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There are two main routes of entry into the defense services. Both are via prescribed competitive examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission: The National Defense Academy/Naval Academy Exam, and the Combined Defense Services Exam. There are also direct entry recruitments made for technical and professional branches, for which technical qualifications are necessary.
Levels of Promotion
The hierarchy within each of the Armed Forces is very well defined, and all officers must work their way up the ranks during the course of their career. These are:
The Army
· Lieutenant
· Captain
· Major
· Lt. Colonel
· Colonel
· Brigadier
· Major General
· Lt. General
· General
· Field Marshal
The Navy
· Sub Lieutenant
· Lieutenant
· Lieutenant
· Lt. Commander
· Commander
· Captain
· Commodore
· Rear Admiral
· Vice Admiral
· Admiral
The Air Force
· Pilot Officer
· Flt. Lieutenant
· Squadron Leader
· Wing Commander
· Group Captain
· Air Commodore
· Air Vice-Marshal
· Air Marshal
Status of Women
Although women have always been an integral part of the Medical Corps and Military Nursing Services, the Armed Forces as such remained an exclusively male preserve. It is only very recently that women have been allowed to join up as regular officers.
The Indian Navy was the first among the services to induct women in its non-combatant cadres of logistics, law, and air traffic control, all in the Executive branch of the navy. The Indian Army opened its doors to women in 1992, and since then a small but increasing number of lady cadets have been passing through the Officers Training Academy, Madras.
Women can now be found in most ground jobs in the army, including the Army Service Corps, Ordnance Corps, Education Corps, Signals, Electrical Mechanical Engineers, the Judge Advocate General's Branch, and most recently, the Army Intelligence Corps.
The Indian Air Force is now accepting women on short service commission into certain branches. The first female trainee pilots were inducted in 1992 for transport planes and helicopters. Women are also recruited as navigators and in the Technical and Ground Duty branches.
Training
All officers of the Indian Armed Forces undergo special military training before being awarded their commission.
Institutions
The various branches of the Armed Forces maintain a number of establishments that impart military training to fresh recruits. Anyone wishing to join the Armed Forces must first pass through one or another of these training establishments.
In general, these establishments maintain tough, exacting schedules that concentrate on discipline and fitness. Their curricula include an approximately equal mix of physical and combat training, as well as academics.
General conditions of eligibility:
Nationality -the candidate must be:
(i) A citizen of India; or
(ii) A subject of Bhutan; or
(iii) A subject of Nepal; or
(iv) A Tibetan refugee who crossed over to India before 1 January 1962 with the intention of settling permanently in India; or
(v) A person of Indian origin who migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, or the East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire or Ethiopia with the intention of settling permanently in India.
Candidates from categories (ii) through (v) must possess a certificate of eligibility in their favour, issued by the government of India. The certificate of eligibility is, however, not necessary in the case of candidates who are Gorkha subjects of Nepal.
PHYSICAL STANDARDS
Candidates recommended by the Services Selection Board must undergo a medical examination by the Board of Service Medical Officers, and are admitted to the various training establishments only on condition of being declared fit by the medical board.
The proceedings of the board are confidential. However, candidates declared temporarily unfit are intimated by the president of the medical board, and the procedure for request for an appeal to the medical board is also intimated to the candidate. Candidates must be physically fit in accordance with prescribed physical standards, as summarized below:
a) The candidate must be in good physical and mental condition, and free from any disease/disability, which is likely to interfere with the efficient discharge of duties.
b) There should be no evidence of excess weight, weak constitution, or physical handicap.
c) The minimum acceptable height is 157.5 cm (157 cm for the navy and 162 cm for the air force). For Gorkhas and the Hill Peoples of northeastern India, Garhwal and Kumaon, the minimum acceptable height is 5 cm lower than the standard. In the case of candidates from Lakshadweep, the minimum acceptable height may be reduced by 2 cm. These concessions are not applicable to the Indian Navy.
For the Navy, a 10% departure from the average weight is acceptable. However, in the case of
applicants with a heavy bone structure and broad build or with slight build but in otherwise good
health-stipulations may be relaxed to some extent, on the basis of merit.
d) Candidates must be able to read 6/6 in a distant vision chart with each eye with or without
glasses for the Army, and without glasses for the Navy and Air Force. Besides these general conditions of eligibility-each training institution has its own stipulations regarding acceptability and selection of candidates.
