The Defence Exam Calendar 2027 is important for aspirants preparing for NDA, CDS, CAPF, SSC GD, Indian Coast Guard, and other defence recruitment examinations. Knowing the examination schedule in advance helps candidates plan their syllabus completion, revision, mock tests, and physical preparation in a structured manner.

For 2027, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has already released its Annual Calendar 2027, which provides confirmed schedules for major examinations including NDA, CDS and CAPF. The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has also published its 2026–27 examination calendar, which includes the SSC GD Constable Examination 2027.

However, examinations such as AFCAT should only be assigned a 2027 examination date after the Indian Air Force officially announces it. Therefore, this page focuses on dates that are supported by official sources and clearly marks schedules that are yet to be announced.

Defence Exam Calendar 2027: Latest Official Dates

The UPSC Annual Calendar 2027 confirms that NDA 1 and CDS 1 will be conducted on 11 April 2027, while NDA 2 and CDS 2 will be conducted on 19 September 2027. The CAPF AC examination is scheduled for 4 July 2027. 

UPSC Defence Exam Dates 2027

UPSC conducts some of India's most important defence examinations. For candidates targeting officer-entry examinations, NDA and CDS are the two major examinations, while CAPF AC provides another route into uniformed services.

The UPSC calendar is particularly useful because it gives candidates the notification date, application deadline, and scheduled examination date well in advance.

NDA 1 2027 Exam Date

The National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (I), 2027 is scheduled for 11 April 2027.

According to the UPSC Annual Calendar 2027:

• Notification: 2 December 2026
• Last date to apply: 22 December 2026
• NDA 1 2027 exam: 11 April 2027
• Duration: 1 day

The NDA 1 2027 examination is conducted by UPSC for admission to the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of the National Defence Academy and the Indian Naval Academy. UPSC has already listed NDA 1 2027 among its forthcoming examinations.

Candidates targeting NDA 1 2027 should not wait for the notification before starting preparation. The notification is scheduled only a few months before the examination.

CDS 1 2027 Exam Date

The Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2027 is also scheduled for 11 April 2027.

The UPSC schedule provides:

• Notification: 2 December 2026
• Last date to apply: 22 December 2026
• CDS 1 2027 exam: 11 April 2027
• Duration: 1 day

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the CDS exam for entry into the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA) and Officers' Training Academy (OTA).

Since NDA 1 and CDS 1 are scheduled on the same date, aspirants preparing for both examinations should plan their preparation according to the respective eligibility criteria and syllabus.

CAPF AC Exam Date 2027

The Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) Examination 2027 is scheduled for 4 July 2027.

The official UPSC schedule gives:

• Notification: 17 February 2027
• Last date to apply: 9 March 2027
• CAPF AC 2027 exam: 4 July 2027
• Duration: 1 day

The CAPF AC examination is conducted for recruitment to the Assistant Commandant posts in the Central Armed Police Forces. 

Candidates preparing for CAPF should remember that the recruitment process is different from NDA and CDS and includes written examination, physical standards/physical efficiency requirements and subsequent stages.

NDA 2 2027 Exam Date

The NDA 2 2027 examination is scheduled for 19 September 2027.

According to the UPSC Annual Calendar:

• Notification: 12 May 2027
• Last date to apply: 1 June 2027
• NDA 2 2027 exam: 19 September 2027
• Duration: 1 day

NDA 2 provides another opportunity in 2027 for eligible candidates seeking admission through the NDA/NA route. 

CDS 2 2027 Exam Date

The CDS 2 2027 examination is scheduled for 19 September 2027.

The notification is scheduled for 12 May 2027, with applications closing on 1 June 2027. The examination will be conducted on 19 September 2027. 

Candidates preparing for CDS 2 should use the months before the notification to complete the syllabus, practise previous-year papers, and take full-length mock tests.

SSC GD Constable Exam 2027

The SSC Constable (GD) Examination 2027 is another major recruitment examination for candidates seeking opportunities in the Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles.

According to the official SSC Tentative Calendar of Examinations 2026–2027, the SSC GD 2027 notification was scheduled for September 2026, applications for October 2026, and the Computer-Based Examination is scheduled during January to March 2027. 

Since SSC describes this as a tentative calendar, candidates should check the SSC website for any subsequent changes to the examination schedule.

Indian Coast Guard CGEPT 01/2027 & 02/2027

The Indian Coast Guard CGEPT 01/2027 and 02/2027 recruitment is another important opportunity for candidates interested in joining the Coast Guard.

