Armed Forces Training Institutions and Academies
There are several ways of entering the 3 arms of defence services. In this article entry into defence services after + 2 have been detailed.
Naval Engineering College
Navy directly selects candidates for their Engineering College at Lonawala. Male candidates between the age of 16 1/2 and 19 years who have passed XII with Maths, Physics and Chemistry and have secured more than 75% marks in PCM and minimum 50% marks in English are eligible to apply.
The Naval Engineering College trains the cadets so selected in Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering and Electrical Engineering. The course starts in December, advertisement and details about this selection are published in leading newspapers and Employment news in the month of May/June.
Cadets go through an initial 6 months orientation at Naval Academy in Goa. B. Tech degree is awarded on completion of the course from Jawaharlal Nehru University of Delhi. After successful completion of initial training, Cadets are promoted to the rank of Midshipman & get a stipend of approx Rs. 8000 pm. After successful completion of a further period of six months training, Midshipmen are promoted to the rank of Sub Lieutenant with total emoluments of approx. Rs. 11800 pm. Thereafter promotion to the rank of Lieutenant and Lieutenant Commander are on time scale. Promotions to higher ranks, viz Commander, Captain, Rear Admiral & Vice Admiral are by selection.
Army Technical Branch Entry
Cadets are recruited for being trained with the Army after 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, Maths (minimum 70%). There are two inductions annually of male candidates in the 16½ to 19½ age group. The courses begin in January and July each year.
Training - Total training is of 5 years.
-- Basic Military Training : 1 year (IMA, Dehradun)
-- Technical Training - Phase – I (Pre Commission Training) : 3 years (CME Pune, MCTE Mhow and MCEME Secunderabad).
Phase – II (Post Commission Training) : 1 years at CME Pune, MCTE Mhow and MCEME Secunderabad.
-- Award to Degree : The candidates are awarded Engineering degree after successful completion of training. No ante date seniority is admissible to candidates on account of this Engineering degree.
Officers who fail to qualify in Engineering have to reappear in the examination in the following year. In case they fail to qualify in the following year examination also, the same will result in loss of seniority to them and they will forfeit seniority to the extent of delay in passing Engineering degree examination. In case they are unable to pass the Engineering degree examination even within three years of their commissioning, their commission is terminated.
Cadets receive a stipend like NDA cadets of Rs 8,000 per month after completing 3 years of training. On completion of 4 years students get commissioned in the rank of Lieutenant.
Legal Branch
Army Institute of Law,Sangrur Road, Patiala affiliated to Punjabi University, Patiala and approved by The Bar Council Of India offers - B.A. LL.B (5 years)
Eligibility: 10+2 school examination or equivalent with not less than 50% marks (45% marks in case of SC/ST Candidates).
Students appearing in 10+2 qualifying examination are also eligible to apply.
Age Limit : Below 21 years on 1st July of the year of applying
Selection : Merit in qualifying examination and All India level Entrance Test held in April.
Adv : Feb Last date for Applying March
National Defence Academy
Union Public Service Commission holds a competitive examination twice in a year, in February & September, for a 3 year training course commencing in January and July. Candidates taking the examination have to give preference for service they desires to join, however, option also depends on the rank in merit list.
Before indicating their preferences for different courses, candidates should first decide their preference for the two Academies, viz., National Defence Academy and Naval Academy (Executive Branch).
If a candidate opts for National Defence Academy as his first choice, he must first indicate his preference for different wings of National Defence Academy viz Army, Navy and Air Force followed by his preference for Naval Academy (Executive Branch). Alternatively if a candidate opts for Naval Academy (Executive Branch) as his first choice, he must first indicate his preference for Naval Academy (Executive Branch) as his first choice, followed by his preferences for different wings of National Defence Academy.
Centres of examination - Agartala, Ahmedabad, Aizawl, Allahabad, Bangalore, Bareilly, Bhopal, Mumbai, Calcutta, Chandigarh, Cochin, Cuttack, Delhi, Dharwar, Dispur (Guwahati), Gangtok, Hyderabad, Imphal, Itanagar, Jaipur, Jammu, Jorhat, Kavaratti (Lakshadweep), Kohima, Lucknow, Chennai, Madurai, Nagpur, Panaji (Goa), Patna, Port Blair, Raipur, Sambalpur, Shillong, Shimla, Srinagar, Tirupati, Trivandrum, Udaipur and Vishakha-patnam. The centres and the date of holding the examination as mentioned above are liable to be changed at the discretion of the Commission.
Conditions of eligibility - The following are the conditions of eligibility.
Nationality - A candidate must be either (i) a citizen of India, or (ii) a subject of Bhutan, or (iii) a subject of Nepal, or (iv) a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before the 1st January, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or (v) a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, the East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania (formerly Tanganyika and Zanzibar), Zambia, Malawi, Zaire and Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India. Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) above shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India. Certificate of eligibility is not, however, necessary in the case of candidates who are Gorkha subjects of Nepal.
Age limits, sex and marital status - Only unmarried male candidates age between 16 1/2 and 19 years are eligible. The date of birth accepted by the Commission is that entered in the Matriculation or Secondary School Leaving Certificate in a certificate recognised by an Indian University as equivalent to Matriculation maintained by a university, which extract must be certified by the proper authority of the university or in the Higher Secondary or an equivalent examination certificate.
These certificates are required to be submitted only after the declaration of the results of the written part of the examination. Candidates must undertake not to marry until they complete their full training. A candidate who marries subsequent to the date of his application though successful at this or any subsequent examination will not be selected for training. A candidate who marries during training shall be discharged and will be liable to refund all expenditure incurred on him by the Government.
Educational qualifications
For Army Wing of National Defence Academy - 12th Class pass with Maths of the 10+2 pattern of School Education or equivalent examination conducted by a State Education Board or a University.
For Air Force and Naval Wings of National Defence Academy and for the 10+2 (Executive Branch) course at the Naval Academy - 12th Class pass of the 10+2 pattern or School Education or equivalent with Physics and Mathematics conducted by a State Education Board or a University.
Candidates who are appearing in the 12th Class under the 10+2 pattern of School Education or equivalent examination can also apply. Candidates who qualify in the SSB interview are required to submit Matriculation and/or 10+2 or equivalent certificates in original to Army HQ Rtg (NDA Entry), West Block III, R.K.Puram, New Delhi 110066 and for Naval Academy Candidates to Naval Headquarters, R&R Section, 206 ‘C’ Wing, Sena Bhawan, New Delhi 110011.
Scheme of the Examination -
The subjects of the written examination, the time allowed and the maximum marks allotted to each subject are as follows:
Subject Duration/Marks Max
Mathematics 2-2 1/2 hours 300
General Ability Test 2-2 1/2 hours 600
Total 900
The papers in all the subjects consist of objective type questions only. The question papers (test Booklets) are set in English only.
Guidelines for physical standards for admission to the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy and Combined Defence Services Examination - Candidates must be physically fit according to the prescribed physical standards. The standards of medical fitness are as follows:
A number of qualified candidates are rejected subsequently on medical grounds. Candidates are, therefore, advised in their own interest to get themselves medically examined before submitting their applications to avoid disappointment at the final stage.
A candidate recommended by the Services Selection Board will undergo a medical examination by a Board of Service Medical Officers. Only those candidates will be admitted to the academy or school who are declared fit by the Medical Board. Candidates declared unfit/temporarily unfit will be intimated by the President of the Medical Boards and the procedure for request for an Appeal Medical Board will also be intimated to the candidate. The candidate must be physically fit to the following prescribed physical standards :
A+10% (A+6 Kg for Navy) departure from the average weight given in the table 1 above is to be considered within normal limits. However, in individuals with heavy bones and broad-built as well as individuals with thin built but otherwise healthy this may be relaxed to some extent on merit.
Must be in good physical and mental health and free from any disease/disability which is likely to interfere with the efficient performance of duties.
There should be no evidence of weak constitution, bodily defects or under weight.
The minimum acceptable height is 157.5 cms.(162.5 cms for Air Force). For Gorkhas and individuals belonging to hills of North Eastern regions of India, Garhwal and Kumaon, the minimum acceptable heights will be 5 cms less. In case of candidates from Lakshadweep the minimum acceptable height can be reduced by 2 cms. Height and weight standards are given below:
Height/Weight Standards for Army/Air Force
Height in Weight in Kgs.
Centimeters
(Without Shoes)
Height/Weight Standards for Army/Air Force Height in Weight in Kgs. Centimeters (Without Shoes) 16-17 17-18 18-19 years years years 152………………………. 43.0 44.0 45.0 155………………………. 44.0 45.5 47.0 157………………………. 45.0 47.0 48.0 160………………………. 46.0 48.0 49.0 162………………………. 48.0 50.0 51.0 165.......………………….. 50.0 52.0 53.0 167……………………….. 51.0 53.0 54.0 170……………………….. 52.5 55.0 56.0 173……………………….. 54.5 57.0 58.0 175……………………….. 56.0 59.0 60.0 178……………………….. 58.0 61.0 62.0 180……………………….. 60.0 63.0 64.5 183……………………….. 62.5 65.0 66.5
Height/Weight Standards For Navy
Height in Weight in Kgs.
Centimetres
(Without shoes)
16 18 20
years years years
152……………………….. 44 45 46
155……………………….. 45 46 47
157……………………….. 46 47 49
160……………………….. 47 48 50
162……………………….. 48 50 52
165……………………….. 50 52 53
168……………………….. 52 53 55
170……………………….. 53 55 57
173……………………….. 55 57 59
175……………………….. 57 59 61
178……………………….. 59 61 62
180……………………….. 61 63 64
183……………………….. 63 65 67
A+10% (A+6 Kg for Navy) departure from the average weight given in the table.
Above is to be considered within normal limit. However, in individuals with heavy bones and broad built as well as individuals with thin but otherwise healthy this may be relaxed to some extent on merit.
Note 2 : To meet special requirement as a pilot in the Air Force the acceptable measurements of leg length, thigh length and sitting height are as under :
On account of lower age of NDA candidates, a margin of up to 5.0 cm in height, 2.5 cm. in leg length(minimum) and 1.0 cm sitting height (minimum) may be given provided it is certified by the Medical Board that the candidate is likely to grow and come up to the required standard on completion of his training in NDA.
Minimum Maximum
Leg Length 99.00 120.00 cms
Thigh Length - 64.00 cms
Sitting Height 81.50 96.00 cms
X-Ray of chest is compulsory.
