BMI Calculator India
Find your Body Mass Index in a click, then see where it lands against the fitness benchmarks used by NDA, the Indian Army, Police and CAPF.
Physical standards for Indian defence & police exams
| Exam | Min height (Male) | Min height (Female) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| NDA (Army Wing) | 157.5 cm | — | Male only; weight proportional |
| NDA (Air Force / Navy) | 162.5 cm | — | Additional vision standards |
| CDS (IMA/OTA) | 157.5 cm | 152 cm | Weight proportional to height |
| Indian Army (Soldier GD) | 169 cm | — | 165 cm for hilly areas |
| CRPF / BSF / CISF | 170 cm | 157 cm | +5 cm relaxation for NE states |
| Delhi / State Police | 170 cm | 157 cm | Varies by state |
| Indian Coast Guard | 157 cm | — | Weight 50–75 kg for 157–163 cm |
| SSB / Intelligence Bureau | 165 cm | 150 cm | Medical fitness required |
* These figures shift with category and recruitment year — treat the official notification as the final word.
BMI for Indian competitive exams — what to know
BMI is a quick way to gauge body fat using just your height and weight. Most Indian recruitment exams, though, do not chase a single BMI target — they check that your weight is in proportion to your height. Bodies like the Indian Army, CRPF, BSF and the state police work from height-weight charts calibrated to the Indian population.
If you are targeting NDA: the SSB medical board looks at your height, weight, chest and general fitness together. Being clearly underweight (a BMI under 16) or obese (over 30) will usually get you marked unfit, so aim to sit inside the comfortable 17–25 band that defence hopefuls are expected to hold.
Why the Indian numbers differ: the WHO calls 25–30 overweight and 30+ obese, but Indian medical bodies pull those lines down. The ICMR treats 23 as the start of overweight and 27.5 as obese, since South Asians tend to carry more body fat than Caucasians at an identical BMI.
Writing UPSC, SSC or bank exams? None of these written papers ask for a BMI or any physical standard. A full medical only comes into play later, and only if you are posted to a service with field duties such as the IPS or the IFS forest service.