How to Join NDA After 12th (Commerce, Arts, Science) - Eligibility, Application, Selection Process

Edited By Vishnukumar V | Updated on Jul 15, 2024 11:54 AM IST | #NDA

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NDA Exam Date : 14 Sep' 2025 - 14 Sep' 2025

How To Join NDA After 12th?- The NDA and NA exam is one of the most popular exams in India meant for candidates looking to join the Indian defence services. The UPSC conducts this exam twice yearly. The NDA exam can be attempted after 10+2 by candidates who want to join the Indian Defence Services.

It is an extremely competitive exam with strict standards. On this page, we shall discuss in detail how to join the NDA. We will be going over details such as how to join the NDA after 12th, the eligibility criteria etc. Candidates looking to attempt the NDA can go through the material below.

How To Join NDA After the 12th?

Candidates who meet the minimum eligibility criteria of NDA can apply for it.
To apply for NDA candidates will have to visit the official website of UPSC and apply online.
Those who successfully apply for UPSC NDA will have to appear in the NDA exam and qualify for it.
Post clearing the NDA candidates will have to go through a course for the initial 3 years.
After completing the course, they will be stationed as a lieutenant in the Indian defence services.

This Story also Contains

How To Join NDA After the 12th?
How To Join NDA After 12th? - NDA Eligibility Criteria 2025
How To Join NDA After 12th? - Application Process

How to Join NDA After 12th

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How To Join NDA After 12th? - NDA Eligibility Criteria 2025

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) prescribes the NDA eligibility criteria and mentions them in the official notification. As per the eligibility criteria, only unmarried candidates who have completed their Class 12 or equivalent examination can apply for the exam.

The eligibility criteria also include nationality, age limit, educational qualification and physical standards which candidates need to fulfil in order to be eligible for the exam. From the following table, candidates can check the detailed eligibility criteria of NDA 2025 consisting of academic qualification, age limit and physical requirements.

Quick links:

NDA educational qualification 2025

NDA Wings	Qualifying Exam details
For Indian Army	Passed 12th standard from State Education Board or a University
For Air Force and Naval	Passed 12th standard with Physics and Mathematics from State Education Board or a University

NDA 1 & 2 age limit 2025

Exam	Age limit	Date of Birth Criteria
NDA (1) 2025	16.5 years - 19.5 years	July 2, 2005 to July 1, 2008
NDA (2) 2025	16.5 years - 19.5 years	To be announced

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Height and Weight Requirements: Indian Army & Air Force- Males

