UPSC NDA II 2026 Apply Online – 394 Posts, Last Date 11 June 2026

Two days. The UPSC NDA & NA II 2026 application window closes on 11 June 2026 at 6:00 PM — and today is 9 June. For Class 12 pass or appearing students aged 15–18 years with ambitions of wearing the uniform, this is not a notification to bookmark for later. Every year, UPSC receives over 4 lakh applications for NDA; the OTR registration queue on the last day is reliably overloaded. Submitting today takes 20 minutes. Waiting until 11 June at 5 PM risks a server crash, an incomplete form, and a missed window that does not reopen for another year.

UPSC NDA & NA II 2026 Recruitment – Overview

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the official notification for National Defence Academy and Naval Academy (NDA & NA) Examination-II 2026 for admission to the Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of the NDA for the 158th Course and the 120th Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC), both commencing 1 July 2027. A total of 394 posts are notified — across NDA Army, NDA Navy, NDA Airforce (Flying, Ground Duties Tech, Ground Duties Non-Tech), and the Naval Academy 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme. Both male and female unmarried candidates of Indian nationality, born between 01 January 2008 and 01 January 2011, who have passed or are appearing in Class 12 from a recognised board, are eligible to apply. Applications are submitted exclusively online at upsconline.nic.in and close on 11 June 2026 at 6:00 PM. The written examination is scheduled for 13 September 2026. OTR (One-Time Registration) at upsconline.nic.in is mandatory before the application form can be accessed. Live photo capture via website or UPSC app is required at the time of application — pre-scanned photos are not accepted.

NDA & NA II 2025 (exam held 14 September 2025) announced 406 vacancies; NDA & NA II 2026 brings 394 — a modest decrease of 12 posts. Female vacancies across all wings are 24 out of 394 (6.1%), consistent with the previous cycle. NDA II consistently attracts over 4 lakh candidates, making the written exam cut-off approximately 320–360 out of 900 for the General category in competitive years — a ratio of roughly 1,000+ applicants per available seat.

Source: Official UPSC NDA & NA II 2026 notification released on 20 May 2026 at upsc.gov.in. Notification PDF available at upsc.gov.in (NDA II 2026 notification PDF) .

UPSC NDA II 2026 – Important Dates

The application window is almost over — only 2 days remain as of 9 June 2026. Note the hard cutoff: 6:00 PM on 11 June 2026, not midnight. Candidates who complete OTR but do not submit the form and fee by 6:00 PM on 11 June will not be able to appear in the exam. The correction window dates will be notified by UPSC after the application period closes.

All dates as per official UPSC NDA & NA II 2026 notification. Admit card, correction window, and result dates will be notified separately on upsc.gov.in.

UPSC NDA II 2026 – Vacancy Details (Service-wise, Male & Female)

The 394 vacancies are distributed across five service wings — Army, Navy, Airforce (Flying), Airforce (Ground Duties Technical), Airforce (Ground Duties Non-Technical), and Naval Academy 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme. Female candidates are eligible for all five wings. The largest allocation is for the Army wing (208 posts), followed by Airforce Flying (92 posts).

Vacancy data as per UPSC NDA & NA II 2026 official notification. Candidates are selected separately against NDA and Naval Academy vacancies by service-wise merit lists. Category-wise (SC/ST/OBC) reservation does not apply to NDA — selection is purely merit-based with only age relaxation for SC/ST as applicable under rules.

UPSC NDA II 2026 – Application Fee

Fee payment is accepted through Net Banking, Debit Card, Credit Card (online modes), or through SBI e-Challan (offline cash payment at SBI branch). The ₹100 fee for General/OBC/EWS candidates is non-refundable. Ensure fee payment is completed before 11 June 2026 — application forms without fee are treated as incomplete and not considered.

UPSC NDA II 2026 – Eligibility Criteria

Age Limit (as on 01 July 2027 — Course Commencement Date)

The age bracket for NDA II 2026 is defined by birth date boundaries, not a numeric age at the time of application. UPSC specifies: candidates must be born not before 01 January 2008 and not after 01 January 2011. This means candidates born in calendar years 2008, 2009, or 2010 are eligible. Candidates born in 2007 (or earlier) or 2011 (or later) are not eligible.

Age relaxation: no general category relaxation on age. SC/ST relaxation applicable per recruitment rules. Age is reckoned from birth date recorded in the Matriculation (Class 10) or equivalent certificate.

Educational Qualification for UPSC NDA II 2026

UPSC NDA II 2026 – Pay Scale, Salary & Career Benefits

NDA officers are among the best-compensated entry-level government employees in India, with the pay structure at Pay Level 10 — the same level as an IRS/IAS/IPS officer at joining. The pay commences from the first day of training, not from commissioning.

