Defence Exams 2026; Check Upcoming Defence Exams Calendar Here

Defence Exams 2026 are conducted by various government authorities for recruitment into the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and other defence services. Candidates can apply for different exams based on their educational qualifications, age, and eligibility criteria. Popular exams include NDA, CDS, AFCAT, CAPF and various technical and medical entries. The respective authorities release notifications with details about vacancies, application dates, exam schedules, and selection processes. Candidates can check the latest Defence Exams 2026 updates, eligibility, important dates, and preparation details here.

List of Organizations of Defence Exams in India

Several government organisations conduct and invite applications for various defence examinations:

• Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) 
• Indian Air Force
• Indian Navy
• Cantonment Board
• Indo-Tibetan Border Police
• Railway Protection Force (RPF)
• Bureau of Police Research and Development
• State Police Subordinate Selection Commission 
• Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)
• Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) 
• Border Defence Organisation (BDO)

Schedule of Defence Exam Dates 2026

Aspirants can take a look at the defence exam calendar for the year 2026 to plan the events and prepare accordingly:

The Combined Defence Services (CDS) exam is conducted twice a year for different branches of the Indian Armed Forces, including the Air Force, Army, and Navy. It is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). To become eligible for CDS 2026, candidates must complete his or her graduation. The highlights of the CDS exam are as follows:

Candidates interested in CDS Exam can refer to the following links for more information:

UPSC NDA Exam 2026

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the national-level exam for the National Defence Academy (NDA) twice a year as UPSC NDA 1 & UPSC NDA 2. Now, Women candidates will be able to participate in NDA 1 from 2026 onwards.

Candidates interested in the NDA exam can follow the links below to have a better understanding of the exam pattern and the eligibility criteria of the exam.

AFCAT 2026 Exam

Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) is conducted twice a year by the Indian Air Force (IAF). Opportunities are available in various AFCAT positions like Flying Branch (Short Service Commission), Technical Branch (Short Service & Permanent Commission), Ground Duty Branch (Short Service & Permanent Commission), etc. The highlights of the AFCAT Exam are as follows:

Candidates interested in the AFCAT Exam can refer to the following links for more information.

Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandant) Exam

Central Armed Police Forces Assistant Commandant (AC) provides opportunities to candidates in a variety of areas like Border Security Force (BSF)/ Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)/ Central Industrial Security Forces (CISF)/ Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)/ Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). The highlights of Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandant) are as follows

Candidates interested in UPSC CAPF AC Exam can check the links below for more information regarding the exam.

Indian Air Force Group C Recruitment Exam

Indian Air Force Group C Exam is conducted by the Indian Air Force to fill various posts in the Air Force headquarters and its independent units. The highlights of the Indian Air Force Group C Recruitment Exam are as follows:

Indian Coast Guard Navik 2026

Indian Coast Guard Navik General Duty (GD) and Navik Domestic Branch (DB) recruitment is done by the ICG (Indian Coast Guard) crest, which was founded 42 years ago. It is conducted at the national level. Important highlights of the Indian Coast Guard Navik exam are as follows:

Candidates interested in the above exam can follow the below-mentioned links to get a better understanding of the exam pattern etc. 

IB ACIO Exam 2026

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) conducts the graduation-level examination of Intelligence Bureau Assistant Central Intelligence Officer (IB ACIO). It is a high-salaried post in addition to other allowances that are provided by the Government of India. It is a classified Grade II, Group C (Non-Gazetted, Non-Ministerial). Some important highlights of this exam are mentioned below:

Candidates can take a look at some important links mentioned in the table below to understand the exam pattern properly.

CASB Airmen Selection Exam 2026

Central Airmen Selection Board (CASB) conducts the recruitment for the Air Force Group X and Y posts every year. Unmarried candidates can apply for the Indian Air Force Group ‘X’ trades and Group ‘Y’ trades. Some important highlights of the CASB Airmen Selection Exam are:

INET 2026

Indian Navy Entrance Test (INET) offers various entry-level jobs in designations such as Lieutenant or Commander. The official notification for the year 2026 is likely to be released in the month of November 2026. Women and SC/ST candidates are exempted from any application fees. Some major highlights of INET 2026 are:

Territorial Army 2026

The Territorial Army is like the peripheral defence force of India after the official primary army. It is a type of part-time army force that serves only 1-2 months a year. It is not a regular full-time career option. It includes several entities of forces, which are like:

• Infantry Battalions,
• Ecological Task Force,
• General Hospital Units,
• Home and Hearth Infantry,
• Air Defense Artillery,
• Railway Industrial Units, and many more.

Interested candidates can take a look at the link given below to understand the application process of the Territorial Army clearly.

SSB Constable Recruitment 2026

Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) offers various posts of constables in SSB. Women, SC/ST & Ex-Servicemen candidates are exempt from any application fees. It is a highly competitive and high-salaried paid job. 

Candidates looking for an exam pattern for the SSB Constable exam can click on the link below:

List of Defence Exams for Females in India

There are ample opportunities for females to join the Armed Forces as women share every stage equally. The list of some opportunities available for women in defence services are as follows:

• Combined Defence Services Examination, CDS
• Short Service Commission (Technical)
• National Defence Academy (NDA)
• NCC (SPL) Entry Women
• Joint Advocate General (JAG) SCWW

Eligibility for Defence Exams

Candidates should be aware of the basic eligibility criteria for various job opportunities available in the Armed Forces, etc. Candidates holding standard 10th, 12th, ITI, diploma, engineering and other graduation qualifications are eligible for these opportunities. The detailed defence exam eligibility criteria are as follows:

1. Nationality: 

• Citizen of India, or
• The subject of Nepal/Bhutan, or
• Tibetan refugees migrated to India before January 01, 1962, with the intention of permanent settlement, or
• An individual of Indian origin migrated from Sri Lanka, Burma, Pakistan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Malawi, Zambia, Zaire & Vietnam for permanent settlement purposes in India.

2. Age Limit & Educational Qualification:

Eligibility Criteria (Age Limit & Educational Qualification)

Candidates looking for their dream opportunities in the Armed Forces and other areas of Defence can go through the schedule and the eligibility criteria, which are mentioned in this article. This article helps young aspirants to achieve their dreams.

Defence Exams: FAQs