Defence Exams in India - Eligibility, Selection Process, Top Exams
Defence Exams in India - If you are interested in joining the Indian defence forces, then cracking defence exams of India is the primary step. The Indian defence forces not only provide a rewarding career but also the chance to serve our motherland with pride. Our borders are preserved well because there is an army of officers and cadets working every moment to strengthen it. A defence job is a noble profession which requires one to put nation before self. If you have the zeal to serve the nation with complete selflessness, then consider the defence job. If you are interested to know more about defence exams, then get complete information of all defence exams in India such as AFCAT, CAPF, CDS, NDA exam in the article.
Central government conducts several defence exams to select the eligible candidates for the defence jobs. After the successful completion of the defence exam, candidates get the chance to complete there defence training in one of the following academy:
OTA - Officers’ Training Academy - Chennai & Gwalior
AFA - Air Force Academy - Hyderabad
INA - Indian Naval Academy - Ezhimala
IMA - Indian Military Academy - Dehradun
The defence ministry of India has three divisions within - Army, Navy, and AirForce. Indian Army is one of the three types of defence services in India. The Army constitutes its contribution towards the land-based defence problems.
Indian Navy is a defence service of India which ensures that cohesive defence is maintained in all water bodies surrounding India. Indian Navy is equipped to function above and under the ocean and protect the borders from various hazards.
The Indian Airforce Services (IAF) provide aerial services to the nation. One of the primary missions of the Air Force is to secure Indian airspace.
If you are interested in getting a defence job or want to know how to crack the defence exam, then read the complete article to know more about defence exams in India.
In case candidates are interested in taking other government exams in India, then they can go through the link for all the relevant and current information.
Latest Defence Exams in India
Defence exams in India not only offer lucrative career opportunities but also the chance to serve the nation selflessly. UPSC - Union Public Service Commission conducts majority of the defence exams in India. However, there are also a few independent organisations that conduct various defence exams to fill certain vacancies. Candidates can find the complete information for the following defence exams below:
NDA - National Defence Academy/ Naval Academy
Defence Exam Dates
The admission authority or exam conducting officials release the defence exam dates as per the official examination schedule. Candidates can check below the important defence exam dates 2021:
Defence Exam | Defence Exam Date | Defence Exam Notification |
AFCAT | 20th, 21st, and 22nd February 2021 | November 28th 2020 |
NDA | NDA 1 – April 18th 2021 NDA 2- September 5th 2021 | NDA 1 – December 30 2020 NDA 2- June 9th 2021 |
CAPF | August 8th 2021 | April 15th 2021 |
CDS | CDS 1- February 7th 2021 CDS 2- To be notified | CDS 1- October 28th 2020 CDS 2- To be notified |
Defence Exam Notification
UPSC releases the defence exam notification for exams such as CDS, NDA, and CAPF. For AFCAT, the Indian Air Force itself releases the official notification. The notification details of these defence exams is mentioned below:
CAPF Exam
CAPF - Central Armed Police Force Exam is conducted annually at All India level. Through the CAPF exam, the authorities complete the defence recruitment process for various officers of Group A and Group B under the seven security forces of India. The CAPF official notification for 2020 was released on August 18th by UPSC to recruit group A officers.
To be notified | |
February 2021 | |
CAPF Written Exam | August 9, 2020 (Postponed) December 20th 2020 (New Date) |
November 2020 | |
August 18th to September 7th 2020 | |
August 18th, 2020 |
CAPF Eligibility Criteria
Candidates aspiring to join defence forces in India via CAPF are required to fulfill the CAPF eligibility criteria. The eligibility criteria for CAPF exam is mentioned below:
Eligibility criteria | Specifications |
Age limit | 20 years to 25 years |
Nationality | Indian |
Educational qualification | Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university of India. |
CAPF provides upper age relaxation to candidates from reserved categories, the details of which are mentioned below:
Category | Relaxation |
OBC | Three years |
Domicile of J&K state during the period of January 1, 1980 to December 31, 1989. | Five years |
SC and ST | Five years |
Civilian Central Government Servants | Five years |
NDA Exam
Candidates interested to join the defence after 12th are required to take the NDA Exam. The UPSC conducts the NDA exam as an All India level defence exam twice a year, in the months of April and September. Candidates who successfully clear the NDA exam get admission to the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of NDA and INAC (Indian Naval Academy Course).
