Indian Armed Forces have a reputation of being one of the finest in the world and offer a very challenging and Attractive career for Indian youth(both men and women). Indian armed forces, after induction, impart required training to ensure that individual becomes fully capable of handling difficult and complex situation arising in operational and administrative spheres. The services environment offers:-
- A very healthy work culture. It offers challenging and result-oriented environment and is best suited for honest and upright person to serve and as such holds the promise of bringing high social standing and honour to an individual joining the same.
- Individual becomes true nationalist and stops distinguishing individuals based on religion, cast and regional basis. It is the only career which demands and teaches supreme sacrifice for the country.
- Armed forces is a major setup, which provide reasonably good and fast career growth. Career growth in armed forces depends on performance and your skill. Certain courses entitle you to additional pay and allowances.
- Life in armed forces is regimented and it takes priority over normal life and builds up Esprit-de-Corps.
WORK
Service in Armed Forces demand spirit of adventure as well as unflinching loyalty and integrity for nation and readiness to lay down ones life for the nation when required. Work involves defending territorial, coastal and air space integrity of our country against all external and internal threats. It also involves man management of highest order, continuous development of leadership qualities of highest order and on job training to achieve required perfection for these jobs.Nature of work in armed forces is diverse and also demands serving in most difficult terrain and weather conditions obtaining through out the country, and hence there is a need of constant physical fitness of highest order.
Service in Armed forces requires training for war in peace time in trying conditions and sacrifice and bravery of highest order to save the pride and integrity of the nation at the time of war. A brief description of works of all three branches of the Armed Forces is as follows:-
- THE INDIAN ARMY The Indian Army is responsible for defending the territorial integrity of the country against all external aggression and internal disturbances. During war army is responsible to protect the nation against external aggression, whereas, during peace time also it provides aid to the civil authorities during natural calamities, and helps in maintenance of law and order when required. The army is mainly divided into combat arms and services. The combat arms are the infantry, the artillery, and the armoured corps, The Corps of Engineers and Corps of Signals. Whereas, services includes Army Service Corps, Army Ordnance Corps, Army Postal services, Army Medical Corps, Army education corps, Intelligence Corps and So on.
Combat arms are responsible for actual combat, whereas, services are responsible to ensure continuous flow of required ordnance including food for men and animal, Fuel for vehicles and tanks and ammunition.
- THE INDIAN NAVY The Indian Navy is responsible for defending the extensive coastline of the country in times of war and peace. The navy also responsible to safeguard our maritime interests including defence of off-shore oil and gas installations, coastal shipping and fisheries rights, and to protect the vital trade links. The Navy has three main branches.
- The Executive Branch which manages the navy's warships and submarines as instruments of tactical warfare. and
- The Engineering Branch which is responsible for the maintenance and service of engineering equipment and the propulsion systems on board the ships including electrical and electronic systems, weapon systems, missiles, radar, and radio communication systems.
- The Education Branch ensures that the officers and men are update in their technical knowledge and tactical.
- THE INDIAN AIR FORCE The Indian Air Force is responsible for the air defence of the country, ensuring both offensive and defensive roles. It is also responsible for the air defence of vital installations of strategic importance to country. The Air force is divided into three main branches .
- The Flying branch includes fighter pilots who fly combat or fighter planes carrying ammunition and missiles; transport pilots who fly planes which carry men and materials, and helicopter pilots who provide air support to a moving army, or are used for para-dropping men and supplies.
- The technical branch which includes engineering sections and is responsible for the engineering equipment and weapons systems of the air force.
- The Administrative Branch includes all the departments that provide logistical, meteorological, educational and administrative support to the flying and technical branches.
ENTRY
There are number of types of entries in the Armed Forces in India. basic Entry for all the three forces is through National Defence Academy (NDA). Entries are at 10+2 Level, after graduation and after professional courses(graduate /post graduate level). There are following entries to armed Forces :-
- Entry through NDA in all three wings, permanent commission, after 10+2 level through prescribed competitive examination known as National defence Academy / naval Academy Examination.