Note: Although the following information pertains to male recruits-women are now eligible to join the Armed Forces, for which a separate screening process has been instituted.
The National Defense Academy (NDA)/Naval Academy
This is the first level of entry into the Indian Armed Forces.
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must be unmarried males in the age group of 16.5-19 years. They should have completed 12 years of education, i.e. have cleared the class XII examination or its equivalent.
For the Naval Academy, class XII with physics and mathematics is essential.
Marine engineering, electrical engineering, and naval architecture branches of the navy are open, under the Cadet Entry Scheme, to candidates who have taken physics and mathematics as optional subjects for the 10+2 examination.
For technical disciplines in the army, there is direct recruitment under the University Entry Scheme for undergraduates between 20-26 years of age. Technical graduates in specified disciplines between the ages of 20-27 years are recruited in the Technical Graduates Commission and the Short Service (Technical) Commission.
There is a Women's Special Entry Scheme (officers) for women graduates in specified subjects and between 19-27 years of age. Graduates and postgraduates in subjects like law, veterinary science, medicine etc. and between the ages of 21-25 years are also recruited into the army.
Selection is in two stages.
WRITTEN EXAMINATION
All applicants are required to take a written examination to gain admission to the NDA or the Naval Academy. The examination is of two hours duration and comprises two papers:
(a) Mathematics-120 questions; maximum score 300. This paper covers arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, set theory and statistics, as per the secondary school curriculum for classes VII-X.
(b) General Ability: 150 questions; maximum score 600.
The General Ability Test has two parts:
Part A-50 questions, English language usage and comprehension. Areas tested include spotting errors, sentence improvement, synonyms, antonyms, passages for comprehension, ordering of words in a sentence, reconstruction of passages, etc.
Part B-100 questions, covering physics, chemistry, biology, geography, civics, history, economics, current affairs and general knowledge.
FINAL SELECTION
Candidates who qualify the written test are required to undergo further group tests, psychological tests and a personal interview with the Service Selection Board, before they are finally granted admission. To enter the Indian Air Force, candidates are required to take a Pilot Aptitude Test as part of the SSB interview exercise. After successful completion of training at the NDA/Naval Academy, cadets are awarded a B.Sc. degree from Pune University.
Training
After completion of training at the NDA/Naval Academy, army cadets go to the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun; naval cadets join a training ship; and air force cadets are sent to the Flying Academy, Dundigal, for one year of pilot's training, before being awarded their commissions as Permanent Officers of the Indian Armed Forces.
The Indian Military Academy/Naval Academy/Air Force Academy
Those over the age of nineteen years who wish to join the Defense Services can opt for direct entry by taking the Combined Defense Services Exam held twice every year in May and October. Advertisements inviting applications for this exam are carried by the national dailies in November/
December and May/June every year. Through the CDSE, candidates can gain admission to the IMA, Dehradun, the Naval Academy, Goa, or the Air Force Academy, Hyderabad, for orientation training.
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must be unmarried males in the age group of 19 to 25 years. Educational requirements for eligibility are:
IMA and Officers Training Academy
Graduation from a recognized university or its equivalent.
Naval Academy
B.Sc. with physics and mathematics or a Bachelor's degree in engineering.
Air Force Academy
Graduation from a recognized university or its equivalent.
Officers Training Academy, Madras
Graduation from a recognized university or its equivalent. Final-year degree course students are also eligible to apply.
Selection Process
All applicants must undergo a rigorous selection process before they are deemed fit for admission to the Academy. This includes a Written Examination, and only those who pass the written examination are required to appear in person for an interview with members of the Service Selection Board.
INTELLIGENCE AND PERSONALITY TEST
In addition to the interview, applicants at this stage are required to undergo a series of intelligence and personality tests. The tests, both verbal and non-verbal, are designed not only to assess the intellectual capacity of the candidate, but social traits and interest in current affairs as well.
Training
Indian Military Academy, Dehradun Army cadets, known as Gentlemen Cadets, undergo rigorous
military training for a period of 18 months, with the aim of turning out capable officers to take on the responsibility of leading infantry sub-units. On the successful completion of their training,
Gentlemen Cadets are granted permanent commission in the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, subject to being found medically fit.
