NDA Eligibility Criteria 2025, Age Limit and Educational Qualifications

The NDA Age Limit for all candidates in 2025 is 16.5 to 19.5 years. Check the NDA eligibility criteria, including age, educational qualifications, physical standards, height, weight, and vision requirements for both males and females.

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The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has established strict age criteria for the NDA 2025 exam. As per the eligibility requirements, only unmarried male and female candidates aged between 16.5 and 19.5 years are eligible to apply. This age limit applies to all categories, including OBC, and is a key factor in determining eligibility. Candidates must ensure they meet this age range by the exam date, as those who exceed it will not qualify for the NDA selection process. Always refer to the official UPSC notification for precise details and updates on eligibility.

NDA Eligibility Criteria 2025

According to the official NDA 2025 notification, only unmarried male and female candidates born between July 2, 2005, and July 1, 2008, are eligible to apply. This means that the NDA 2025 age limit for all candidates falls between 16.5 and 19.5 years. The NDA 2 2025 exam is scheduled for September 1, 2025. Candidates are advised to arrive at the examination center at least one hour before the closing time. They must carry a photo ID and their admit card to gain entry.

NDA Age Limit 2025

In the official NDA notification 2025, the Union Public Service Commission has stipulated the age limit for aspiring candidates. According to the UPSC 2025 eligibility criteria, individuals born between July 2, 2005, and July 1, 2008, are eligible to apply online for the National Defence Academy (NDA) & Naval Academy (NA) exam. Additionally, candidates from reserved categories are entitled to NDA age relaxation by UPSC rules. For a comprehensive understanding of the NDA age limit and age relaxation, refer to the tables provided below:

UPSC NDA Age Limit 2025

Exam	Date of Birth Criteria	Maximum Age for NDA
NDA (1) 2025	July 2, 2005, to July 1, 2008	19.5
NDA (2) 2025	July 2, 2005, to July 1, 2008	19.5

NDA Age Limit For Girl

The age limit for female candidates applying for the NDA Exam 2025 is between 16.5 and 19.5 years.
Girl applicants must be within this age bracket from 16.5 to 19.5 years old on the 1st of July of the year of examination in order to be eligible for the NDA exam.
Upper and lower age limits apply equally to both girls and boys intending to sit for the NDA selection process.
Not meeting the minimum or maximum age limit will make a candidate disqualified to appear for the NDA examination,

Criteria	Details
Age Limit for NDA Exam 2025	16.5 to 19.5 years
Eligibility Date	Candidate must be within the age bracket of 16.5 to 19.5 years as of July 1, 2025
Applicable to	Both male and female candidates
Disqualification Criteria	Candidates not meeting the minimum (16.5) or maximum (19.5) age limit will be disqualified

NDA Age Limit For Boys

The age limit for boys candidates applying for the NDA Exam 2025 is between 16.5 and 19.5 years. Not meeting the minimum or maximum age limit will make a candidate disqualified to appear for the NDA examination,

Criteria	Details
Age Limit for NDA Exam	16.5 to 19.5 years
Eligibility Date	Candidate must be within the age bracket of 16.5 to 19.5 years as of July 1 of the examination year
Applicable to	Both male and female candidates
Disqualification Criteria	Candidates not meeting the minimum (16.5) or maximum (19.5) age limit will be disqualified

NDA Age Limit for Category wise

For the National Defence Academy (NDA) exam by UPSC, all candidates, including those from the OBC category, must meet the same age limit of 16.5 to 19.5 years at the time of course commencement. Unlike other UPSC exams, no age relaxation is provided for OBC or any other categories. Eligible candidates must have been born between January 2 and July 1 of the examination year. Always check the official UPSC notification for the latest updates.

Category	Age Limit	Additional Age Relaxation
General Category	16.5 to 19.5 years	None
OBC Category	16.5 to 19.5 years	None
SC/ST Category	16.5 to 19.5 years	None

NDA Nationality Criteria 2025

According to the UPSC NDA notification 2025, eligibility for the NDA exam extends to Indian citizens meeting specific criteria as outlined by the Commission:

Candidates who qualify as:

Citizens of India
Subjects of Nepal
Subjects of Bhutan
Individuals of Indian origin who migrated from Zaire, Ethiopia, East African Countries of Kenya, the United Republic of Tanzania, Malawi, Uganda, Burma, Pakistan, Zambia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam to settle in India
Tibetan refugees who arrived in India and settled before January 1, 1962

These categories encompass individuals eligible to apply for the NDA examination as specified in the UPSC Notification 2025.

NDA Educational Qualifications 2025

To take the NDA exam and proceed in the recruiting process, candidates must have the necessary qualifications. The table below illustrates the specifics of the candidates’ educational requirements.

Academy	Educational Qualification
NDA Course (For Army Wing)	12th Class pass of the 10 + 2 education pattern or equivalent exam organized by the State Education Board or University.
NDA Course (For Air Force and Naval Wings)	12th Class pass in the 10+2 education pattern with the subjects of math, physics, and chemistry, or examinations equivalently conducted by a state education board or a university.

NDA Physical Eligibility Criteria 2025

Medical Criteria	Requirements
Tattoos	Limited to wrist to inside of elbow and back of the hand. Exceptions for tribal candidates with traditional face or body tattoos.
Chest Measurements	Not less than 81 cm during full expansion, with at least 5 cm expansion after inspiration.
Mental Fitness	No history of mental breakdowns. Average-sized liver and spleen.
Hernias	Untreated hernias result in disqualification. Operation should be performed one year prior to the final medical examination.
Bones and Joints	No impairment, appropriate development required.
Hearing Ability	Able to hear a whisper with each ear at 610 cm. No ear, nose, or throat problems.
Blood Pressure	Must be within normal range.
Heart and Blood Vessels	Free of biological or functional diseases.
Skin and Other Conditions	No skin diseases, hydrocele, varicocele, piles.
Abdominal Organs and Urine	No ailments affecting internal abdominal organs. Abnormalities in urine lead to disqualification.
Dental Health	Sufficient healthy and natural teeth, with at least 14 dental points.
USG Abdomen	Mandatory for all candidates.

These standards ensure candidates possess the necessary physical health for service in the NDA and Naval Academy.

Height and Weight Requirements for Army, Navy and Air Force

The NDA eligibility requirements depend largely on the height and weight of the candidate.
An applicant must be physically fit to be considered for the defence exam.
The height and weight restrictions in the NDA examinations are the primary requirements of the candidates, and only the grounds they specify will result in relaxation.
Below, we have provided a detailed list of the weight and height required for NDA.

NDA Height For Girls

	Army	Navy	Air Force
Female Candidates Height	152 cm	152 cm	163 cm
Gorkhas and candidates belonging to the Hills of the North Eastern region of India, Garhwal and Kumaon	148 cm	147 cm	147 cm
Ground Duty Branch	_	_	152 cm
Lakshadweep	_	150 cm	150 cm

NDA Height For Boys

	Army	Navy	Air Force
Male Candidates Height	157 cm	157 cm	163 cm
Gorkhas and candidates belonging to the Hills of the North Eastern region of India, Garhwal and Kumaon	152 cm	152 cm	152.5 cm
Ground Duty Branch	_	_	157.5 cm
Lakshadweep	_	155 cm	155.5 cm

Candidates Exceptions Based on Region

For Army and Air Force

Height (in cms)	Weight (in kgs)
16-17 Years	17-18 Years	18-19 Years
152	42.5	44.0	45.0
155	43.5	45.3	47.0
157	45.0	47.0	48.0
160	46.0	48.0	49.0
162	48.0	50.0	51.0
165	50.0	52.0	53.0
167	51.0	53.0	54.0
170	52.5	55.0	56.0
173	54.5	57.0	58.0
175	56.0	59.0	60.0
178	58.0	61.0	62.0
180	60.0	63.0	64.5
183	62.5	65.0	66.5

