NDA Physical Requirements: Height, Weight, Running & Medical Standards

NDA's physical and medical standards aren't uniform across its three wings — Army, Navy and Air Force set different eyesight standards in particular, and several disqualifying conditions catch candidates who assumed "physically fit" was enough without checking the specifics. This guide covers the entry standards by wing, the orthopedic and dental checks that trip candidates up, and what physical training actually looks like once you're selected.

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For eligibility, exam pattern and the SSB process, see our NDA guide; for a comparison against other defence exams' physical standards, see our Defence Physical Test guide.

Height, Weight and Chest

The commonly cited baseline is 157 cm minimum height for male candidates and 152 cm for female candidates across the Army and Navy wings, with the Air Force Flying Branch requiring a higher minimum of around 162.5 cm. Weight isn't assessed as one fixed number — it's checked against height and age using BMI-based medical charts maintained by the Services Medical Board, applied during the post-SSB medical examination. Chest requirements commonly cite a baseline of 77 cm with a mandatory 5 cm expansion. Regional relaxations (North East, Gorkha, Garhwal, Kumaon categories) apply to NDA's height standard as well — see our Army Height and Weight guide for how these compare to Agniveer's different, higher baseline.

Eyesight Standards Differ Sharply by Wing

This is the detail most NDA physical-standards guides understate: eyesight requirements are meaningfully different across Army, Navy and Air Force, particularly for the Flying Branch.

The Flying Branch standard is significantly stricter than Army or Navy — a candidate who might pass Army or Navy vision standards could still be disqualified from Air Force Flying Branch specifically, particularly on colour vision, since CP-I tolerates no deficiency at all. As covered in our Defence Physical Test guide, any history of LASIK or Radial Keratotomy is a permanent disqualifier for general entry — this applies with particular strictness for Flying Branch aspirants.

Orthopedic Standards: Knock Knee and Flat Foot

Both knock knee and flat foot are disqualifying conditions at the NDA medical examination — these interfere with running balance, marching and parade performance, so they're checked carefully during the orthopaedic assessment. There's a genuinely useful detail here for candidates who discover a mild condition early: mild flat foot can sometimes be corrected through physiotherapy and targeted exercises over roughly 6–12 months, so this is worth addressing well before your medical examination date rather than discovering it at the exam itself with no time to correct it.

Dental Standards

A minimum of 14 dental points (out of a possible ~22 for a full healthy set) is required, assessed on teeth alignment, gum health, absence of severe cavities or infections, and overall dental structure. Missing teeth, poor alignment or significant decay can result in rejection or a temporary "unfit" categorisation pending corrective dental treatment — worth addressing before your medical exam if you know of existing dental issues.

Physical Training After Selection: Life at NDA

Once selected, NDA cadets undergo genuinely rigorous, sustained physical training as part of the three-year course — this isn't a one-time selection hurdle but an ongoing standard cadets must maintain. Daily physical training includes running, calisthenics (push-ups, sit-ups), rope climbing and obstacle courses, generally structured around roughly an hour of dedicated PT. Cadets also progressively learn swimming and horse riding, and participate in team sports (football, hockey, basketball, boxing) as part of building both fitness and team cohesion. Cadets must clear periodic Physical Efficiency Tests throughout training, not just at entry — physical standards are a continuing requirement of being at NDA, not a box ticked once during selection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does NDA have different vision standards for Army, Navy and Air Force?

Yes, meaningfully. Army's standard is commonly cited as more lenient (6/6 better eye, 6/18 worse eye, CP-III colour vision acceptable), Navy requires 6/6 in both eyes, and Air Force Flying Branch requires 6/6 in each eye uncorrected plus CP-I (perfect) colour vision — the strictest of the three.

Can I join NDA if I wear glasses?

It depends on the wing and the specific power. Army and Navy standards allow some correctable refractive error within specified limits (commonly cited around −2.5D myopia or +3.5D hypermetropia for general entry). Air Force Flying Branch requires 6/6 vision without correction — glasses that correct you to normal vision don't satisfy this specific requirement.

Is flat foot always disqualifying for NDA?

Not necessarily if caught early — mild flat foot can sometimes be corrected through physiotherapy and exercises over roughly 6–12 months. Significant or uncorrected flat foot at the time of the medical examination is disqualifying, since it affects running, marching and parade performance.

Does physical fitness matter after I'm selected for NDA, or just during selection?

It continues to matter throughout training — NDA cadets undergo daily physical training and must clear periodic Physical Efficiency Tests across the three-year course, not just a one-time standard at entry.

What is the dental requirement for NDA?

A minimum of around 14 dental points, assessed on alignment, gum health and absence of significant decay or infection — worth checking and addressing with a dentist before your medical examination if you have known issues.

Is the height requirement the same for Army, Navy and Air Force wings of NDA?

Broadly similar for Army and Navy (around 157 cm male / 152 cm female), but the Air Force Flying Branch requires a higher minimum, commonly cited around 162.5 cm.

In Summary

NDA's physical standards aren't one uniform bar — eyesight in particular varies sharply by wing, with Air Force Flying Branch setting the strictest standard on both visual acuity and colour vision. Orthopedic conditions like flat foot are worth addressing well before your medical exam if caught early, since correction takes months, not days. And physical fitness doesn't stop mattering once you're selected — it's a continuing standard throughout the three years of training at NDA.

Sources

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