UPSC NDA-NA 2 Exam Date Announced; Exam to be Held in Two Shifts on September 13

The National Defence Academy and Naval Academy (NDA & NA) Examination-II will be conducted on September 13, 2026, at various exam centers across the country. The exam will be held in offline pen-and-paper mode and will be conducted in two shifts.

UPSC has announced the date for the NDA and NA-II Examination 2026. According to the schedule released by the Commission, the exam will take place on September 13, 2026, at various centers nationwide. It will be conducted in offline pen-and-paper mode across two shifts. The application process for the exam was open from May 20 to June 11, 2026. Candidates who have applied can now plan their preparations according to the released schedule.

Exam to be Held in Two Shifts

The UPSC NDA-NA II exam will be conducted in two shifts on September 13. The Mathematics paper (first shift) will be held from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM. Subsequently, the General Ability Test (second shift) will be conducted from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. The written examination carries a total of 900 marks, comprising 300 marks for Mathematics and 600 marks for the General Ability Test (GAT).

Exam for 394 Vacancies

A total of 394 vacancies will be filled through the NDA and NA Examination-II, 2026. Of these, 370 posts are designated for male candidates and 24 for female candidates. Candidates who have completed the application process can now focus on their exam preparation. The exam will be conducted at designated centers across the country. Notably, negative marking applies to the NDA and NA exam; one-third of the marks assigned to a question will be deducted for every incorrect answer. No marks will be deducted for unanswered questions. Therefore, candidates must keep negative marking in mind while answering questions during the exam.

Admit Card to be Released Before the Exam

UPSC will release the admit card for the NDA-NA 2 examination. Eligible candidates are informed that the admit card will be issued on the last working day of the week preceding the exam date. Candidates must download their e-admit card from the Commission's website; it will not be sent via post or email. The Commission has also advised candidates to maintain a valid and active email ID during the application process, as essential notifications may be sent electronically.

Opportunity to Raise Objections After the Exam

After the examination concludes, candidates will have the opportunity to submit objections or representations regarding the question paper and the provisional answer key. A five-day window has been designated for this purpose, spanning from the third day to the seventh day after the exam date (up to 6:00 PM). Candidates must submit their objections through UPSC's online system by visiting the 'Examination' section on the Commission's portal and using the 'Representation on Question Paper and Provisional Answer Key' section.