INA Medical Requirements 2026
CDS Navy Entry Standards

1 INA — Who Is This For?

INA (Indian Naval Academy) Ezhimala is the gateway to a Permanent Commission in the Indian Navy via CDS. It is open to male graduates aged 19–24 (born 02 Jan 2002 – 01 Jan 2007 for CDS I 2025), unmarried.

• Medical basis: NDA Annexure B (Navy) with graduate adjustments; CDS 2025 Notification page 37 has explicit CDSE entry vision table
• CDS I 2025 vacancies: 32 posts
• Educational requirement: Degree in Engineering from a recognised university/institution — the only CDS academy requiring engineering
• Commission type: Permanent Commission, Executive Branch (and other branches per eligibility)
• Gender: Male only (INA via CDS is currently male-only)

2 Why INA Vision Is Stricter Than IMA

3 Vision & Colour Perception

Full Vision Standards Table

CP Pass Explained

• Tested by Ishihara pseudoisochromatic plates at SMB (Service Medical Board)
• Must correctly identify all standard Ishihara plates
• If borderline at SMB, Anomaloscope (Nagel) test is conducted at AMB/RMB
• CP Pass is the most lenient CP standard — it allows mild red-green colour weakness that does not affect safety-critical colour identification
• CP-I (required for AFA Flying) is stricter; CP Pass (required for INA) permits mild anomalous trichromacy

Binocular Vision Grade III Explained

• Assessed by synoptophore or equivalent instrument at SMB
• Grade I = stereopsis (depth perception); Grade II = fusion; Grade III = simultaneous perception (both eyes perceive simultaneously, the lowest functional grade)
• Grade III is the minimum required for INA
• A candidate with a manifest squint (tropia) of any degree is unfit — squint breaks binocular vision entirely
• A latent squint (phoria) with good fusion is generally not disqualifying if binocular vision Grade III is present

Common Visual Disqualifications

• Manifest squint (tropia) of any degree
• Keratoconus — any stage
• Pseudophakia (IOL implant after cataract surgery)
• Night blindness (nyctalopia)
• Nystagmus — any type
• Progressive pterygium (stationary, small pterygium may be reviewed case-by-case)
• Lattice degeneration (per AFCAT/DGMS criteria)
• High Cup-Disc ratio with inter-eye asymmetry > 0.2
• Any active retinal pathology or history of retinal detachment
• Glaucoma or ocular hypertension
• RK (Radial Keratotomy) — permanently unfit

4 LASIK for INA — Conditions & Exclusions

Conditions for LASIK Acceptance

• Surgery done after age 20
• Minimum 12 months post-LASIK, uncomplicated recovery
• Pre-operative refractive error not more than ±6.0 D
• Central corneal thickness ≥ 450 microns post-surgery
• Axial length ≤ 26 mm
• Normal, healthy retina (no lattice degeneration, holes, or tears)
• Normal corneal topography (no ectasia, no irregular astigmatism)
• Residual refraction within acceptable limits after surgery
• Certificate from the operating surgeon/centre with pre-op and post-op records

LASIK NOT Permitted For

• Submariners — post-commissioning LASIK disqualifies for submarine branch
• Divers — post-commissioning LASIK disqualifies for diving duties
• MARCO (Marine Commandos) — post-commissioning LASIK disqualifies for MARCO selection

5 Height & Weight

Height Standards

Chest

Minimum chest circumference: 77 cm, with a minimum expansion of 5 cm. Measured at full inspiration and full expiration.

Weight Chart (NDA Annexure B, Navy) — Male Age 20–30

6 Hearing & ENT

Hearing

• Whisper test at 610 cm (6.1 metres) with each ear, back to examiner
• Pure Tone Audiometry (PTA): loss > 20 dB at 250–8000 Hz → unfit
• Isolated unilateral hearing loss up to 30 dB may be condoned by the medical board on a case-by-case basis

Ear Conditions — Unfit for INA

• Active Otitis Media of any type (CSOM, ASOM)
• Tympanoplasty / Myringoplasty for COM — permanently unfit (critical for submarine and diving pressure tests)
• Vestibular dysfunction — any cause
• Meniere's disease
• Persistent tinnitus
• Motion sickness — significant for sea duties (see note below)
• Cholesteatoma — operated or unoperatedil

Nose and Sinuses

• Significant Deviated Nasal Septum (DNS) obstructing the airway → unfit; post-op with adequate airway may be assessed as fit
• Nasal polyposis (any degree)
• Allergic rhinitis (clinical diagnosis)
• Chronic sinusitis

7 Cardiovascular & Respiratory

INA applies the same cardiovascular and respiratory standards as IMA. The following conditions are assessed and the listed findings result in unfitness.

Cardiovascular

• BP > 140/90 mmHg → 24-hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) done; persistent hypertension = unfit
• Abnormal ECG → cardiologist assessment; structural or rhythm abnormalities = unfit
• Any cardiac surgery or cardiac intervention history
• Congenital cardiac anomalies (including corrected)
• Diastolic murmurs of any grade
• Significant systolic murmurs (innocent murmur assessed carefully)
• Valvular heart disease

Respiratory

• Bronchial asthma — any history, regardless of current control or childhood resolution
• Pulmonary tuberculosis (unless > 2 years post-treatment with full radiological clearance; AMB takes final decision)
• Chronic bronchitis
• Spontaneous pneumothorax — history
• Significant restrictive or obstructive defect on spirometry

8 Musculoskeletal

DGMS musculoskeletal thresholds apply to INA officer entry. The following are assessed at SMB.

