Join PMA Long Course 2026 – Complete PMA Long Course 159 Registration & Eligibility Guide

To join PMA Long Course 2026, male Pakistani candidates aged 17–22 (with relaxations up to 25 for special categories) apply online at joinpakarmy.gov.pk during the PMA Long Course 159 registration window, expected to open around September–October 2026. Candidates need at least 60% marks in Intermediate (FSc/FA/ICS/ICom) or graduation, must clear the initial written test, physical test, medical exam, and a 4-day ISSB assessment before being commissioned as a Second Lieutenant after two years of training at PMA Kakul.

Key Takeaways

The Pakistan Army has announced the PM Long Course program. The Pakistan Army conducts the PMA course twice a year. Its first registration is held in April and is open for about a month. Now, registration is open in September and the last date to apply is 22nd October. The program of PM Long Course is only for male candidates, and you should have completed the intermediate.

PMA Long course 2026 is one of the most reliable fields for Pakistan. This course is very crucial for students who want to join as an officer in the Pakistan army. The Pakistan officer gets talented young men from the applicants and then trains them to serve the Pakistan army. Every year there are a lot of students and the applicants apply for this course.

PMA 159 Long Course Apply Date 2026

The application date for the PMA Long course 2026 means it is the registration of the PMA Long course 159. The Registration of the pma 2026 (pma long course 159) will start at the mid of mid-october 2026 to mid in mid-Nov 2026. On the other hand, the PMA Long course 160 application date will begin after completing the process of the PMA long Course 159.

If your education is complete, you can apply for the PM Long Course, and the PMA Long Course program is very valuable in that you join the Army directly from the officer level. This is your joining as a second lieutenant. But from second lieutenant onwards, you keep growing based on your performance. You become a lieutenant, then there is Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Brigadier, General, Lieutenant General, and then Marshal. So, joining the Army is available after which you can have a great career, and you can also keep growing in it.

Start Test Now

1000 Non-Verbal Practice Tests from Past Papers

100 Verbal Intelligence Tests from the Past Papers

PMA Long Course 159: What’s New for 2026

PMA Long Course 159 is the next intake after Course 158, following the Pakistan Army’s long-standing pattern of two courses per year one starting in the March–May window and one in the September–November window.

The Pakistan Military Academy (PMA), headquartered at PMA Kakul in Abbottabad, runs this induction under the oversight of the Directorate of Personnel Administration at GHQ. Course 158 registration ran from late March to mid-May 2026, which means Course 159 the current cycle candidates are asking about falls in the second half of the year. Aspiring officers researching PMA Long Course 159 apply date 2026 should treat any specific day-by-day schedule found on unofficial sites with caution, since as of mid-2026 the official notification had not yet been published on joinpakarmy.gov.pk.

Nothing else about eligibility, testing, or training has fundamentally changed for Course 159 compared to Course 158  the same written test (English, Maths, General Knowledge, Islamiat, Intelligence), the same ISSB four-day evaluation, and the same two-year commissioning course apply.

Pro Tip: Don’t wait for the official date to start preparing. The subject list is identical every course, so beginning your initial test and physical training now puts you ahead of candidates who wait for the announcement.

PMA Long Course 159 Registration Dates 2026

The answer is: based on the Army’s consistent six-month cycle between courses, PMA Long Course 159 registration is expected to open between September and October 2026, with the initial written test typically following four to six weeks after registration closes.

The registration will start on 16th September and will continue till 22nd October, and the candidates will have to appear for it. Apart from this, the preliminary tests will be conducted from 28th October to 20th December and candidates from any district of Pakistan can appear for it. Apart from this, candidates from Kashmir and Pakistan can also appear for it, and if a candidate has another nationality other than Pakistani, then he will have to send his nationality after selection.

Because different unofficial sources currently list conflicting exact dates for this cycle, the most reliable approach is:

1. Bookmark the official portal: joinpakarmy.gov.pk
2. Watch national newspaper advertisements (the Army traditionally publishes the formal notification there as well)
3. Prepare your documents and physical fitness now, so you can register on day one once the window opens

 Eligibility Criteria for the PMA Long Course 159

All the eligible students should join the Army and if they apply on all its platforms, then it is necessary to fulfill all the requirements. And the rest of the selection process is also very complicated in which you have to clear every step successfully. Marital status should be unmarried, and only such general forces personnel whose age is more than twenty years and even if they are married can apply. Only male candidates can apply, and the minimum height should be 5 feet and four inches, and weight should be as per body size.

Education and Age Requirements

After this, the eligibility conditions have been revised, and the students who apply for their intermediate exam should be between 17 and 22 years of age as of 2025. You have to add some marks to whatever age you have now and according to this age, you have to see what your age would be at that time. It should not be more than 22 years and should not be less than 17 years so that you can get admission to the higher secondary.

The candidates who have completed two years of graduation or those students who are personnel of the Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force, then their age limit is a little different in such cases. As of 2026, the age should be between seventeen and thirty years. And if you have up to three months, then you can apply at the lower limit. For those students who apply based on their graduation, those who have done BB Honors, BA, BP, etc. Then, the further limit is between seventeen to twenty-four years, and there will be no other limit.

