Defence Exams 2026
Officer and soldier entry into the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and central armed police forces.
About Defence Exams
Defence recruitment runs on two broad tracks. Officer entries are conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for NDA, CDS and CAPF Assistant Commandant, and directly by the Air Force through AFCAT. Soldier, sailor and airman entries are conducted by each service under the Agnipath scheme, with the Coast Guard running its own separate recruitment.
Officer selection is written examination followed by the Services Selection Board process. The Board runs over roughly five days and covers screening tests, psychological assessment, group testing tasks and a personal interview, after which a medical board takes the final call. Written marks and Board marks are added together for the merit list.
Age windows in this category are the tightest of any government recruitment. NDA opens to candidates around sixteen and a half years old, and most officer entries close by the mid-twenties. Physical and medical standards are non-negotiable and are published in full in each notification.
All 14 Defence Exams
UPSC National Defence Academy (NDA)
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Entry point for Army, Navy and Air Force officer training at the prestigious NDA, Khadakwasla. Open to 12th pass candida...
UPSC Combined Defence Services (CDS)
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Recruits officers for Indian Military Academy (IMA), Officers Training Academy (OTA), Naval Academy and Air Force Academ...
UPSC CAPF Assistant Commandant
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Assistant Commandant (Group A) in BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSB. 3-stage: Written + PET/Medical + Interview. One of the mos...
AFCAT (Air Force Common Admission Test)
Indian Air Force (IAF)
Entry into the Indian Air Force as a Commissioned Officer in Flying, Technical & Ground Duty branches. AFCAT 2 2026 expe...
AAI Junior Executive (ATC)
Airports Authority of India (AAI)
Air Traffic Controller recruitment in AAI. E-1 Grade PSU job. CTC ~₹13 LPA. Manage India's airspace at premier Miniratna...
DRDO CEPTAM
DRDO
DRDO Centre for Personnel Talent Management recruitment for Technician, Admin and other posts in DRDO labs....
ISRO Scientist/Engineer
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
Scientist/Engineer SC recruitment for ISRO's space programmes. Highly prestigious engineering position....
BARC Scientific Officer (OCES/DGFS)
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)
BARC OCES recruits Scientific Officer C (Group-A) via 1-year OCES training or the 2-year DGFS M.Tech fellowship, screene...
Indian Coast Guard Navik (GD)
Indian Coast Guard
Navik (General Duty) in the Indian Coast Guard for ship operations, coastal security and search-and-rescue. Class 12 wit...
Indian Coast Guard Navik (DB)
Indian Coast Guard
Join the Indian Coast Guard as a Cook or Steward (Domestic Branch). A Class 10 pass qualifies — the current notification...
Indian Navy Agniveer SSR/MR
Indian Navy
Agniveer recruitment for Indian Navy as Senior Secondary Recruit (SSR) and Matric Recruit (MR). Current cycle 01/2027 & ...
Indian Army Agniveer
Indian Army
Agniveer entry into Indian Army for a 4-year engagement. Various trades for different qualifications. 2026-27 cycle: Com...
IAF Agniveer Vayu
Indian Air Force
Agniveer entry into Indian Air Force for technical and non-technical trades. Current cycle: Intake 02/2027 — the applica...
AAI Junior Executive (Common Cadre)
Airports Authority of India (AAI)
AAI Miniratna PSU Group-B E-1 recruitment for HR, Official Language & Fire Services. CBT-based, no negative marking. ~₹1...
Eligibility at a Glance
| Exam | Age | Qualification | Selection |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPSC National Defence Academy (NDA) | 16–19 | 12th Pass (Maths & Physics for Navy/Air Force) | Written Exam, SSB Interview |
| UPSC Combined Defence Services (CDS) | 19–25 | Graduation (Engineering/Physics+Maths for Air Force & Naval Academy) | Written Exam, SSB Interview |
| UPSC CAPF Assistant Commandant | 20–25 | Graduation | Written, PET/Medical, Interview |
| AFCAT (Air Force Common Admission Test) | 20–26 | Graduation with 60% (Physics & Maths at 10+2 for Flying Branch) | Written Exam (AFCAT + EKT for Technical), AFSB Interview, Medical |
| AAI Junior Executive (ATC) | 18–27 | B.Sc (Physics/Maths) / B.E / B.Tech | CBT, Voice Test, Medical Exam, Psychological Assessment |
| DRDO CEPTAM | 18–28 | 10th / ITI / Diploma / Degree | Tier I, Tier II/Skill Test |
| ISRO Scientist/Engineer | 18–28 | B.E / B.Tech | Written Test, Interview |
| BARC Scientific Officer (OCES/DGFS) | 18–26 | B.E / B.Tech / M.Sc (60%) | CBT / GATE Score → Personal Interview |
| Indian Coast Guard Navik (GD) | 18–22 | 12th Pass (Maths & Physics, no minimum %) | Stage I CBT, Stage II Assessment Test + PFT + DV + Medical, Stage III INS Chilka, Stage IV document verification |
| Indian Coast Guard Navik (DB) | 18–22 | 10th Pass (no minimum %) | Stage I CBT (Section I only), Stage II Assessment Test + PFT + DV + Medical, Stage III INS Chilka, Stage IV document verification |
| Indian Navy Agniveer SSR/MR | 17–21 | 10th / 12th Pass | INET, PFT, Medical |
| Indian Army Agniveer | 17–21 | 8th / 10th / 12th Pass (varies by trade) | CEE, Physical Rally, Medical |
| IAF Agniveer Vayu | 17–22 | 12th Pass / Diploma | Online Exam, PFT, Adaptability Test, Medical |
| AAI Junior Executive (Common Cadre) | 18–27 | MBA/Graduate + experience (post-wise) | CBT, Application Verification, Medical Exam |
Age limits shown are for the general category. OBC candidates usually get 3 extra years, SC/ST candidates 5 years, and candidates with benchmark disabilities 10 years or more. Check your own eligibility across all 102 exams with the free eligibility checker, and read the full guide to age limits and relaxation.
Who Conducts These Exams
The 14 Defence exams listed above are conducted by 9 different recruiting bodies. Always apply through the official website of the conducting body — never through a third-party site.
Qualification requirements across this category span 14 different combinations, so read each exam page for the exact requirement before you apply.
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