UPSC NDA 2 Recruitment 2026 – 394 Vacancies Open, Apply Online Before 09 June

UPSC NDA 2 Recruitment 2026 is officially open. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy (NDA & NA) Examination II Notification 2026 on 20 May 2026. A total of 394 vacancies have been announced across the Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of the National Defence Academy (NDA) and the Indian Naval Academy (INAC).

If you have passed — or are currently appearing — in Class 12 and dream of wearing a uniform, this is one of the most prestigious entry routes into India’s Armed Forces. Applications are open online at upsconline.nic.in from 20 May 2026 to 09 June 2026 (up to 6:00 PM). The written examination is scheduled for 13 September 2026.

Read every detail carefully before you apply — the NDA exam has strict eligibility rules, and even a small mistake in your application can get you disqualified at a later stage.

📌 Also Read: Latest Government Job Notifications 2026 – All Active Vacancies

UPSC NDA 2 2026 – Quick Overview

Important Dates

Don’t let a missed deadline cost you a year. The application window is short — just 20 days.

⚠️ Don’t wait for the last day! Government portals slow down near deadlines — apply a few days early to avoid technical issues.

Vacancy Details – NDA 2 2026

A total of 394 vacancies have been split across the NDA 158th Course (Army, Navy, Air Force) and the 120th INAC (Naval Academy, 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme). Both male and female candidates are eligible.

✅ Vacancies are provisional and may be revised based on training capacity.

💡 Pro Tip: You must indicate your service preferences (1 to 4) in the Examination Specific Module at the time of applying. Preferences cannot be changed after submission, so choose carefully.

📌 Also Read: Indian Navy Agniveer SSR 2026 – Apply Now, Full Details

Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

Your qualification requirement depends on which service you want to join:

• Army Wing (NDA): 12th Class pass or appearing, under the 10+2 pattern from any recognised State Education Board or University. No specific subjects required.
• Navy Wing, Air Force Wing (NDA), and INAC (Naval Academy): 12th Class pass or appearing with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as compulsory subjects.

Candidates currently studying in Class 12 (appearing) can apply, but they must submit their passing certificate to the respective Services HQ by 10 June 2027. Candidates who are still in Class 11 are not eligible — this is clearly stated in the notification.

Age Limit (as on Course Commencement Date)

There is no separate age relaxation for any category — SC, ST, OBC, EWS, or PwBD. The age band is uniformly applicable to all candidates.

⚠️ Critical: Your date of birth must match your Matriculation / Secondary School Leaving Certificate. UPSC does not accept horoscopes, affidavits, or birth extracts from Municipal Corporations. Once submitted, the date of birth cannot be changed under any circumstances.

Marital Status

Only unmarried male and female candidates can apply. If you marry after submitting your application, you will be disqualified. If you marry during training, you will be discharged, and the government will recover all training expenditure from you.

Nationality

Indian citizens are eligible. Subjects of Nepal, and persons of Indian origin from specific countries (Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries like Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, and Vietnam) are also eligible with a valid eligibility certificate from the Government of India. Gorkha subjects of Nepal do not need such a certificate.

Application Fee

The fee is nominal and payment is online only. No other mode is accepted.

Payment modes accepted: Net Banking, Visa, Mastercard, RuPay Credit / Debit Card, and UPI.

⚠️ Fee once paid is non-refundable and cannot be held in reserve for any other UPSC examination.

UPSC NDA 2 2026 Salary and Stipend – What Will You Earn?

This is the section most candidates skip and regret later. Here’s the real picture of what an NDA career pays.

During Training at NDA, Khadakwasla (3 Years):

After Commissioning – Starting Pay:

After NDA, cadets proceed to their respective pre-commissioning academies (IMA Dehradun for Army, INA Ezhimala for Navy, Air Force Academy Hyderabad for Air Force Flying, AFTC Bengaluru for Air Force Tech). On commissioning as an officer:

In addition to basic pay, commissioned officers receive Military Service Pay (MSP), Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA), Transport Allowance (TA), and various service-specific allowances. Total in-hand monthly compensation for a newly commissioned officer typically ranges between ₹80,000 and ₹1,10,000 per month, varying by posting location and allowances.

