1. The age limit for the NDA Exam is 15.7 years/ 16 years to 19 years.
2. Candidates must have passed class 12th before joining the Academy.
3. There are a number of physical parameters that candidates must meet.
4. The NDA Eligibility for the written examination is same for female candidates. 

Table Of Contents

NDA Eligibility Criteria: Overview

• Nationality
• Age Limit 
• Educational Qualification
• Marital Status 
• Physical Standards

NDA Eligibility Criteria 2022

NDA eligibility criteria for male and female candidates is defined under the following categories:

• Nationality
• Age Limit
• Educational Qualification
• Physical Parameters 

These are the major four criteria that determine eligibility for NDA.  If you do not meet any physical criteria then too, you can sit for the NDA Exam. Physical parameters are tested after the SSB Interview.  The details of each of the above are given below.
   

NDA Eligibility Criteria: Nationality

A candidate must be

1. A citizen of India, or
2. A subject of Nepal, or
3. A subject of Bhutan, or
4. A Tibetan refugee permanently settled in India from and before January 1, 1962.
5. A person of Indian origin migrated from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma, East African countries of Uganda, Kenya, the United Republic of Tanzania, Malawi, Zaire, Zambia, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.

Note:

• It should be clear that the applicant who belongs to categories 2,3,4, and 5 must have a Certificate of eligibility that has been issued by the Government of India.
• Gorkha applicants who are subjects of Nepal however, do not need to produce this certificate.

 

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NDA Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit

The minimum age limit is that candidates should be 15.7 years/ 16 years of age during the commencement of the course and the maximum age limit is that candidates should be 18.7 years/19 years of age during the commencement of the course. There are no age relaxations provided to candidates in this exam.
That is He or she must have not been born earlier than 02nd January 2003 and not later than 01 January 2006.
 

NDA Eligibility Criteria: Educational Qualification

The required educational qualification for NDA Exam is as given below.

Wing	Educational Qualification
Army Wing of NDA	Candidates should have studied up to 12th Class pass of the 10+2 pattern of School Education or equivalent examination conducted by a State Education Board or a University.
Air Force and Navy	Candidates should have studied up to 12th Class pass of the 10+2 pattern of School Education with Physics and Mathematics conducted by a State Education Board or a University.

Note - Candidates who will appear for the board exams this year are eligible to appear for the exam. The education qualification for males and females is the same in NDA eligibility.

 

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NDA Eligibility Criteria: Marital Status

Only unmarried male/female candidates are eligible to apply for NDA Exam.

Other than the above-mentioned eligibility criteria, there are certain physical fitness standards that must be fulfilled by the candidates to be finally selected. The physical standards are mentioned below:
 

NDA Eligibility Criteria: Physical Standards

The general guidelines related to the physical guidelines are mentioned below, candidates who wish to read particular details related to height and weight standards must visit the official notification for the examination. 

• The applicant must have good physical and mental health and should be free from diseases and disabilities.
• The candidates are advised to rectify minor defects/ailments.
  Permanent body tattoos are only allowed from the wrist to the inside of the elbow and on the hand’s backside. Tattoos on any other body part are not acceptable.
  Candidates belonging to tribes who have tattoos/ marks on the face/ body as part of their custom/ traditions will be allowed on a special case basis.
• The chest should not be less than 81cm after full expansion. The expansion of the chest after full inspiration should be more than 5cm. X-ray of the chest will be taken to examine any kind of disease.
• Bones/Joints should not be impaired of any function. These should be developed properly.
• The candidate should not have any history of mental breakdown/ fits.
• Un-operated Hernia will lead to disqualification. In the case of operated Hernia, it should be operated before 1 year to the final medical examination.
• The liver and spleen of the candidate should be of normal size.
• The hearing should be normal. The candidate should be able to hear a whisper with each ear at a distance of 610 cms. There should not be any disease of the ear, nose, and throat.
• Blood Pressure should be normal.
• There should not be any functional or organic disease of the heart and blood vessels.
• There should be no hydrocele, varicocele or piles, or any kind of skin disease.
• Any kind of disease of the internal organs of the abdomen will lead to disqualification.
• Examination of urine will also be done and any abnormality if found, will lead to disqualification.
• The applicant should have a sufficient number of natural and sound teeth. There should be a minimum of 14 dental points.
• USG abdomen examination will be performed and any congenital structural anomaly will lead to disqualification.
• Candidate should not be of weak constitution, overweight/underweight.

