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The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has provided additional time for candidates seeking admission through the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (NDA & NA) II, 2026, and the Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination II, 2026. Aspirants who have not yet completed their applications can now submit them until June 11, 2026, by 6:00 PM. 

The online registration process for both recruitment examinations commenced on May 20, 2026. With the latest extension, candidates have received another opportunity to complete their applications before the revised deadline expires. 

UPSC Extends Registration Window 

The extension comes as a relief for many defence aspirants who were unable to complete the application process within the original timeline. Interested and eligible candidates can use the extra time to submit their forms through the official UPSC portal. 

Both examinations are scheduled to be conducted on September 13, 2026. Admit cards for the tests will be released closer to the examination date on the commission's official website. 

Vacancy Details for NDA and CDS 2026 

The NDA and NA II 2026 recruitment drive aims to fill a total of 394 vacancies across various wings of the armed forces. 

• The available positions include: 

• 208 vacancies in the Army Wing 

• 42 vacancies in the Navy 

• 120 vacancies in the Air Force 

• 24 vacancies in the Naval Academy 

Meanwhile, the CDS II 2026 examination is being conducted to recruit candidates for 451 posts in different defence training academies. 

The distribution of vacancies is as follows: 

• 100 posts in the Indian Military Academy (IMA) 

• 32 posts in the Air Force Academy (AFA) 

• 26 posts in the Indian Naval Academy (INA) 

• 293 posts in the Officers' Training Academy (OTA) 

Eligibility Criteria for NDA II 2026 

Candidates applying for the Army Wing of the National Defence Academy must have passed Class 12 or be appearing in the examination from a recognised board. 

For admission to the Air Force and Naval Wings, applicants should have passed or be appearing in Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as subjects. 

In terms of age eligibility, candidates must have been born between January 1, 2008, and January 1, 2011, with both dates included. 

Who Can Apply for CDS II 2026? 

For admission to the Indian Military Academy and Officers Training Academy, candidates must possess a bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university. 

Applicants interested in the Indian Naval Academy are required to hold an engineering degree. Those seeking admission to the Air Force Academy must have a bachelor's degree and should have studied Physics and Mathematics at the 10+2 level. 

Candidates applying for CDS II 2026 must have been born not earlier than July 1, 2003, and not later than July 1, 2008. 

Aspirants are advised to carefully review the detailed eligibility conditions and application guidelines available on the official UPSC website before submitting their forms.