What is NDA?

About NDA - NDA is a country’s premier institution where officers for Indian Defence Forces are trained & prepared. NDA is the short acronym of National Defence Academy. NDA was established in the year of 7 December 1954 in Khadakwasla Pune, in the state of Maharashtra, India. In NDA, Cadets of the three services, the Army, the Navy and the Air Force train together before they go on to respective service academy for further pre-commission training.

NDA imparts training to young men aged between 16½ to 19½, who choose the Armed Forces as their career. The training equips the students with mental, moral and physical attributes required to cope with the challenges of the future battle field. Cadets at NDA are given an intensive education in Science, Technology, Arts and Military subjects.

Training at NDA – After clearing the written exam, ssb interview, CPSS (require for air force candidates only) & medical tests, candidates now called cadets & undergo the both academic and physical training at nda.

The training during the first two and half years is common to the cadets of three wings. At NDA cadets spend 3 years & at the end of their six terms course, cadets are awarded Bachelor's Degree of JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University).

• Army Cadets - B.Sc / B.Sc (Computer) / B.A
• Naval Cadets - B. Tech Degree
• Air Force Cadets - B. Tech Degree / B.Sc / B.Sc (Computer)

In the three years at NDA, student is transformed into a potential officer and a gentleman.

After successful completion of the 3 years course, cadets are sent to their respective service academy for one year of pre-commission training before granting of commission.

• Army cadets send to the Indian Military Academy at Dehradun
• Naval cadets send to Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala
• Air Force cadets send to the Air Force Academy at Hyderabad

Training at Naval Academy - The selected candidates of the Naval Academy will be given preliminary training both academic and physical, for a period of 04 years at Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala. The cadets of 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme will be awarded a B. Tech Degree on successful completion of training.

Fixed stipend for cadet during training at IMA, AFA & NA - An amount of Rs 56,100/-p.m. as stipend is given to Cadets during the entire duration of training in service academies i.e. during training period at IMA, AFA & Naval Academy.

Rank awarded after successful training of cadets - On successful completion of training cadets are granted permanent commission in the rank of Lieutenant in Army, Flying Officer in Air Force & Sub Lieutenant in Navy.

Career graph & promotion of officers in defence - Promotion in army, navy & air force are offered on the basis of time duration, merit & on selection or recommendation. The detailed career graph in defence forces are given below.

ARMY	NAVY	AIR FORCE	Time Duration
Lieutenant	Sub Lieutenant	Flying Officer	On Commission
Captain	Lieutenant	Flight Lieutenant	02 Years
Major	Lt. Commander	Squadron Leader	06 years
Lieutenant Colonel	Commander	Wing Commander	13 years
Colonel (Selection)	Captain (Selection)	Group Captain (Selection)	On Selection
Colonel (Time Scale)	Captain (Time Scale)	Group Captain (Time Scale)	26 years
Brigadier	Commodore	Air Commodore	On Selection
Major General	Rear Admiral	Air Vice Marshal	On Selection
Lieutenant General	Vice Admiral	Air Marshal	On Selection
General	Admiral	Air Chief Marshal	On Selection

Some interesting facts about nda

• The alumni of NDA have won 3 Param Vir Chakra and 12 Ashoka Chakra till 2020.
• NDA has also produced 27 service Chiefs of Staff till 2020.
• The current Chiefs of Staff of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force are all NDA alumni from the same course.
• Motto of NDA is Service Before Self.