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.

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

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.

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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.

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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

Quick links:

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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UPSC NDA 1 Question Paper 2024

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Can a girl join NDA after 12th 2025?

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

Q: Does 12th marks matter in NDA?

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

Q: What is NDA salary?

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

Q: 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.

Q: 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.

Q: 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.

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Questions related to NDA

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to NDA ?

Ami Hindi janina nda exam dite pari

Hello,

Knowing Hindi isn't necessary for giving NDA exam. The question papers are bilingual for most sections.

Though you will need Hindi as a language to communicate with other troops. Proficiency in English is required to crack the English paper and interview. Strong English skills is important for SSB and future career as an officer.

For more information about the NDA examination check out the official website of Careers360.

https://competition.careers360.com/articles/nda-eligibility-criteria

Thank you.

Read Complete Answer

Meghdeep Laha

15 Dec'25

i am born in 2006/9/26 can i apply for nda 2006 ,is it nda1 or nda2 .our results will be in may so when can fill the form

Hello

Yes, you are eligible as per your DOB (26,09,2006) for both exam NDA1 and NDA2 2025. Your age falls between 16.5 to 19.5 years for the NDA Exam. The NDA 1 exam form was released in December 2025, and the NDA 2 exam for released in May 2026. Those students who are born between July 2, 2007 and July 1, 2010, are eligible for the NDA Exam. For more information, you can read the article, which is based on the NDA Eligibility Criteria 2026 , from our official website, careers360.

Thank you.

Read Complete Answer

Dhruv Sharma

10 Dec'25

my date of birth is 80.02.2007. can i apply to nda 1 2026

No, you are not eligible for the NDA1 Exam because your age does not fall within the requirements (July 2, 2007 and July 1, 2010). So, my suggestion is that you can prepare for the NDA 1 and NDA 2 2027 exam. For the NDA 2027 exam, you are eligible as per your DOB. If you want to prepare for the NEET exam, you can consider our platform, which helps you in your preparation. For more information about the NDA exam, you can read the article NDA Eligibility Criteria 2026.

Thank you.

Read Complete Answer

Dhruv Sharma

10 Dec'25

My dob is 27 apr 2007 m nda k liye eligible hu ?

Hello,

Yes, you are. For both NDA 1 and NDA 2, which are going to be held in 2026.

The eligibility criteria for these are that you should be unmarried and should not exceed the determined age factor (ie, between 16.5 years to 19.5 years).

The candidate should have the maximum qualification of HSC pass or at least an appearing status to be provided. Should belong to Indian Nationality.

Hope it helps. Good luck.

Read Complete Answer

Vaishnavi Viswanathan

9 Dec'25

my date of birth 11 may 2007 can i eligible for nda 1 2026 exam

Hello

Your date of birth is 11 May 2007, which is earlier than the allowed range for NDA 1 2026.
The required DOB for that exam is between 2 July 2007 and 1 July 2010.
Because of this, you won’t be eligible for NDA 1 2026.
It’s only the age rule that stops you nothing else.

You can check more details by visiting the link I am attaching below: