Defence Exam Calendar 2027 (NDA, CDS, AFCAT, AISSEE…)

This page collects the main defence entrance exams in one place and explains how each cycle works. We publish a date only when an official body has published it, and each date is linked to its source. Where an official date is not yet out, we say so. The live calendar below is updated by our team from official notices.

NDA 1 2027 notification and UPSC exam dates

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) publishes a yearly programme of examinations. The one for 2027, dated 20 May 2026 on the UPSC website, gives these dates for the defence services examinations:

The calendar carries a note that the dates of notification, commencement and duration are liable to alteration if circumstances require. So treat the NDA 1 2027 notification date as a planning date and confirm it on the UPSC website on the day. The NDA and CDS rows share an examination day, but they are separate examinations with separate papers, eligibility rules and notices.

The latest completed cycle is NDA and NA (II) 2026. The examination was held on 13 September 2026, and UPSC declared the written result on 9 October 2026, which is the “NDA 2 2026 result” that many candidates were waiting for. Qualified candidates are asked to register on the Army recruiting website within two weeks, after which centres and dates are allotted. The notice expected the SSB interviews between December 2026 and January 2027.

One more pattern is useful. In the 2026 cycle, the e-admit card was issued on the last working day of the week before the examination, and the written result came 26 days after the examination. Do not treat that as a promise for 2027, but you can plan your revision schedule around a gap of about a month between the exam and the result.

AFCAT: two cycles a year

The Indian Air Force publishes AFCAT advertisements twice a year, in June and December, according to its AFCAT website. The exact dates for registration and the online test are given in each advertisement, so we do not print a date until it is announced. After the online test, qualified candidates choose their own AFSB date and venue on the portal, which generates the call-up letter. Our guide to 1 AFSB Dehradun explains reporting at the Dehradun board.

RIMC: June and December exams

The Rashtriya Indian Military College admits students to Class 8 twice a year, in January and July. The entrance examination for the July term is held in December of the previous year, and the one for the January term in June, according to the RIMCEE bulletin. For the July 2027 term:

• The NTA invited applications from 1 to 30 September 2026, with a late-fee window until 7 October 2026.
• The written exam (Stage I) is on 6 December 2026.
• Results are due by 20 February 2027.
• The viva voce is tentatively in April 2027.

From this cycle, applications are online only, through the National Testing Agency. See the full process in our RIMC admission guide.

Sainik School: AISSEE once a year

The All India Sainik Schools Entrance Examination is conducted by the NTA for Class 6 and Class 9. In the 2026 cycle, applications ran from 10 to 30 October 2025, and the NTA lists the exam as held on 18 January 2026. NTA’s tentative calendar (16 September 2026) lists AISSEE 2027 on 31 January 2027; confirm the date on the official notice, because NTA says tentative dates can change. Read the details in our Sainik School admission guide.

Navy, Army Agniveer and other entries

• Indian Navy. The Navy publishes its officer entries, its Agniveer entries and an annual calendar on its recruitment website. Its home page lists the SSC entries and the 10+2 B.Tech Cadet Entry with their application windows and SSB call-ups, so check it directly.
• Army Agniveer. The Indian Army’s online Common Entrance Examination for Agniveer posts was held in June 2026 according to the recruitment website. Dates for the next cycle are announced there.
• Rashtriya Military School. The NTA has invited applications for the RMS Common Entrance Test 2026, so see the NTA notice for its schedule.
• Other entries. CAPF (Assistant Commandants) appears in the UPSC table above. Other entries are published by their own recruiting bodies.

How to use this calendar to plan

Work backwards from the exam date. A simple plan looks like this:

If you are preparing for the written exam and the SSB together, our NDA preparation guide and the eligibility checker are useful companions.

Frequently asked questions

Planning your preparation around these dates? GS India Defence Academy runs classroom NDA coaching in Dehradun, and our team can build a month-by-month plan with you. Call +91 70170 31757 or message us on WhatsApp.