- Army, Navy, Air Force Ground Duty: 157 cm (male) · 152 cm (female)
- Air Force Flying: 162.5 cm (both male and female) — strictest, no relaxation
- Below 18 years at medical exam: +2 cm growth allowance on the minimum
Minimum height by entry wing
The table below shows the official minimum height for each NDA entry wing. Heights are measured without shoes.
| Entry Wing | Male minimum | Female minimum |
|---|---|---|
| NDA Army | 157 cm | 152 cm |
| NDA Naval (NA) | 157 cm | 152 cm |
| NDA Air Force Ground Duty | 157 cm | 152 cm |
| NDA Air Force Flying | 162.5 cm | 162.5 cm |
Regional height relaxations
Candidates from specific hill, tribal and North-East regions receive a reduced minimum height for Army and Navy wings. The categories and their relaxed minimums are listed below.
| Category | Male minimum | Female minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Tribals from Ladakh | 155 cm | 150 cm |
| Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep & Minicoy | 155 cm | 150 cm |
| Gorkhas, Nepali, Assamese, Garhwali, Kumaoni, Uttarakhand hills | 152 cm | 147 cm |
| Bhutan, Sikkim & North-East Region | 152 cm | 147 cm |
| Extra-talented sports candidates (male only) | 155 cm | — |
To claim a regional relaxation, candidates must submit relevant domicile/community documentation as specified in the NDA Notification Appendix IV.
Growth allowance for candidates under 18
If you are below 18 years of age at the time of the medical examination, you are eligible for a +2 cm growth allowance on the minimum height standard. This applies to both male and female candidates and to all wings (including, notably, if you are at 160.5 cm for Flying — you would be conditionally cleared pending re-measurement at a later date).
Air Force Flying branch — additional anthropometry
For the NDA Air Wing Flying branch, candidates must also meet ejection-seat safety anthropometric parameters. These measurements determine whether a pilot can safely use the ejection seat in combat aircraft.
| Parameter | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Sitting height | 81.5 cm | 96.0 cm |
| Leg length (heel to buttock) | 99.0 cm | 120.0 cm |
| Thigh length | — | 64.0 cm |
Candidates who meet the overall height (162.5 cm) but fall outside these segment ratios are still unfit for the Flying branch. The sitting-height window is especially significant — very tall candidates with long torsos can be rejected even above 162.5 cm overall height.
Chest size and expansion requirement
Chest measurements are taken at the time of the medical board. The standards are:
- Minimum chest circumference: 77 cm (fully relaxed / expiratory)
- Minimum expansion: 5 cm (difference between full inspiration and expiration)
Rounding rules (Annexure C para 7)
- Fractions less than 0.5 cm are ignored.
- A fraction of exactly 0.5 cm is counted as 0.5 cm.
- A fraction of 0.6 cm or more is rounded up to the nearest full 1 cm.
So a chest of 76.6 cm counts as 77 cm (accepted), while 76.4 cm counts as 76 cm (rejected). Similarly, an expansion of 4.6 cm counts as 5 cm (accepted), while 4.4 cm counts as 4 cm (rejected).
Weight for height — Army wing chart (abbreviated)
The NDA weight standard is not a single number — it is a height-matched range with separate maximum weights for different age bands. The chart below covers the most commonly tested heights. The complete table appears in the NDA Notification Annexure A, pages 37–38.
| Height (cm) | Min weight (all ages) kg | Max — age 17–20 yrs kg | Max — age 20–30 yrs kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 152 | 41.6 | 50.8 | 53.1 |
| 155 | 43.2 | 52.9 | 55.3 |
| 160 | 46.1 | 56.3 | 58.9 |
| 165 | 49.0 | 59.9 | 62.6 |
| 170 | 52.0 | 63.6 | 66.5 |
| 175 | 55.1 | 67.4 | 70.4 |
| 180 | 58.3 | 71.3 | 74.5 |
| 185 | 61.6 | 75.3 | 78.7 |
| 190 | 65.0 | 79.4 | 83.0 |
Above-limit weight — exceptions
Candidates who exceed the maximum weight in the chart are not automatically rejected. They may still be accepted, but only if all of the following conditions are met simultaneously:
- Documented evidence of participation in body-building, wrestling, or boxing at the National level
- BMI below 25 (Army and Navy) or below 27 (Air Force)
- Waist-Hip Ratio below 0.9 (male) or 0.8 (female)
- Waist circumference below 90 cm (male) / 80 cm (female) for Army; below 94 cm (male) / 89 cm (female) for Air Force
- All biochemical and metabolic parameters within normal limits (fasting glucose, lipid profile, etc.)