Naval Academy, Goa
Candidates who are selected to join the Academy are appointed to the Executive branch of the navy as cadets. Training includes coursework and hands-on experience at various naval establishments and aboard ship, and is divided as follows:
a. Naval Orientation Course 20 weeks
b. Cadet Training Afloat Training Ships 6 months
c. Midshipman Afloat Training 6 months
d. Ag. Sub-Lieutenant Afloat Training 6 months
e. Sub-Lieutenant Technical Courses 12 months
On completion of training, officers are appointed on board Indian naval vessels for a minimum period of six months, in order to obtain Naval Watch Keeping Certificates.
Officers Training Academy, Madras
Candidates, once selected, are enrolled under the Army Act as Gentlemen Cadets and undergo a training course of approximately nine months' duration at the Academy. At the end of this period, Gentlemen Cadets are granted a short service commission in the rank of 2nd Lieutenant from the
date of completion of training.
Officers are kept on probation for six months from the time they receive their commission. Any officer reported on during this period, as being unsuited to retain his commission, may at any time-during or after expiry of probation have his commission terminated.
Air Force Academy
Candidates recommended by the Air Force Selection Board, and deemed physically fit by the appropriate medical authority, are detailed for training strictly on the basis of merit and the availability of vacancies. The approximate duration of training for the Flying Branch (pilots) at the Air Force Academy is 75 weeks.
After successful completion of training, cadets graduate in the rank of Pilot Officer, and are entitled to the pay and allowances due to their rank. There is also direct recruitment to the technical branches for permanent/short service commission. The educational requirement is an engineering degree. Age limit is 18-28 years.
Career Path
Once an officer of the Indian Armed Forces receives his commission, his rise through the various ranks depends on the number of years he has served in the force, as well as on the performance of his duties.
Promotion
Promotion policies in the Armed Forces are well defined, and are as follows:
Indian Army
Substantive Promotion: The service limits for substantive promotions are given below:
Rank Minimum Service:
By Time Scale
Lieutenant 2 years commissioned service
Captain 5 years commissioned service
Major 11 years commissioned service
Lt. Colonel from Major 21 years commissioned service
By Selection
Lt. Colonel 16 years commissioned service
Colonel 20 years commissioned service
Brigadier 23 years commissioned service
Major General 25 years commissioned service
Lt. General 28 years commissioned service
General No restriction
Acting Promotion: The service limits for acting promotion are:
Captain 3 years
Major 6 years
Lt. Colonel 6.5 years
Brigadier 12 years
Major General 20 years
Lt. General 25 years
Indian Navy
Substantive promotion
The service limits for substantive promotion in the navy are as follows:
Rank Minimum Service:
By Time Scale
Sub Lieutenant 1 year
Lieutenant 3 years
Lieutenant Commander 8 years seniority as Lt.
Commander 24 years commissioned service if not promoted by selection
By Selection
Commander Executive 2-8 years
seniority as Lt. Cdr.
Commander Engineer 2-10 years
Commander Electrical 2-10 years
Rear Admiral No restriction
Vice Admiral
There is no service limit for the grant of acting promotion in the navy except to the rank of Lt. Cdr. for which an officer should have attained six years seniority as Lieutenant.
Indian Air Force
Substantive Promotion
The service limits for substantive promotion in the air force are as follows:
Rank Minimum Service:
By Time Scale
Flying Officer 1 year commissioned service
Flight Lieutenant 5 years commissioned service
Squadron Leader 11 years commissioned service
Wing Commander On completion of 21 years
of commissioned service if not
promoted by selection
By Selection
Wing Commander 16 years reckonable total
commissioned service
Group Captain 22 years reckonable total
commissioned service
Air Commodore 24 years reckonable total
commissioned service
Air Vice Marshal 26 years reckonable total
commissioned service
Air Marshal 28 years reckonable total
commissioned service
Acting Promotion: Minimum service limits for acting promotion in the air force are:
Flight Lieutenant 2 years
Squadron Leader 5 years
Wing Commander 6 years (after service of 1 year
in rank of Sqdn. Ldr.)
Group Captain 8 years (after service of 1 year
in rank of Sqdn. Ldr.)
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES
Love for one's country, commitment, dedication; perception, the will to fight and face hardships, an alert mind, integrity, willingness to obey orders.
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