After commissioning as a Lieutenant (Army) / Sub-Lieutenant (Navy) / Flying Officer (Airforce), officers progress through a clearly structured promotion ladder: Lieutenant → Captain → Major → Lt. Colonel → Colonel → Brigadier → Major General. Each promotion carries a significant pay increase within the Level 10–14 pay matrix. At the level of Colonel (approximately 14–16 years of service), the gross monthly package (basic + MSP + DA + allowances) typically exceeds ₹2 lakh per month. Senior officers at the rank of Brigadier and above receive scale equivalent to Joint Secretary/Additional Secretary of the Government of India.

UPSC NDA II 2026 – Selection Process

The NDA selection process is a three-stage funnel — written exam, SSB interview, and medical examination — conducted over several months. The final merit list is based on the combined score of the written exam and SSB interview. Only candidates who secure the minimum qualifying marks in both stages, and pass the medical examination, are placed on the final merit list for service allocation.

NDA II 2026 Written Exam Pattern

NDA SSB Interview – Stage-wise Breakdown

SSB interviews are held at Service Selection Boards across India — locations allotted by respective services after the written exam result. Candidates who clear Stage I are put up for the full 5-day Stage II process at the SSB centre.

UPSC NDA II 2026 – Physical Standards (Key Requirements)

Physical standards for NDA are among the most stringent for any central government recruitment. Standards differ by service wing — the Airforce Flying branch has the highest vision requirement. Candidates with corrected vision (spectacles/contact lenses) are ineligible for the Airforce Flying wing. Verify the detailed physical standards in the official notification PDF before selecting your service preference.

Physical standards are indicative — exact specifications are in the official UPSC NDA II 2026 notification PDF at upsc.gov.in. Candidates should verify the complete physical standards for their chosen service wing before applying, particularly for the Airforce Flying branch which has the strictest vision requirements.

How to Fill UPSC NDA II 2026 Online Form – Step by Step

The UPSC NDA II 2026 application must be submitted at upsconline.nic.in. OTR (One-Time Registration) is mandatory — the application form is not accessible without a completed OTR. Two additional requirements unique to the 2026 cycle: a live photo is captured at the time of application (no pre-scanned photo allowed), and the photo must be taken through the website's webcam interface or the official UPSC app. With only 2 days remaining, complete OTR first if not already done — OTR takes 10–15 minutes and is permanent for all future UPSC exams.

1. Complete OTR (One-Time Registration) — mandatory prerequisite: Visit upsconline.nic.in/upsc/OTRP/index.php and complete the One-Time Registration if not already done. OTR requires your personal information, Aadhaar details, mobile number, and email ID. Once completed, OTR is permanent and applies to all future UPSC examinations — no repeat registration is needed.
2. Log in and open the NDA II 2026 application: Go to upsconline.nic.in, log in with your OTR credentials, and click the "Apply" link for "NDA & NA Examination-II, 2026."
3. Capture live photo — mandatory (no pre-scanned photos): UPSC 2026 requires a live photograph taken in real time — either through your computer's webcam via the online portal or through the official UPSC application. Ensure you are in a well-lit area with a plain white or light background. Look directly at the camera. Block or spectacle frames visible in the photo are grounds for rejection. The photo must meet the format criteria specified in the official notification (size, background, expression).
4. Fill in personal, educational, and service preference details: Enter your personal details, Class 12 details (board, year, stream/subjects, marks or "Appearing" if applicable), and select your service wing preferences (Army / Navy / Airforce branches / Naval Academy) in priority order. Check your eligibility for each wing — specifically Physics+Maths for Navy/Airforce and PCM for Naval Academy.
5. Upload signature: Upload a scanned signature in running (cursive) handwriting in black ink on white paper in the prescribed file format. Block or capital letter signatures are grounds for rejection.
6. Select exam city preference: Select your preferred exam centre city from the available list. Exam city preferences are not guaranteed but UPSC tries to accommodate them subject to availability.
7. Pay the application fee: General/OBC/EWS candidates pay ₹100 via Net Banking, Debit Card, Credit Card, or SBI e-Challan. SC/ST and female candidates are exempt. Fee must be paid before 11 June 2026 — unpaid applications are rejected.
8. Preview and submit: Use the preview screen to verify every field — name, date of birth, service preferences, photo, and signature. Click "Submit" after verification. Download and print the final application confirmation. Keep it safe for the admit card, SSB interview, and joining stages.

UPSC NDA II 2026 – Training Pipeline & Career Path

Candidates selected through NDA II 2026 join the 158th NDA Course or the 120th INAC commencing 1 July 2027. The NDA campus is located at Khadakwasla, Pune (Maharashtra) — one of the largest joint services training academies in the world. NDA training is 3 years; the final year of pre-commissioning training is completed at the respective service academy.

UPSC NDA II 2026 – Official Links

UPSC NDA II 2026 – Frequently Asked Questions