Hello,

Yes, you will be eligible.

For NDA 1 2026, candidates must be between 16.5 years and 19.5 years on the cut-off dates given in the notification. Since you will be 19 years 4 months at the time of exam, you will still be under 19.5 years. So you can apply.

You will only become ineligible after you cross 19.5 years.

Hope it helps !

Hello,

No, based on the official UPSC eligibility criteria, you will not be eligible for the NDA 1 2026 exam.

Here is a clear explanation of why:

The Official UPSC Age Limit Rule

This is the most important point: Your age is not calculated on the date of registration or the date of the exam.

The eligibility for the NDA exam is determined by a specific date of birth range which is officially published by the UPSC in the exam notification. Your date of birth must fall between the two specified dates.

Eligibility for NDA 1 2026

For the NDA 1 2026 exam (which will be held in April 2026), the course will commence in January 2027. Based on previous years' notifications, the expected date of birth range for candidates will be:

• Born between July 2, 2007, and July 1, 2010 (both dates inclusive).

Your date of birth is 4 December 2006, which is before the required start date of July 2, 2007. Therefore, you are over the age limit for this examination.

Why the "19.5 Years" Rule Is Confusing

The general guideline that a candidate must be between 16.5 and 19.5 years old refers to their age on the date the course is scheduled to commence, not on the exam date.

• The course for NDA 1 2026 will start in January 2027.
• On January 1, 2027, you would be 20 years and 28 days old, which is past the 19.5-year limit.

Based on your date of birth, your last attempt for the NDA exam was likely the NDA 1 2025 exam.