NDA 2 Admit Card 2026 is officially released. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has uploaded the e-Admit Card for National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination (II), 2026 for candidates admitted to the examination.
The written examination will be conducted across India on Sunday, 13 September 2026. UPSC has clearly advised candidates to download the e-Admit Card, take a printout and carefully read the instructions attached to it. No paper Admit Card will be sent by post.
For every NDA aspirant, this is now the time to shift from preparation mode to performance mode.
NDA 2 2026 Admit Card: Important Update
The official UPSC press note is dated 3 September 2026 and the e-Admit Card is available through the UPSC online portal.
Key Dates
Particular Details
Examination NDA & NA Examination (II), 2026
Exam Date 13 September 2026, Sunday
Mathematics 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM
GAT 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Admit Card Released
Mode Offline / OMR-based written examination
SSB For candidates qualifying in the written exam
The official UPSC timetable confirms that Mathematics will be held from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM, followed by the General Ability Test from 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM.
Where to Download the Admit Card
Candidates should download the e-Admit Card only through the official UPSC/UPSC online portal.
Important: Do not depend on screenshots, social-media links or unofficial websites for examination information.
What Candidates Must Carry on 13 September
This is extremely important. A candidate should prepare the examination kit a day before the exam, not on the morning of the examination.
Carry:
- Printed e-Admit Card
- The same photo ID whose number is mentioned on the e-Admit Card
- Black ball-point pen for OMR and attendance-related entries
- Photograph(s), wherever required as per the e-Admit Card instructions
- Transparent water bottle, if permitted under the instructions
UPSC specifically states that candidates must produce the printed e-Admit Card and the relevant photo ID at the examination venue.
If your photograph on the Admit Card is unclear
UPSC has specifically instructed such candidates to carry:
- Photo Identity Card
- Two passport-size photographs
- One photograph for each session
- Undertaking as required
Do not ignore this instruction.
Don’t Reach Late — Entry Closes 30 Minutes Before the Exam
This is one of the most important instructions in the official UPSC press note.
Morning Session
Exam: 10:00 AM
Entry closes: 9:30 AM
Afternoon Session
Exam: 2:00 PM
Entry closes: 1:30 PM
No candidate will be permitted to enter after the closing time.
UPSC has also stated that candidates must appear only at the examination venue mentioned on their e-Admit Card.
CDA Advice
Don’t plan to reach at 9:25 AM.
Plan to reach the centre sufficiently early for:
- Entry formalities
- Face authentication
- Identity verification
- Frisking/security checking
- Finding your examination room
UPSC has made face authentication mandatory at the examination venue.
What NOT to Carry
Candidates should be extremely careful about prohibited items.
UPSC says candidates are not allowed to enter the examination premises with:
❌ Mobile phone — even switched off
❌ Smartwatch / digital watch
❌ AI-enabled glasses
❌ Bluetooth or communication devices
❌ Other IT/electronic gadgets
❌ Books and notes
❌ Bags/luggage
❌ Costly or valuable items
❌ Calculators
❌ Other prohibited material
Importantly, UPSC says that no arrangement will be made at the venue for keeping banned items, and the Commission will not be responsible for their loss.
Can I wear a watch?
Yes. A normal/simple wristwatch is allowed.
But smartwatches and watches with communication/special electronic features are strictly prohibited.
Black Ball-Point Pen Is Mandatory
NDA is not only about knowing the answer.
It is also about correctly recording the answer.
UPSC has clearly instructed candidates to use a black ball-point pen for the OMR Answer Sheet and Attendance List.
Candidates should therefore practise:
Question → Decision → OMR marking → Move ahead
Avoid unnecessary overwriting, incomplete circles or careless encoding.
NDA 2 2026 Exam Pattern
The written examination carries 900 marks:
Mathematics
* 300 marks
* 2½ hours
General Ability Test (GAT)
* 600 marks
* 2½ hours
SSB Test / Interview
* 900 marks
The written papers consist of objective-type questions.
Negative Marking
There is negative marking for incorrect answers.
For a wrong answer, one-third (0.33) of the marks assigned to that question is deducted.
If a question is left unanswered, there is no penalty.
Golden Rule for NDA Exam
Don’t attempt a question just because you have to attempt something. Attempt because you have reason to believe it is correct.
NDA 2 2026: What Should You Do in the Final Days?
At this stage, starting ten new books is not preparation.
Your priority should be:
Revise, Don’t Restart
Revise:
* Important Mathematics formulas
* Previous-year questions
* Important concepts
* Current affairs
* Geography
* History
* General Science
* English
* Defence-related awareness
The official GAT syllabus includes current events and important national and international developments.
Solve Mock Tests
Take full-length NDA mock tests in the actual examination time slots.