📌 Also Read: 8th Pay Commission 2026 – Army MSP Hike and Pension Update

Academic Degrees Awarded:

• Army cadets receive B.Sc./B.Sc.(Computer)/B.A. from Jawaharlal Nehru University on passing out from NDA.
• Naval and Air Force NDA cadets receive a B.Tech degree at their respective pre-commissioning academies.
• INAC (Naval Academy) cadets undergo 4 years of training and are awarded a B.Tech by JNU on completion.

This means you graduate from NDA as a degree holder — a significant benefit that many aspirants overlook.

Selection Process

The NDA selection is a three-stage process. Clearing the written exam is only the beginning.

Stage 1 – Written Examination (Objective Type) – 13 September 2026

Both papers are objective type. Mathematics and the General Knowledge portion of Paper II are set bilingually in Hindi and English. English is only in English. Negative marking applies — 1/3rd of marks are deducted for every wrong answer. Questions left blank carry no penalty.

Stage 2 – SSB Intelligence & Personality Test – Total 900 Marks

Candidates who qualify the written exam must register on joinindianarmy.nic.in (using the same email ID given to UPSC) to get their Services Selection Board (SSB) centre allotment.

SSB is a two-stage process:

1. Stage I: Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) Tests and Picture Perception & Description Test (PP&DT). Only those who clear Stage I proceed.
2. Stage II (4 days): Interview, Group Testing Officer (GTO) Tasks, Psychology Tests, and Conference. The Interviewing Officer, GTO, and Psychologist each assess you — all with equal weightage.

For Air Force Flying branch candidates, the Computerised Pilot Selection System (CPSS) is conducted at the SSB Centre. Candidates who have failed CPSS/Pilot Aptitude Battery Test (PABT) in any previous selection are not eligible for the Flying branch (but may opt for Ground Duty branches).

Stage 3 – Medical Examination

Candidates recommended by SSB undergo a medical exam by Service Medical Officers. Common reasons for rejection include: wax in ears, deviated nasal septum, being significantly overweight or underweight, undersized chest, piles, tonsillitis, varicocele, and gynecomastia. Get a preventive check-up before you apply — it saves a lot of heartbreak after clearing both previous stages.

Final Merit:

The final order of merit is based on total marks in Written Exam + SSB, subject to medical fitness and eligibility. Written exam results do not guarantee SSB call-up — it confers no right to Academy admission.

📌 Also Read: AFCAT 02/2026 Recruitment – Apply Online for Flying & Ground Duty Officer Posts in Indian Air Force

Exam Syllabus – What to Study

💡 Pro Tip: Mathematics and General Knowledge carry the most marks. Students with a strong Physics, Chemistry, and Maths background have a clear advantage — but don’t ignore History, Geography, and Current Events. The 600-mark Paper II determines a significant part of your written score.

Exam Centres

The NDA 2 2026 written exam will be held across 86 cities in India, including Agartala, Agra, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Dehradun, Hyderabad, Imphal, Jaipur, Jammu, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Patna, Pune, Ranchi, Srinagar, Thiruvananthapuram, and Visakhapatnam.

⚠️ Exam centre allotment is on a first-apply-first-allot basis for most cities (Chennai, Dispur, Kolkata, and Nagpur are exceptions). Once a centre reaches its capacity it is frozen. Apply early to secure your preferred city.

No request for a change of centre is entertained after allotment.

Who Should NOT Apply for UPSC NDA 2 2026?

