The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the NDA 1 Admit Card 2026 for the National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination (I), 2026. The hall ticket is now available to download online from the official UPSC websites upsc.gov.in and upsconline.nic.in for all candidates who have successfully registered for the exam.
overview of NDA 1 Admit Card 2026
Basic application process
NDA 1 2026 applications are online only through the UPSC portal (
upsconline.nic.in).There was no offline application; candidates had to fill the form in two parts (Part‑1: registration, Part‑2: details, upload, fee).
Important dates (for NDA 1 2026)
Notification date: 10 December 2025.
Application start date: 10 December 2025.
Last date to apply & pay fee: 30 December 2025.
Exam date: 12 April 2026.
Check eligibility and notification
Go to upsc.gov.in and open the NDA & NA (I), 2026 notification PDF.
Verify eligibility:
Age: 16½ to 19½ years as on 1 July 2026.
Qualification: Class 12 passed or appearing (Maths compulsory for Air Force/Navy; optional for Army).
Create Universal Registration (URN)
Visit upsconline.nic.in and click on “New Registration / URN” under Universal Registration.
Enter basic details (name as per Class 10 certificate, date of birth, mobile, email), agree to declaration, and generate URN (Universal Registration Number). Keep this safe.
Login and fill Part‑1 form
After some time, log in using URN + password on the same portal.
Click on “Common Application Form → NDA & NA (I), 2026”.
In Part‑1, fill:
Personal details (name, father’s/mother’s name, marital status, etc.).
Category (Gen/OBC/EWS/SC/ST), disability status (if any).
Choose Army, Navy or Air Force service(s) you wish to apply for.
Fill Part‑2, upload documents, pay fee
After submitting Part‑1, proceed to Part‑2 of the application.
Fill in:
Educational details (Class 10 and 12 information).
Communication details (address, state, PIN).
Preferred exam cities (choose 3–4 centres).
Upload clear scanned images:
Photograph (recent colour, without glasses, size as per instructions).
Signature (in pen, same as official documents).
Pay application fee:
₹100 for Gen/OBC/EWS candidates (online via debit/credit card, net banking, or offline e‑challan).
₹0 for SC/ST and PwBD candidates.
Final submission and print
Double‑check all details (name spelling, DOB, category, choice of service, exam cities).
After fee‑payment confirmation, the system will generate a final application PDF.
Download and print 1–2 copies; keep them for future reference (even if you later download the admit card).
NDA 1 2026 eligibility criteria details
1. Age limit (for NDA 1 2026)
Minimum age: Candidates must be at least 16½ years on 1 July 2026.
Maximum age: Candidates must not exceed 19½ years on 1 July 2026.
Date‑of‑birth range (NDA 1 2026):
Candidates must be born between 2 July 2007 and 1 July 2010, both dates inclusive.
No age relaxation is given for any category (SC/ST/OBC/EWS/PwBD).
2. Gender and marital status
Gender: Both unmarried male and unmarried female candidates are eligible.
Marital status: Only unmarried candidates are eligible; marriage must not occur at any stage of the selection process (including SSB and training).
3. Nationality
A candidate must be:
A citizen of India; or
A subject of Bhutan; or
A subject of Nepal; or
A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1 January 1962 with the intention of permanent settlement; or
A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma (Myanmar), Sri Lanka, East African countries (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, etc.) with the intention of permanently settling in India.
4. Educational qualification
Must have passed Class 12 or be appearing in Class 12 in the current academic year from a recognised board.
Subject requirements by service:
Army: Any stream (science, commerce or arts) is acceptable.
Navy & Air Force: Must have studied Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM) at Class 12 level.
5. Physical and medical standards
Candidates must be physically and medically fit as per the medical standards prescribed by UPSC for NDA‑entry.
Minimum height norms, eyesight, chest, etc., are strictly followed; candidates found unfit at the medical board stage are eliminated.
Quick eligibility overview table
The NDA 1 2026 written exam follows a two‑paper offline pattern (Mathematics and General Ability Test) followed by SSB‑interview and medical tests for shortlisted candidates.
Exam pattern (NDA 1 2026)
Paper‑wise structure
GAT is divided into:
Part A – English (200 marks): Grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, usage.
Part B – General Knowledge (400 marks): Physics, Chemistry, Biology, General Science, History, Geography, Current Affairs, Defence‑related topics.
Detailed syllabus for NDA 1 2026
1. Mathematics (300 marks)
Broad topics usually tested:
Algebra: Sets, relations, functions; complex numbers; quadratic equations; sequences and series; permutation & combination; binomial theorem; matrices & determinants.
Trigonometry: Trigonometric ratios, identities, equations, properties of triangles, inverse trig functions.
Analytical Geometry: 2D and 3D coordinate geometry, straight lines, circles, conic sections, vectors.
Calculus: Limits, continuity, differentiation, applications of derivatives, indefinite and definite integrals, differential equations.
Statistics & Probability: Measures of central tendency, dispersion, correlation; probability basics, conditional probability, Bayes’ theorem.
Vectors & 3D‑Geometry: Vector algebra, scalar and vector products, equations of lines and planes in space.
2. GAT – Part A: English (200 marks)
Typical focus areas:
Grammar: Tenses, articles, prepositions, subject–verb agreement, active–passive, direct–indirect speech.
Vocabulary: Synonyms, antonyms, idioms & phrases, one‑word substitutions, commonly confused words.
Comprehension: Reading passages with 5–10 questions each (inference, tone, main idea, meanings in context).
Usage skills: Rearranging jumbled sentences, error detection, sentence improvement.
3. GAT – Part B: General Knowledge (400 marks)
a) Physics (approx. 100–120 marks)
Mechanics, Newton’s laws, work–energy–power, gravitation, motion in fluids.
Heat, thermodynamics, waves, sound, optics (reflection, refraction, lenses), electricity & magnetism, basic modern physics (atoms, radioactivity).
b) Chemistry (approx. 80–100 marks)
Basic concepts; atomic structure; chemical bonding; periodic table; states of matter; chemical kinetics; acids, bases, salts; redox reactions; organic basics (hydrocarbons).
c) Biology / General Science (approx. 50–70 marks)
Human body, nutrition, diseases, reproduction; basics of plant and animal physiology.
Environment, ecology, pollution, biodiversity (relevant for current‑affairs‑linked questions).
d) History, Polity and Geography (approx. 150–180 marks)
History: Ancient, medieval and modern India; freedom struggle; post‑independence milestones; world history basics.
Geography: Physical geography of India and world (landforms, rivers, climate); Indian economy basics; natural resources, agriculture, population.
Polity & Civics: Indian Constitution basics, fundamental rights, directive principles, Panchayati Raj, role of armed forces in national security.
e) Current Affairs & Defence (approx. 50–70 marks)
Recent national and international events (last 8–12 months).
Major defence news, important exercises, ranks & insignia, basic defence‑related GK (Navy, Air Force, Army roles).