Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has officially published the provisional answer key for the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (II) 2026 under Advertisement No. 10/2026-NDA-II. The nationwide written examination was conducted on 13 September 2026 across designated centers to select candidates for 394 vacancies across the Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of NDA, as well as the Indian Naval Academy (10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme). Candidates who sat for the written test can now cross-examine their marked responses against the official solutions for Mathematics and the General Ability Test (GAT) to estimate their qualifying scores.
Important Dates
| Event |
Date |
| Online Application Start Date |
20/05/2026 |
| Online Application Last Date |
11/06/2026 (06:00 PM) |
| Last Date to Pay Examination Fees |
11/06/2026 (06:00 PM) |
| Admit Card Release Date |
As Per Schedule |
| Written Examination Date |
13/09/2026 |
| Answer Key Release Date |
16/09/2026 |
| Post Update Date |
16-09-2026 |
| Result Declaration Date |
As Per Schedule |
Application Fees
| Category |
Fee |
| General / OBC / EWS |
Rs. 100/- |
| SC / ST / Female Candidates |
Rs. 0/- (Exempted) |
Applicants remitted application fees via online channels including Net Banking, Visa, MasterCard, RuPay Debit and Credit Cards, or UPI transactions. Female candidates and applicants from Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) were exempt from fee payment.
Objection Details & Answer Key Info
Candidates who appeared in the offline examination can evaluate their performance using the provisional answer key sets released for Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT). UPSC provides an objection window via the Online Question Paper Representation Portal (QPRep), where aspirants can submit representations regarding ambiguous questions or disputed options within seven days from the examination date.
Academy & Wing-Wise Vacancy Distribution (Total: 394 Posts)
| Academy |
Wing / Branch |
Male |
Female |
Total |
Educational Qualification |
| National Defence Academy (NDA) |
Army |
198 |
10 |
208 |
Passed 10+2 Intermediate Examination from any recognized State or Central Board in India. |
| National Defence Academy (NDA) |
Navy |
37 |
05 |
42 |
Passed 10+2 Intermediate with Physics and Mathematics from a recognized Board. |
| National Defence Academy (NDA) |
Air Force Flying |
90 |
02 |
92 |
Passed 10+2 Intermediate with Physics and Mathematics from a recognized Board. |
| National Defence Academy (NDA) |
Ground Duties (Tech) |
16 |
02 |
18 |
Passed 10+2 Intermediate with Physics and Mathematics from a recognized Board. |
| National Defence Academy (NDA) |
Ground Duties (Non-Tech) |
08 |
02 |
10 |
Passed 10+2 Intermediate with Physics and Mathematics from a recognized Board. |
| Naval Academy (10+2 Cadet Entry) |
Executive / Technical |
21 |
03 |
24 |
Passed 10+2 Intermediate with Physics and Mathematics from a recognized Board. |
Age Limit Criteria
- Minimum Age: 16.5 Years
- Maximum Age: 19.5 Years
- Reference Date for Age: As specified in the official UPSC notification.
- Age Concessions: Applicable strictly according to defence recruitment guidelines and UPSC commission norms.
Selection Process
- Stage 1: Written Examination (Mathematics - 300 Marks, General Ability Test - 600 Marks; Total: 900 Marks).
- Stage 2: Services Selection Board (SSB) Interview & Psychological Evaluation (900 Marks).
- Stage 3: Medical Examination at designated military hospitals.
- Stage 4: Final Merit List formulation based on combined marks of the written test and SSB assessment.
How to Check UPSC NDA II Answer Key 2026 for 394 Post Answer Key
- Go to the official Union Public Service Commission website at https://upsc.gov.in/.
- Navigate to the "Examinations" tab on the main menu and select "Answer Keys", or open the notification link under "What's New".
- Click on the link titled "National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (II), 2026 - Provisional Answer Key".
- Choose the relevant subject paper (Mathematics or General Ability Test) and open the PDF corresponding to your question booklet series (Code A, B, C, or D).
- Compare your marked options against the official answers, calculate raw marks deducting 0.33 marks for each incorrect response, and save a copy for future reference.
Important Links
Other Useful Links
FAQs
When was the UPSC NDA II Answer Key 2026 released?
UPSC released the provisional answer keys on 16 September 2026 following the written examination held on 13 September 2026.
What is the official website to download the UPSC NDA II answer key?
Candidates can access official answer keys directly from the official commission portal at upsc.gov.in.
Is there negative marking in the UPSC NDA II examination?
Yes, a deduction of one-third (0.33) of the marks assigned to a question applies for every wrong answer marked in both Mathematics and GAT papers.
How many vacancies are available in UPSC NDA II Recruitment 2026?
A total of 394 vacancies are available, comprising 208 for Army, 42 for Navy, 120 across Air Force branches, and 24 for the Naval Academy Cadet Entry Scheme.
What is the educational eligibility for Air Force and Navy wings in NDA?
Candidates must have passed 10+2 Intermediate with Physics and Mathematics from a recognized state or central education board.
What are the qualifying marks criteria for UPSC NDA written papers?
Candidates must secure a minimum qualifying benchmark, typically around 25% in each subject paper, alongside attaining the overall aggregate cutoff score.
How can candidates raise objections against the UPSC NDA answer key?
Candidates can submit question representations through the online QPRep portal on upsc.gov.in within the official objection window specified by the commission.
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