A serious route to the NDA for girls, with a separate hostel
Women can apply to the National Defence Academy, and the UPSC notification now says so in plain words: it invites unmarried male and female candidates. For a girl who has dreamed of the uniform, and for a family that wants to be sure the preparation is safe and well run, the real question is where to prepare. This page explains how NDA coaching for girls works at GS India Defence Academy in Dehradun, what the exam asks, and what parents should check before choosing any academy.
Girls join the same NDA batch as boys, attend the same classes in Mathematics and the General Ability Test, and follow the same mock-test series. What differs is the arrangement around the classroom. We have a separate girls’ hostel and a mess, kept apart from the boys’ hostel, and girls who live in Dehradun can attend as day scholars. The academy is at Street 1, Subharti Road, Nanda Ki Chowki, Lower Kolhupani, and you can visit the hostel with your parents during counselling, before taking a decision. All classes are held in person; we do not offer online batches.
The programme suits:
- girls in Class 12, or those who have passed it, who want to sit the next UPSC NDA examination
- girls from other states, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, who need a place to stay
- girls who have already attempted the written paper and want a more structured year
- students in Class 10 who want to begin early through the NDA foundation course
Many families begin by looking for NDA coaching for girls and then have to work out which option is also safe and well run. We would rather you see everything for yourself than rely on a brochure, so please ask for a visit during counselling.
Eligibility for girls under the current UPSC notification
The conditions below come from the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (II), 2026 notification, issued by UPSC on 20 May 2026. They apply to men and women alike, except where the vacancy table says otherwise.
| Condition | NDA and NA (II) 2026 notification |
|---|---|
| Candidates | Unmarried male and female candidates who meet the nationality conditions in the notification |
| Age | Born not earlier than 1 January 2008 and not later than 1 January 2011, roughly 16½ to 19½ years |
| Army wing | Class 12 pass of the 10+2 pattern, or an equivalent examination |
| Air Force and Naval wings, and the 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme at the Indian Naval Academy | Class 12 pass with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics |
| Students in Class 12 | Candidates appearing in Class 12 can also apply; those appearing in Class 11 are not eligible |
| Marriage | A candidate who marries after applying is not selected for training |
Seats for women are limited, and parents should know this clearly. The NDA and NA (II) 2026 notification listed 394 provisional vacancies in total, of which 24 were for women: 10 in the Army, 5 in the Navy, 2 in the Air Force flying branch, 2 each in Air Force ground duties (technical and non-technical) and 3 in the 10+2 Cadet Entry of the Naval Academy. UPSC also stated that vacancy figures can change with training capacity. A small number of seats makes preparation quality matter even more. The notification also explains how women are selected: men and women are separate entries, tested through a common written examination, but the written results and the final merit lists are prepared separately against the vacancies notified for each. In practice, a girl competes with other girl candidates for the women’s seats.
Medical and physical standards are published separately by the services. We help families read them early, long before the form is filled.
Sources
The exam girls prepare for: written paper and SSB
The written paper and the SSB are the same stages for every candidate who applies, so a girl prepares for exactly the same exam as her male batchmates.
| Stage | Subject | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written paper I | Mathematics | 300 | 2½ hours |
| Written paper II | General Ability Test (English 200, General Knowledge 400) | 600 | 2½ hours |
| SSB | Intelligence and personality test | 900 | Several days |
Both written papers are objective type, with negative marking of one-third (0.33) of the question’s marks for wrong answers, and calculators are not allowed. The Mathematics paper is set in Hindi and English. Only candidates who qualify in the written examination are called to the Services Selection Board. Stage I is the Officer Intelligence Rating test and the Picture Perception and Discussion Test; those who clear it go to Stage II, which has the interview, group tasks, psychology tests and the conference over four days.
Parents sometimes ask whether the girls’ selection differs. In structure, no. The tests, the board stages and the weight of the SSB are the same, so the whole preparation plan can be shared across the batch. If you would like a detailed explanation of the full exam, our NDA coaching in Dehradun page gives the paper-by-paper picture.
SSB preparation for girls
The SSB can feel intimidating to anyone, and it helps to rehearse it. In our SSB sessions, girls work through the same stages as every other candidate: the Stage I screening, then the psychology tests, the group tasks, the interview and the conference of Stage II. What we add is steady practice in the things that make the difference on the day. These are speaking up in a group without taking over, writing honest responses to the psychological tests and handling outdoor tasks as part of a team.
A girl who has already led a planning exercise with her classmates is far less likely to freeze when it counts. Mock interviews ask about your family, school, hobbies and decisions, so that the answers are your own and not memorised. For students who clear the written paper, the dedicated SSB interview coaching course adds focused batches.
How the girls’ NDA batch is organised
The programme mirrors the main NDA batch, so girls are never on a separate or lighter track.
- Mathematics classes that cover algebra, trigonometry, calculus, coordinate geometry, vectors and probability
- General Ability Test classes for English, general science, history, geography and current affairs
- Physical training, scaled for the individual
- SSB sessions covering psychology writing, group tasks and interview practice
- Regular mock tests in the exam format, with analysis, so that study is built on real gaps
Mock tests follow the UPSC layout, and the current timetable, including the routine for girls who stay in the hostel, is shared at counselling. Parents who want to speak to us about timings, routines or any concerns can use the contact page or WhatsApp.
Fees
Girls join the same course as boys, so the NDA fee table on this page applies. It lists the batch options available and the standard hostel and mess charges for those who stay in the hostel. For registration, hostel security and everything else, see the fee structure page, and speak to a counsellor if you want to plan the payments around your family’s budget.
The girls’ hostel and mess
The girls’ hostel is separate from the boys’ hostel, and there is a mess. We would encourage every parent to visit before deciding: see the rooms and the dining area, and ask your own questions about visiting hours, outings and emergency contacts. Details of rooms, meals and monthly charges are on the hostel and mess page. Girls who live in Dehradun are welcome as day scholars.
NDA coaching for girls: common questions
FAQs
Questions parents ask us.
Can't find yours? Ask on WhatsApp; a counsellor usually replies within working hours.
Ask on WhatsAppCan girls apply for the NDA exam?
Yes. The current UPSC notification invites unmarried male and female candidates. The vacancy table lists a specific number of seats for women in the Army, Navy and Air Force and in the Naval Academy.
Do girls attend the same classes as boys?
Yes. Girls join the same NDA batch, with the same teaching and mock tests. The difference is in accommodation: girls who need a place to stay use the separate girls' hostel.
Is there a separate hostel for girls?
Yes, the academy has a girls' hostel that is separate from the boys' hostel, plus a mess. We invite parents to visit and see the arrangements before admission.
Can a girl study as a day scholar?
Yes. Students who live in Dehradun can attend classes from home, and the hostel and mess are optional.
Is the SSB different for women?
The structure of the SSB is the same for all candidates: screening, psychology tests, group tasks and an interview. Our preparation covers each stage in the same way for girls and boys.
Are online classes available?
No. We teach in person in Dehradun only.
Related courses
- NDA coaching in Dehradun, the main batch with full exam details
- NDA foundation course with schooling for girls finishing Class 10
- SSB interview coaching for girls who have cleared the written paper
- CDS coaching, which includes the women’s course at the Officers Training Academy
- Why students from across India choose Dehradun