An officer commissioned from the NDA starts as a Lieutenant (or the Navy and Air Force equivalent) at Level 10 of the pay matrix, which UPSC’s notice shows as ₹56,100 a month at entry, rising to ₹1,77,500 at the top of that level. Military Service Pay of ₹15,500 a month and dearness allowance come on top. During training the notice lists a fixed stipend of ₹56,100 a month, but its wording names training at IMA, and it gives no separate stipend figure for the three years at the NDA itself.
Every figure on this page comes from the Terms and Conditions of Service in the UPSC notice for NDA and NA (II) 2026 (notice dated 20 May 2026), read on 12 October 2026. We have not added estimates of take-home pay, because they depend on posting and allowances, and we have not guessed at pay after a number of years.
Pay by rank: what the notice lists
The notice gives the pay level for each Army rank, with the range of the level. The Navy and Air Force ranks that correspond to them follow the same levels.
| Rank (Army) | Pay level | Monthly range in the notice |
|---|---|---|
| Lieutenant | Level 10 | ₹56,100 to ₹1,77,500 |
| Captain | Level 10B | ₹61,300 to ₹1,93,900 |
| Major | Level 11 | ₹69,400 to ₹2,07,200 |
| Lieutenant Colonel | Level 12A | ₹1,21,200 to ₹2,12,400 |
| Colonel | Level 13 | ₹1,30,600 to ₹2,15,900 |
| Brigadier | Level 13A | ₹1,39,600 to ₹2,17,600 |
| Major General | Level 14 | ₹1,44,200 to ₹2,18,200 |
The notice continues to the highest ranks, whose pay is fixed or sits in higher levels. A range is not a salary: where an officer sits inside a level depends on service, promotions and increments. We do not publish an estimate for “NDA salary after 10 years”, because the notice does not tie ranks to years of service for Permanent Commission officers.
What is added to the pay
- Military Service Pay (MSP): ₹15,500 a month, fixed, from the rank of Lieutenant to Brigadier.
- Dearness Allowance: admissible at the same rates and conditions as for civilian personnel.
- Transport allowance: ₹7,200 plus DA in the higher-TPTA cities, and ₹3,600 plus DA elsewhere, for officers.
- Dress allowance: ₹20,000 a year.
- Children Education Allowance: ₹2,250 a month per child for the two eldest surviving children, from nursery to Class 12, and a Hostel Subsidy of ₹6,750 a month per child on the same terms.
- Technical allowance: ₹3,000 (Tier I) or ₹4,500 (Tier II) a month where it applies.
- Field area and special allowances: these vary by rank, area and role. The notice lists, among others, a Para Allowance of ₹10,500 and a Special Forces Allowance of ₹25,000 a month, and several hardship and high-altitude categories.
- Ration in kind: in peace and field areas.
The notice states that some of these are DA-indexed and are calculated at an enhanced rate because DA has crossed 50%. Treat the amounts as the notice’s list at the date it was issued.
What does an NDA cadet receive during training?
This is where the notice needs careful reading, because it says two things that families sometimes mix up.
- The stipend paragraph. Under Terms and Conditions, the notice lists a fixed stipend of ₹56,100 a month (starting pay in Level 10) to cadets “during the entire duration of training in Service academies”, and adds, in its wording, “i.e. during training period at IMA”. On commissioning, pay is fixed in the first cell of Level 10, the training period is not counted as commissioned service, and arrears of admissible allowances for the training period are paid.
- The cost of training. In the NDA section the notice says the cost of training, including accommodation, books, uniforms, boarding and medical treatment, is borne by the Government. Parents or guardians are expected to meet pocket and other private expenses, which the notice says normally should not exceed ₹3,000 a month. Where a parent’s income is below ₹45,000 a month, financial assistance of ₹2,500 a month for the period of training may be granted. Parents apply through the District Magistrate.
The notice does not reconcile the two paragraphs for the NDA years, so we will not state a single “NDA stipend” figure. The joining instructions that each course receives on the Army’s recruitment website are the place to confirm what a cadet is paid at the NDA, and a call to the Academy through that site before joining is sensible.
On arrival cadets deposit amounts for the first term. The notice lists a pocket allowance for five months at ₹4,000 a month (₹20,000), the Army Group Insurance Fund ₹7,200 and incidental expenditure for the first semester ₹14,295, which comes to ₹41,495 before the cost of clothing and equipment, which is told separately in the joining instructions.
