Defence Physical Test: Height, Weight, Running, Chest & Medical Standards

Physical and medical standards genuinely differ across defence exams — by service, by entry type (officer vs Agniveer), and sometimes by category or region — but they share enough common structure to be worth comparing side by side rather than looking up separately each time. This page is that comparative reference; individual exam guides link back here rather than repeating the full detail, and each exam's own guide covers its exam-specific nuances (like AFCAT's Flying Branch PABT) in full.

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Height Standards Across Defence Exams

See our NDA Physical Requirements guide for the full wing-by-wing breakdown (eyesight standards differ sharply between Army, Navy and Air Force Flying Branch), and our Army Height and Weight guide for the full Agniveer-specific detail.

Height standards frequently carry relaxation for specific hill/hardy regions and communities (Garhwalis, Kumaonis, Gorkhas, Dogras, Marathas and similar categories across various exams), and for outstanding sportspersons in some Agniveer categories (commonly cited around +2 cm). Always check the specific relaxation table in your target exam's current notification rather than assuming a general rule applies uniformly.

Chest Standards

A 77 cm minimum with 5 cm expansion is a common baseline across several officer-entry standards (NDA/CDS general medical guidelines). Agniveer standards are commonly cited as 77 cm unexpanded, expanding to 82 cm (a 5 cm expansion). CAPF Assistant Commandant requires a slightly higher 81 cm minimum with 5 cm expansion, and — notably — chest measurement is not applicable for female candidates across most of these standards.

Weight Standards

Officer-entry exams (NDA, CDS, AFCAT) generally don't specify a single fixed weight figure — instead, weight must correlate with height and age according to Body Mass Index (BMI) parameters set by the Services Medical Board, assessed during the post-SSB medical examination rather than as a simple pass/fail number. Agniveer entry uses more specific baseline figures — commonly around 50 kg minimum in most regions, relaxed to around 48 kg in Himalayan/high-altitude regions — while CAPF Assistant Commandant specifies 50 kg (male) and 46 kg (female) directly.

Running and Physical Efficiency Tests

Exact PET/PFT content differs by exam — see each exam's own guide for full detail:

• CAPF Assistant Commandant: 100-metre race, 800-metre race and long jump for both genders, plus a 7.26 kg shot put for male candidates. See our CAPF AC guide.
• Agniveer (Army): a 1.6 km run, pull-ups, a zig-zag balance test, and a 9-feet ditch jump, with PFT performance carrying real weightage in final merit for several categories. See our Agniveer guide.
• NDA/CDS/AFCAT: physical fitness is primarily assessed through the SSB's Group Testing days (obstacle courses, command tasks) rather than a separate standalone running test, combined with the Services Medical Board's medical examination after SSB.

Vision Standards

For general officer entry (Army/Navy via NDA/CDS), a common baseline is 6/6 in the right eye and 6/9 in the left eye, with correctable refractive error generally accepted up to around −2.5D (myopia) or +3.5D (hypermetropia). A history of LASIK or Radial Keratotomy (vision-correction surgery) permanently disqualifies a candidate from most Services entries — this is a hard, non-negotiable rule, not something that can be appealed with a good post-surgery result. Flying-branch entries (AFCAT Flying Branch, and equivalent flying entries across services) apply a stricter, uncorrected standard as part of PABT — see our AFCAT guide for that specific detail.

Other General Medical Standards

• Tattoos: permanent tattoos are generally accepted only on the inner forearm (inside elbow to wrist) and the back (dorsal) of the hand — tattoos anywhere else on the body typically bar a candidate from further selection, and this isn't remediable by covering or attempting removal during the medical exam.
• Dental fitness: assessed via a points system, with a commonly cited minimum of around 14 dental points required (out of roughly 22 for a full healthy set) — covering mouth opening, teeth alignment, root condition and fillings.
• BMI correlation: weight is checked against height and age using medical-board BMI charts rather than a single flat number, for officer-entry standards specifically.

Who Assesses This, and When

Physical standards (height, chest, weight thresholds) are typically checked early — during the Physical Standards Test (PST) or Physical Measurement Test (PMT) stage, often alongside or just after PET/PFT. The full medical examination (vision, dental, general fitness, tattoo check, and BMI-based weight assessment) happens later — for officer-entry exams, after a candidate clears the SSB interview, conducted by the Services Medical Board (or equivalent, like UPSC's medical process for CAPF AC).

Frequently Asked Questions

Does LASIK surgery permanently disqualify me from defence exams?

For most general-entry standards (Army/Navy via NDA/CDS), yes — a history of LASIK or Radial Keratotomy is a permanent disqualification, regardless of the surgical outcome. This is one of the least commonly known but most consequential medical rules in defence recruitment.

Are tattoos completely banned for defence entry?

Not entirely — tattoos are generally permitted only on the inner forearm and the back of the hand. Tattoos anywhere else on the body typically disqualify a candidate, and this can't be resolved by covering or removing the tattoo before the medical exam.

Do height standards differ between exams?

Yes, meaningfully — from 157 cm (NDA/CDS Army/Navy, male) up to 170 cm (Agniveer GD/Technical in most regions), with CAPF AC and AFCAT Flying Branch sitting in between. Always check your specific target exam's current standard rather than assuming one figure applies everywhere.

Is there a fixed weight requirement for NDA/CDS?

No — officer-entry exams assess weight against a BMI-based chart correlated to height and age, evaluated during the medical examination, rather than a single fixed weight figure the way Agniveer and CAPF AC use.

What's the difference between PET, PST and PMT?

PET (Physical Efficiency Test) assesses fitness through running, jumping or similar tasks. PST/PMT (Physical Standards/Measurement Test) checks fixed measurements — height, chest, weight — against the minimum thresholds. Both are typically distinct from the full medical examination, which happens separately and covers vision, dental and general fitness.

In Summary

Defence physical and medical standards share a common structure — height/chest/weight thresholds, a fitness test, and a medical examination — but the exact numbers differ meaningfully by exam, service and sometimes region or category. Two rules are worth knowing regardless of which exam you're targeting: LASIK/Radial Keratotomy surgery is a permanent disqualifier for most general entries, and tattoos outside the permitted forearm/hand locations will bar you from selection. Confirm your specific exam's current standards from its official notification rather than relying on last cycle's figures.

Sources

• Agnipath terms and the Seva Nidhi package: Ministry of Defence, Agnipath scheme