The guidelines and standards mentioned above are as per the criteria set by UPSC and the defense forces. The specific details related to the NDA Eligibility - Physical criteria is as follows:

NDA Physical Fitness: Undesirable Health Issues

The candidate must not be suffering from any of these minor conditions at the time of the NDA medical exam as that would lead to the candidate’s ineligibility:

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

NDA Physical Fitness: Case of Body Tattoos

• The candidates must ensure that the permanent body tattoos (if there) should only be present on the inner side of the forearm. 
• Under no circumstances will UPSC accept tattoos on the inside of the elbow to the wrist and on the reverse side of the palm/back (dorsal) side of the hand. 
• Permanent body tattoos on any other part of the body are also not acceptable.
• In case the candidate happens to belong to a tribe where it is customary to have tattoo marks on the face or body, acceptance will be granted on a case-to-case basis, considering the traditions involved. The decision of authorities would be final in such instances.

NDA  Height and Weight Requirements For Applicants

• Body Mass Index should be below 25.
• The Waist to Hip ratio should be below 0.9 for males and 0.8 for females. 
• Waist Circumference should be less than 90 cm for males and 80 cm for females. 
• All biochemical metabolic parameters should be within normal limits. 

 

NDA Eligibility Height and Weight Requirements For Applicants

• Body Mass Index should be below 25.
• The Waist to Hip ratio should be below 0.9 for males and 0.8 for females. 
• Waist Circumference should be less than 90 cm for males and 80 cm for females. 
• All biochemical metabolic parameters should be within normal limits. 

The chart is as follows:

Height (cm)	Weight (KG) wrt Age (yrs)
Minimum weight for all ages	Age: 17 to 20 yrs
140	35.3
141	35.8
142	36.3
143	36.8
144	37.3
145	37.8
146	38.4
147	38.9
148	39.4
149	40.0
150	40.5
151	41.0
152	41.6
153	42.1
154	42.7
155	43.2
156	43.8
157	44.4
158	44.9
159	45.5
160	46.1
161	46.7
162	47.2
163	47.8
164	48.4
165	49.0
166	49.6
167	50.2
168	50.8
169	51.4
170	52.0
171	52.6
172	53.3
173	53.9
174	54.5
175	55.1
176	55.8
177	56.4
178	57.0
179	57.7
180	58.3
181	59.0
182	59.6
183	60.3
184	60.9
185	61.6
186	62.3
187	62.9
188	63.6
189	64.3
190	65.0
191	65.7
192	66.4
193	67.0
194	67.7
195	68.4
196	69.1
197	69.9
198	70.6
199	71.3
200	72.0
201	72.7
202	73.4
203	74.2
204	74.9
205	75.6
206	76.4
207	77.1
208	77.9
209	78.6
210	79.4

 

NDA Height and Weight Requirements for Air Force

 

Height in cm	Weight in Kg
	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	66

 

Candidates who want to apply for the Flying Branch must keep the following requirements in mind:

• Leg Length: Minimum of 99 cms and Maximum of 120 cms
• Thigh Length: Minimum is not applicable while Maximum of 64 cms
• Sitting Height: Minimum of 81.50 cms and Maximum of 96 cms

NDA Eligibility Height and Weight Requirements for Indian Navy

• Body Mass Index should be below 25. 
• The Waist to Hip ratio should be below 0.9 for males and females.
• Waist Circumference should be less than 90 cm for males and 80 cm for females.
• All biochemical metabolic parameters should be within normal limits. 

The standards are different for Navy posts and the particulars are summarized below:

Height in cm	Weight in Kg
	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

 

NDA Vision Standards for Candidates

The vision standards are the main concern for a number of candidates in NDA Eligibility. For your benefit we have clarified the vision standards for NDA Exam:

NDA Vision Standard For ARMY
Distance Vision (Corrected)	Better Eye 6/6; Worse Eye 6/9
Colour vision	CP-III (Defective Safe).
Myopia should not be more than -2.5D Hypermetropia should not be more than +3.5D

 

NDA Vision Standards for Air Force
Candidates who wear spectacle		Not eligible for Air Force
Minimum distant vision		6/6 in one eye and 6/9 in other correctable to 6/6 only for Hypermetropia
Colour vision CPI Hypermetropia: +2.0 D Sph Manifest Myopia: Nil Retinoscopic Myopia: 0.5 in any Meridian permitted Astigmatism: + 0.75 D Cyl (within + 2.0 D.Max)

 

Vision standard for Navy

Uncorrected without glass -6/6, 6/9 Corrected with glass – 6/6, 6/6 Limits of Myopia – –0.75 Limits of Hypermetropia – +1.5 Binocular vision – III Limits of color perception – I

Thus candidates who wear glasses are not eligible for Air force wing but they can apply for other forces.