Defence Eligibility Checker (all entries)

Not sure which defence entry fits you? Choose your class or qualification below, and the checker lists the entries you can aim for, from Sainik School and RIMC after Class 5 to 8, to the NDA after Class 12 and the CDS or AFCAT after graduation. It is a quick first filter, and the official examination notice always has the final word.

How to use the eligibility checker

1. Pick the class you are in, or the qualification you hold.
2. If the question applies, choose male or female. The tool shows some entries, such as the Military Nursing Service, only for female applicants, and a few others differ by gender.
3. Read the list of entries. Each result links to the page that explains the exam, the course and the preparation.
4. Open the examination notice for the cycle you plan to take and match your date of birth with its window.

The checker looks at class and gender. It does not measure fitness, vision or height, and it does not replace the notice. That is why we keep the age rules below in plain view.

Official age limits at a glance

The windows below summarise recent official notices, and the interactive checker above works from data kept on this website. Verify every figure against the latest official notification linked below. Each notice prints the dates for its own cycle, so the figures move forward with every notification.

NDA age limit: how it works

Many students search for the “NDA age limit for boys” or “NDA age limit calculator” and expect a simple number such as 16½ to 19½. The notice does not give an age range. It gives a date-of-birth window, so you check whether your birth date falls inside it. The window is set so that you are about 16½ to 19½ when the course begins.

Here are the two most recent windows:

Two worked examples show how to read them:

• A candidate born on 10 December 2010 is inside the NDA (II) 2026 window, but is too young for the NDA (I) 2026 window, which ended on 1 July 2010.
• A candidate born on 15 March 2009 falls inside both windows.

The NDA and NA (I) 2027 notification is scheduled on 2 December 2026 in the UPSC calendar. Its window will be printed in that notice, so use these two as a reference and not as the final answer for 2027.

On categories: the notice prints one date-of-birth window and does not mention any category-wise relaxation. So the answer to “NDA age limit for OBC” or “general” is the same window for everyone who applies. Date of birth is taken from the Matriculation or Secondary School certificate, and horoscopes, affidavits and similar documents are not accepted.

Education needed for each entry

For the AFCAT, qualifications differ by branch, so open the current advertisement before you decide. For a closer look at one entry, read our guide on NDA eligibility criteria or compare routes in NDA vs CDS vs AFCAT.

What this tool cannot tell you

• Medical fitness. Vision, height, weight, hearing and other standards are checked by service medical boards, using the Joint Order Manual of Medical Standards. Get a doctor’s opinion early.
• Vacancies and cut-offs. These change every cycle and depend on the number of candidates.
• Family and legal conditions. Marital status, nationality categories and character verification follow the notice.
• Future cycles. Windows move forward with each notification. Recheck your date of birth every time.

Frequently asked questions

Once you know your entry, GS India Defence Academy can help with the preparation. See our NDA coaching in Dehradun, or call +91 70170 31757 and message us on WhatsApp for counselling.