Students from Uttar Pradesh can prepare for the NDA in residential classrooms at GS India Defence Academy, Dehradun. Western Uttar Pradesh is close: Saharanpur is 2h 30m from Dehradun by Vande Bharat and Meerut just under four hours. Lucknow is a day’s journey by the Lucknow-Dehradun Vande Bharat (8h 25m), and Bareilly is 5h 08m. This page covers where Uttar Pradesh candidates write the UPSC paper, which Sainik Schools the state has, what RIMC says about states, and how each town reaches us.
Which Uttar Pradesh cities are UPSC centres for the NDA and CDS?
UPSC’s notice for the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (II), 2026 lists 86 centres across India, and eleven are in Uttar Pradesh: Agra, Aligarh, Bareilly, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Meerut, Prayagraj (Allahabad) and Varanasi. The Combined Defence Services Examination (II), 2026 notice names the same eleven. Centres are allotted first-apply-first-allot up to a ceiling at each one, and UPSC says it will not entertain a change of centre later. A family that wants Lucknow or Meerut should therefore apply early in the window.
| Town | UPSC centre? | Nearest centre, straight line |
|---|---|---|
| Lucknow | Yes | Lucknow |
| Noida | Yes, listed as Gautam Buddh Nagar | Gautam Buddh Nagar |
| Ghaziabad | Yes | Ghaziabad |
| Meerut | Yes | Meerut |
| Agra | Yes | Agra |
| Bareilly | Yes | Bareilly |
| Aligarh | Yes | Aligarh |
| Moradabad | No | Bareilly, about 82 km |
| Saharanpur | No | Dehradun, about 63 km |
| Muzaffarnagar | No | Meerut, about 54 km |
| Bijnor | No | Meerut, about 60 km |
How long does it take to reach Dehradun from each Uttar Pradesh town?
The state is long, so the answer ranges from an hour and a half to a full day. The table gives the road distance to the academy, a free-flowing drive estimate and the fastest direct train in our timetable data. Trains were read from the erail.in timetable on 12 October 2026, so confirm days and times on IRCTC or NTES before booking.
| Town | Road to the academy | Fastest direct train to Dehradun |
|---|---|---|
| Saharanpur | 73 km, about 1.4 h | 22457 Vande Bharat, 20:05 to 22:35 (2h 30m, six days a week, not Thursday) |
| Muzaffarnagar | 120 km, about 2.1 h | 22457 Vande Bharat, 19:10 to 22:35 (3h 25m) |
| Bijnor | 147 km, about 2.2 h | 14341 Mussoorie Express, 02:42 to 09:05 (6h 23m, daily) |
| Meerut | 192 km, about 2.7 h | 22457 Vande Bharat from Meerut City, 18:38 to 22:35 (3h 57m) |
| Moradabad | 219 km, about 3.2 h | 22545 Lucknow-Dehradun Vande Bharat, 09:52 to 13:40 (3h 48m, not Monday) |
| Noida | 231 km, about 3.2 h | Board at Anand Vihar Terminal: Vande Bharat 4h 45m, or New Delhi Jan Shatabdi 5h 45m |
| Ghaziabad | 232 km, about 3.3 h | 12055 Jan Shatabdi, 15:55 to 21:05 (5h 10m, daily) |
| Bareilly | 310 km, about 4.5 h | 22545 Vande Bharat, 08:32 to 13:40 (5h 08m, not Monday) |
| Aligarh | 329 km, about 4.4 h | 14113 Subedarganj (Prayagraj)-Dehradun Express, 03:25 to 12:20 (8h 55m, daily) |
| Agra | 426 km, about 5.6 h | None direct. Trains reach Haridwar (Utkal Express 10h 58m daily), then about 60 km by road |
| Lucknow | 564 km, about 7.4 h | 22545 Vande Bharat, 05:15 to 13:40 (8h 25m, not Monday) |
Drive times are routing estimates and real journeys run longer. UTC, the Uttarakhand Transport Corporation, lists Dehradun ISBT to Lucknow via Bareilly, to Agra via Haridwar and via Meerut, and to Moradabad via Noorpur; its list gives no service class or timings, so check utconline.uk.gov.in. Dehradun railway station is about 10 km from the academy and the ISBT about 8 km, by approximate routing. If you would like help planning a journey, call or WhatsApp +91 70170 31757 for free counselling before you book.
Which Sainik Schools are in Uttar Pradesh?
The Sainik Schools Society lists 33 existing schools, and three are in Uttar Pradesh: Sainik School Mainpuri, Sainik School Jhansi and Sainik School Amethi. Entry is to Class VI or Class IX through the All India Sainik Schools Entrance Examination, which NTA conducts. Our Sainik School coaching page and the admission guide explain the steps, and the full list of Sainik Schools shows the other states.
The Society also describes a scheme for 100 new Sainik Schools run in partnership with states, NGOs and private bodies. A Ministry of Defence list of 23 approvals, released through PIB in September 2023, names three in this state: Samvid Gurukulam Senior Secondary School in Mathura, Surya Sainik School at Gomti Nagar in Lucknow and Shakuntlam International School in Etawah. Approval is not the same as an operating school with open admissions, so read the Society’s New Schools page and the current NTA bulletin first; our note on partnership-mode Sainik Schools explains the difference.
What does RIMC say about Uttar Pradesh seats?
Rashtriya Indian Military College is itself in Dehradun, at Garhi Cantt. Its admission page says generally one vacancy per State is allotted, that some States with larger population have up to two, and that seats may vary every year. It gives no figure for Uttar Pradesh, so any website quoting a Uttar Pradesh seat number is not repeating RIMC’s published text. The process is clear, though. From the December 2026 examination, for the July 2027 term, the application is online through NTA, the written test is held at NTA centres and the age window is 12½ to 14 years. RIMC adds that application forms will not be issued by RIMC or by State Government authorities, so a Uttar Pradesh family no longer collects a form from the state. Read the RIMC admission guide or our RIMC coaching page for the steps.
Which Uttar Pradesh towns have a defence connection?
Several towns on this list carry a uniformed history that children may already know. Lucknow hosts HQ Central Command and the regimental centres of 11 Gorkha Rifles and the Army Medical Corps. Bareilly Cantonment holds the Jat Regimental Centre, HQ Uttar Bharat Area, HQ 6 Mountain Division and the Junior Leaders Academy. Meerut Cantonment is described as one of India’s largest, Agra has one of the largest Indian Air Force airbases, and Hindan Air Force Station is in Ghaziabad. These are neighbours and landmarks, not affiliations; none has any tie to the academy.
Which of our town pages cover Uttar Pradesh?
Each Uttar Pradesh town below has its own page with city-level detail. The town list that appears with this page also links them.
- Lucknow: see the Lucknow page for the Vande Bharat timings and the Central Command context.
- Noida and Ghaziabad: one combined page, Noida and Ghaziabad, covers both centres and the Anand Vihar station choice.
- Meerut: the Meerut page covers the fastest western route, under four hours by Vande Bharat.
- Western Uttar Pradesh: Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar and Moradabad are the nearest feeders by train.
- Central and Rohilkhand belt: Bareilly has the Vande Bharat and a UPSC centre, while Aligarh and Agra are UPSC centres too, and Agra has no direct Dehradun train.
- Delhi side of the NCR: the Delhi NCR page adds Gurugram and Faridabad.
Lucknow families weighing a home-city academy against a move can read Dehradun versus Lucknow for NDA coaching. Boys and girls live in separate hostels with a mess; see hostel and mess, and the fee structure shows how fees are confirmed.
Questions from Uttar Pradesh families
FAQs
Questions parents ask us.
Can't find yours? Ask on WhatsApp; a counsellor usually replies within working hours.
Ask on WhatsAppWhich Uttar Pradesh cities are UPSC centres for the NDA?
UPSC's NDA (II) 2026 notice lists Agra, Aligarh, Bareilly, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Meerut, Prayagraj and Varanasi. The CDS (II) 2026 notice lists the same eleven. Check each new notice, because lists can change.
Is there a direct train from Lucknow to Dehradun?
Yes. Our timetable data shows the 22545 Lucknow-Dehradun Vande Bharat leaving Lucknow at 05:15 and reaching Dehradun at 13:40, six days a week and not on Monday. Confirm on IRCTC before booking.
Which Sainik Schools are in Uttar Pradesh?
The Sainik Schools Society lists Sainik School Mainpuri, Sainik School Jhansi and Sainik School Amethi in the state. Partnership-mode schools are separate; check which are operating before applying.
How many RIMC seats does Uttar Pradesh get?
RIMC's admission page says one vacancy per State is generally allotted, with up to two for States of larger population, and that seats may vary every year. It publishes no Uttar Pradesh figure.
Where do Moradabad and Saharanpur candidates write the paper?
Neither town is a UPSC centre. By straight line the nearest listed centres are Bareilly for Moradabad and Dehradun for Saharanpur. Centres are allotted first-apply-first-allot, so apply early.
Are there separate hostels for girls from Uttar Pradesh?
Yes. The academy has separate hostels for boys and girls, with a mess. Call or WhatsApp +91 70170 31757 to ask about a visit during counselling.
Sources
UPSC notices: NDA and NA (II) 2026 and CDS (II) 2026, both dated 20 May 2026. RIMC: admission page. Sainik Schools Society: existing schools and new schools; each school’s state is taken from its own website. Partnership approvals: Ministry of Defence list of 23 schools, September 2023. Buses: UTC route list. Trains: erail.in, to be re-checked on IRCTC or NTES. Road distances and drive times: OSRM routing over OpenStreetMap, approximate. Defence landmarks: Wikipedia pages for each town, as listed in our city research. Facts verified on 12 October 2026.
A Uttar Pradesh student who has finished Class 12 can start with our NDA coaching in Dehradun, which runs in classrooms at the academy; there are no online classes.
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