the NDA Application Form filling process in detail here.

NDA Eligibility Criteria 2026

Candidates should meet all the specific educational qualifications and age criteria. Candidates. You can refer to the below NDA 2026 Eligibility Criteria.

• For the Army Wing of the National Defence Academy, candidates need a 12th Class pass from a recognized State Education Board or University.
• For the Air Force and Naval Wings, as well as the 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme at the Indian Naval Academy, a 12th Class pass with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics is required.
• Only unmarried male/female candidates born not earlier than 1st July, 2007 and not later than 01st July, 2010 are eligible
• They must remain unmarried until completing their training.

Read about NDA Physical Training here.

NDA Exam 2026 Selection Process

The candidates who want to join the prestigious National Defence Academy must go through a detailed selection process. As mentioned in the NDA Notification 2026, the selection is mainly divided into two stages - a written exam and the SSB interview. The written exam has two papers: Mathematics and the General Ability Test.

Written examination

The written examination consists of two papers, Mathematics and General Ability Test . Written examination This part of the SSB examination tests the candidate’s cognitive abilities, problem solving skills, logical reasoning and perceptual speed. It includes tasks such as verbal and non-verbal reasoning, picture perception and intelligence based assessments.

SSB examination (Intelligence and Personality Test)

SSB examination (Intelligence and Personality Test) Personality Test measures your behaviour, your leadership, your communication skills, your emotional stability and your ability to adapt with others

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UPSC NDA Syllabus & Exam Pattern 2026

Given below is the NDA Exam Syllabus for the candidates preparing for the exam. Knowing the syllabus and managing it properly is the key factor in your preparation strategy. The UPSC NDA Syllabus 2026 is divided into 2 parts viz. Maths and GAT. The GAT section is further divided into English and General Awareness. What helps you score well in the exam is to schedule the syllabus accordingly, by preparing tough chapters first.

NDA 2026 Salary

The Union Public Service Commission's Official Notification for NDA Exam 2026 will contain an extensive salary structure. During the training cycle, the Cadets will be paid a fixed stipend of Rs. 56,100/- for the duration of their training in service academies (i.e. during their training period at IMA). The pay in the pay matrix of the Officer commissioned shall be set in the first Cell of Level 10 after good training. The Pay scale will differ from one post to another and will be mentioned in the official guidelines. Candidates cab learn more about the in-hand NDA Exam Salary here in a detailed manner.

NDA Exam Centres

The National Defence Academy exam is conducted at various centres across India. Applicants can choose the exam centre based on their location and convenience. However places are limited at each centre so apply early.

NDA Exam 2026 Cut Off

The NDA cut off marks 2026 are the minimum scores you need to pass. They depend on toughness of the exam , number of seats available and performance of other candidates . There is a separate cut off for written exam and SSB interview and final result is based on both . You need to score above these marks in each paper and overall to move further .

NDA Best Books for Preparation

You need a good study plan and the right books for the NDA 2 Examination. The best NDA books are going to help you to understand the syllabus, practice important questions, and learn key concepts easily. Whether it’s Maths or the General Ability Test (GAT), choosing the right books for each subject will improve your preparation. Here’s a simple list of recommended books for both papers:

• Mathematics Mathematics for NDA & NA by RS Aggarwal, Pathfinder NDA/NA Entrance Exam by Arihant Experts, Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Exams by RS Aggarwal.
• General Science & General Knowledge - NCERT Books (Class 6 to 10 for Science & Social Science), General Knowledge by Lucent’s, Manorama Yearbook.
• English - Objective General English by SP Bakshi, Wren & Martin’s High School English Grammar & Composition, Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis.

We hope our article on NDA Notification 2026 will be informative and helpful for the NDA Aspirants. Start preparing now with our Free Android App where you will find all the study material for many government exams. Download the Testbook App Now!