- Entry after graduation through Combined Defence Services Examination, through Indian Military Academy (IMA) Dehradun for Army, the Naval Academy, Goa for Indian Navy and the Air Force Academy, Hyderabad for Air Force as permanent Commission officer. Through Officers Training School as Short Service Commission officer.
- All three services can be joined after completion of technical education i.e. Engineering Degree, requirement of each service is different.
- Army Medical Corps, which serves all three services can be joined after completion of MBBS degree, either through Armed Forces Medical college or from any other medical College.
Eligibility:
General eligibility conditions demand that a candidate must be - a citizen of India (subjects of Bhutan, Nepal, Tibetan refugees or migrants from the rest of the Indian subcontinent with the intention of settling permanently in India can also apply). In addition, candidates must be physically fit in accordance with the prescribed physical standards. They should be unmarried males or female. There is a Women's Special Entry Scheme (officers) for women graduates in specified subjects between 19-27 years of age.Selection Process for the National Defence Academy
- If you are between the age of 16½ - 19 and have completed the junior year of high school, you can write the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam which is meant for entry into the National Defence Academy (NDA). The exam is held every six months at various centers in India. Out of the 50,000 to 60,000 candidates who write the UPSC exam, only around one-third pass. Individual faring well in this exam you be called in for a Services Selection Board (SSB) interview which lasts for three to four days. In this interview they conduct medical & written tests, outdoor activity contests, personal interviews, etc. Candidates who want to join the Indian Air Force, have to take a Pilot Aptitude Test which once failed, can never be taken again. All candidates have to undergo extensive psychological examinations and meet exhaustive physical parameters to appear on the SSB merit list, from which 300 join the NDA as cadets for three years.
NDA takes in new cadets every January & June. There are no fees to join NDA, but an individual wish to opt out, as a small percentage do, it is very expensive. An NDA drop-out has to pay the government, costs incurred in training, which are calculated by the number of weeks that have been spent at NDA.
NDA Courses
While in the NDA, a cadet earns a Bachelor Degree in Arts, Science or Computer Science, which is affiliated to the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. The three years in the NDA are divided into 6 semesters. Five are general semesters, which every candidate has to take and in the sixth and final semester, each candidate specialises for either the Army, Navy or Air Force.
Academics constitute around 57% of the program comprising 12 disciplines, which are 8 languages, three pure sciences, two applied sciences and four social sciences. There are also Common Service Subjects like military history, area study, service writing, leadership, para-military forces, weapons training and situational instruction.
Also a part of the curriculum are Special Services Subjects like training in battlefield and peace-time skills and operations specific to individual streams of the Army, Navy or Air Force. There is also outdoor training which includes physical training, drill and equitation.
After three years in the NDA, Army cadets join the Indian Military Academy at Dehra Dun, Navy cadets join the INS Tir or INS Krishna at Cochin and Air Force cadets move on to the Air Force Training Academy at Hyderabad. These courses are of 18 months duration after which, individual gets a commissioned rank.
Graduate / Direct Entry
Individuals between the age of 19 and 22 and having a three year Bachelor degree, can appear for the Combined Defense Services Exam (CDSC), which is held every 6 months at various centers in India. Again like the NDA process, there will be a SSB interview and a medical examination. On clearing these, individual is straight away enlisted into the Indian Military Academy (if he opts for the Army), without entering NDA, and get trained there for 18 months after which, get a commissioned rank.
Technical Entry
Individuals having an engineering degree, can apply for direct commission. He can directly appear for the SSB interview and medical exam. If cleared them, he will be paid a stipend by the Indian Government during his senior years. After completing the degree, you are straight away enlisted into the Air Force Training Academy in Hyderabad (if you opt for the Air Force), without entering NDA, with a commissioned rank or in Army, ie., through IMA.
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES REQUIRED
A good communication skills - officers need to deal with soldiers. Love for one's country ; commitment ; dedication ; perception ; the will to fight and face hardships in order to protect the nation ; an alert mind ; integrity ; flavour for discipline and adventure.