Height and Weight Requirements: Indian Army & Air Force- Females

Height (in cm)	Minimum weight	Age in years
		17-20	20-30	30-40	40+
		Weight (in kg)
140	35.3	43.1	45.1	47.0	49.0
141	35.8	43.7	45.7	47.7	49.7
142	36.3	44.4	46.4	48.4	50.4
143	36.8	45.0	47.0	49.1	51.1
144	37.3	45.6	47.7	49.8	51.1
145	37.8	46.9	49.0	50.5	51.8
146	38.4	46.3	48.4	50.5	52.6
147	38.9	47.5	49.7	51.9	54.0
148	39.4	48.2	50.4	52.6	54.8
149	40.0	48.8	51.1	53.3	55.5
150	40.5	49.5	51.8	54.0	56.3
151	41.0	50.2	52.4	54.7	57.0
152	41.6	50.8	53.1	55.4	57.8
153	42.1	51.5	53.8	56.2	58.5
154	42.7	52.2	54.5	56.9	59.3
155	43.2	52.9	55.3	57.7	60.1
156	43.8	53.5	56.0	58.4	60.8
157	44.4	54.2	56.7	59.2	61.6
158	44.9	54.9	57.4	59.9	62.4
159	45.5	55.6	58.1	60.7	63.2
160	46.1	56.3	58.9	61.4	64.0
161	46.7	57.0	59.6	62.2	64.8
162	47.2	57.7	60.4	63.0	65.6
163	47.8	58.5	61.1	63.8	66.4
164	48.4	59.2	61.9	64.6	67.2
165	49	59.9	62.6	65.3	68.1
166	49.6	60.6	63.4	66.1	68.9
167	50.2	61.4	64.1	66.9	69.7
168	50.8	62.1	64.9	67.7	70.6
169	51.4	62.8	65.7	68.5	71.4
170	52	63.6	66.5	69.4	72.3
171	52.6	64.3	67.3	70.2	73.1
172	53.3	65.1	68	71	74
173	53.9	65.8	68.8	71.8	74.8
174	54.5	66.6	69.6	72.7	75.7
175	55.1	67.4	70.4	73.5	76.6
176	55.8	68.1	71.2	74.3	77.4
177	56.4	68.9	72.1	75.2	78.3
178	57	69.7	72.9	76	79.2
179	57.7	70.5	73.7	76.9	80.1
180	58.3	71.3	74.5	77.8	81
181	59	72.1	75.4	78.6	81.9
182	59.6	72.9	76.2	79.5	82.8
183	60.3	73.7	77	80.4	83.7
184	60.9	74.5	77.9	81.3	84.6
185	61.6	75.3	78.7	82.1	85.6
186	62.3	76.1	79.6	83	86.5
187	62.9	76.9	80.4	83.9	87.4
188	63.6	77.8	81.3	84.8	88.4
189	64.3	78.6	82.2	85.7	89.3
190	65	79.4	83	86.6	90.3
191	65.7	80.3	83.9	87.6	91.2
192	66.4	81.1	84.8	88.5	92.2
193	67	81.9	85.7	89.4	93.1
194	67.7	82.8	86.6	90.3	94.1
195	68.4	83.7	87.5	91.3	95.1
196	69.1	84.5	88.4	92.2	96
197	69.9	85.4	89.3	93.1	97
198	70.6	86.2	90.2	94.1	98
199	71.3	87.1	91.1	95	99
200	72	88	92	96	100
201	72.7	88.9	92.9	97	101
202	73.4	89.8	93.8	97.9	102
203	74.2	90.7	94.8	98.9	103
204	74.9	91.6	95.7	99.9	104
205	75.6	92.5	96.7	100.9	105.1
206	76.4	93.4	97.6	101.8	106.1
207	77.1	94.3	98.6	102.8	107.1
208	77.9	95.2	99.5	103.8	108.2
209	78.6	96.1	100.5	104.8	109.2
210	79.4	97	101.4	105.8	110.3

Height and Weight Requirements: Indian Army & Air Force- Females

Height (in cm)	Minimum weight	Age in years
		17-20	20-30	30-40	40+
		Weight (in kg)
140	35.3	43.1	45.1	47.0	49.0
141	35.8	43.7	45.7	47.7	49.7
142	36.3	44.4	46.4	48.4	50.4
143	36.8	45.0	47.0	49.1	51.1
144	37.3	45.6	47.7	49.8	51.1
145	37.8	46.9	49.0	50.5	51.8
146	38.4	46.3	48.4	50.5	52.6
147	38.9	47.5	49.7	51.9	54.0
148	39.4	48.2	50.4	52.6	54.8
149	40.0	48.8	51.1	53.3	55.5
150	40.5	49.5	51.8	54.0	56.3
151	41.0	50.2	52.4	54.7	57.0
152	41.6	50.8	53.1	55.4	57.8
153	42.1	51.5	53.8	56.2	58.5
154	42.7	52.2	54.5	56.9	59.3
155	43.2	52.9	55.3	57.7	60.1
156	43.8	53.5	56.0	58.4	60.8
157	44.4	54.2	56.7	59.2	61.6
158	44.9	54.9	57.4	59.9	62.4
159	45.5	55.6	58.1	60.7	63.2
160	46.1	56.3	58.9	61.4	64.0
161	46.7	57.0	59.6	62.2	64.8
162	47.2	57.7	60.4	63.0	65.6
163	47.8	58.5	61.1	63.8	66.4

Height and Weight Requirements: Indian Navy- (Males/females)

