NDA Eligibility Criteria 2026: Check Age Limit, Educational Qualification

NDA 1 2026 Eligibility Criteria are defined on the basis of age limit, nationality, educational qualification, and physical standards. Candidates must be Indian citizens and should fall within the age range of 16.5 to 19.5 years to apply for the exam. They must have passed or be appearing in the 10+2 examination with the required subjects as specified for different wings of the NDA. Additionally, NDA physical standards vary for male and female candidates, and meeting these prescribed fitness norms is mandatory for eligibility.

NDA 2026 Eligibility Criteria

NDA Eligibility covers these major aspects that candidates need to fulfill in order to be selected as an NDA officer, which are as follows:

• Age Limit
• Gender
• Marital Status
• Nationality
• Educational Qualification
• Physical qualification
• Medical standards

NDA Age Limit 2026

1. The date of birth entered on the application form must match the date of birth on the matriculation or secondary school certificates.
2. No other age-related documents, such as horoscopes, affidavits, birth extracts from municipal corporations, service records, etc. will be allowed.
3. Candidates who accidentally, unintentionally, or typographically enter their date of birth in the online application form are permitted to request that the Commission correct the error by providing the Commission with the necessary supporting documentation

Note: There is no age relaxation provided to reserved category applicants for the NDA as per the rules set by the Union Public Service Commission.

NDA Educational Qualification 2026

Some of the important things that need to be noted are given below: -

1. This exam is not open to students who will be taking the 11th-grade exam.
2. They must provide documents proving they passed the 12th grade or equivalent.
3. Candidates who have been forbidden from the Defence Services by the Ministry of Defence shall are not eligible, and if admitted, their candidature shall be void.

NDA Nationality 2026

1. Candidates must be a citizen of India;
2. Candidates must be a subject of Nepal; or
3. Candidates must be a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, and the East African nations of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia or Vietnam to settle in India permanently.

The following points need to be kept in mind

1. The restriction is that an applicant falling under categories (2) and (3) above must be someone who has received a certificate of eligibility from the Indian government.
2. The requirement for a certificate of eligibility will not be required, however, for applicants who are Gorkha subjects of Nepal.

NDA Physical Fitness & Medical Standards 2026

NDA Physical standards specify that candidates must be free from any illness or handicap that could prevent them from performing their duties effectively on land or at sea. There shouldn't be any indications of a weak body or physical flaws. The candidate must not be underweight,obese or overweight.

NDA Physical Fitness

NDA Physical Fitness standards require candidates not to be suffering from any diseases listed below:

1. Piles
2. Tonsillitis
3. Gynaecomastia
4. Varicocele
5. Wax (Ears)
6. Deviated Nasal Septum
7. Hydrocele / Phimosis
8. Condition of Overweight / Underweight
9. Under Sized Chest

NDA Physical Standard for Army/Air Force

The minimum acceptable height is 157cm for the Army and 162.5 cm for the Air Force

1. Candidates who belong to the hills of North India, Kumaon, Garhwal, and Gorkhas will get a 5cms relaxation in maximum height required.
2. Candidates who are from Lakshadweep region will get 2cms of relaxation in maximum height

Physical Standards for Navy

Candidates who wish to Join the Indian Navy must fulfill these physical standards set by the Indian Navy:

• Leg Length: The minimum of 99 cm and maximum of 120 cm
• Thigh Length: Maximum of 64 cm
• Sitting Height: The minimum of 81.50 cm and the maximum is 96 cm

NDA 2026 Visual Standards for Indian Army

Candidates are required to fulfill visual standards set by the Indian Army:

• Myopia should not be more than -2.5D
• Hypermetropia should not be more than +2.5D

NDA 2026 Visual Standards for Indian Air Force

• Color vision CPI Hypermetropia: +2.0 D
• Sph Manifest Myopia: Nill
• Retinoscopic Myopia: 0.5 in any Meridian permitted Astigmatism: + 0.75 D Cyl (within + 2.0 D.Max)

NDA 2026 Visual Standards for Indian Navy