New Delhi, May 22, 2026: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has officially released the highly anticipated notifications for the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (NDA/NA)-II 2026 and the Combined Defence Services (CDS)-II 2026 examination. For thousands of young defense aspirants across the country, this signals the commencement of one of the most prestigious recruitment cycles in India.

The online application portal is now active on UPSC’s official website. Candidates looking to secure a commissioned officer rank in the Indian Army, Navy, or Air Force can submit their registration forms online. The commission has detailed the complete schedule, branch-wise vacancies, and eligibility criteria across both official notifications.

Highlighting the Critical Deadlines

Aspirants need to keep a strict eye on the timeline, as UPSC maintains an unforgiving schedule with absolute cut-offs. The registration window opened simultaneously for both examinations on May 20, 2026, and will close promptly at 6:00 PM on June 9, 2026.

Both the NDA-II and CDS-II written examinations are scheduled to take place on a single day: September 13, 2026 (Sunday). The synchronized schedule gives candidates just under four months to consolidate their preparation, revise the core curriculum, and clear the intense competitive hurdle.

UPSC NDA/NA-II 2026: Vacancy Breakdown and Eligibility

The NDA-II 2026 recruitment drive aims to fill a total of 394 vacancies across the primary wings of the National Defence Academy and the Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC). In line with progressive shifts in the defense landscape, these vacancies are open to both unmarried male and female candidates. Specifically, 370 seats are reserved for male candidates, while 24 seats are strictly allocated for female candidates.

Vacancy Distribution

• NDA Army Wing: 208 positions (including 10 for female candidates)

• NDA Navy Wing: 42 positions (including 5 for female candidates)

• NDA Air Force Wing: 92 positions for Flying (2 for females) and 18 for Ground Duties Technical (2 for females)

• Naval Academy (10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme): 34 positions (strictly for male candidates)

Age Limit and Marital Status

Candidates looking to apply must be unmarried. For the NDA-II 2026 cycle, applicants must have been born between July 2, 2007, and July 1, 2010 (both dates inclusive).

Educational Criteria

The academic benchmarks depend heavily on the specific branch you choose to join:

1. Army Wing of NDA: Candidates must have passed their Class 12 (10+2 pattern) examination or its equivalent from any recognized state or central education board. Students from any academic stream (Arts, Commerce, or Science) are eligible.

2. Air Force, Navy, and Naval Academy: Candidates must have passed Class 12 with a strict focus on Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (PCM) as compulsory subjects. Students currently appearing in their final year of Class 12 are also permitted to apply, provided they produce their passing certificates during the SSB interview phase.

UPSC CDS-II 2026: Vacancy Breakdown and Eligibility

For graduates and final-year college students, the CDS-II 2026 examination offers a direct route into premium military academies. UPSC has announced a total of 451 vacancies for this session, aiming to induct officers into both permanent and short-service commissions.

Academy-Wise Vacancy Matrix

• Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun: 100 vacancies

• Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala: 26 vacancies

• Air Force Academy (AFA), Hyderabad: 32 vacancies

• Officers’ Training Academy (OTA), Chennai (Men): 275 vacancies (Short Service Commission)

• Officers’ Training Academy (OTA), Chennai (Women): 18 vacancies (Short Service Commission)

Age Windows and Academic Qualifications

Because the training demands differ by academy, the eligibility parameters for CDS are strictly segmented:

• IMA & INA: Open to unmarried male candidates aged 19 to 24 (born between January 2, 2003, and January 1, 2008). IMA requires a generic Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline, whereas INA mandates a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering.

• Air Force Academy (AFA): Open to male candidates aged 20 to 24 (born between January 2, 2003, and January 1, 2007). Applicants need a Bachelor’s degree with Physics and Mathematics at the 10+2 level, or a Bachelor of Engineering/Technology.

• Officers’ Training Academy (OTA): Open to both men and women (including eligible unmarried individuals, issueless widows, or divorcees who have not remarried) aged 19 to 25 (born between January 2, 2002, and January 1, 2008). A standard graduation degree in any stream is the baseline qualification.

Step-by-Step Guide to Apply Online

UPSC handles all candidate profiles through its central One-Time Registration (OTR) platform. If you plan to submit an application for either exam, follow this established sequence to ensure your registration is processed without errors.

Understanding the Selection Architecture

Clearing the written test is only the initial hurdle in a multi-layered selection framework designed to evaluate both academic prowess and psychological temperament.

The NDA Written Exam features two core segments: Mathematics (300 marks) and the General Ability Test (600 marks), totaling 900 marks. The CDS Written Exam varies by academy. IMA, INA, and AFA candidates face three individual two-hour papers: English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics (100 marks each, totaling 300 marks). OTA candidates bypass the mathematics paper entirely, attempting only English and General Knowledge (200 marks total).

Candidates who manage to score above the minimum qualifying cut-offs are officially shortlisted for the extensive Services Selection Board (SSB) Interview. The SSB is an immersive, multi-day intelligence and personality evaluation system spanning intelligence tests, group tasks, psychological profiling, and personal interviews. Final merit lists are calculated by compounding the written exam aggregates with the SSB interview scores, closely followed by strict physical fitness and medical board clearance.

Given the limited application window, serious candidates are advised to complete their OTR and application profiles early to avoid heavy server traffic as the June 9 deadline approaches