First Women NDA Cadets Join Indian Military Academy

President Droupadi Murmu reviewed the Passing Out Parade of the 158th Regular Course and the 141st Technical Graduate Course at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun on 13 June 2026. The parade included nine women cadets from the National Defence Academy, who became the first women NDA batch to be commissioned as officers in the Indian Army.

Indian Military Academy

The Indian Military Academy is located in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, and it trains officer cadets for commissioning into the Indian Army. The academy conducts Passing Out Parades for regular and technical courses, which mark the completion of pre-commission training.

Women in the National Defence Academy

The National Defence Academy admitted women cadets after the Supreme Court order of August 2021 that allowed women to appear for the NDA entrance examination. The first women cadets from the NDA later entered service branches of the armed forces, including the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.

Passing Out Parade and Cadet Strength

A total of 515 officer cadets passed out from the Indian Military Academy in the 2026 parade. The batch included 481 Indian Gentleman Cadets and 34 foreign cadets from 16 friendly countries.

Important Facts for Exams

• The Indian Military Academy was established in 1932 in Dehradun.
• The National Defence Academy is located at Khadakwasla near Pune in Maharashtra.
• The Supreme Court allowed women to take the NDA entrance examination in August 2021.
• The Air Force Academy is located at Dundigal near Hyderabad in Telangana.

Related Defence Commissioning

Five additional women cadets from the first women NDA batch were commissioned into the Indian Air Force at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, Hyderabad. The commissioning of women cadets into multiple service academies is part of the current officer training structure of the Indian armed forces.