Meeting only some of these criteria is not sufficient — all must be satisfied together. Documentation of National-level sporting achievement is especially scrutinised.
NDA height in feet: quick conversions
Many candidates look up "nda height in feet" because school discussions happen in feet and inches while the official standard is metric. Here are the key conversions:
| Height (cm) | Feet & Inches | Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| 147 cm | 4 ft 9.9 in | Female minimum — NE/Gorkha relaxation |
| 150 cm | 4 ft 11 in | Female minimum — Ladakh/A&N relaxation |
| 152 cm | 4 ft 11.8 in | Female standard; Male NE/Gorkha relaxation |
| 155 cm | 5 ft 1 in | Male — Ladakh/A&N relaxation |
| 157 cm | 5 ft 1.8 in | Male standard (Army, Navy, AF Ground Duty) |
| 162.5 cm | 5 ft 4 in | Air Force Flying — male and female |
The conversion formula: divide centimetres by 2.54 for total inches, then divide by 12 for feet. Remainder inches = total inches mod 12.
Frequently asked questions
-
What is the minimum height for NDA Army?
The minimum height for NDA Army wing is 157 cm for male candidates and 152 cm for female candidates. Regional relaxations may apply for candidates from Ladakh, Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep, North-East Region, Gorkha and Kumaoni hills (see table above). -
What is the minimum height for NDA Air Force Flying?
The minimum height for the NDA Air Force Flying branch is 162.5 cm for both male and female candidates. This is the strictest height requirement across all NDA wings, and no regional relaxation applies to the Flying branch. Candidates must also meet additional sitting-height, leg-length and thigh-length limits for ejection-seat safety. -
What is the minimum height for NDA for girls?
For female candidates, the minimum height is 152 cm for Army, Navy and Air Force Ground Duty wings. For the Air Force Flying branch, the minimum is 162.5 cm — same as for male candidates. Regional relaxations reduce the minimum to 147 cm (NE/Gorkha) or 150 cm (Ladakh/A&N) for Army and Navy only. -
Is there a height relaxation for NDA in North-East / Gorkha region?
Yes. Candidates from Bhutan, Sikkim, North-East Region, and from Gorkha, Nepali, Assamese, Garhwali, Kumaoni and Uttarakhand hill communities have a relaxed minimum of 152 cm (male) and 147 cm (female) for Army and Navy wings. This relaxation does not apply to the Air Force Flying branch. -
What is the minimum weight for NDA?
There is no single universal minimum — weight is assessed against a height-for-weight chart. At 152 cm the minimum is 41.6 kg; at 160 cm it is 46.1 kg; at 170 cm it is 52.0 kg. Candidates below the minimum weight for their height are placed under medical hold and re-examined. The full chart is in NDA Notification Annexure A pages 37–38. -
What is the chest size requirement for NDA?
The minimum chest circumference at full expiration is 77 cm. Additionally, the expansion (difference between full inspiration and full expiration) must be at least 5 cm. Fractions of 0.5 cm and above are counted; fractions below 0.5 cm are ignored (Annexure C para 7). -
Can I join NDA if I am slightly overweight?
Candidates above the chart maximum may be accepted only if they simultaneously meet all five conditions: (1) documented National-level participation in body-building, wrestling or boxing; (2) BMI <25 (Army/Navy) or <27 (Air Force); (3) Waist-Hip Ratio <0.9 / 0.8; (4) waist circumference within limits; and (5) all biochemical metabolic parameters normal. Meeting only some conditions is insufficient. -
What happens if I am under 18 and do not meet the height requirement?
Candidates below 18 years at the time of the medical examination are granted a +2 cm growth allowance on the minimum height standard. So an under-18 male applying for Army needs only 155 cm, and an under-18 female needs only 150 cm. This allowance covers anticipated growth and applies to both male and female candidates.
Sources
- UPSC NDA & NA (I) 2025 Notification, Annexure B para 5(d), Annexure C paras 7–9 — height, chest and weight standards
- DGMS (Army) Medical Standards SN 76060/DGMS-5A, 01 Aug 2019, pages 5–7 — weight-for-height chart and anthropometric exception criteria
- NDA Notification Appendix IV — regional height relaxations by community category