The official SSC website published the recruitment notification for Indian Coast Guard recruitment through Coast Guard Enrolled Persons Test (CGEPT), Batches 01/2027 and 02/2027, on 6 October 2026. 

The recruitment includes opportunities for posts such as Navik and Yantrik, subject to the eligibility and vacancy conditions specified in the notification.

Candidates should refer to the recruitment notification for the exact examination and selection-stage schedule instead of relying on unofficial expected dates.

AFCAT 2027 Exam Dates

The Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) is conducted by the Indian Air Force for officer-entry recruitment.

For an official-only defence exam calendar, AFCAT 1 2027 and AFCAT 2 2027 should currently be marked as “To Be Announced” unless the Indian Air Force releases the corresponding official notification.

AFCAT dates often follow a recurring recruitment pattern, but a previous-year pattern is not the same as an officially announced date.

Therefore, candidates should avoid treating expected AFCAT dates as confirmed.

Defence Exams 2027: Month-Wise Preparation Plan

The official schedules also help candidates understand how the major examinations are distributed throughout the year.

January to March 2027

The year begins with the SSC GD Constable 2027 Computer-Based Examination, which the SSC calendar places between January and March 2027. 

Candidates preparing for NDA 1 and CDS 1 should also use this period for intensive revision because both examinations are scheduled for April.

April 2027

11 April 2027 is an important date for defence aspirants because both NDA 1 2027 and CDS 1 2027 are scheduled on this date. 

May to June 2027

The NDA 2 and CDS 2 notification cycle begins in May. The UPSC calendar schedules the notification for 12 May 2027 and the application deadline for 1 June 2027. 

This is also an appropriate period for candidates to evaluate their preparation for the September examinations.

July 2027

The CAPF AC 2027 examination is scheduled for 4 July 2027. 

September 2027

September is another important month for defence aspirants.

Both:

• NDA 2 2027
• CDS 2 2027

are scheduled for 19 September 2027. 

How to Prepare According to the Defence Exam Calendar 2027?

Aspirants should use the examination calendar as a preparation tool rather than simply noting the dates.

For NDA 1 and CDS 1, candidates should aim to complete the first round of syllabus coverage several months before April 2027. The remaining period can then be used for revision, previous-year questions and mock tests.

For NDA 2 and CDS 2, candidates have additional preparation time after the first examination cycle. Those who are eligible for both attempts can use their performance in the first examination to identify weak areas and improve before September.

Candidates targeting CAPF AC should prepare separately for its syllabus and selection stages because its examination structure differs from NDA and CDS.

Similarly, candidates targeting SSC GD or Indian Coast Guard recruitment should prepare for both the written examination and the physical requirements applicable to their recruitment.

Why Should Candidates Follow Official Defence Exam Dates?

Defence examination dates can change because of administrative or other circumstances. The UPSC calendar itself states that the dates are liable to alteration if circumstances warrant. 

Therefore, candidates should use the annual calendar for initial planning but check the respective official website when:

• The notification is released.
• Applications open.
• The admit card is issued.
• The examination date is approaching.
• Any schedule-change notice is published.

This is especially important for examinations conducted by different organisations because UPSC, SSC, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Coast Guard have separate recruitment processes and official portals.

Defence Exam Calendar 2027: Key Takeaways

The major officially scheduled dates that defence aspirants should remember are:

• NDA 1 2027: 11 April 2027
• CDS 1 2027: 11 April 2027
• CAPF AC 2027: 4 July 2027
• NDA 2 2027: 19 September 2027
• CDS 2 2027: 19 September 2027
• SSC GD 2027: January–March 2027 examination window
• ICG CGEPT 01/2027 & 02/2027: Recruitment notification released; candidates should follow the official recruitment schedule
• AFCAT 1 & AFCAT 2 2027: Official dates awaited

The most important point for aspirants is to prepare according to the confirmed examination date rather than waiting for the notification. Early preparation gives candidates enough time to complete the syllabus, strengthen weak subjects, practise previous-year papers and improve examination speed.

Conclusion

The Defence Exam Calendar 2027 gives aspirants a clear opportunity to plan their preparation well in advance. The UPSC Annual Calendar confirms the dates for NDA 1, CDS 1, CAPF AC, NDA 2 and CDS 2, while the SSC calendar provides the examination window for SSC GD 2027.

For candidates targeting multiple defence examinations, the best approach is to create a preparation plan around the earliest confirmed examination date and then continue with the subsequent recruitment cycles.