Save yourself the trouble — check this list before applying:

• Candidates born before 02 January 2008 or after 01 January 2011. There is no age relaxation for any category.
• Married candidates. Only unmarried male and female candidates are eligible.
• Students currently in Class 11. Only 12th pass or appearing candidates can apply.
• Candidates targeting Navy, Air Force, or INAC who do NOT have Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics at Class 12 level.
• Candidates who have previously failed CPSS/PABT and want to apply specifically for the Air Force Flying Branch.
• Candidates with permanent body tattoos on any part of the body other than the inner forearm (from elbow to wrist) or the back/dorsal of the palm.
• Candidates who have been removed or withdrawn from any Armed Forces training academy on disciplinary grounds.
• Candidates debarred by the Ministry of Defence from holding any commission.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

These errors catch hundreds of candidates every year:

1. Entering the wrong date of birth. Once submitted to UPSC, this cannot be corrected — ever. Match your Matriculation certificate before typing.
2. Choosing wrong service preferences. Preferences cannot be altered after submission. Think carefully before you click submit.
3. Not registering on joinindianarmy.nic.in after the written result. This step is mandatory to receive your SSB allotment — and it must be done with the same email ID you gave to UPSC.
4. Uploading a blurred or incorrect photograph or signature. Your signature must be done three times one below the other on plain white paper in black ink, then scanned.
5. Bringing a mobile phone or smartwatch to the exam centre. Even in switched-off mode, possession is grounds for disciplinary action and a ban from future UPSC exams under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
6. Arriving late at the exam centre. Entry closes 30 minutes before the exam starts. No exceptions.
7. Not keeping your registered email ID and mobile number active. Your e-Admit Card, SSB call-up, and all communications come electronically.

How to Apply for UPSC NDA 2 2026 – Step by Step

Applications are accepted only through the UPSC online portal at upsconline.nic.in. No offline applications are accepted.

1. Go to https://upsconline.nic.in and create an account if you don’t have one.
2. Generate your Universal Registration Number (URN) — this is a one-time registration valid for all UPSC exams for life.
3. Fill in your Common Application Form (CAF) with personal and educational details.
4. Open the Examination Specific Module for NDA & NA Examination (II), 2026 and fill in the details.
5. Indicate your service preferences (1 to 4) carefully. At least one preference is mandatory.
6. Upload your photograph and signature as per specifications.
7. Pay the application fee of ₹100/- (if applicable) via Net Banking, Debit/Credit Card, or UPI.
8. Note your Application Number — this is examination-specific and different from your URN. Save it.
9. Download and keep the confirmation page for future reference.

💡 Pro Tip: Have your photo (passport size, recent) and a clean scanned copy of your signature ready before you start. The portal has a session timeout — having documents ready prevents losing your filled data.

UPSC Helpline: Call 011-24041001 or 011-40303444 (10:00 AM to 5:30 PM, working days, 20 May to 09 June 2026).

Important Links

Frequently Asked Questions – UPSC NDA 2 2026

Summing Up…

UPSC NDA 2 Recruitment 2026 is a rare and genuinely life-changing opportunity. With 394 vacancies across India’s premier defence academies — and a clear path to a commissioned officer’s career, a graduate degree, and one of the most respected professions in the country — this is a notification worth taking seriously.

The application window closes on 09 June 2026. The written exam is on 13 September 2026. If you’re Class 12 pass (or appearing) and fall within the age band, don’t delay. Apply now, prepare systematically, and register on joinindianarmy.nic.in the moment your written result is declared.

Stay ahead of application deadlines — follow Govtserviceinfo.com for daily Sarkari Naukri alerts and defence recruitment updates.

📌 Also Read: Indian Army Agniveer Rally 2026 – Dates, Eligibility & How to Apply

Disclaimer: This article is based on the official UPSC NDA & NA Examination (II), 2026 notification (Notice No. 10/2026-NDA-II dated 20/05/2026) published at upsc.gov.in. All details — vacancies, dates, eligibility, and fee — are sourced from the official notification and are accurate as of 21 May 2026. Vacancy numbers are provisional. Govtserviceinfo.com is not affiliated with UPSC. Readers are advised to verify all information from the official UPSC website before applying. Any changes to the schedule or eligibility criteria will be notified by UPSC on upsc.gov.in only.