NDA Exam Centre 2026: 86 Cities, Centre Allotment & Exam-Day Rules

The NDA Exam Centre List 2026 for NDA 2 includes 86 examination cities across India. Candidates appearing for the NDA Exam 2026 on September 13, 2026, can check the complete exam centre city list provided below for the National Defence Academy exam 2026 to find the cities designated by UPSC for conducting the recruitment. The final city and venue allotted to each candidate will be confirmed through the NDA 2 Admit Card 2026.

Candidates were required to select their preferred UPSC NDA exam centres while submitting the UPSC NDA form 2026. The allotment of centres is subject to availability and follows the first-apply-first-allot principle, which means a centre will no longer be available once its capacity is filled. UPSC does not entertain requests for a change of examination centre after allotment, and candidates must appear at the venue mentioned on their admit card.

NDA Exam Centre 2026: Key Details

UPSC released the NDA 2 notification on May 20, 2026, with the application deadline initially scheduled for June 9 and subsequently extended to June 11, 2026, up to 6 PM. The examination is scheduled for September 13, 2026.

NDA Exam Centre 2026: Complete List of 86 cities

UPSC has specified 86 examination cities for NDA 2 2026. The centres cover major cities as well as several regional locations, including Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Jaipur, Patna, Hyderabad, Varanasi, Chandigarh, Srinagar and Port Blair.

Candidates were required to select their preferred examination centres during the application process. Since seats at most centres are limited, the preferred centre was not guaranteed merely because it was selected in the application form.

NDA Exam Centre 2026: City List

Note: The official notification uses UPSC's designated names for cities, including Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar [Aurangabad (Maharashtra)], Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair) and Prayagraj (Allahabad). The centre list is based on the 2026 notification.

NDA Exam Centres 2026: State-Wise List

For candidates searching for a particular city, the following are some of the major NDA examination locations:

The 2026 notification includes 86 cities in total. Candidates should use the exact centre name displayed by UPSC rather than assuming that a nearby city will be allotted.

How to Check NDA Exam Centre 2026

The NDA exam centre allotted to a candidate is not confirmed simply by the preference submitted in the application form. The final venue is communicated through the admit card.

1. Download the NDA 2 Admit Card- Visit the official UPSC website when the NDA 2 e-Admit Card is released.
2. Open the NDA 2 Admit Card- Select the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (II), 2026 admit-card link.
3. Check the Centre Details- Look for the examination-centre section on the admit card.
4. Verify the Complete Address- Do not stop at the city name. Check the full examination venue address, reporting time, and entry instructions.
5. Plan Your Travel- Once the address is confirmed, check the route and travel time before examination day.

UPSC states that candidates will be informed of their examination centre before the examination and that the admit card contains the relevant centre information.

Note: Candidates should note that exam city, exam centre, and exam venue are not the same. The exam city refers to the city selected or allotted to the candidate, while the exam centre is the designated examination location within that city. The exam venue refers to the exact address and building where the NDA examination will be conducted, which candidates can check on their admit card.

How many NDA exam centre preferences can a candidate select?For NDA 2 2026, UPSC requires candidates to select an available examination centre of their choice while submitting the application form. The official notification does not specify a fixed number of multiple centre preferences. Centre allotment is based on the first-apply-first-allot system, and candidates must choose from the remaining centres if their preferred centre has already reached its capacity.

How Are NDA Exam Centres Allotted?

NDA exam-centre allotment follows a first-apply-first-allot approach, subject to the available capacity at each centre.

This makes the timing of application important. If the capacity of a candidate's preferred centre has already been reached, the candidate may have to select another available centre.

NDA Centre Allotment Rules

UPSC specifically states that there is a ceiling on the number of candidates at each centre, except Chennai, Dispur, Kolkata and Nagpur. Once the capacity of a centre is reached, it can be frozen.

Can NDA Exam Centre Be Changed?

No. UPSC does not entertain requests to change the NDA examination centre after the allotment process.

Candidates should therefore check the centre carefully once the admit card is released. If a candidate appears at a centre other than the one indicated on the admit card, UPSC states that the candidate's question papers will not be evaluated and the candidature may be cancelled.

What if UPSC changes the centre?

UPSC reserves the right to change examination centres if circumstances require it. Candidates should therefore rely on the latest information communicated by UPSC and the centre details printed on the admit card.

NDA Exam Centre and Admit Card 2026

The NDA 2 Admit Card 2026 is the most important document for confirming the final examination venue.

The admit card is expected to contain:

Candidates should not assume that the examination venue will be the same as the city selected during application. The admit card is the final document to use for centre information.

NDA 2 Exam Date and Centre Reporting Time

The NDA 2 2026 examination will be conducted on September 13, 2026. UPSC has scheduled the written examination in two sessions. Candidates are required to report at the time mentioned on their admit card. Based on the NDA 1 exam 2026, candidates were to report for the forenoon session at 9:50 AM and for the afternoon session at 1:50 PM. Entry to the examination venue is closed 30 minutes before the commencement of each paper, so candidates should reach the centre well before the reporting and gate-closing time mentioned on their NDA admit card.

Candidates should follow the reporting and entry time mentioned on their individual admit card rather than using the paper start time as their arrival time.

UPSC's examination timetable confirms September 13 as the NDA 2 examination date.

What to Carry to NDA Exam Centre

Candidates should keep their exam-day documents ready before leaving for the centre.

A candidate should check the instructions printed on the admit card because UPSC's examination-specific instructions take precedence.

Items Prohibited at NDA Exam Centre

Candidates should avoid carrying electronic devices and unnecessary study material to the examination centre.

UPSC's centre instructions prohibit mobile phones, electronic devices, programmable devices, storage media, calculators, books, notes and several other materials inside the examination venue. Candidates should also avoid bringing valuable belongings because UPSC does not take responsibility for their safe custody.

NDA Exam Centre 2026: Exam-Day Guidelines

Candidates travelling to another city should plan the journey before the examination day.

Before the Exam

• Download and print the NDA 2 admit card.
• Verify the complete centre address.
• Check the route to the venue.
• Keep the original photo ID ready.
• Keep a black ball-point pen ready.
• Avoid carrying prohibited electronic devices.
• If the centre is in another city, arrange travel and accommodation in advance.

UPSC-related guidance recommends visiting the examination centre beforehand where possible, particularly when the candidate is unfamiliar with the area. Candidates are also advised to reach the centre sufficiently before the reporting time.

At the Examination Centre

Candidates should:

1. Follow the instructions of examination officials.
2. Carry only permitted items.
3. Complete attendance and verification formalities carefully.
4. Use the prescribed pen for OMR-related entries.
5. Avoid any form of unfair assistance.
6. Follow the instructions printed on the admit card.

What to Do If Your NDA Exam Centre Is in Another City?

Candidates who receive a centre in another city should not wait until the last day to arrange travel.

A practical approach is:

The key point is that the examination centre cannot be changed simply because the allotted venue is inconvenient. Therefore, travel planning should begin as soon as the centre appears on the admit card.

NDA Exam Centre 2026 FAQs