NDA Eligibility Criteria 2025: Get Age & Qualification Here

NDA Eligibility Criteria 2025 must be checked by the candidates before applying. The candidates who want to join National Defense Academy (NDA) have to appear in the entrance examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), New Delhi.

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The authority schedules the examination two times within a year in April and September. All the aspirants are suggested to check the prescribed eligibility mentioned here. Only candidates who meet the eligibility will be allowed to fill application form.

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In this article, we have provided detailed information about NDA 2025 Eligibility Criteria, age limit, qualifications, and more.

NDA Eligibility Criteria 2025

NDA 2025 will be conducted for the All India candidates whose desire is to join Indian Defense forces. Through NDA, the candidates are recruited in Air Force, Navy, and Army.

The interested candidates can fill NDA 2025 application form from 11th December 2024 (for NDA I) and from 28th May 2025 (for NDA II).

Before applying, must ensure your eligibility as only those who have satisfying the eligibility condition are eligible to write the exam. Confirm your eligibility from here. The NDA 2025 eligibility criteria are given below:

Nationality:

• The appearing candidate must be a citizen of India, Nepal or Bhutan.
• A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Burma, SriLanka, Pakistan & East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, and Ethiopia or Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India is also eligible to apply.

Candidates other than the citizen of India and Gorkha subjects of Nepal have required a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India.

Age Limits, Gender & Marital Status:

• For NDA (1) 2025: The candidates whose DOB falls between 2nd July 2006 to 1st July 2009 are eligible for the examination. If born before 2nd July 2005 and after 1st July 2008 then not eligible for NDA (1) 2025 exam.
• For NDA (2) 2025: Those whose DOB falls between 2nd January 2006 to 1st January 2009 are permitted to write the exam. If the candidate bears the age before 2nd January 2006 and after 1st January 2009, they are not allowed to appear the exam.
• Only unmarried male & female candidates will be eligible for NDA examination.

Note-1: The DOB mentioned in the Matriculation/Higher Secondary Examination Certificate available or an equivalent certificate will be considered by the commission.

Note-2: Candidates are informed not to marry until they complete their full training. A candidate who marries subsequent to the date of his application though successful at this or any subsequent exam will not be selected for training. A candidate who marries during the training shall be discharged and will be liable to refund all expenditure incurred on him by the Government.

Qualification Criteria:

The minimum qualification required for Indian Army wing, Navy, and Air Force is as follows:

Eligibility for Indian Army:

• The candidates want to apply for Indian Army must have completed 12th (10+2 pattern) or its equivalent exam from a well-recognized board.
• The appearing candidates can also apply.

Eligibility for Indian Navy and Air Force:

• Those seeking for Indian Navy and Air Force must have passed their 12^th/appearing (10+2 pattern) from a recognized board or University with Physics and Mathematics as a compulsory subject.

Note: Students who have debarred by the Ministry of Defence from holding any type of Commission in the Defence Services are not eligible to apply. Those candidates have failed INSB/PABT earlier are not eligible for Air Force.

Physical Standards: 

• Candidates must be physically & mentally fit as per the physical standards maintained by the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination 2025.
• A candidate who has resigned or withdrawn on disciplinary grounds from any of the training academies of Armed Forces is not eligible to apply.

The detailed physical standards are mentioned here:

Candidates are required to rectify minor defects/ailments in order
to speed up finalization of a medical examination conducted at the Military Hospital after being recommended at the SSB. A few of such commonly found defects/ailments are listed below:

• Wax (Ears).
• Deviated Nasal Septum.
• Hydrocele/Phimosis.
• Overweight/Underweight.
• Under Sized Chest.
• Piles.
• Tonsillitis.
• Gynaecomastia.
• Varicocele.

Body Tattoos:

• Permanent body tattoos are accepted only on the inner face of a forearm. Tattoos on the inside of elbow to the wrist and on the reverse side of palm/back (dorsal) side of hand/Permanent body tattoos on any other part of the body are not acceptable.
• Tribes with tattoo marks on the face or body as per their existing custom and traditions will be permitted on a case by case basis.
• Comdt Selection Centre will be competent authority for clearing such cases.

