NDA 2 2026 Admit Card OUT at upsc.gov.in: Check Download Steps, Shift Timings and Exam Day Rules

The Union Public Service Commission has released the e-Admit Card for the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (II), 2026. Candidates can download it now from the commission's website, upsc.gov.in. The written examination will be held on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at centres across the country for 394 vacancies.

UPSC does not dispatch a physical admit card. The e-Admit Card downloaded and printed by the candidate is the only version that will be accepted at the examination hall, and there is no counter at the centre that will print one for you.

NDA 2 2026 exam timings

• Mathematics: 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM
• General Ability Test: 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM

Both papers are held on the same day. The written examination carries 900 marks in total. Candidates who clear the written stage proceed to the SSB interview conducted by the Services Selection Boards, for which a separate admit card is issued through the respective Army, Navy and Air Force portals.

Reporting time is printed on the individual admit card and is earlier than the paper start time. Gates close well before the paper begins, and late entry is not permitted. Candidates should read the reporting time on their own admit card rather than assume a standard one.

How to download the UPSC NDA 2 admit card 2026

1. Go to upsc.gov.in.

2. Open the Examinations section and select Active Examinations, or click the e-Admit Card link on the homepage.

3. Select National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (II), 2026.

4. Choose your login route — registration ID or roll number.

5. Enter the credential along with your date of birth and the captcha.

6. Submit and view the admit card on screen.

7. Download the PDF and take a clear printout on A4 paper.

Print at least two copies and keep a digital copy on a device you are not carrying into the hall. A printer failure on the morning of September 13 is a solvable problem on September 4 and an unsolvable one on the day.

Check these details the moment you download

Do not simply save the file. Open it and verify, line by line:

• Name spelling and father's name

• Roll number and registration ID

• Photograph and signature, both clearly visible and correctly yours

• Date of birth

• Examination centre name and full address

• Reporting time and paper timings

• Subject or paper details

If anything is wrong, contact UPSC immediately through the contact details published on the commission's website, with your registration details and a description of the discrepancy. Nine days is enough time to get a correction processed. Two days is not.

A blurred or missing photograph on the downloaded admit card is a common issue and one that candidates often ignore, assuming it will not matter. It does — invigilators verify identity against the admit card photograph.

What to carry to the NDA 2 exam centre

• Printed e-Admit Card

• Original photo identity proof, the same one whose details were given during registration. A photocopy or a photograph of the ID on a phone is not acceptable.

• Black ball point pen

• Any additional item specifically permitted in the instructions printed on your admit card

What is prohibited

Mobile phones are barred inside the examination venue, including in switched-off mode. So are smart watches, digital watches, Bluetooth devices, calculators, electronic gadgets of any kind, and printed or written material. UPSC treats possession of a prohibited item as a serious violation, and consequences can extend to cancellation of candidature and further action, not merely confiscation.

Most centres do not provide secure storage. Leave prohibited items at home or with someone waiting outside rather than assuming there will be a locker.

Before exam day

Locate the examination centre in advance. Address confusion — two institutions with similar names in the same city, or a centre in an outer suburb — accounts for a meaningful share of candidates who arrive late every cycle. If the centre is unfamiliar or far, do a physical or map reconnaissance before September 13, and factor in that Sunday public transport frequency differs from weekdays.

Candidates should rely only on upsc.gov.in for the admit card link and any subsequent notice. Links circulated on messaging groups claiming to be direct download portals are, at best, mirrors of an official page and, at worst, credential-harvesting pages. UPSC will never ask for a password or payment to release an admit card.