Practise:
10:00 AM – 12:30 PM → Mathematics
Break
2:00 PM – 4:30 PM → GAT
This helps your mind become comfortable with the actual examination rhythm.
Analyse Your Mistakes
Don’t just count your marks.
Ask:
Why did I lose the mark?
Was it:
* Lack of knowledge?
* Calculation mistake?
* Misreading?
* Guessing?
* Time pressure?
* OMR mistake?
Your mistakes are your final revision material.
The NDA Exam Is Also a Test of Discipline
NDA is not simply a test of how much you have studied.
It tests your ability to remain:
Calm + Focused + Accurate + Disciplined
A difficult question should not destroy your confidence.
A few easy questions should not make you careless.
A bad first 20 minutes does not mean a bad paper.
Remember:
One difficult question is not a difficult examination. Stay calm and keep moving.
What Happens After the Written Examination?
Candidates who qualify the written examination are called for the Services Selection Board (SSB) process.
The SSB selection process has two stages.
Stage I
- Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR)
- Picture Perception and Description Test (PP&DT)
Stage II
- Interview
- Group Testing Officer (GTO) Tasks
- Psychology Tests
- Conference
UPSC states that Stage II tests are conducted over four days and the assessment focuses on the candidate’s overall personality and Officer Like Qualities.
So, aspirants should understand one important point:
The NDA written examination is not the destination. It is the gateway to SSB.
NDA 2 2026: Vacancies
As per the official notification, the approximate vacancies are:
Entry Total Vacancies
Army 208
Navy 42
Air Force – Flying 92
Air Force – Ground Duty (Tech) 18
Air Force – Ground Duty (Non-Tech) 10
Naval Academy – 10+2 Cadet Entry 24
Total 394
The notification specifies 370 male and 24 female vacancies, with vacancies being provisional and subject to training capacity.
NDA 2 2026 Eligibility — Quick Awareness
For this examination, UPSC specifies that eligible candidates must be unmarried male or female candidates born between 1 January 2008 and 1 January 2011, inclusive of the specified dates.
Educational Qualification
Army Wing: 12th Class pass or equivalent.
Navy & Air Force Wings: 12th Class with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM).
Candidates appearing in Class 12 can also apply, subject to fulfilling the prescribed conditions. Class 11 students are not eligible for this examination.
One Important Point About the Admit Card
Receiving an e-Admit Card does not mean that the candidate’s eligibility has been finally verified.
UPSC clearly states that admission remains provisional, and eligibility verification against original documents is undertaken at the appropriate later stage.
So candidates must continue to keep their educational and other original documents safe.
NDA Aspirant’s Final-Day Checklist
Night Before the Exam
☑ Downloaded e-Admit Card
☑ Printed copy ready
☑ Photo ID ready
☑ Black ball-point pens ready
☑ Required photographs ready, if applicable
☑ Examination centre checked
☑ Route planned
☑ Light revision completed
☑ No late-night study
☑ Adequate sleep
On Exam Day
Reach early.
Read every instruction carefully.
Listen to the invigilator.
Fill OMR carefully.
Don’t panic.
Don’t guess blindly.
Manage time intelligently.
A Message to Every NDA Aspirant
Dear Aspirant,
You have not reached this stage by accident.
Behind that e-Admit Card are months of discipline, early mornings, mathematics problems, mock tests, mistakes, corrections and countless moments when you chose to continue.
Now the question is not:
“Have I studied enough?”
The question is:
“Can I give my best when it matters?”
On 13 September 2026, walk into the examination centre not with fear, but with responsibility.
You are not going there simply to write an examination.
You are taking your first serious step towards the uniform.
NDA Inspiring Quotes for Aspirants
“The uniform begins with a dream, but it is earned through discipline.”
“Don’t chase the rank. Chase excellence, and let the rank follow.”
“A difficult paper tests your preparation. A difficult moment tests your character.”
“Your admit card is a permission to enter the examination hall; your discipline is your ticket to success.”
“Dream like an officer. Prepare like a soldier. Perform like a champion.”
“The road to the Academy is not easy—and that is exactly why it is worth walking.”
“When others are looking for shortcuts, prepare yourself to become the leader who takes responsibility.”
And remember:
“The goal is not merely to clear NDA. The goal is to become worthy of the uniform.”
CDA Message
At Chandigarh Defence Academy, we believe NDA preparation is not only about completing a syllabus.
It is about developing:
Knowledge | Discipline | Confidence | Fitness | Leadership | Officer-Like Qualities
The written examination is only the first battlefield.
Prepare for the written exam.
Prepare for SSB.
Prepare for the responsibility that comes with the uniform.
CDA — Transforming Students into Officers.
For candidates, the safest practice is to rely on the UPSC notification, UPSC e-Admit Card and the instructions printed with the e-Admit Card.
