Joining the defence services has always been a dream for young aspirants. Therefore, we are presenting here some of the ways to go through their details, prepare for the exams accordingly, and join the defence services to fulfil their dreams of serving the nation.
Table of Contents
Types of Armed forces in India:
Indian Army
The Indian Army was established following India’s independence from British rule. The National Capital (Delhi) serves as its base of operations. The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who oversees general command, control, and administration, supervises the military unit.
Six operating commands and one training command make up the Indian Army. Each of these commands is led by a Lieutenant-General, who is on par with the Vice-Chief of Army Staff in terms of authority (VCOAS).
With 1,237,000 active soldiers and 800,000 reserve soldiers, the Indian Force is among the largest standing militaries in the world. It is also the largest standing volunteer army.
Indian Air Force
During British colonization, the Indian Air Force was founded on October 8th, 1932, and the prefix Royal was added in 1945 in appreciation of its contributions during World War 2. The year 1950 saw the abolition of the Royal prefix following Indian Independence.
Since then, the Indian Air Force has experienced significant reforms, including the hiring of women for short-service commissions. It has grown exponentially from a localised tactical force to a global force.
Indian Navy
The East India Company built the groundwork for the current Indian Navy in the seventeenth century, and the Royal Indian Navy was born in 1934. The Chief of Naval Staff oversees the Indian Navy, which is based in New Delhi (CNS).
A flag officer leads each of the three area commands that the Indian Navy is stationed under. The Southern Naval Command is located in Kochi (on the Arabian Sea), the Eastern Naval Command is headquartered in Vishakhapatnam on the Bay of Bengal, and the Western Naval Command is headquartered in Bombay on the Arabian Sea.
With 58,350 men and women, the Indian Navy is one of the largest naval forces in the world and aspires to become a “blue sea navy.”
Different exams to join defence services:
National Defence Academy Exam
For candidates in 10+2 who desire to join the Army, Navy, or Air Force after 12th grade, UPSC holds the NDA test.
NDA 1 2023 Exam: UPSC will publish the official NDA 1 2023 notification and exam date very soon.
NDA 2 2023 Exam: UPSC will start the NDA 2 2023 registration in the month of May 2023.
Combined Defence Services Exam (CDS Exam)
For those who are either in their last year of high school or have already graduated from college, UPSC holds the CDS Exam. One can enrol in the IMA, AFA, INA, and OTA through the CDS test. The CDS Exam is the only way for women to join OTA Chennai.
The Union Public Service Commission will publish the CDS 1 2023 Notification on December 22, 2022, according to the UPSC Examination Calendar.
The UPSC will begin CDS 2 2023 registration in May 2023.
Territorial Army
The Territorial Army is a division of the Regular Army, and its current responsibilities include relieving the Regular Army of static tasks, aiding civil administration in the response to natural disasters, maintaining essential services in cases where the safety of the nation is at risk, and supplying units to the Regular Army as needed.
Technical Entry Scheme
Candidates who passed the 10+2 CBSE/ICSE/State Board Exam with at least an overall score of 70% in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics are eligible to apply for commission under the 10+2 system (TES). After passing the SSB and receiving a clean bill of health from the medical board, candidates go through one year of basic military training at the Training Academy before completing a three-year engineering degree programme in their chosen stream to become permanent commission candidates. Following commissioning, soldiers undergo an additional year of post-commissioning training for the arm or service they are commissioned into.
Technical Graduate Scheme
Engineering graduates from the notified engineering field, postgraduates in the notified discipline with at least second division aggregate marks for the Army Education Corps, and MSc in Agriculture/Dairy for Military Farm are all eligible to apply for permanent commission through this entrance. The chosen applicants must complete a year of pre-commissioned training at the IMA, Dehradun, after the SSB and the Medical Board in order to be commissioned. Engineering graduates who enter through this route are also eligible for commissioning seniority that is one year in advance. Based on their percentage, applicants are immediately shortlisted for SSB interviews.
Short Service Commission (Technical) Entry
Through the Short Service Commission (Technical) Entry Scheme, qualified technical graduates and postgraduates can be hired for the Technical Arms. The chosen applicants must complete around 140 to 49 weeks of pre-commission training at OTA, Chennai, after SSB and Medical Board. They are admitted as Short-Service Commissioned Officers after completing their training. Additionally, cadets who enter through this route are eligible for ante-date seniority of one year upon commissioning. These terms and conditions also apply to other short-service commission officials. Based on their percentage, the candidates are immediately selected for the SSB interview.
NCC (Special Entry Scheme)
University graduates who have earned an NCC “C” Certificate and have at least a “B” in their final grade and a cumulative GPA of 50% are eligible to apply for the Short Service Commission through this entrance. Third-year students are eligible to apply as long as they have received at least a 50% overall average in their first two years. If chosen for an interview, these applicants must receive a minimum overall aggregate score of 50%; otherwise, their candidacy will be withdrawn.
Candidates must already be graduates at the time they join OTA, or third-year students must be able to present their degrees within 12 weeks of the start of their training at OTA. Such cadets are excused from the UPSC’s written test and go straight through the SSB interview, which is followed by a medical board. Candidates who satisfy the qualifications must submit an application through the state level NCC Group Headquarters. The Directorate General of NCC sends the applications of qualified cadets to the Recruiting Directorate of Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence after screening by the relevant Group Headquarters (Army).
Judge Advocate General Entry
Judge Advocate General Branch applicants must be between the ages of 21 and 27 and have a minimum cumulative LLB grade point average of 55%. Candidates who meet the requirements are contacted for a direct SSB interview and medical examination. Appropriate applicants may choose to enter the Short Service Commission as a Permanent Commission.
Short Service Commission Women
The Army recruits qualified female candidates to serve as officers on short-service commissions. The Corps of Electronic and Mechanical Engineers, the Corps of Engineers, the Signals, the Army Educational Corps, the Military Intelligence Corps, the Branch of the Judge Advocate General, the Army Supply Corps, the Army Ordnance Corps, and the Army Air Defence all provide commissions. For 10 years, with an optional four-year extension, women are offered a short service commission in three streams: non-technical graduate, technical, and post-graduate/specialist.
After completing ten years of service, the Indian government recently allowed 141 officers in the Army Education Corps and Judge Advocate General Branch the choice to get permanent commissions. The Officers’ Instruction Academy in Chennai offers training for 49 weeks. Students who have finished their last year or semester of B.E. or B.Tech in the designated streams are eligible to apply for the Short Service Commission Women (Technical) Entry.
Candidates who meet the requirements show up for the direct SSB interview and medical examination. However, those who wish to apply for a position as a non-technical graduate must do so through the UPSC. Following the written test, they must appear for an SSB interview, much like it is done for male officers with short service commissions. A total of 20% of the seats awarded from the non-technical stream have been designated for women with NCC “C” certificates who have at least a “B” and 50% overall in their graduation exams.
For male officers, the applications will be forwarded through the NCC Directorate, Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence (Army). Law graduates with a minimum GPA of 55% are invited to apply to the Judge Advocate General Branch for direct SSB interviews. Widows of Defence personnel who satisfy the requirements are given a four-year age reduction and have 5% of the seats in each course (2.5 in each of the Tech and Non-Tech categories) designated for them.
The Judge Advocate General Branch, NCC entrance, and Short Service Commission Women (Tech) are excluded from written exams and must submit their applications directly to the Additional Directorate General of Recruiting, Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence (Army). The notification will be released twice a year with SSCW (Tech).
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