About National Defence Academy

The National Defence Academy(NDA) is the joint defence service training institute of the Indian Armed Forces, where cadets of the three services i.e. the Indian Army, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force train together before they go on to their respective service academy for further pre-commission training. It was established on 07 December 1954. The NDA is located in Khadakwasla, Pune, Maharashtra. It is the first tri-service academy in the world. The NDA campus is located about 17 km southwest of Pune city and is spread across 7,015 acres (28.39 km²) of land. In this post, we discuss life at National Defence Academy.

Applicants to the NDA are selected through a written exam conducted by the UPSC two times a year. After clearing the written test candidates go through extensive interviews by the Services Selection Board that cover general aptitude, psychological testing, team skills as well as physical and social skills. Candidates also undergo medical tests to judge their fitness. Every year, approximately 400,000 candidates appear for the NDA examination. Around 6300 candidates are invited to appear for the interview. The Supreme Court of India passed an order in August 2021 that allowed female candidates to appear for the NDA entrance examination.

Academics at National Defence Academy

The NDA offers only a full-time, residential undergraduate program. Cadets are awarded a Baccalaureate degree (a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science) and a Bachelor of Technology degree for Naval Cadets after 3 years of study. Naval cadets complete their fourth year of B.Tech from Indian Naval Academy, while Air Force cadets complete their fourth year of B.Tech from the Indian Air Force Academy. On successful completion of the three-year course, Cadets are sent to their respective training academies for one year of training before granting of commission. Army cadets proceed to the Indian Military Academy (Dehradun), naval cadets to the Indian Naval Academy (Ezhimala), and Air Force cadets to the Air Force Academy (Dundigal, Hyderabad). Apart from academics, cadets are trained in various outdoor activities such as drills, PT, sports, and games.

Life at National Defence Academy

While the age of 20s is to enjoy life and merrymaking, there are only a few brave youngsters who write an exam conducted by UPSC to get into the National Defence Academy and prepare relentlessly for a life of supreme sacrifice and valor. They live the most difficult three years of their lives to become a proud soldier of their nation, to pass out from one of the most prestigious military academies in the world, and most of all, to serve the nation as top-notch officers.

Life at NDA is filled with new learnings, adventures, and of course tough rigorous training. Young girls and boys who join NDA pass out of NDA as better individuals who are not only physically strong but also mentally and emotionally capable to deal with every situation. The academy aims to provide holistic development for cadets.

Induction at NDA

The first thing that a candidate experiences after joining the academy is the haircut which is the identity of cadets to the outer world. Bicycles, an academy number, and a Squadron that basically becomes their home for the rest of their training are allotted to all cadets. Each cadet is given a room of his own. The inspection of the cabin can take place at any time and hence keeping things in order becomes very important for the cadet.

There are 18 Squadrons at NDA namely Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hunter, India, Juliet, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Panther, Quebec, and Romeo. Battalion No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4 have four squadrons each (in alphabetical order) and Battalion No. 5 has two squadrons. Each Squadron has approximately 100 to 120 cadets divided almost equally for all six terms.

Daily Routine at National Defence Academy

Cadets at NDA religiously follow the routine laid out for them. The discipline followed by cadets is absolutely praiseworthy. The daily routine followed is as follows:

How to prepare for NDA Exam?

Lakhs of students dream to be a part of the National Defence Academy, one of the most prestigious institutions of the country. But, only a few can finally make it. It requires sincere dedication and utmost hard work to make it to the National Defence Academy. Consequently, candidates need to do deep intensive study, a lot of practice, and above all they must develop meticulous time management skills to clear the written examiantion. These skills don’t develop in a day. It is a result of continuous hard work and perseverance. One needs to put in consistent effort to get ready to face the final challenge.

Here, Shaurya Bharat Defence Exams Learning App comes to your rescue. The app provides comprehensive study material for students to study. The experienced and dedicated team of Shaurya Bharat leaves no stone unturned for its students. Mock tests, live exams, and practice sets give a lot of practice to students and prepare them to face any challenge. For more details on the NDA examination, logon to https://shauryabharat.com/officers/nda/ 

For details refer to the official website of UPSC – https://www.upsc.gov.in/

To apply online visit https://upsconline.nic.in/

Use the following link to download the Shaurya Bharat app – The best digital platform to prepare for NDA entrance examination: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.shauryabharat