NDA 2024: Application Form, Eligibility Criteria, Exam Date
Union Public Service Commission is the exam authority that will conduct the NDA 2024 exam. This exam is a gateway for admission to National Defence Academy & Naval Academy. The candidates who want to make their career in armed forces of India i.e. Indian Army, Navy and Air Force may apply for this exam. Please note that NDA is a national level exam which is conducted twice in a year. The UPSC will conduct the NDA (I) exam on 21st April 2024. On the other hand, the NDA (II) will take place on 1st September 2024.
The candidates looking to apply for this exam need to fill and submit the application form in online mode. Although the application process will take place online, the exam will be held in offline (pen and Paper based) mode. The aspirants are suggested to check the eligibility criteria carefully before initiating the application process.
NDA 2024 Main Highlights
- The complete application process of NDA will take place in online mode only. No other mode of application is permissible.
- In case of a discrepancy with the application form, the candidates may get in touch with the UPSC facilitation counter.
- It is an offline exam, in which the candidates have to answer on an OMR sheet.
- The candidate must use Black ball pen only in order to write or mark on the OMR sheet.
- In case a candidate has resigned or withdrawn on the basis of disciplinary grounds from a training academy of any armed forces then he is not eligible.
- The candidate should submit only one application form. However, in case of multiple application forms then the application with the highest RID will be considered.
NDA 2024 Important Dates
The official schedule of NDA (I) and NDA (II) is as follows:
Important Event | Dates | |
For NDA (I) 2024 | For NDA (II) 2024 | |
Releasing of online application form | 20th December 2023 | 15th May 2024 |
Last date for the submission of online application form | 9th January 2024 | 4th June 2024 |
Release of Admit Card | To be updated | To be updated |
Date of Examination | 21st April 2024 | 1st September 2024 |
Declaration of Result | To be updated | To be updated |
Interview Date | To be updated | To be updated |
Announcement of Final Result | To be updated | To be updated |
Starting of Classes | To be updated | To be updated |
NDA 2024 Eligibility Criteria
Here is the eligibility criteria that every candidate need to fulfill in order to apply for the exam.
Nationality
The candidates applying need to have any one of the following Nationalities.
- A citizen of India
- A subject of Nepal
- Or A subject of Bhutan
- A Tibetan refugee who came to India with an intention to permanently settle here before 1st January 1962
- An Indian origin person who has migrated from Sri Lanka, Burma, Pakistan, and East African countries of Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, the United Republic of Tanzania, Malawi, Ethiopia and Zaire or Vietnam with an intention of permanently settling in India.
Age Limits, Sex and Marital Status
- Only unmarried male candidates can apply for NDA (I) who are born not earlier than 2nd July, 2005 and not later than 1st July, 2008.
- Those unmarried male candidates can apply for NDA (II) who are born not earlier than 2nd January 2006 and not later than 1st January 2009.
Note: Please note that it is not allowed a candidate to get married before or during the training.
Educational Qualification
For Army Wing of National Defence Academy (NDA)
- The candidate must have cleared the class 12th exam in 10+2 pattern from a recognized board of education.
Air Force and Naval Wing of National Defence Academy and for the 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme at the Indian Naval Academy
- The applicant must pass the class 12th exam in 10+2 pattern with Physics and Mathematics as a subject from a recognized board of education.
Note: The candidates who are going to appear for the class 12th exam in the year 2024 can also apply.
Physical Standard
- It is important for the candidates to be physically and mentally fit as per the norms set by the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy.
Weight and Height for Indian Air Force and Indian Army
Height without shoes (in Cms) | Weight (in Kilogram) | ||
16 – 17 Years | 17 – 18 Years | 18 – 19 Years | |
152 | 42.5 | 44 | 45 |
155 | 43.5 | 45.3 | 47 |
157 | 45 | 47 | 48 |
160 | 46.5 | 48 | 49 |
162 | 48 | 50 | 51 |
165 | 50 | 52 | 53 |
167 | 51 | 53 | 54 |
170 | 52.5 | 55 | 56 |
173 | 54.5 | 57 | 58 |
175 | 56 | 59 | 60 |
178 | 58 | 61 | 62 |
180 | 60 | 63 | 64.5 |
183 | 62.5 | 65 | 66.5 |
Weight and Height Standard for Indian Navy
Height without shoes (in Cms) | Weight (in Kilogram) | ||
16 year | 18 Years | 2 Years | |
152 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
155 | 45 | 46 | 47 |
157 | 46 | 47 | 49 |
160 | 47 | 48 | 50 |
162 | 48 | 50 | 52 |
165 | 50 | 52 | 53 |
168 | 52 | 53 | 55 |
170 | 53 | 55 | 57 |
173 | 55 | 57 | 59 |
175 | 57 | 59 | 61 |
178 | 59 | 61 | 62 |
180 | 61 | 63 | 64 |
183 | 63 | 65 | 67 |
NDA 2024 Application Form
The candidates aspiring to appear for the NDA 2024 exam can fill and submit the application form in online mode. The authorities will make the application form available on the official website of UPSC. Please note that the application process is divided into two parts. Part one is the registration on the official website and the second part is filling the rest of the application form.
- To initiate the application process, the candidates’ first need to register on the official website by providing some basic details like name, email address, mobile number, etc.
- The candidates will get a registration ID and Password after completing the registration process successfully.
