NDA Exam Date 2025 OUT: Check UPSC NDA Complete Schedule

NDA 1 2025 exam will be conducted on April 13, 2025. The official notification for NDA 1 2025 exam along with the application form will be released on December 11, 2024. The last date to apply for the exam is December 31, 2024.

The ideal time required for NDA preparation is one year to six months. During the preparation phase, candidates must focus on all subjects and topics relevant to the exam. Candidates must consider solving the NDA question papers. They should also attempt mock tests to increase speed and accuracy. Candidates must be thorough with the exam pattern and syllabus. The tips and tricks to prepare for NDA exam are given below:

• To begin with the preparation, candidates need to understand the syllabus and exam pattern
• Candidates can clear their basic concepts of the topics from the Class 10, 11 and 12 books
• To improve speed and accuracy, candidates can attempt mock tests
• After completing the syllabus, candidates must practice previous years' question papers to know the types of questions asked in the exam
• Candidates must work on improving their weak areas

NDA 2 2025 exam will be conducted on September 14, 2025. NDA 2 2025 notification will be released on May 28, 2025. The application form will be available till June 17, 2025. NDA 2 notification 2025 will be released to select candidates for admission to the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of NDA and Indian Naval Academy Courses beginning in July 2025.

NDA exam is conducted every year twice in a year. The exam is conducted to select candidates for admission to Army, Navy and Air Force wings of NDA and Indian Naval Academy courses. The selection process comprises written exam and SSB Interview. The total marks allotted to the written exam are 900. The SSB interview carries 900 marks. 

Every year thousands of candidates appear for NDA exam. With so much competition, candidates need to have a proper preparation strategy for the exam. Candidates need to be consistent with their study plans. They should devote few hours every day to study. Candidates need to be thorough with the syllabus. Candidates must revise their notes and important formulae every day. Candidates must practise mock tests and previous years' question papers to get familiar with the exam pattern and syllabus. Candidates must clear their basic concepts of each and every topic given in the syllabus. This will help candidates to solve the questions easily in the exam.

Yes, women candidates can now apply for NDA exam. In 2021, Supreme Court of India has allowed women candidates to appear for NDA exam. The eligibility criteria of women candidates are same as male candidates. Women candidates aged between 16.5 years to 19.5 years can apply for NDA exam. They must have passed Class 12 or equivalent from a recognised board. Candidates who are appearing in Class 12 exam can also apply for NDA. Now women candidates are also eligible for applying to the Indian Naval Academy course. Earlier, they were not allowed to apply for Indian Naval Academy. The eligibility for the women candidates are same as their male counterparts. However, there is a difference in the medical standards of women candidates.

The ideal time required for NDA preparation is one year to six months. During the preparation phase, candidates must focus on all subjects and topics relevant to the exam. Candidates must consider solving the NDA question papers. They should also attempt mock tests to increase speed and accuracy. Candidates must be thorough with the exam pattern and syllabus. The tips and tricks to prepare for NDA exam are given below:

• To begin with the preparation, candidates need to understand the syllabus and exam pattern
• Candidates can clear their basic concepts of the topics from the Class 10, 11 and 12 books
• To improve speed and accuracy, candidates can attempt mock tests
• After completing the syllabus, candidates must practice previous years' question papers to know the types of questions asked in the exam
• Candidates must work on improving their weak areas

There is no difference between UPSC NDA 1 and 2 exams. NDA 1 exam is conducted for admission to the January batch. Whereas, NDA 2 exam is conducted for admission to July batch.

National Defence Academy or NDA exam is conducted twice a year by Union Public Service Commission for admission to  Army, Navy and Air Force wings of NDA and Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC). It is the most sought-after defence entrance exams in the country where both male and female candidates can apply.

The exam is conducted in two stages: written exam and SSB Interview. In 2020, a total of 5.3 Lacs candidates had applied for the exam, out of which 2.4 Lacs candidates appeared for the exam. UPSC prepares a list of candidates who obtain minimum qualifying marks in the written exam. Such candidates are called for SSB Interview for Intelligence and Personality Test.

Also Read: Know the difference between NDA & NA I and II Exams

Agnipath scheme is conducted for JCO entry whereas NDA exam is conducted for Officer entry. Agnipath scheme is restricted to the recruitment of soldiers. This is just a four-year scheme. NDA exam is conducted for permanent service commission. Therefore, NDA exam is not affected by Agneepath scheme. NDA exam is conducted by UPSC to select eligible candidates for admission to the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of NDA and Indian Naval Academy courses. Both male and female candidates are eligible to apply for the exam. Through NDA exam, candidates are selected as Commissioned Officers in armed forces. The selection process of NDA comprises written exam and SSB interview. The written exam is conducted for 900 marks and SSB interview carries 900 marks. The final merit list is prepared out of 1800. 

NDA selection process comprises written exam and SSB interview. Candidates need to secure qualifying marks separately in the written exam and SSB interview. Qualified candidates will be placed in a single combined list on the basis of total marks secure in the written exam and SSB interview. Final allocation is done based on the number of vacancies, eligibility, medical fitness and merit-cum-preference of the candidates. The written exam of NDA is conducted for 900 marks. The sectional cutoff marks for the written exam is 25 per cent. The SSB interview carries 900 marks. The SSB interview is conducted in two stages. Stage 1 comprises Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and Picture Perception and Description Test (PP&DT) whereas Stage 2 comprises Group Testing Officer Tasks, Psychology Tests, and the Conference.