Click here to view detailed NDA 1 2025 Eligibility Criteria (Official)

Medical Examination for Female Candidates:

Note: The minimum height required for entry into the Armed Forces for female Candidates is 152 cm. Gorkhas and candidates belonging to Hills of North Eastern region of India, Garhwal and Kumaon will be accepted with a minimum height of 148 cm. An allowance for growth of 02 cm will be made for candidates below 18 yrs at the time of examination. The minimum height requirement for the Flying Branch is 163 cm. Flying Branch also requires other anthropometric standards like sitting height, leg length and thigh length.

Height & Weight Standards for Male Candidates: 

• The minimum height measurement is 157 cms (162.5 cms. for Air Force).
• For Gorkhas and individuals belonging to hills of North-Eastern areas of India, Garhwal, and Kumaon, the minimum heights will be 5 cms. less.
• In case of candidates from Lakshadweep, the minimum height can be reduced by 2 cms.
• The detailed height/weight standards are mentioned below:

Height/Weight Standards for Army/Air Force:

Height/Weight Standards for Navy:

Note-1: “Individual’s weight is considered normal if it is within ±10% departure from average given weight”.  However, in individuals with heavy bones and broad build as well as individuals with a thin build but otherwise healthy this may be given some relaxation on merit.

Note-2: Height relaxation is up to 2.5 cm. (5 cm. for Navy) may be allowed where the Medical Board certifies that the candidate is likely to grow and come up to the required standard on completion of his training.

There will be some extra physical requirements as a pilot in the Air Force. The acceptable length is as follows:

Other Physical Standards

Candidates recommended by the Services Selection Board will go through a medical examination by Board of Service Medical Officers. Candidates who are declared fit by the Medical Board will be admitted to the academy.

• The candidate should be in good physical & mental health and free from any kind of disease/disability which is likely to interfere with the efficient performance of Military duties.
• There should be no symptoms of weak constitution, bodily defects or underweight. The Candidate should not be overweight or obese.
• Well developed chest. A fully expanded chest should not be less than 81cms. The minimum range of expansion after full inspiration should be 5 cms. Chest X-Ray is compulsory and will be taken to rule out any chest diseases.
• No maldevelopment or impairment of a function of the bones or joint.
• No past history of mental breakdown or fits.
• The hearing should be normal. A candidate should be able to hear a forced whisper with each ear at a distance of 610 cms. in a quiet room. There should be no evidence of present or past disease of the ear, nose and throat. An audiometric test will be done for AF. Audiometric hearing loss should not be greater than 20 db in frequencies between 250 and 8000 Hz. There is no impediment of speech.
• Blood Pressure should be normal with no signs of functional or organic disease of the heart and blood vessels.
• There should be no enlargement of liver or spleen. There will be not any evidence of disease of internal organs of the abdomen.
• Un-operated hernias will make a candidate unfit. In case of Hernia which has been operated, a minimum of 6 months must have passed prior to final medical examination before commencement of the course.
• No hydrocele, varicocele or piles.
• Urine examination will be done and any abnormality if detected will be a cause for disqualification.
• Any kind of skin diseases which is likely to cause disability or disfigurement will also be a cause for rejection.
• USG abdomen examination will be carried out and any congential structural anomaly or disease of the abdominal organs will be a cause for rejection in Armed Forces.
• Candidates should have sufficient number of natural and sound teeth. A minimum of 14 dental points will be accepted. When 32 teeth are present, the total dental points are 22. A candidate should not be suffering from severe pyorrhoea.
• Routine ECG for Air Force candidates must be within normal limits.