- Please note that the mobile number and email address entered during the registration should remain active until the selection process gets over.
- After the successful registration, the candidates need to login to the NDA application portal on the UPSC website and fill the application form.
- While filling the application form, the aspirants have to enter their educational, personal as well as contact details.
- Apart from the accurate details, the applicants also need to upload the scanned images of their passport size photograph and signature in the application form.
- After submitting the application form, the aspirants must keep a printout of the application form for future requirements.
Application Fee
- In addition to the application form, the aspirants also need to pay the application fee. Otherwise, the application form will be rejected.
- The Application fees for NDA 2024 are as follows:
- For SC/ ST candidates and Sons of Junior Commissioned Officers/ Non – Commissioned Officers/ Other Ranks of Army – Nil (Exempted from the Application Fee)
- For the rest of the candidates: Rs. 100/-
Mode of Payment
- The aspirants can pay the application fee using online methods such as credit card, debit card or Internet Banking.
- Additionally, the candidates can also pay the application fee by using SBI Pay-in slip. In order to do so, the aspirant needs to submit the pay-in slip at any branch of SBI along with Rs. 100/- Cash as the application fee.
NDA 2024 Exam Pattern
The aspiring candidates should check the NDA 2024 exam pattern given below for better preparation.
- Mode of Examination: Offline (OMR Sheet based Exam)
- Type of Questions: Objective type questions will be asked in the exam.
- Total Marks: 900 marks written test + 900 marks SSB Interview
- Medium of Exam: Both English and Hindi language (Except for specific English Section)
- Duration of Exam: 5 hours (2 hours and 30 minutes for each subject)
- Negative Marking: 1/3rd of the marks assigned to a question will be deducted in case of an incorrect answer.
- Number of Subjects/ sections: 2 (Mathematics and General Ability Test)
Subject-wise distribution of marks and exam duration
Subject | Exam duration | Maximum Marks |
Mathematics | 2 hrs and 30 min | 300 |
General Ability Test (English + General Knowledge) | 2 hrs and 30 min | 600 (200 Marks English + 400 Marks General Knowledge Test) |
Total | 5 Hours | 900 Marks |
Note: The candidates who will clear the written exam need to appear for the SSB Interview. The SSB Interview will carry 900 marks.
NDA 2024 Syllabus
The subject-wise important topics for NDA exam are as follows:
Mathematics: Algebra, Matrices And Determinants, Trigonometry, Analytical Geometry Of Two And Three Dimensions, Differential Calculus, Integral Calculus And Differential Equations, Vector Algebra, Statistics And Probability, Etc.
English: Grammar and its usage, comprehension and cohesion in extended text, vocabulary, workman like use of words etc.
General Knowledge: Current Events, Geography, History, Freedom Movement etc, General Science, Chemistry, Physics etc.
Exam Center
It is expected that the UPSC will conduct the NDA exam at the following cities
- Udaipur
- Agartala
- Tirupati
- Ahmedabad
- Vishakhapatnam
- Agartala
- Thiruvananthapuram
- Aizawl
- Srinagar
- Allahabad
- Shimla
- Bengaluru
- Raipur
- Chennai
- Port Blair
- Cuttack
- Patna
- Dehradun
- Panaji (Goa)
- Delhi
- Shillong
- Bareilly
- Sambalpur
- Bhopal
- Ranchi
- Chandigarh
- Nagpur
- Dharwad
- Mumbai
- Dispur
- Madurai
- Gangtok
- Lucknow
- Kochi
- Jaipur
- Jorhat
- Jammu
- Hyderabad
- Kolkata
- Imphal
- Kohima
- Itanagar
Note: Please note that the commission may add or remove any exam center city as per the requirement.
Admit Card
- After submitting the application form along with the application fee, the candidates can download the admit card.
- The UPSC will release the NDA admit card 2024 on its official website.
- It is expected that the admit card will be made available for downloading around 3 weeks before the exam.
- In case of any problem in downloading the admit card, the candidates can contact UPSC at least 1 week before the exam.
- It is compulsory for every candidate to carry the admit card at the exam center along with a photo ID proof.
- In some cases, the name of the candidates on the admit card may be abbreviated due to the technical reasons.
NDA 2024 Result
- The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will announce the result of the NDA exam 2024 on its official website.
- The minimum qualifying marks required to clear the NDA exam will be fixed by the commission.
- In order to check the result, the candidates have to visit the UPSC website and provide some basic details like registration number etc.
- Apart from the result, the board will also release the list of the candidates shortlisted for SSB Interview.
SSB Interview
- The aspirant who will score more than the qualifying marks in the NDA written exam can take part in the SSB interview.
- If the candidate is appearing for the SSB interview for the first time then he will get the travel allowance.
- Psychological Aptitude Test and Intelligence Test will take place during the SSB interview. The aspirant who will clear the first stage can participate in the next round of selection.
- During the SSB Interview, every candidate needs to carry the original 10th and 12th class certificate along with a photo copy of each.
- To become a pilot in the Indian Air Force, the applicants need to clear the Pilot test.
NDA 2024 Selection Procedure
- The candidates who will clear the written exam and all rounds of SSB interview will be considered for the final selection.
- In order to get selected, the aspirants need to get their documents verified at the time of the interview.
- After the recommendation from SSB, the authorities will conduct the medical exam at the Military Hospital.
- Please note that the candidates are selected on the merit cum preference basis depending upon the number of available vacancies.