NDA age limit and eligibility: date-of-birth window
UPSC does not print "16½ to 19½" in the NDA notice. It prints a date-of-birth window, both dates inclusive. Pick the exam to see its window.
| Breakdown | Value |
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Estimate. The method and sources are on this page — check them against your own case before you act.
How it is calculated
Each NDA & NA notice says: "Only unmarried male/female candidates born not earlier than [date] and not later than [date] are eligible." That window is the rule. For NDA-II 2026 it is 1 January 2008 to 1 January 2011, which works out to 16½–19½ years on 1 July 2027, the day the course starts.
Eligible ⇔ earliest DOB ≤ your date of birth ≤ latest DOB (both inclusive)
Pick the exam
UPSC holds NDA & NA twice a year. Each exam has its own window, six months apart.
Use your Class 10 date of birth
UPSC accepts only the date in your Matriculation/Secondary School certificate (or an equivalent). Horoscopes, affidavits and municipal birth extracts are not accepted, and the date cannot be changed later.
Check the other conditions
You must be unmarried and must not marry until training ends. Army wing needs Class 12 pass; Air Force, Navy and the Naval Academy need Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Class 12 students can apply.
Worked example
Born 15 March 2009 and applying for NDA-II 2026? The window is 1 January 2008 to 1 January 2011. 15 March 2009 is after the earliest date and before the latest, so you were eligible on age, about 18 years 3 months when the course starts on 1 July 2027. Born 2 January 2011 would have been one day too young.
NDA date-of-birth windows
| Exam | Born on or after | Born on or before | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| NDA & NA (I) 2026 | 1 July 2007 | 1 July 2010 | Official (closed) |
| NDA & NA (II) 2026 | 1 January 2008 | 1 January 2011 | Official (closed) |
| NDA & NA (I) 2027 | 1 July 2008 | 1 July 2011 | Expected |
| NDA & NA (II) 2027 | 1 January 2009 | 1 January 2012 | Expected |
| Worked example: born 15 March 2009, NDA-II 2026 | 1 January 2008 ≤ 15 March 2009 | 15 March 2009 ≤ 1 January 2011 | Eligible (about 18 years 3 months on 1 July 2027) |
What most pages get wrong
16½ to 19½, set as dates of birth
NDA-II 2026: born 1 January 2008 to 1 January 2011, both inclusive. That is 16½–19½ years on 1 July 2027, when the 158th NDA Course and 120th INAC start.
Class 12 — with PCM for Air Force and Navy
Army wing: Class 12 pass (10+2). Air Force and Naval wings, and the Naval Academy 10+2 Cadet Entry: Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Class 12 students can apply; Class 11 students cannot.
Unmarried men and women
Both men and women can apply, but only if unmarried. A candidate who marries after applying will not be selected; one who marries during training is discharged.
No OBC, SC/ST or other age relaxation
The notice sets one window for everyone. SC/ST candidates, women and wards of JCOs/NCOs/ORs studying at Military or Sainik Schools are exempt from the ₹100 fee; OBC and EWS candidates pay. Nobody gets extra age.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NDA age limit?+
What is the NDA 2027 age limit?+
What is the educational qualification for NDA?+
Can girls apply for NDA? Can married candidates apply?+
Is there age relaxation for OBC or SC/ST in NDA?+
How many attempts are allowed in NDA?+
Sources, dates and a changelog.
Every number this calculator uses is either an input you control or a value from the sources below. The formula is compiled and tested at build time, so the page cannot ship with a broken calculation.
Sources
This page
- Last verified: 2 November 2026
- Next review: 2 May 2027
- Vertical: Government & Civic
- Build tests: 4 passed
- Changelog: 1 entry
How we handle errors
- Spotted a mistake? Report it — we correct and log it.
- Corrections appear in the changelog below.
- Read the methodology and the disclaimer.