Height (in cm)	Age in years
	Upto 17		17-18		18-20		20-30		30+
	Weight (in kg)
	Min	Max	Min	Max	Min	Max	Min	Max	Min	Max
1.47	37	45	40	45	40	48	40	50	40	52
1.48	37	46	41	46	41	48	41	50	41	53
1.49	38	47	41	47	41	49	41	51	41	53
1.5	38	47	42	47	42	50	42	52	42	54
1.51	39	48	42	48	42	50	42	52	42	55
1.52	39	49	43	49	43	51	43	53	43	55
1.53	40	49	43	49	43	51	43	54	43	56
1.54	40	49	43	49	43	52	44	55	44	57
1.55	41	50	44	50	44	53	44	55	44	58
1.56	41	51	45	51	45	54	45	56	45	58
1.57	42	52	46	52	46	54	46	57	46	60
1.58	42	52	46	52	46	54	46	57	46	59
1.59	43	53	47	53	47	56	47	58	47	61
1.6	44	54	47	53	47	56	47	59	47	61
1.61	44	54	48	54	48	57	48	60	48	62
1.62	45	55	49	55	49	58	49	60	49	63
1.63	45	56	49	56	49	58	49	61	49	64
1.64	46	56	50	56	50	59	50	62	50	65
1.65	46	57	50	57	50	60	50	63	50	65
1.66	47	58	51	58	51	61	51	63	51	66
1.67	47	59	52	59	52	61	52	64	52	67
1.68	48	59	52	59	52	62	52	65	52	68
1. 69	49	60	53	60	53	63	53	66	53	69
1.7	49	61	53	61	53	64	53	66	53	69
1.71	50	62	54	62	54	64	54	67	54	70
1.72	50	63	55	63	55	65	55	68	55	71
1.73	51	64	55	64	55	66	55	69	55	72
1.74	51	64	56	64	56	67	56	70	56	73
1.75	52	65	57	65	57	67	57	70	57	74
1.76	53	66	57	66	57	68	57	71	57	74
1.77	53	66	58	66	58	69	58	72	58	75
1.78	54	67	59	67	59	70	59	73	59	76
1.79	54	67	59	67	59	70	59	74	59	77
1.8	55	68	60	68	60	71	60	75	60	78
1.81	56	69	61	69	61	72	61	75	61	79
1.82	56	70	61	70	61	73	61	76	61	79
1.83	57	70	62	70	62	74	62	77	62	80
1.84	58	71	63	71	63	74	63	78	63	81
1.85	58	72	63	72	63	75	63	79	63	82
1.86	59	73	64	73	64	76	64	80	64	83
1.87	59	73	65	73	65	77	65	80	65	84
1.88	60	74	65	74	65	78	65	81	65	85
1.89	61	75	66	75	66	79	66	82	66	86
1.9	61	76	67	76	67	79	67	83	67	87
1.91	62	77	67	77	67	80	67	84	67	88
1.92	63	77	68	77	68	81	68	85	68	88
1.93	63	78	69	78	69	82	69	86	69	89
1.94	64	79	70	79	70	83	70	87	70	90
1.95	65	80	70	80	70	84	70	87	70	91

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Vision requirement - Indian Navy

Requirements	Vision Standard
Uncorrected without glass	6/6, 6/9
Corrected with glass	6/6, 6/6
Limits of Myopia	-0.75
Limits of Hypermetropia	1.5
Binocular vision	III
Limits of colour perception	I

Vision requirement - Indian Air Force

Requirements	Vision Standard
Minimum distant vision	6/6, 6/9
Corrected with glass (for Hypermetropia)	6/6, 6/6
Colour vision	CP-I
Hypermetropia	+2.0 D
Sph Manifest Myopia	Nil
Retinoscopic Myopia	0.5 in any Meridian permitted
Astigmatism	+ 0.75 D Cyl (within + 2.0 D maximum)
Maddox Rod Test at 6 meters	Exo-6 prism D Eso-6 prism D Hyper-1 prism D Hypro-1 prism D
Maddox Rod Test at 33 cms	Exo-16 prism D Eso-6 prism D Hyper-1 prism D Hypo-1 prism D

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How To Join NDA After 12th? - Application Process

The NDA 1 application form 2025 will be released on the official website of the UPSC. The NDA form comprises two parts. The first part consists of registration while the second consists of detailed form filling, selecting exam centres and paying the application fee. Check the steps here to fill out the application form.

Registration for the exam by filling in required details
Choosing preferred branches
Verifying the details
Generation of registration ID
Selecting exam centre
Paying application fee
Uploading signature and photograph

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How can I prepare for NDA after 12th?

