NDA Exam – What is it and why appear in NDA?

Every year 350 odd bright young teenage boys joins the best defence institute in India - the NDA, even few of them goes on to become the s...

Every year 350 odd bright young teenage boys joins the best defence institute in India - the NDA, even few of them goes on to become the service-chiefs of our nation in their later days. As a tribute to this great defence academy, this blog post and subsequent six others would be dedicated towards the NDA entrance exam which enables one to join NDA.

Focus of this particular blog post is on What & Why of NDA Exam. For this, let us know what is NDA ...


What is NDA?
Established in 1949, the National Defence Academy (NDA) of India, located in Khadakwasla, 20 Kms from Pune is a premier joint Services training institution, where cadets of the three defence wings - Army, Navy and Air Force are imparted training together. How good is NDA as an institute can be gauged from the fact that it has given the country 23,000+ defence officers, who includes 12 Service chiefs. At one point of time, all the three service-chiefs concurrently were NDA cadets from the first course- Gen. S.F. Rodrigues, Admiral L. Ramdas and Air Chief Marshal N.C. Suri.

At NDA, the students of the three wings are given preliminary training, both academic and physical, for three years (six semesters, each of 22 weeks' duration). On passing out, they are awarded B.Sc., B.Sc. (computer) and BA degrees from the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi.

After this (i.e. on completion of the training at NDA), the cadets go for their 18 months pre-commission training at their respective academies (Army cadets go to the IMA at Dehra Dun, Air Force cadets to the Air Force Academy at Hyderabad & Naval cadets to Naval Academy at Goa). Even while studying at these institutes, students are given a stipend of Rs 8000 per month.

On passing out from IMA, Air Force Academy & Naval Academy, they are commissioned as Lieutenant, Flight Lieutenant & Sub-lieutenant at a very young age of 22/24 (when many of their colleagues are still struggling to find a job) with a salary of Rs 8,250-Rs 10,050 with other benefits.

If you would like to view 103 beautiful pictures of NDA, located at a picturesque 8,028 acres area, captured by Sowmya, click here.

What is NDA exam?
NDA exam is the entrance exam for admission to NDA. Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the NDA exam twice every year (First one called NDA-I in April/May and second one called NDA-II in Sept./Oct). While UPSC conducts the written part of NDA exam, the psychological/physical/interview part of NDA exam, following the written test, is conducted by Services Selection Board (SSB).

Naval Academy Examination is held alongside NDA exam for the Executive Branch Course of Naval Academy, even the same application form is used for both exams.

How many people writes NDA exam?
More than 1 lakh people appears in the written exam every 6 months, out of which about the top 1500 candidates from the written are invited for interview and psychology tests. Finally 300-350 candidates (195-Army, 39-Navy, 66-Air Force and 39-executive branch of the Naval Academy) approx. enter the NDA.
Source: Wiki

Why should you appear in NDA exam?
You should appear from the exam for following simple reasons:

1.0 From such a young age of about 18 (i.e. just after passing Class-12), you no longer have to depend on anyone for any expenses on your studies and career for the whole life. Every expense is taken care off by the nation - the Government apparently spends Rs. 4,800 a week on a NDA cadet's training. This is exclusive of the expenditure on his uniform, mess and so on.
In short, you become self-dependent for entire life, while still being a teenager!

2.0 One day, you can become the service chiefs of the nation – you would study in the same institute where 12 other previous service chiefs studied.

3.0 You would be able to serve the motherland and earn respect for it.

4.0 You would be able to enjoy a very good salary package and also other benefits.

My next post deals with “When” & “Where” part of the exam: When and where is the NDA Exam held?
Please keep visiting the blog for more info about NDA exam as I go on posting the information as and when it becomes available.