UPSC NDA Salary & Career Growth 2026 - Army/Navy/Air Force Salary Structure & Rank
Candidates looking to join the Indian Military like the Indian Army, Navy, or Indian Air Force, will benefit from the details about the NDA salary 2026. Candidates who successfully clear every stage of the UPSC NDA 2 exam will be selected to train for 3 years and they will be offered good NDA 2026 salary.
This Story also Contains
- NDA Salary 2026 As Per 7th Pay Commission - Post-wise NDA Officer Salary
- What is NDA?
- NDA Eligibility Criteria 2026
The NDA is a popular exam held twice yearly with the intention of recruiting candidates for these posts. Even during the cadet training that comes after the NDA 2026, candidates will be receiving an NDA stipend. The 7th Pay Commission prescribed some changes to the NDA & NA Salary.
After clearing the NDA 2026, candidates go through a training period lasting 3 years. After completing the 3 years of training, candidates are entitled to a handsome salary which ranges from Rs. 56,100- Rs. 1,77,500 at the start and increases along with promotion. In this article, we will share all the information related to the NDA salary 2026, the scope of growth, NDA posts, etc.
NDA Salary 2026 As Per 7th Pay Commission - Post-wise NDA Officer Salary
UPSC NDA Salary (In-Hand)
In the following table, candidates can check the NDA salary structure.
Rank-Wise NDA Salary Structure and Rank Pay
NDA Rank | NDA Salary |
Lieutenant to Major |
|
Lieutenant Colonel to Major General |
|
Lieutenant General HAG Scale | Level 15 (Rs. 1, 82, 200- Rs. 2,24,100) |
HAG+ Scale | Level 16 (Rs. 2,05,400 – Rs. 2,24,400) |
Vice Chief of Army Staff/Army Commander/ Lieutenant General (NFSG) | Level 17 (Rs. 2,25,000) (fixed) |
Chief of Army Staff | Level 18 (Rs. 2,50,000) (fixed) |
NDA Grades Pay 2026 (Rank-wise)
Rank | Grade Pay (in Rupees) |
Lieutenant | Rs. 5,400 |
Captain | Rs. 6,100 |
Major | Rs. 6,600 |
Lieutenant Colonel | Rs. 8,000 |
Colonel | Rs. 8,700 |
Brigadier | Rs. 8,900 |
Major General | Rs. 10,000 |
Other NDA-related articles that candidates may find helpful:
Apart from the UPSC NDA salary 2026, candidates are also entitled to various allowances:
DA & TA (Dearness Allowances/Transport allowance)
Highly Active Field Area Allowance (As per the post)
Uniform allowance
Compensatory Modified Field Area Allowance (As per post)
Compensatory Field Area (As per post)
Kit Maintenance Allowances
Para Allowance
Special Forces Allowance
Para Jump Instructor Allowance
Project Allowance
Para Reserve Allowance
Technical Allowance (Tier-I)
Technical Allowance (Tier-II)
Quick Links
Field Area Allowances
Highly Active Field Area Allowance – HAFA | Rs 16,900 pm |
Field Area Allowance – FD Area | Rs 10,500 pm |
Modified Field Area Allowance – Mod FD Area | Rs 6,300 pm |
High Altitude Allowances
Candidates posted in Siachen will get the Siachen Allowance amounting to Rs 42,500 per month. NDA officers who are posted to high altitude regions will benefit from the following allowances –
Category-I | Rs 3,400 Per Month |
Category-II | Rs 5,300 Per Month |
Category-III | Rs 25,000 Per Month |
Transport Allowance (TPTA)
Level 9 and Above | |
Rs. 7200 Rs + DA thereon (Per month) | |
Rs. 3600 Rs + DA thereon (Per month) |
Flying Allowances
The Pilots or Army Aviators in Army Aviation Corps are entitled to flying allowance at a rate of Rs 25,000 per month.
NDA – Other Allowances
Children Education Allowance – CEA Rs. 2250 Per Month Per Child for two eldest surviving. This allowance is admissible from Nursery to class 12th. |
Hostel Subsidy Rs. 6,750 per month per child for two eldest surviving only (admissible from Nursery to class 12th). |
Ration |
In Field Area and Peace Area to all Defense officers every month |
Also read
NDA – Promotion Opportunities and Career Growth
Minimum Service Required for Promotion | Indian Army | Indian Navy | Indian Air Force |
On being Commissioned | Lieutenant | Sub Lieutenant | Flying Officer |
After 2 years of service | Captain | Lieutenant | Flight Lieutenant |
After 6 years of service | Major | Lt Commander | Squadron Leader |
13 years of service | Lieutenant Colonel | Commander | Wing Commander |
On Selection | Colonel(Selection) | Captain (Selection) | Group Captain (Selection) |
26 years of service | Colonel (Time Scale) | Captain (Time Scale) | Group Captain (Time Scale) |
On Selection | Brigadier | Commodore | Air Commodore |
On Selection | Major General | Rear Admiral | Air Vice-Marshal |
On Selection | Lieutenant General | Vice Admiral | Air Marshal |
On Selection | General | Admiral | Air Chief Marshal |
What is NDA?
NDA (National Defence Academy) is a national-level exam conducted by UPSC twice a year. Candidates qualifying for the NDA exam are selected for training at the National Defence Academy. After completing their training, they will be recruited on the post of Lieutenant in Army, Sub-Lieutenant in Navy/Flying Officer in the Indian Army.
NDA Eligibility Criteria 2026
The NDA 2026 eligibility criteria for both male and female candidates between the age group 16.5-19.5 years who have completed their 10+2 can apply for NDA. More details about the UPSC NDA eligibility criteria 2026 can be checked in the official notification.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is the NDA salary 2026?
A:
The NDA 2 salary 2026 during the training is Rs 56,100.
Q: Do NDA students get paid?
A:
Yes, during their training period, they will be paid Rs. 56,100 as a stipend.
Q: Is NDA a good career option?
A:
Yes, it is a great career option if you qualify it. It is one of the most competitive exams in India.
Q: What are the monthly fees of NDA?
A:
There is no monthly fee for NDA, the cost is borne by the Commission itself.
Q: Is NCERT enough for NDA?
A:
Yes, NCERT are the best study materials for any government exam, be it UPSC IAS or NDA etc.
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Questions related to NDA
On Question asked by student community
Have a question related to NDA ?
Hello,
No, you are not eligible for NDA 2026.
Eligibility criteria for NDA 2026:
- NDA 1 2026 : Born between July 2, 2006, and July 1, 2009.
- NDA 2 2026 : Born between July 2, 2006, and July 1, 2009.
So, your DOB is before the earliest acceptable date for the NDA1 and NDA 2 exams in 2026.
You can check the following link for more details:
https://competition.careers360.com/articles/nda-eligibility-criteria
I hope this answer helps you!
Hello aspirant,
Candidates must have been born between July 2, 2007, and July 1, 2010 in order to be eligible for this exam. You meet the age eligibility requirements since your date of birth falls within this range.
So, you are qualified to take the NDA 1 2026 exam if your birthdate is November 22, 2007.
Thank you
Hello, This is a very important and specific question. Based on the current medical standards for entry into the National Defence Academy (NDA), a corrected eyesight of -3.0 D unfortunately makes you ineligible for the Army wing.
The Specific Eyesight Standards for NDA (Army Wing)
The armed forces have very strict visual standards, which are different for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. For the Army, the key limits are related to Myopia (nearsightedness) and Hypermetropia (farsightedness).
- Myopia (Nearsightedness) Limit: The maximum permissible refractive error is -2.5 D.
- Hypermetropia (Farsightedness) Limit: The maximum permissible error is +2.5 D.
Your Situation: Your spectacle power of -3.0 D is beyond the acceptable limit of -2.5 D for myopia.
I hope you found this information helpful.
Hi dear candidate,
You are eligible for NDA Air force and Navy wing even though you have subjects from two different marksheets but having qualified in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics is all you need. Hence, you are eligible but also check other criteria as well like age, physical requirements etc.
Kindly refer to the link below:
NDA Eligibility Criteria 2026 - Age Limit, Qualification, Nationality, Attempt Limit
BEST REGARDS
If your birthday is on 3rd April 2007, you are eligible to apply for the NDA 1 exam in 2026, but you are not eligible for NDA 2, 2026.
Current age limit is Minimum-16.5 years, Maximum-19.5 years.
cgeck here NDA ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Hope it helps..
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