NDA 2027: Notification on 2 December — Eligibility, Age Limit and Exam Pattern

Your chance to join the defence forces as an officer starts on 2 December 2026. On that day, UPSC will release the notification for the National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination (I), 2027 — the exam most students simply call NDA. The written exam will be held on 11 April 2027. The special thing about NDA is that you do not need to wait for graduation: students who have passed Class 12, or are studying in Class 12 right now, can apply. This page explains who can apply, the age limit, the exam pattern, the fees and how to fill the form.

Who Can Apply for NDA 2027?

Age limit — the most important rule

NDA has a strict age window, with no relaxation for any category. As per the last notification (NDA-I 2026), only unmarried male and female candidates born not earlier than 1 July 2007 and not later than 1 July 2010 were eligible. In simple words, your age must be roughly between 16½ and 19½ years when the course starts.

For NDA (I) 2027, the window will be printed in the 2 December notification. Going by the same pattern, it is expected to move forward by about one year — but do not depend on expected dates. Check your date of birth against the notified window. UPSC accepts only the date of birth in your Class 10 (Matriculation) certificate, and once entered in the form it can never be changed — fill it with great care.

Marital status

Only unmarried candidates can apply, and you must undertake not to marry until training is complete — a candidate who marries during training is discharged.

Education — different for each wing

• Army Wing of NDA: Class 12 pass in the 10+2 pattern, in any stream — Science, Commerce or Arts.
• Air Force and Naval Wings of NDA, and the 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme at the Naval Academy: Class 12 pass with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.
• Appearing students: If you are in Class 12 now and your board exam is in 2027, you can apply. You will have to submit proof of passing by the date given in the notification (for the 2026 cycle, 10 December 2026).
• Class 11 students cannot apply — the notice says this clearly.

NDA Exam Pattern — Written Test + SSB

The written examination has only two papers, both objective (multiple-choice), on a single day. The pattern below is from the last notification and has been stable for many years:

• GAT has two parts: Part A — English (200 marks) and Part B — General Knowledge (400 marks: Physics, Chemistry, General Science, Social Studies, Geography and Current Events).
• Negative marking is one-third of the question's marks. A blank answer costs nothing — attempt carefully, do not guess blindly.
• Language: Mathematics and Part B (GK) are set in both Hindi and English. Part A (English) is in English only.
• No calculator is allowed; answers are marked on an OMR sheet with a black ball pen.

How Selection Works — Step by Step

1. Written examination (900 marks) — 11 April 2027. UPSC fixes the minimum qualifying marks; in the last cycle, the written result came about a month after the exam.
2. SSB Test/Interview (900 marks) — Five days at a Services Selection Board centre. Stage I is a screening day (intelligence tests, picture-perception discussion); those who clear it stay for Stage II — psychology tests, group tasks and an interview.
3. Medical examination — against the standards printed in the notification.
4. Final merit list — from written + SSB marks (total 1,800), filled as per preferences and vacancies.

How many seats? The 2027 figure will come with the notification. For an idea of scale, the last cycle (NDA-I 2026) had 394 vacancies — 370 in the NDA (Army 208, Navy 42, Air Force 120) and 24 in the Naval Academy cadet entry, including seats for women. Treat this only as a rough guide; no 2027 vacancy figure exists yet.

How to Apply When the Window Opens (2 December)

Applications are accepted only online at upsconline.nic.in — UPSC's new application portal. The process has four parts:

1. Account creation on the portal.
2. Universal Registration — fill your basic profile once and get a Universal Registration Number (URN), valid for all UPSC exams.
3. Common Application Form — upload documents, photograph and signature. The portal also captures your live photograph in this step, so use a device with a camera.
4. Exam-specific module — choose NDA & NA (I) 2027, give your service preferences and exam centre, and pay the fee.

Keep these ready before 2 December: a photo ID — UPSC strongly advises using your Aadhaar card — your Class 10 certificate (for date of birth), Class 12 certificate or admit card, a recent photograph and your signature. One serious warning from the last notification: after submission, no correction is allowed in any field and the form cannot be withdrawn. Check every entry twice before the final submit.

In Class 12 Now? Start Like This

The NDA written exam is on 11 April 2027 — just after your board exams. That timing is in your favour: Class 12 preparation and NDA preparation overlap a lot. A simple rhythm that works alongside school:

• Mathematics daily: The NDA Maths paper is almost fully from Class 11–12 topics — algebra, trigonometry, calculus, vectors, statistics. One hour of practice daily, with attention to speed: you get only about 75 seconds per question.
• English three–four days a week: Grammar, vocabulary and comprehension carry 200 marks in GAT. Reading one English editorial or chapter daily builds all three quietly.
• GK in small daily doses: Physics and Chemistry from your own Class 11–12 books, plus 20 minutes of current events — your school science books already cover most of Part B's science.
• One previous-year paper every Sunday after your boards, solved in real exam timing — the −0.83/−1.33 negative marking will teach you when not to guess.
• Stay fit: SSB and medicals reward an active body — regular running and outdoor games are preparation too.

📋 One page for the whole UPSC year: See every UPSC exam's dates together in our UPSC Calendar 2027 — all exam dates in one table. And if your Class 12 board is under UP Board, check the subject-wise dates in our UP Board Date Sheet 2027 with a preparation plan, so board revision and NDA preparation do not clash.

FAQs

1. Can girls apply for NDA 2027?

Yes. NDA is open to unmarried male and female candidates. In the last cycle, 24 of the 394 vacancies were for women, and female candidates pay no application fee.

2. I am appearing in Class 12 in 2027. Can I apply?

Yes. Students appearing in Class 12 can apply, as long as they meet the age window. You must submit proof of passing Class 12 by the date printed in the notification (for the 2026 cycle, 10 December 2026). Students in Class 11 are not eligible.

3. How many times can I attempt NDA?

There is no limit on the number of attempts. The age window is the only limit — you can appear in every NDA exam (held twice a year) for which your date of birth falls inside the notified window.

4. What is the application fee for NDA 2027?

As per the last notification, the fee is ₹100, paid online. Female candidates and SC/ST candidates pay nothing, and neither do wards of JCOs/NCOs/Other Ranks who are studying in a Military School or Sainik School. The 2027 notification will confirm the fee on 2 December.

5. Can I write the NDA exam in Hindi?

Partly, yes. The Mathematics paper and the General Knowledge part of GAT are printed in both Hindi and English. Only the English section of GAT is in English — that part tests English itself.

6. My stream is Commerce/Arts. Am I eligible?

Yes — for the Army Wing, Class 12 in any stream is enough. But for the Air Force, Navy and the Naval Academy cadet entry, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics in Class 12 are compulsory. And every candidate gives the same Mathematics paper, so Class 11–12 level Maths preparation is needed whatever your stream.

KAMALDNP is a private training institute and is not a part of UPSC. This page is an information guide: dates are from UPSC's official Annual Calendar 2027, and eligibility, pattern and fee details are from the official NDA & NA (I) 2026 notification, marked as such. The NDA & NA (I) 2027 notification, releasing on upsc.gov.in on 2 December 2026, is the final authority — read it fully before applying. This page will be updated when it is released.