Those who are serving army soldiers, then they can apply between seventeen to twenty-five years, and they will also not be given any upper limit. Apart from this, the students who apply based on B.Sc., it is mandatory to have their marks, and apart from this, the students who apply based on B.Sc., if they have sixty percent marks in their grades and if they have got marks, then they can apply. If you apply only for Intermediate, then there is a requirement for you, but if you apply, then you can apply here even if you have 50% marks in the exam. But your minimum mark should be 50%.

If the exam is for the Central and Army level, then it can be applied even based on 50% marks in the exam, and all such candidates who have duplicate or revised mark sheet certificates are available instead of the original. They will have to provide a verification certificate of their Matriculation, Intermediate, B.Sc which is signed by the Board of Secondary Education Authority, and the lower candidates who will apply will have to provide a certificate from IBCC.

Ineligibility Criteria For PMA Long Course 2026

There are some such conditions based on which students are made ineligible or they cannot apply for this exam.

• First of all, those students who have been rejected twice from ISSB.
• Apart from this, students who have been rejected or failed in the Initial Test three times, and who have failed the Intelligence and Academic Test three times, cannot apply for the PMA Long course again.
• Candidates who have appeared for the test in the last four months or within one hundred and twenty days.
• If they have appeared in ISSB and have been rejected, they cannot give the test again right now.
• They can apply after one hundred and twenty days have passed.
• Apart from this, candidates who have been dismissed, removed, or debarred from any Government Service including the Armed Forces can also plan.
• Candidates who have been dismissed by the Court of Laws also cannot apply.
• Apart from this, candidates who have been declared permanently unfit by the Appeal Medical Board also cannot apply.
• Apart from this, candidates who have been declared medically unfit based on Hepatitis BNC cannot plan.
• Candidates who withdraw from Armed Forces College Institution based on disciplinary grounds cannot do so, and those candidates who have any kind of cancellation of charges in their admission certificates or any such information that is faked will also not be able to apply.
• The drug test of the candidates will also be taken in CMCH Military Hospital or A.
• And if this drug test comes out positive, then such candidates will be cleared from it and they can plan again anytime.

Regional quota note: Candidates with domicile from Balochistan, FATA, Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral, Dir, District Kohistan, District Neelum (AJK), Tharparkar, Tehsil Umer Kot, District Rajanpur, and the Cholistan belt are eligible with a relaxed 55% marks requirement in Intermediate, provided they actually studied in those areas.

PMA Long Course 158 vs PMA Long Course 159

How to Apply for PMA Long Course 159 Online (Step-by-Step)

1. Visit joinpakarmy.gov.pk once the PMA Long Course 159 notification is live.
2. Create an account using your CNIC or B-Form number.
3. Fill the online form with exact details matching your official documents mismatches are a leading cause of rejection at the test stage.
4. Select your nearest test center.
5. Upload documents: CNIC (self and father), Matric and Intermediate certificates, domicile, and photographs.
6. Submit and download your registration slip, which will later carry your initial test date and time.
7. Re-check the slip after a few days if the test date isn’t shown initially it’s typically updated within 3–5 days.

What Happens After ISSB? Life at PMA Kakul

Candidates who clear the four-day ISSB and subsequent medical board join PMA Kakul for two years of training covering academics, physical conditioning, weapons handling, drill, and leadership development. Gentlemen Cadets live under a structured daily routine designed to build discipline and camaraderie before passing out and being commissioned as Second Lieutenants, after which they are posted to their first unit.

PMA Long Course Salary and Career Progression

A newly commissioned Second Lieutenant’s starting pay, including allowances, generally falls in a range that increases significantly with each promotion  Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Brigadier, and upward through the general officer ranks. Exact current pay scales are revised periodically by GHQ, so candidates should confirm the latest figures through official Army sources rather than third-party estimates at the time of joining.

FAQs About PMA Long Course 159 (2026)

When will PMA Long Course 159 registration start?

It is expected to open around September–October 2026, based on the Army’s biannual pattern. The official date will be confirmed only on joinpakarmy.gov.pk.

What is the minimum eligibility for PMA Long Course 159?

At least 60% marks in Intermediate (FSc/FA/ICS/ICom) or graduation, unmarried status, minimum height of 5 feet 4 inches, and age between 17–22 for Intermediate-level candidates.

Can graduates apply for PMA Long Course 159?

Yes. Two-year degree holders can apply up to age 23, and four-year degree holders (BS/BA Hons/BBA) up to age 24.

Is PMA Long Course open to female candidates?

No, PMA Long Course is male-only. Women can join as commissioned officers through the Lady Cadet Course (LCC) or Armed Forces Nursing Service (AFNS).

How long is PMA training?

Two years at PMA Kakul, after which cadets are commissioned as Second Lieutenants.

What is the ISSB and how long does it last?

ISSB is a four-day psychological, physical, and leadership assessment conducted by the Inter-Services Selection Board, typically held two to four months after registration closes.

Can a candidate reapply after being rejected once?

Yes, but candidates rejected twice by ISSB, or who fail the initial/intelligence test three times, become ineligible to reapply.

Is there a relaxation in eligibility for candidates from remote regions?

Yes, candidates with domicile from specified underdeveloped regions (Balochistan, FATA, Gilgit-Baltistan, and others listed above) get a 55% marks relaxation.