Spinal Condition

Past medical history of diseases or any injury of the spine or sacroiliac joints, either with or without objective signs which have prevented the candidate from successfully following a physically active life, is a cause for rejection for commissioning in IAF. History of spinal fracture/prolapsed intervertebral disc and surgical treatment for these conditions will entail rejection. Any of the following conditions detected radiologically during medical exam will disqualify a candidate for Air Force:

• Granulomatous disease of spine
• Arthritidies/spondylosis (Rheumatoid arthritis and allied disorders/ Ankylosing spondylitis/ Osteoarthrosis, spondylosis and degenerative joint disease/ Non articular rheumatism (e.g. lesions of the rotator cuff, tennis elbow, recurrent lumbago etc.) & Miscellaneous disorders including SLE, polymyositis, vasculitis.
• Spondylolisthesis/spondylolysis.
• Compression fracture of vertebrae.
• Scheuerman’s disease (Adolescent kyphosis)
• Loss of cervical lordosis when associated with clinically restricted movements of cervical spine.
• Unilateral/Bilateral cervical ribs with demon strable  neurological  or circulatory deficit.
• Scoliosis more than 15 degree as measured by Cobb’s method.
• Degenerative Disc. Disease.
• Presence of schmorl’s nodes at more than one level.
• Atlanto-occipital and atlantoaxial anomalies.
• Hemi vertebrae and/or incomplete block (fused) vertebrae at any level in cervical, dorsal or lumbar spine and complete block (fused) vertebrae at more than one level in cervical or dorsal spine.
• Unilateral Sacralisation or lumbarisation (Complete or incomplete) at all levels and bilateral incomplete sacralisation or lumbarisation.
• Any other abnormality if so considered by the specialist.

Mild Kyphosis or Lordosis where deformity is barely noticeable and there is no pain or restriction of movement will not preclude acceptance.

In case of noticeable Scoliosis or suspicion of any other abnormality or spinal deformity, more than mild, appropriate X-rays of the spine are to be taken and the Examinee referred for specialist’s advice.

X-Ray Examination

Any of the following conditions detected at the time of X-Ray examination will be disqualified for Armed Forces:

• Granulomatius disease of spine.
• Arthritidies/spondylosis
• Scoliosis more than 15 degree as measured by Cobb’s Method (10 degree for Army and Navy).
• More than mild Kyphosis/Lordosis
• Spondylolisthesis/Spondylosis/Spondylolysis
• Herniated nucleus pulposes.
• Compression fracture of Vertebra.
• Sacaralisation Disease
• Cervical ribs with demonstrable neurological or Circulatory deficit.
• Presence of Schmorl’s node at more than one level.
• Atlanto-occipital and atlanto-axial anomalies.
• Incomplete Sacaralisation Unilateral or Bilateral
• Spina Bifida other than SV 1 and LV 5 if completely Sacralised
• Any other abnormality, if so considered by specialist

Visual Standards

The distance vision (corrected) should be 6/6 in better eye (6/9 in worse eye). Myopia should not be more than 2.5 D and hypermetropia not more than 3.5 D including Astigmatism. Internal examination of the eye will be done by means of opthalmoscope to rule out any disease of the eye. A candidate should have good binocular vision. The color vision standard will be (CP-III) for Army.

A candidate should be able to recognize red and green colors. Candidates will be required to produce certificates that neither he nor any member of his family has suffered from congenital night blindness. Candidates who have undergone or have the evidence of having undergone Radial Keratotomy, to improve the visual acuity will be permanently rejected for all the Services. Candidates who have undergone Laser Surgery for correction of refractive error are also not permitted to defence services. The detailed eyesight eligibility is given below:

Eyesight Eligibility for Naval Candidates:

Eyesight Eligibility for Air Force Candidates:

Maddox Rod Test

The details of Maddox Rot Test are as the following:

Candidates wear the spectacles habitually then not eligible for AF. Hand held Stereoscope–All of BSV grades Convergence–Up to 10 cm Cover test for distant and near-Lateral divergence/convergence recovery rapid and complete Radial Keratotomy, Photo Refractive Keratotomy/laser in Situ, Keratomileusis (PRK/LASIK) surgeries for correction of refractive errors are not accepted for any Air Force duties.

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