9 Submarine / Diver / MARCO Exclusions

Submariners (Post-Commissioning)

• LASIK disqualifies for submarine branch — even if LASIK was accepted at initial INA entry
• Additional pressure-related ENT tests (Valsalva, Eustachian tube function)
• Additional visual field and dark adaptation tests
• Any history of tympanoplasty or ear surgery — disqualifies
• Claustrophobia — assessed specifically for submarine fitness

Divers (Post-Commissioning)

• LASIK disqualifies for diving duties
• Any ENT pathology contraindicated for ear pressure equalisation (perforation, COM, Eustachian dysfunction) — disqualifies
• Significant sinus pathology — disqualifies
• Pulmonary cysts or bullae — disqualifies
• Any cardiac anomaly — disqualifies

MARCO — Marine Commandos (Post-Commissioning)

• LASIK disqualifies for MARCO selection
• Extremely stringent physical and medical standards beyond standard INA entry
• MARCO selection is a separate, highly competitive process after commissioning

10 Engineering Degree Requirement

The engineering degree requirement is the most common reason otherwise eligible CDS candidates cannot apply for INA. Any engineering discipline is accepted.

Accepted Engineering Disciplines

Any BE/BTech in an engineering discipline from a recognised university/institution is accepted. Common examples: Computer Science, Electronics & Communication, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Information Technology, Aerospace, Chemical, Instrumentation & Control, Marine Engineering. The degree must be from an AICTE-recognised institution or equivalent.

Final-Year Students

• Final-year engineering students may apply if they have no backlogs at the time of application
• Degree certificate must be submitted by 01 January 2026 (for CDS I 2025 INA entry)
• Students who fail to submit the degree certificate by the notified date are ineligible for INA entry regardless of performance at written exam and SSB

11 Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the eyesight limit for INA (Indian Naval Academy) via CDS?

  Uncorrected vision must be 6/12 or better in each eye. The myopia limit is −1.0 D Sph, hypermetropia +2.0 D Sph, and astigmatism ±1.0 D Cyl. Binocular vision must be Grade III. Colour perception must be CP Pass (Ishihara). This is significantly stricter than IMA (which allows −3.5 D myopia) because of the demands of watch-keeping and navigation at sea. Source: CDS 2025 Notification page 37.
• Can I join INA after LASIK?

  Yes, LASIK is permitted for the initial INA entry — with conditions: surgery done after age 20, minimum 12 months post-surgery with uncomplicated recovery, pre-operative refractive error not more than ±6.0 D, corneal thickness ≥ 450 µm, axial length ≤ 26 mm, normal retina, normal topography, and a certificate from the operating centre is mandatory at the medical board. However, LASIK is NOT permitted for submarine, diver, or MARCO entries post-commissioning — it only affects specialist roles, not the initial INA entry itself.
• I am a Commerce graduate. Can I apply for INA through CDS?

  No. INA (Indian Naval Academy) requires a Degree in Engineering from a recognised university. Commerce, arts, science (BSc), or management graduates cannot apply for INA regardless of marks or exam ranking. They can apply for IMA (any degree), OTA Men/Women (any degree), or AFA (Physics + Maths at 10+2 plus any degree). INA is the only CDS academy with an engineering-specific educational requirement.
• What does binocular vision Grade III mean?

  Binocular vision is graded in three levels. Grade I = stereopsis (true depth perception). Grade II = fusion (the brain merges the two images into one). Grade III = simultaneous perception (both eyes see at the same time, but without full fusion — the lowest functional grade). Grade III is the minimum required for INA. If you have a manifest squint (tropia), your binocular vision is effectively broken — even if each eye sees individually — and you will be unfit. The test is typically done with a synoptophore or Titmus stereo test at the Service Medical Board.
• My myopia is −1.2 D. Can I apply for INA?

  No. INA allows myopia only up to −1.0 D Sph. A refraction of −1.2 D exceeds this limit and results in unfitness for INA. You can still apply for IMA and OTA (Army, −3.5 D limit) where −1.2 D is comfortably within range. If you specifically want to apply for INA, LASIK surgery to bring refraction to NIL is permitted — but you must plan at least 18 months ahead (surgery must be after age 20, minimum 12 months post-op required before the SMB).
• Will a history of motion sickness affect my INA medical?

  Yes, this is particularly relevant for INA. Motion sickness at sea is a significant concern for naval duties — officers spend extended periods on ships in varying sea conditions. Persistent vestibular dysfunction is disqualifying. While occasional mild motion sickness is not explicitly listed as a disqualifier, candidates with a history of severe or persistent sea-sickness or vestibular problems should be aware that this will be assessed. The ENT specialist at the SMB may probe for vestibular function. Be honest in your medical declaration — undisclosed vestibular conditions discovered later can result in dismissal.
• Are there only 32 INA vacancies in CDS? What makes it so competitive?

  Yes. CDS I 2025 had 32 INA vacancies — compared to 275 OTA and 100 IMA. This makes the competition for INA extremely high across all three stages: written exam ranking, SSB, and medical combined. The engineering degree requirement additionally reduces the eligible candidate pool significantly — only BE/BTech graduates can apply. Candidates who combine strong engineering exam performance, SSB suitability, and compliance with the strict vision standards (−1.0 D myopia limit) form the target competitive profile.
• Does INA have a different knee-angle standard than IMA?

  The DGMS Army standard (intermalleolar > 5 cm for knock knees in males = unfit) is applied at INA officer entry. The Navy Annexure B para 21(a) lists knock knees with less than 5 cm intermalleolar separation as an "acceptable defect on entry" for general naval service — but at officer entry level for INA, the stricter DGMS criterion governs. In practice: if your intermalleolar distance is within 5 cm, you should be fine. If it exceeds 5 cm, you are unfit. INA is not more lenient than IMA on this specific criterion.

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