The UPSC conducts the NDA written exam twice a year to shortlist the candidates for the Indian Armed Forces ( Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force). Candidates nationwide eagerly await the notification for the NDA 2025 exam. It marks the beginning of their journey towards a career in defence services. Parmanu Defence Academy has written a detailed blog covering all the essential information about the NDA 2025 exam. It includes exam dates, eligibility criteria, selection process, and exam pattern.
The UPSC issues notifications for the NDA exam twice a year. NDA (I) 2025 Exam Notice will be released in December 2024 whereas NDA (II) 2025 Notice will be issued in May 2025. As for the NDA 1 2025 Examination is scheduled to be conducted on April 13, 2025, the registration process is expected to be available from December 11, 2024, to December 31, 2024. In the case of NDA 2 2025, the examination will be conducted on September 14, 2025. Here, the registration process will be open between May 28, 2025, and June 17, 2025.
| Events | Dates |
| NDA 1 2025 Notification | 11-Dec-2024 |
| NDA 1 2025 Application Form | 11-Dec-2024 to 31-Dec-2024 |
| NDA 1 2025 Exam Date | 13-Apr-2025 |
| NDA 2 2025 Notification | 28-May-2025 |
| NDA 2 2025 Application Form | 28-May-2025 to 17-June-2025 |
| NDA 2 2025 Exam Date | 14-Sept-2025 |
The NDA 2025 exam has been scheduled by the UPSC on 13th April 2025. The notification for the NDA exam will released on 11 December. Aspiring candidates can fill out the application form between 11th Dec to 31st Dec 2024. Here is an overview of the NDA 2025 exam.
| Exam Particulars | Exam Details |
| Exam Name | National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination (NDA & NA) |
| Conducting Body | UPSC |
| Exam Level | National |
| Exam Frequency | Two times a year (April & September) |
| Mode of Exam | Offline |
| Exam Stages | Written exam and SSB Interview |
| Exam Purpose | Shortlist for National Defence Academy (NDA) and Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC) |
| Exam Fees | INR 100 for male candidates fall under the General and OBC categories. SC/ST/Women candidates/Sons of JCOs/NCOs/ORs are exempted from paying the fees. |
| Total Marks | Written Exam: 900SSB Interview: 900 |
| Language/Medium of Exam | English and Hindi |
The NDA 2025 exam eligibility criteria include several aspects such as nationality, education, age, and physical standards. Here’s a breakdown of the eligibility requirements:
Army Wing: Candidates applying for the NDA 2025 exam must have completed class 12th from a recognised board or university.
Naval wings, Air Force, and 10+2 entry scheme at INA (Indian Naval Academy): Candidates must have passed their class 12th grade. Equivalent with Mathematics and physics from a recognized board or university. Candidates who are in the 12th class are also eligible.
Only unmarried male and female candidates who are born between the following dates: July 2, 2005, and July 1, 2008, are eligible to apply for the NDA exam.
Candidates must meet the required physical eligibility. It includes running 2.4 km in 15 minutes and performing sit-ups, chin-ups, skipping, push-ups, and rope climbing to specified minimums.
The NDA exam is conducted offline and includes multiple-choice questions (MCQs). It is available in both languages English and Hindi. For wrong answers, 0.83 marks are deducted for Mathematics and 1.33 marks for English and General Knowledge.
| Exam Name | Duration | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks |
| Mathematics | 2 ½ hours | 120 | 300 |
| General Ability Test | 2 ½ hours | 50 | 200 |
| 100 | 400 | ||
| SSB Interview | – | 50 | 900 |
| Total | 1800 | ||
The table listed below describes the complete details of the NDA Vacancies for 2025. These vacancies varies for different organisations ( Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force).
| Academy | Wings | No. of Vacancies |
| NDA | Army | 208 (10 for female candidates) |
| Navy | 42 (6 for female candidates) | |
| Air Force | Flying- 92 (02 for female candidates)Ground Duties (Tech)-18 (02 for female candidates)Ground Duties (Non-Tech)-10 (02 for female candidates) | |
| Naval Academy (10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme) | – | 30 (09 for female candidates) |
| Total | 400 |
The candidates can choose the following centres for their NDA 1 2025 exam based on their preference for locations.
| Dehradun | Cuttack | Agartala |
| Delhi | Kochi | Ajmer |
| Dharmshala | Kolkata | Ahmedabad |
| Gaya | Lucknow | Agra |
| Gangtok | Ludhiana | Aligarh |
| Faridabad | Mandi | Anantapur (Andhra Pradesh) |
| Aizawl | Bengaluru | Ghaziabad |
| Almora (Uttarakhand) | Bhopal | Gwalior |
| Aurangabad (Maharashtra) | Bilaspur | Hyderabad |
| Itanagar | Bareilly | Mumbai |
| Jabalpur | Bilaspur | Nagpur |
| Jaipur | Chandigarh | Panaji (Goa) |
| Jammu | Chennai | Patna |
| Jodhpur | Coimbatore | Ranchi |
Read More: Upcoming Defence Exams Calendar
The NDA 2025 UPSC is providing an excellent opportunity for candidates who wish to get into the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. UPSC has scheduled NDA twice in a year: April 13, 2025, for NDA (I), and September 14, 2025, for NDA (II). NDA I forms are available from 11 Dec 2024 to 31 Dec 2024. While forms for NDA II application are available from 28 May 2025 to 17 June 2025.
The eligibility for this entry mandates that an individual be unmarried, born between July 2, 2005, and July 1, 2008, and must have passed 12th standard. Different wings would have separate education eligibility. For Naval, Air Force, and INA wing aspirants, the education eligibility mandated the person to possess Physics and Mathematics. Written examination: 900 marks SSB interview: 900 marks. The subjects in the written examination would include subjects such as Mathematics and General Ability as well. Apart from the abovementioned criteria, he should also possess physical standards.
There would be 400 positions available under various wings in 2025 and postings for both males and females. The test would be offline, and across every state in India. Therefore, aspirants from all over the country can pursue such an elite career in the Indian Armed Forces.
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