For Navy

Height (in cms)	Weight (in kgs)
16 Years	18 Years	20 Years
152	44	45	46
155	45	46	47
157	46	47	49
160	47	48	50
162	48	50	52
165	50	52	53
167	52	53	55
170	53	55	57
173	55	57	59
175	57	59	61
178	59	61	62
180	61	63	64
183	63	65	67

Sitting Height, Leg Length and Thigh Length in Air Force for Both Male and Female Candidates

Height Requirements	Minimum	Maximum
Sitting eight	81.5 cm	96.0 cm
Leg Length	99.0 cm	120.0 cm
Thigh Length	–	Maximum- 64.0 cm

NDA Vision Standards

A candidate recruited for the NDA exam 2025 represents our nation and carries a lot of duties and responsibilities. It is essential for a candidate to fulfil the medical standards in good health. A medical examination for eyesight standards is one of the key prerequisites for NDA eligibility 2025. Vision NDA medical test requirements are as follows:

The better eye’s corrected distance vision should be 6/6 while the weaker eyes should be 6/9.
More than 2.5 D of myopia is prohibited.
Astigmatism and hypermetropia over 3.5 D are not permitted.
No candidates for the Indian Air Force may wear eyeglasses.

Category	Naval	Air Force
Uncorrected Vision	6/6	6/6, 6/9
Corrected Vision	6/6	6/6 (only for Hypermetropia)
Limits of Myopia	-0.75 D Sph	Nil
Limits of Hypermetropia	+1.5 D Cyl	+2.00 D Sph
Limits of Colour Perception	I	Nil
Binocular Vision	III	Nil
Manifest Myopia	N.A.	Nil Re
Tinoscopic Myopia	N.A.	0.5
Colour Vision	N.A.	CP-I (MLT)
Astigmatism (Within limits of myopia and hypermetropia)	N.A.	+0.75 D Sph /Cyl (within + 2.0 D Max)
Near Vision	N.A.	N-5 each eye

NDA Marital Status

Candidates intending to participate in the UPSC NDA 1 and 2 exams in 2025 are required to be unmarried and must maintain their unmarried status throughout the National Defence Academy & Naval Academy training.
If a candidate chooses to marry during the UPSC NDA training, they will be discharged from the Academy.

NDA Age Limit FAQs

Who is eligible for NDA?

Candidates who have completed class 12 or are currently enrolled in class 12 and are 15.7 years/ 16 years to 19 years of age can apply for the NDA 2023 exam.

Can 12th pass apply for NDA?

Yes, 12th pass candidates can apply for the NDA exam 2023 which is conducted by UPSC, twice a year.

Is 12th percentage required for NDA?

No, You merely need to pass the 12th board exam with any percentage of the required marks in order to take the NDA exam 2023. Only the results of the NDA written test are used to determine the further SSB round and Physical & medical examination.

What is the height limit for NDA?

The required height limit of a candidate is 157 cm. (For the Indian Air Force, it is 162.5 cm). For a complete understanding of the eligibility criteria of the NDA exam, check the NDA's specific height and weight criteria.

Does the NDA have a physical test?

Yes, the NDA exam required a Physical and medical examination after qualifying for the written exam of the NDA.

Can 20 year old apply for NDA?

According to the NDA eligibility requirements, only unmarried male and female applicants between the ages of 16.5 and 19.5 are qualified to take the exam.

Can I join NDA after 11th?

After passing the class 10th exam, you can begin preparing for the NDA exam from class 11th, but you must have a thorough understanding of the entire syllabus of the NDA exam.

Who are eligible for NDA 1 2024?

As per the official notification, only unmarried male/female candidates born not earlier than 02nd July 2005 and not later than 1st July 2008 can apply for the post. The NDA 2024 age limit will be between 16.5 years and 19.5 years for all the categories.