NDA has been a great career choice for Indian youngsters. Every year lakhs of male candidates apply for NDA after the 12th, but now NDA is open for female aspirants as well. Supreme Court of India passed an interim order on 18 August 2021 that allows female candidates to participate in the exam. Now, as the option, if a career in NDA for female candidates is open, girls must want to know the process to apply for NDA and its eligibility.
A career in NDA for female candidates opens the door for permanent commission in armed forces for women. After the order of the Supreme Court, the first batch of female cadets in NDA will get selected from the entrance exam scheduled to be held on 14 November. However, the government requested the court to allow female candidates to participate in the NDA exam from next year onwards. The court said that if the female candidates participate in the NDA exam in May 2022, they will get admission to NDA in January 2023. So to save one more year of the aspirants, the court implemented the decision on 2021’s NDA exam. In NDA, age limit plays a crucial role, and with this decision to offer entry to female candidates in NDA from 2021, the court has given some more time to this year pass outs to fulfill their dream to join Indian Armed Forces.
In this article, we have compiled detailed information on a career in NDA for females. So, if you are a girl and want to work for India’s Armed forces, check your eligibility here and apply for the exam.
Career in NDA for female: An Overview
National Defense Academy; NDA offers admission to the 12th pass outs for further studies and training to work with the Indian Army, Navy, or Air force. Before 2021, only unmarried males could take the entrance examination of NDA, but now female aspirins can also take the exam and get admission in NDA. Thus, a career in NDA for female candidates will kick start with this upcoming NDA exam. As you know, the Union Public Service Commission conducts the entrance exam for NDA. The NDA exam is conducted twice a year.
To invite the application from the interested aspirants to take the NDA exam, UPSC releases a notification. In its latest recruitment notification, the UPSC has mentioned that female candidates are also eligible for the NDA exam. Check out the main highlights of the exam before shifting to the eligibility and age limit for female candidates for the NDA exam;
- Exam Name – NDA (National Defence Academy)
- Exam Conducting Body: Union Public Service Commission
- Exam Level – National
- General Eligibility: Unmarried Male and Female candidates
- Age Limit: Maximum Age 18.7 years and minimum age 15.7 years
- Post after completion of Training and Studies: Lieutenant
- Educational Qualification: 10+2 for Naval and Air Force the candidate must have PCM in 10+2
- Selection Process: Written test and SSB interview
NDA Exam Eligibility for Female Candidates
Earlier, female candidates were not allowed to take the NDA exam. However, in 2021, the female candidates will also participate in the exam, and NDA will have its first batch of female candidates. The army is considered a male dominated sector, but a writ petition by Kush Kalra forced Supreme Court to think to increase women’s participation in this sector.
The petition said that the entry only to the male candidates in NDA violates Articles 14, 15, 16, and 19 of India’s constitution. The bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Hrishikesh Roy found that the allegation was right, and the bench passed an order to UPSC to accept the application form from female aspirants. The Ministry of Defence has to decide on age criteria, medical and physical standards, training types and its standards, and other things. NDA has to have a separate infrastructure for female cadets that includes playing grounds, sports facilities, residential quarters, swimming areas, separate bathroom cubicles, and other facilities. Here have a look at the eligibility criteria for female candidates to apply for NDA;
A career in NDA for Female: Age Limit
To apply for the NDA exam, a female candidate’s age must be not less than 15.7 years, and it should not be more than 18.7 years. In addition, for NDA II, the aspirant must not be born before 2 July 2002 and not later than 1 January 2005. The age limit for male and female candidates will be the same.
Career in NDA for Female: Educational Qualification
- Both male and female candidates must have qualified their 12th at the time of joining NDA. However, students appearing in class 12th can also fill the form, but they must have cleared it at the time of admission.
- To apply for Air Force, Navy and Navel, the candidate must have qualified 10+2 or equivalent with physics and mathematics.
Career in NDA for Female: NDA Body Weight Parameters
Physical standards for female candidates will be different and will be declared by the Defence ministry. Here we have compiled the general parameters for the candidates to apply for NDA.
- The Body Mass Index of the candidate should not be more than2 7.
- For female candidates, the waist hop ratio should be 0.8, and for males, it can be 0.9.
- The waist circumference should be less than 89 cm for female candidates, and for male candidates, it can be less than 94 cm.
- A candidate with a history of mental illness is not eligible to apply for NDA.
- Medical requirements for NDA are to be met to be eligible for NDA. Any medical history of disease or injury in the spine that prevents the candidate from having an active life can be a barrier for the candidate to get selected in NDA.
- Healed fracture in an upper limb can also reject the candidate’s admission in NDA.
- The candidates, both male and female, should be healthy and have good hearing ability and perfect eye-sight.
The Bottom Line
A career in NDA for female aspirants will give wings to many girls. The decision of the court to make female candidates eligible is a powerful step in the direction of women’s empowerment. NDA women entry is a highly appreciated step and we wish all the best to the female aspirants willing to join NDA.
