The Union Public Service Commission has declared the final result of the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (I), 2026. A total of 617 candidates have made the final merit list for the 157th course of the National Defence Academy and the 119th Indian Naval Academy course, and the cut-off marks followed a day later, on Friday, November 6. The courses begin on January 1, 2027.
The list rests on the written examination of April 12, 2026, and the Services Selection Board interviews that followed. The merit list is a PDF on the official UPSC website, upsc.gov.in, searchable by roll number or name without any login.
Who made the final list
Of the 617 candidates recommended, 551 are men and 66 are women. Ishaan Pachauri has topped the merit list among men, while Shreya N Gowda has topped it among women.
Pachauri, roll number 7943704, was ranked second in NDA 2 in 2025 before taking the top spot this time. Shreya N Gowda, from Bhadravati in Karnataka, is studying engineering at the National Institute of Technology Karnataka in Surathkal. Her father works at the Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant in Bhadravati; her mother lectures at a degree college in the town.
The top five men are Ishaan Pachauri, Aarsh Kukreja, Kaustav Baunthiyal, Ish Phogat and Mithlesh Yadav. The top five women are Shreya N Gowda, Avika Sharma, Rajshree Rai, Pankaj Kumari and Vanshika Choudhary.
Seats on offer: 394 vacancies
The list is longer than the seat count because joining also depends on the medical examination and on each candidate’s service preferences. UPSC had notified 394 vacancies in December 2025, split separately for men and women.
- NDA, Army: 208 seats (198 men, 10 women)
- NDA, Navy (executive branch): 42 seats (37 men, 5 women)
- NDA, Air Force (flying): 92 seats (90 men, 2 women)
- NDA, Air Force (ground duties, technical): 18 seats (16 men, 2 women)
- NDA, Air Force (ground duties, non-technical): 10 seats (8 men, 2 women)
- Naval Academy, 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme: 24 seats (21 men, 3 women)
In all, 370 of the 394 seats are for men and 24 are for women.
Cut-off marks: 577 for men, 649 for women
UPSC published the cut-offs on November 6, a day after the result. At the written stage, out of 900 marks, the cut-off was 207.83 for men and 287.01 for women, with at least 20 per cent in each subject.
For the final recommendation, out of 1,800 marks (written plus SSB), the last recommended candidate scored 577.00 for men and 649.18 for women. Individual marks will be uploaded on upsc.gov.in 15 days after the declaration of the result.
What happens next for the 617 candidates
Every candidature is provisional. Medical results have not been taken into account, so a place on the list does not guarantee admission. Joining depends on medical fitness, document verification and vacancies.
Candidates must send date of birth and education certificates to the Additional Directorate General of Recruiting, Adjutant General’s Branch, Integrated HQ of the Ministry of Defence (Army), West Block III, R.K. Puram, New Delhi 110066, not to UPSC. Address changes go to the same office.
Joining instructions come from the three services: joinindianarmy.nic.in, joinindiannavy.gov.in and careerindianairforce.cdac.in. Questions can go to the UPSC facilitation counter (10 am to 5.30 pm, working days) or 011-24041001 and 011-40303444.
How to check the NDA NA 1 final merit list
- Visit the official UPSC website at upsc.gov.in.
- Open the Final Results section and look for the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (I), 2026 result.
- Download the merit list PDF; it opens without any login.
- Search the PDF for your roll number or name using Ctrl+F.
- Save a copy, since individual marks will only be published 15 days after the result.
Candidates who missed out do not have to wait long: UPSC has already listed the NDA and NA (I) 2027 examination on its examinations page, with dates and age limits in the notification.
FAQs
When was the UPSC NDA NA 1 final result 2026 declared?
The final result was declared on November 5, 2026, and the cut-off marks were published on November 6, 2026.
How many candidates qualified in the NDA NA 1 final result 2026?
617 candidates qualified, including 551 men and 66 women, for 394 vacancies across the Army, Navy, Air Force and Naval Academy.
Who topped the NDA NA 1 2026 merit list?
Ishaan Pachauri topped the merit list among men, and Shreya N Gowda topped it among women.
What was the cut-off for the NDA NA 1 final result 2026?
The last recommended candidate scored 577.00 out of 1,800 among men and 649.18 among women. At the written stage, the cut-off was 207.83 for men and 287.01 for women out of 900.
When do the 157th NDA course and 119th INA course begin?
Both courses begin on January 1, 2027. Joining is subject to medical fitness and document verification.
The 617 names on this list cleared a written examination and an SSB interview that test far more than book knowledge. For the ones who made it, the next test is the medical board and the first morning at Khadakwasla.
