Overview
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has officially released the UPSC NDA (1) 2026 Answer Key on 16 April 2026. This release marks a significant milestone for the lakhs of candidates who appeared in the National Defence Academy entrance examination held on 12 April 2026. The provisional answer key covers both the Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT) papers across all four sets (A, B, C, and D), allowing candidates to cross-check their responses and calculate their expected scores before the official final result is announced.
The UPSC NDA examination is one of the most prestigious and competitive recruitment processes in India, conducted to recruit officers for the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force through the National Defence Academy. With thousands of aspirants appearing for this examination annually, the release of the answer key provides transparency and helps candidates understand their performance relative to the expected solutions. Candidates are encouraged to download the answer key from the official UPSC website and carefully compare their answers with the provided solutions.
This preliminary answer key is subject to review and modification based on any representations or objections raised by candidates. The final answer key will be released after considering all legitimate challenges. Candidates who believe there are errors in the answer key can submit their objections during the specified objection window, following the prescribed format and procedure outlined by UPSC.
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| UPSC NDA (1) 2026 Examination | 12 April 2026 |
| Provisional Answer Key Released | 16 April 2026 |
| Last Date to Submit Objections (Expected) | To be announced by UPSC |
| Final Answer Key Release (Expected) | To be announced by UPSC |
| Result Declaration (Expected) | To be announced by UPSC |
Vacancy Details
The UPSC NDA (1) 2026 recruitment is conducted to fill vacancies across all three defence services. The exact vacancy details for this recruitment cycle are as follows:
| Service Branch | Category | Number of Vacancies |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Army | Permanent Commission | To be notified by UPSC |
| Indian Navy | Permanent Commission | To be notified by UPSC |
| Indian Air Force | Permanent Commission | To be notified by UPSC |
Eligibility Criteria
Age Limit
Candidates appearing for the UPSC NDA examination must satisfy the following age requirements:
- Minimum age: 16.5 years (as on date of admission to National Defence Academy)
- Maximum age: 19.5 years (as on date of application)
- Candidates born between specific date ranges are eligible to apply
- Intermediate (12th Standard) pass or equivalent from a recognized board
- Candidates appearing in final year of Intermediate examination can also apply
- English proficiency is mandatory
- Basic knowledge of Mathematics is required
- Candidate must be an Indian citizen
- Must be unmarried at the time of application and at the time of final selection
- Must pass the medical examination as prescribed by the military authorities
- Must clear the psychological and personality assessment tests
- Should possess good character and discipline
- Written Examination: Candidates must appear for the UPSC NDA written test consisting of two papers—Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT)
- Answer Key Evaluation: After the examination, the provisional answer key is released, and candidates can calculate their expected scores
- Objection Submission: Candidates can submit objections against the answer key if they believe there are errors
- Final Answer Key: UPSC releases the final answer key after considering all objections
- Result Declaration: Candidates who qualify the written examination are called for further rounds
- Service Selection Board (SSB) Interview: Qualified candidates are called for SSB interview rounds, which include psychological tests, group discussions, and personal interviews
- Medical Examination: Candidates who clear SSB are required to undergo medical examination
- Final Merit List: The final merit list is prepared based on performance in written examination and SSB interview
- Document Verification: Selected candidates are asked to verify their documents and certificates
- Admission to National Defence Academy: Finally, selected candidates are admitted to the National Defence Academy for officer training
- Visit the official UPSC website at https://www.upsc.gov.in
- Navigate to the NDA recruitment notification section
- Read the detailed advertisement and eligibility criteria carefully
- Click on the online application link provided in the notification
- Register yourself on the UPSC online portal by creating a user ID and password
- Fill the online application form with all required personal, educational, and other details
- Upload scanned copies of required documents (photograph, signature, certificate of eligibility, etc.)
- Select your examination centre from the available options
- Pay the application fee as per your category using the specified payment gateway
- Review all details entered in the application form before final submission
- Submit the completed application form
- Download and save the application receipt for future reference and admit card download
- Check the result and answer key pages periodically for updates
Educational Qualification
The educational qualification requirements for UPSC NDA (1) 2026 are:
Nationality and Other Requirements
Selection Process
The UPSC NDA selection process is comprehensive and multi-staged, designed to identify the most suitable candidates for officer training. The selection process comprises the following stages:
Application Fee
The application fee structure for UPSC NDA (1) 2026 is as follows:
| Category | Application Fee | Payment Mode |
|---|---|---|
| General / OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | Rs. 100 | Online Payment / Bank Challan |
| SC / ST / PwBD / Women Candidates | Nil (Exempted) | No Payment Required |
How to Apply
Candidates who wish to apply for UPSC NDA (1) 2026 should follow these steps: