Careers in Indian Defence Services

The call of the day is addressing defence and security problems in nations around the globe. As terrorist attacks increase, so do the need for trained individuals in this field. No longer is direct combat between countries the way of warfare, the nature of war has changed drastically through history. This is an interesting option to explore without working in the area of combat.

The Armed Forces have, over the time systematically focused on making the services more attractive, which include faster promotions, improved accommodation availability and quality schooling for children. The modernistic equipment profile in the services is highly challenging as well as exciting.

Job Profiles

Ø  Lieutenant

Ø  Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs)

Ø  Soldiers (General Duty )

Ø  Technical

Ø  Nursing Assistant

Ø  Mahila Constable

Ø  Soldiers Tradesman

Ø  Cadet

Ø  Artificer Apprentice

Ø  Airmen in Group Y Trades

Ø  Mechanical Driver

Ø  Ground Training Instructor

Ø  IAF ( Police )

Ø  Airmen in Tech (Intermediate) Trades X Groups

Ø  Assistant Commandant (General Duty)

Ø  Assistant Commandant General Duty (Pilot/Naviator)

Ø  Assistant Commandant (Technical Branch)

Ø  Yantriks (General Duty)

Ø  Naviks (General Duty)

Ø  Naviks (Domestics Branch)

Eligibility

A student finishing plus two examinations can opt for an engineering career in the Army or Navy through Technical Entry Scheme, which enables him to become an engineer at Army expense before getting commissioned as an officer. No UPSC examination is required for this entry. Besides this the entry through National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, Pune after a UPSC written exam is still quiet popular. NDA provides world class training facilities which include a graduation in science/humanities stream from JNU. It gives one innumerable opportunities to develop one’s personality and cultivate new interests. In fact one can choose from over thirty different extra-curricular activities like aero-modeling, golf, gliding, sailing, wind surfing astronomy and many more.

A graduate can join through the Combined Defence Services examination as a regular/short service commissioned officer. Training for regular commissioned officers is carried out at Indian Military Academy , Dehradun, known as the cradle of Military leadership. Those desirous of joining the Short Service Commission get trained at Officer’s Training Academy at Chennai and serve for a period of five years. On completion of this term he can either resign or opt for an extension for five years or a permanent commission.

Engineering graduates can join in the pre-final or that final year through the University Entry Scheme or after completion of graduation through Technical Graduate Scheme without any written examination, by appearing before the Service Selection Board. In both the cases the candidate gets an ante-date seniority of two years and gets commissioned as a captain.

Women’s entry at graduate, post graduate or an engineering graduate level has been very popular and competitive. A woman officer now gets to serve up to fourteen years after being trained at OTA, Chennai. Entry is based on selection by the Services Selection Board. Women officers have performed well in all spheres with their male counterparts even under field conditions.

Admission Criteria

Indian Army

Lieutenant: Technical Entry Scheme (TES) for male 10+2 (PCM) candidates. 10+2 Pass unmarried make candidates with Physic, Chemistry & Maths (PCM ) with a minimum of 70% marks and between the age of 16½ and 19½ Years are eligible for the grant of permanent commission in the Army after 4 Years of technical military training with prescribed terms eligible candidates are invited through advertisement in the Employment News and other prominent dailies.

The candidates must have a 6/6 eyesight in each eye with or without glasses and a minimum height of 157.5 cm with chest expansion of 5 cm. Candidates have to clear total training period of 5 Years including 1 Year of Basic Military training at Indian Military Academy, Dehradun and 4 Years of Technical training at Pune Secunderabad. On successful completion of course, cadets are granted Permanent Commission in the rank of Lieutenant as also an Engineering degree.

Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs): Applicants for the post of JCOs in catering should be between 21 – 27 Years with a 10+2 with Science and a 1 Year cookery diploma or a certificate from a recognized foodcraft institute. JCOs as Religious Teachers are males between 27 Years and 34 Years who are graduates in any discipline with a qualification in their own religious denomination.

Soldiers (General Duty ): High School within Age – Limit or 16 – 32.

Technical: High School within Age – Limit of 16 – 32 Years.

Nursing Assistant: High School with Biology within Age limit of 16 – 25.

Mahila Constable: Matriculation ( 18 – 23 Years of age ).

Soldiers Tradesman: Non – Matric 16 – 20 Years.

Indian Navy

Soldiers: Unmarried Male Indian citizens with 55% aggregate marks in Maths & Science at Matriculation or Equivalent level with age limit of 16 – 19 Years (or) 10+2 or equivalent exam passed with 50% aggregate marks in PCM and at least 50% aggregate marks in Maths & Physics. There are written test & Physical Fitness Tests before entry.

Cadet (10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme): 10+2 or its equivalent exam Pass candidates with at least 70% aggregate marks in the PCM and at least 50% marks in English either Class X or Class XII within the age limit of 16½ and 19 Years the selected by Indian Navy for training at its prestigious Naval College of Engineering at Lonavala ( Pune ) and Cochin University of Sciences & Technology, Kochi, to prepare officers for a career in Marine / Electrical / Electronic Engineering and Naval Architecture Cadres of the Indian Navy.

The candidates must have a minimum height of 157 cm with chest expansion of 5 cm and co-related weight with age and an uncorrected eyesight of 6/12, 6/12 (without glass) and 6/6, 6/6 corrected with glass.

The short listed candidates are called for interview by SSB followed by a physical test and on successful completion of 4 Year training, are granted permanent commission in Navy.

Artificer Apprentice: The Indian Navy also recruits 10+2 Pass Artificer Apprentice for which it holds a competitive written exam. This field is open to unmarried male Indian citizens with a height of 157 cm with a chest expansion of 5 cm.

Indian Air Force

Airmen in Group ‘Y’ Trades: The minimum qualifications for recruitment as Airmen is Matriculation / Intermediate or equivalent examination ( including 10+2 ) with a minimum 50% marks and pass marks in English.

Ø  Eligibility : Only unmarried male Indian citizens as also citizens of Nepal are eligible for recruitment.

Ø  Height : Minimum 152.5 cm.

Mechanical Driver : 165 cm (162.5 cm for candidates belonging to Uttaranchal and North Eastern States) with minimum leg length of 99 cm.

Ground Training Instructor : 167 cm (162.5 cm for candidates belonging to Uttaranchal and North East).

IAF (Police) : 175 cm. Chest : Minimum expansion of 5 cm. Weight Corresponding to height and age.

Ø  Vision : Unaided 6/36, corrected with glasses 6/36, corrected with glasses 6/9 for each eye [For IAF ( Security & Police ) unaided vision is 6/6].

Ø  Hearing : Able to hear forced whisper at 6 minutes with each ear separately.

Ø  Written Test : Candidates have to qualify both in English & Mathematical Reasoning papers. The successful candidates have to undergo a Physical Fitness Test which includes a 1.6 km run to be completed in maximum of 8 minutes. Candidates qualifying in PFT have to undergo medical examination by the Air Force Medical Team as per IAF Medical Standard

Airmen in Tech (Intermediate) Trades X Groups : Unmarried male Indian citizens are subjects of Nepal between 16 – 22 Years of age can apply for Airmen in Tech ( Intermediate ) Trades.

The minimum educational qualification for these trades is Intermediate ( 10+2 ) or equivalent examination with Physics, Maths & English with a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate. Medical standards are the same as for Airmen in Group ‘Y’.

Indian Coast Guard

Assistant Commandant (GD)

Bachelor's degree with 60% marks in aggregate of a university recognised by Central/ State Govt./UGC and minimum 60% in class XII Std of 10+2+3 scheme of education with Mathematics and Physics as subjects.

Age: 21-25 years

Height 152cms, Weight Proportionate to Height, Eye sight 6/6 & 6/9 without glasses

Assistant Commandant (GD-P/ N)

B.Sc with Physics and Mathematics and 55 % marks in aggregate and minimum 60% in class XII Std of 10+2+3 scheme of education.

Age: 19-27 years

Height Min 162.5 cms Max 197 cm, Leg Length Min 99 cms, Weight Proportionate to Height, Eye sight 6/6 without glasses

Assistant Commandant (Tech)

Degree with 60% marks in aggregate in Naval Architecture/ Mechanical/ Marine/ Electrical/ Electronics & Telecommunications/ Design/ Production/ Aeronautical / Metallurgy/ Aerospace/ Control Engineering or equivalent and minimum 60% in class XII Std of 10+2+3 scheme of education.

or

Should have passed section A and B of Institution of Engineers (India) Examination in any of the discipline listed above with 55% marks

Age: 21-30 years

Height 157 cm Weight Proportionate to Height, Eye sight 6/12 and 6/36

Yantriks

Matriculate and Diploma in Mechanical /Electrical /Electronics/ Aeronautical Engineering

Age: 18-22 years

Height 157 cms, Weight Proportionate to Height Eye sight 6/12 and 6/24

Naviks (General Duty)

12th class in 10+2+3 scheme with Maths and Physics

Age: 18-22 years

Height 157 cms, Weight Proportionate to height, Eye sight 6/6 and 6/9 without glasses

Naviks (Domestic Branch)

10th Standard pass

Age: 18-22 years

Height 157 cms, Weight Proportionate to height, Eye sight 6/18 and 6/36

Some Entrance Tests

Ø  National Defence Academy (NDA) and Naval Defence Academy (NA)

The UPSC holds entrance examination twice a year for entry into the NDA and Naval Academy. Candidates on completion of 10+2 examination or while in the 12th standard are eligible to compete.

Ø  Combined Defence Service Examination

CDSE is conducted by the UPSC twice a year. University graduates or those in final year of graduation are eligible to appear in the examination. Successful candidates join the Indian Military Academy/Air Force Academy and Naval Academy for Permanent Commission and Officers Training Academy (OTA) for Short Service Commission.

Ø  Short Service Commission (Technical) Entry

The Short Service Commission (Technical) Entry Scheme provides avenues to eligible technical graduates/post graduates for recruitment in Technical Arms. After SSB and Medical Board, the selected candidates are required to undergo approximately 49 weeks pre-commission training at OTA, Chennai.

Ø  Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT)

Ø  Combined Defence Service Examination

Ø   I.A.F. Airman Education Instructors Trade Examination

Ø  I.A.F. Airman Non Technical Trade Examination

Ø  I.A.F. Airman Technical Trade Examination

Ø  Indian Army Soldier Clerks Examination

Ø  Indian Army Soldier General Duty (N.E.R.) Examination

Ø  Indian Army Soldier Nursing Assistants (M.E.R.) Examination

Ø  Indian Army Soldier Technical (M.E.R.) Examination

Ø  Indian Navy Artificer Apprentices Examination

Ø  Indian Navy Dock Yard Apprentices Examination

Ø  Indian Navy Sailors Matric Entry Recruitment Examination

Ø  National Defence Academy Examination

Courses Offered and their Eligibility Details

B.A. Defence and Strategic Studies: The academic eligibility for the three year course is passing in 10+2 from a recognized board.

B.Sc. Defence Studies: The academic eligibility for the three year course is passing in 10+2 from a recognized board.

M.A. (Defence and Strategic Studies/Defence and National Security Studies): Graduation in any discipline is the eligibility criteria for few of the colleges and few other colleges compel the graduation in the relevant study i.e., Defence and Strategic Studies for the admission.

M.Sc. Defence studies: graduation in Defence and Strategic Studies is the eligibility for the admission

M.Phil. Defence and Strategic Studies: A Master Degree in the discipline with 55%. The score in the written test, and sometimes interview, is considered for the admission. Few of the institutes offer the course in distance or pat time mode.

Ph.D. in Defence Studies: A Master Degree in the discipline with 55%. The score in the written test is considered for the admission.

Few colleges take admission for Master Degree through written test only for those who are from non-defence studies in graduation. Persons serving in the Indian Armed Forces can get direct admission for the Master Degree programs in those colleges without any written test or interview.

Some Institutes

Ø  National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla , Pune

Ø  Indian Military Academy, Dehradun

Ø  Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun

Ø  National Defence College, New Delhi

Ø  College of Military Engineering, Kirkee, Pune

Ø  Military College of Telecommunications Engineering, Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh

Ø  Army School of Physical Training, Pune

Ø  Air Force Administrative College, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

Ø  Air Force Academy, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh

Ø  Ground Training Institutes, Vadodara (Gujarat) and Barrackpur (West Bengal)

Careers Prospects

Defence and security issues are a focus for countries around the globe, including India. Various opportunities are available to those who opt for this sector. You can work for the government or private security firms. The DRDO and the IDSA in India are places to explore. You can also opt to work in war-affected or terrorist risk areas. At the state level, especially those with International boundaries may require your expertise for strategic planning. Multinational companies also seek your expertise.

Salary

The typical Government of India Defence salary is ₹38,691. Defence salaries at Government of India can range from ₹28,374 - ₹77,383. This estimate is based upon 5 Government of India Defence salary reports provided by employees or estimated based upon statistical methods.

Asides from the highly lucrative pay band scales along with grade pays etc, the Indian Navy / Army / Air Force officers are very rightfully rewarded with great perks like:

Ø  Canteen facilities

Ø  Furnished government accommodation (Desirable Locations)

Ø  Free ration

Ø  Free medical facilities for family as well

Ø  Up to 300 days leave encashment

Ø  Sports facilities

Ø  Clubs

Ø  Mess

Ø  60 days leave per year

Ø  Group insurance

Ø  20 days casual leave

Ø  Pension benefits