Several states add their own incentives. For Uttarakhand, for example, the notice lists ₹250 a month as pocket money for NDA cadets of Uttarakhand domicile, paid to the father or guardian (an ex-serviceman or widow) through the Zila Sainik Kalyan Officers, and a cash award of ₹50,000 for NDA cadets of Uttarakhand domicile through the Directorate of Higher Education, Haldwani.
The training timeline for each service
The notice describes three years of training at the NDA at Khadakwasla, Pune, with the first two and a half years common to all three services. Degrees are awarded by Jawaharlal Nehru University. After that, each service continues separately.
| Wing | At the NDA | Next stage | On completion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Army | Three years; B.Sc., B.Sc. (Computer) or B.A. | Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, one year | Permanent Commission as Lieutenant, subject to medical fitness |
| Navy | Three years; B.Tech, B.Sc. or B.Sc. (Computer) | Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, one year | Sub-Lieutenant, Executive Branch |
| Air Force (flying) | Three years; B.Tech, B.Sc. or B.Sc. (Computer) | Air Force Academy, Hyderabad: about one and a half years of flying training | Flying Officer on probation for six months, confirmed after the pilot conversion course of about six months |
| Air Force (ground duties) | Three years; B.Tech, B.Sc. or B.Sc. (Computer) | Air Force Academy, Hyderabad (non-technical) or Air Force Technical College, Bengaluru (technical) | Flying Officer on probation, confirmed after about six months |
| Naval Academy (10+2 Cadet Entry) | Not applicable | Four years of B.Tech at the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala | B.Tech degree and commission as notified |
The notice adds that B.Tech degrees for cadets in that programme are awarded after the later pre-commissioning training at the relevant academy or institution.
Cadet life: rules and conditions in the notice
- No marriage during training. Candidates must undertake not to marry until training is complete. A cadet who marries during training is discharged and is liable to refund all expenditure incurred by the Government.
- Refund of cost. A candidate who leaves in some circumstances, including for reasons within his or her control, can be liable to repay the cost of tuition, food, clothing and pay and allowances, which is why a parent or guardian signs a bond.
- Medical fitness. Commission in the Army is subject to being medically fit in the prescribed category, and Air Force flying cadets must also clear the CPSS test, which is taken only once.
- Insurance and disability cover. The notice lists ex-gratia amounts for cadets invalided out on medical grounds or who die from causes attributable to military training.
To see where the NDA sits among the routes to a commission, read our guide to becoming a defence officer. For the rules on who can apply, see NDA eligibility criteria, and for how selection works, our NDA cut-off and result page.
If you have a question about this part of the notice, or about how the training years work for your child, call or WhatsApp +91 70170 31757 for free counselling.
FAQs
Questions parents ask us.
Can't find yours? Ask on WhatsApp; a counsellor usually replies within working hours.
Ask on WhatsAppWhat is the starting salary of an NDA officer?
UPSC's notice places a Lieutenant at Level 10, which starts at ₹56,100 a month. Military Service Pay of ₹15,500 a month and dearness allowance are added, along with other allowances that depend on posting.
Do NDA cadets get a stipend?
The notice lists a stipend of ₹56,100 a month, but its wording refers to training in service academies, naming IMA, and it gives no separate figure for the NDA years. Confirm the current position in the joining instructions.
Is NDA training free?
The notice says the cost of training, including accommodation, books, uniforms, boarding and medical treatment, is borne by the Government. Parents are expected to meet pocket expenses, normally not more than ₹3,000 a month, and financial assistance is available for lower incomes.
How long is NDA training?
Three years at the NDA, then a year at IMA for the Army, a year at the Naval Academy at Ezhimala for the Navy, or flying or ground-duty training for the Air Force.
What degree does the NDA give?
The notice says degrees are awarded by Jawaharlal Nehru University: B.Sc., B.Sc. (Computer) or B.A. for the Army, and B.Tech, B.Sc. or B.Sc. (Computer) for the Navy and Air Force.
Can an NDA cadet marry during training?
No. Candidates undertake not to marry until training is complete, and a cadet who marries is discharged and liable to refund the expenditure.
Sources
Planning for the NDA from Class 10 or 12? GS India Defence Academy runs classroom NDA coaching in Dehradun with separate hostels for boys and girls and a mess, and the fee structure page shows the current options.
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