[5] The Supreme Court of India passed an order in August 2021 that allowed female candidates to appear for the all upcoming NDA entrance examination.

[7] After the independence of India in August 1947, the Chiefs of Staff Committee immediately implemented the recommendations of the Auchinleck report.

The committee initiated an action plan in late 1947 to commission a permanent defense academy and began the search for a suitable site.

The NDA campus is located about 17 km southwest of Pune city, northwest of Khadakwasla Lake, with the Sinhagad Fort providing a panoramic backdrop.

[15] The site was also chosen for its proximity to the Arabian Sea and other military establishments, an operational air base nearby at Lohagaon as well as the salubrious climate.

Its architecture features an exterior design comprising a blend of arches, pillars, and verandahs, topped by a dome.

[9] NDA has an excellent infrastructure for the all-round training of cadets and a vast array of facilities like spacious and well-maintained classrooms, well-equipped labs, three Olympic size swimming pools, gymnasiums, 32 football fields, two polo grounds, a cricket stadium, and several squash and tennis courts.

Applicants to the NDA are selected via a written exam conducted by the UPSC every year, followed by extensive interviews by the Services Selection Board covering general aptitude, psychological testing, team skills, leadership qualities as well as physical and social skills, along with medical tests.

[18][additional citation(s) needed] Applicants who join the Air Force through the flying branch also go through a test called Computerized Pilot Selection System or CPSS for short.

As the number of cadets joining the NDA increased annually, the Defence Ministry of India sanctioned the raising of 16th, 17th, and 18th squadrons in 2012, with the initial letter of their names being "P", "Q" and "R" respectively.

Rather than praying to God of any specific religion, the prayer has been modeled to seek blessings for performing duty to the country and remain morally straight.

The prayer also seeks blessings for granting opportunities of service to the country and the men the cadets would go on to lead and overall to place 'service before self'.

The Humanities (Liberal Arts) stream offers studies in history, economics, political science, geography and languages.

All the cadets joining the NDA after their 10+2 Examination are trained in the academy for three years culminating in graduation with Bachelor of arts or a Bachelor's of science or BCs (Computer Science) degree of Jawaharlal Nehru University & University of Delhi; the first course to be awarded degrees was the 46th course in 1974.

[citation needed] Cadets are imparted with basic military skills of weapon handling, firing, field engineering, tactics, and map reading.

The method of training imparted is both theoretical and practical which includes classes, lectures demonstrations, and exercises for further application of acquired knowledge on the ground.

In the sixth term Camp Torna,[12][14] "recalling the first victory of Shivaji, a teenager"[27] is conducted, where practical aspects are reinforced in simulated field conditions.

The Air Force cadet who stood first in Ground Subjects was awarded the Sqn Ldr Vasudev Memorial Book Prize that same night.

The induction of Super Dimona in 2001 was a watershed moment in the history of AFTT introducing a huge jump in the quality of training.

The Air Force cadets of the academy now learn the basics of flying training at this facility on the Diamond Super Dimona HK36 aircraft.

Practical instructions are imparted in the Watermanship Training Centre at Peacock Bay during regular periods and club days.

As part of the visit, the naval cadets are sent to NBCD School to acquaint themselves with firefighting damage control aspects.

Watermanship Training Centre includes Yachting, Kayaking, Windsurfing, Rowing, Water-skiing, and Ship Modeling.

[33][3] The Standard Bearers, a documentary directed and written by Dipti Bhalla and Kunal Verma provides an inside look into the history and operations of the NDA.

Another documentary film My Flag, My Life written by Ambarnath Sinha and directed by Nandan Khuhyadi and Sanjay Dabke, provides details about the life of NDA cadets and is intended to create awareness about a career in the armed forces among the young generation.

[34][35][verification needed] Books depicting NDA include the fictional "Boots Belts Berets" by Tanushree Podder, which is also being adapted into a web series.