Lakhs of youth in the country dream of joining the Indian Armed Forces and proudly serving the country. During this journey, the words NDA and NA are often heard. Both these exams are conducted by UPSC. However, there is a lot of difference between these two. For the candidates who want to make a career in defence, it is important to know what is the difference between NDA and NA, what will be their roles and what are the career prospects.
What is NDA?
The full name of NDA is National Defense Academy. It is a joint training institute, where candidates are trained for the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. After passing the NDA exam, candidates take three years of combined training. During this time, they get the opportunity to develop leadership abilities, physical fitness and strategic thinking along with basic training of Army, Navy and Air Force. After completing the training, candidates move forward in their respective service wings.
What is NA?
The full name of NA is Naval Academy. This is especially for the candidates joining Indian Navy. Naval training is given to the candidates selected in NA category. Unlike NDA, training in NA focuses only on Navy cadets. After completing NDA training, Naval Cadets are sent to the Naval Academy for further professional studies and training.
Main differences between NDA and NA
The main difference between NDA and NA lies in their scope and training focus. NDA includes candidates from Army, Navy and Air Force, whereas NA is only for Navy. NDA is based in Pune and NA in Kerala. There is three years of combined training in NDA, whereas in NA, naval specialized training is given. NDA prepares candidates for all three defense services, but NA prepares candidates only for the Navy and its flying or sea branch.
Eligibility for NDA and NA
To join NDA and NA, a candidate must have passed 10+2 from a recognized board. For the Army wing of NDA, it is sufficient to have 12th pass in any subject, whereas for Air Force and Navy wing and NA, it is necessary to have 12th pass with Physics, Chemistry and Maths. The age of the candidate should generally be between 16.5 to 19.5 years.
Apart from this, it is necessary to pass UPSC written examination, physical fitness test, medical test and SSB interview. To become a pilot in Air Force or Navy, a candidate will have to pass the CPSS Aptitude Test. There is a slight difference in physical and medical requirements in every service.
Also read – UP Board has released the list of exam centers, know how you can check in one click.
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