Candidates can prepare for the NDA exam by practising the previous year's question papers, giving mock tests etc.

2. Can a girl join NDA after 12th 2025?

Yes, girls can apply for NDA as long as they have cleared 10+2.

3. Does 12th marks matter in NDA?

No, 12th marks don’t matter for NDA. Candidates must qualify for the 10+2 with PCM.

4. What is NDA salary?

The starting salary of candidates is Rs. 56100 while candidates in training will get a stipend.

5. What are the passing marks in the NDA exam?

There are no passing marks in the NDA exam, however, candidates must score the cutoff marks.

6. How hard is the NDA exam?

Yes, NDA is one of the toughest exams in India. Due to the high competitive level and a lot of candidates applying for it. However, with proper preparations and an effective study plan candidates can qualify it easily.

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Questions related to NDA

Have a question related to NDA ?

I am studying intermediate first year.I will go to second year in 2026.Can I give nda exam next year am I eligible to write my age is 16

Hello Aspirant,

Yes, you can likely give the NDA exam next year (2026) if you meet the age and educational criteria.

Age Eligibility

The NDA age limit is generally 16.5 to 19.5 years at the time the course commences.

For NDA 1 2026 (exam in April 2026), candidates should typically be born between July 2, 2007, and July 1, 2010 .
For NDA 2 2026 (exam in September 2026), candidates should typically be born between January 2, 2008, and January 1, 2011 .

Since you are 16 now and will be going to your second year of intermediate in 2026, you will likely fall within these age brackets.

Educational Eligibility

You need to be appearing in or have passed Class 12 (Intermediate) or an equivalent examination. Since you'll be in your second year of intermediate in 2026, you will be eligible.

For the Army Wing , candidates from any stream (Arts, Commerce, Science) are eligible.
For the Air Force and Naval Wings , you must have studied Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics in your 12th standard.

Always check the official UPSC NDA notification for 2026 when it is released for the exact and confirmed dates and eligibility criteria.

Read Complete Answer

SHUBHRADIP ROY 10 August,2025

i fill my nda form but there was wrong on my aadhar card during correction windowopen . my adhar card is not corrected but after this i corrected my adhar card i want to know that my admit card will come and i able to give the exam.in proof i have my 10th and 12th marksheet and dote of birth certificate thankyou

Hello Aspirant,

Yes, you should be able to get your NDA admit card and sit for the examination. The details mentioned in the NDA form usually get verified with your application records, and on examination day you will be permitted to take valid proof such as your updated Aadhaar card, 10th and 12th marksheets, and date of birth certificate. It should not be a problem so long as you can have your identity verified through various documents, so just ensure you bring the same updated ID proof that you brought to the examination centre.

Read Complete Answer

gopi 10 August,2025

my brith 7. 4 . 2007 I'm eligible for NDA 2026

Hello,

Sorry, but you aren't eligible for the NDA 1 exam in 2026. According to the NDA 1 exam 2026, candidates must be born between July 2, 2007, and July 1, 2010. Means fall outside of this range according to your date of birth. But, you are eligible for the NDA 2 exam in 2026.

I hope it will clear your query!!

Read Complete Answer

Rahul Mandal 08 August,2025

Hi my D.O.B is 30-11-2006.so can I attend nda 1 2026

Hello student,

No, you will not be eligible for NDA 1 2026 based on your date of birth (30-11-2006). The eligibility criteria for NDA 1 2026 require candidates to be born between July 2, 2007, and July 1, 2010.

Your date of birth falls outside this range. You would be eligible for NDA 2 2026 if you are born between January 2, 2008, and January 1, 2011.

Thank you!!

Read Complete Answer

Anushree Thakare 08 August,2025

Sir namaste ji kiya mai 2025mai NDA 10 December vala farm fill up kar sakta hoo date of birth 10/12/2008 hai

NDA ke liye minimum age 16.5 saal aur maximum 19.5 saal hoti hai exam ke din tak. Agar aapka janam 10 December 2008 hai to aap 2025 mein hone wale NDA 2 exam ke liye eligible nahi honge. Aap NDA ke liye 2026 se eligible honge.

Read Complete Answer

Bipasha 07 August,2025

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