NDA Exam Events | NDA - II | NDA - I |
Notification release date | June 9, 2021 | December 20, 2020 |
June 29, 2021 | January 19, 2021 | |
NDA written Exam | September 5, 2021 | April 18, 2021 |
To be notified | Soon |
NDA Eligibility Criteria
Candidates aspiring to join defence forces through NDA Exam are required to meet the eligibility criteria set by the admission authority, the details of which are mentioned below:
Nationality
Candidate must be a citizen of India, or a subject of Nepal/ Bhutan.
Or
A Tibetan refugee who moved to India before January 1, 1962 in order to permanently settle in India.
Or
A person of Indian origin who migrated from the following countries - Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Uganda, Burma, the United Republic of Tanzania, East African Countries of Kenya, Zambia, Malawi, Vietnam and Ethiopia in order to permanently settle in India.
Educational Qualifications
NDA Wing | Qualifying Exam Details |
Air Force and Navy | Successfully cleared 10+2 with physics, chemistry, and mathematica from a recognised board of India. |
Indian Army | Successfully cleared 10+2 with physics, chemistry, and mathematica from a recognised board of India. |
Candidates aspiring to take the NDA Exam must be unmarried and must remain unmarried till the time of training is in effect.
Physical Fitness:
Height (in cm) | Age in years | ||
16 - 17 | 17 - 18 | 18 - 19 | |
Weight (in kg) | |||
152 | 42.5 | 44 | 45 |
155 | 43.5 | 45.3 | 47 |
157 | 45 | 47 | 48 |
160 | 46.5 | 48 | 49 |
162 | 48 | 50 | 51 |
165 | 50 | 52 | 53 |
167 | 51 | 53 | 54 |
170 | 52.5 | 55 | 56 |
173 | 54.5 | 57 | 58 |
175 | 56 | 59 | 60 |
178 | 58 | 61 | 62 |
180 | 60 | 63 | 64.5 |
183 | 62.5 | 65 | 66.5 |
CDS Exam
CDS is a national level defence exam conducted by UPSC twice a year to recruit officers for Indian Army. The CDS exam is conducted twice a year, in February and in September. The important dates relevant to the CDS exam are mentioned below:
CDS exam event | CDS 1 | CDS 2 |
28 October, 2020 | 04 August, 2021 | |
17 November 2020 | 24 August, 2021 | |
7 January, 2021 | To be announced | |
CDS Written exam | 7 February, 2021 | 14 November, 2021 |
23 March, 2021 | To be announced |
CDS Exam Eligibility Criteria:
Candidates interested in clearing the CDS Exam must check the CDS exam eligibility criteria beforehand. Candidates who will fail to meet the eligibility criteria will not be permitted to participate in the UPSC CDS exam process. The complete details of CDS exam eligibility criteria is mentioned below:
CDS Nationality:
Candidate must be a citizen of India, or a subject of Nepal/ Bhutan.
Or
A Tibetan refugee who moved to India before January 1, 1962 in order to permanently settle in India.
Or
A person of Indian origin who migrated from the following countries - Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Uganda, Burma, the United Republic of Tanzania, East African Countries of Kenya, Zambia, Malawi, Vietnam and Ethiopia in order to permanently settle in India.
CDS Age limit
CDS Course | Marital Status | Age limit |
Indian Naval Academy | Unmarried | 19 to 24 years |
Indian Military Academy | Unmarried | 19 to 24 years |
Indian Air Force | Unmarried | 20 to 24 years |
OTA Women (Non-Tech) | Unmarried, widow, and divorced | 19 to 25 years |
OTA Men | Unmarried and Married | 19 to 25 years |
CDS Educational Qualification:
CDS Course | Educational Qualification |
Indian Naval Academy | Engineering Bachelors’ degree from a recognised university of India. |
Indian Military Academy | Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university of India. |
Indian Air Force | Engineering Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university of India with 10+2 from PCM. |
OTA Women (Non-Tech) | Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university of India. |
OTA Men | Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university of India. |
AFCAT Exam
AFCAT Exam is a national level defence exam conducted twice a year for various vacancies of officers in the Indian Air Force such as Officers in Ground Duty – Technical Post, Flying Officers, and Officers in Ground Duty -Non-Technical Post.
AFCAT 2020 | AFCAT 1 | AFCAT 2 |
December 1, 2020 | - | |
AFCAT Registration | December 1 to December 30, 2020 | June 30, 2021 |
February 5, 2020 | August 2021 | |
AFCAT exam date | February 20, and February 21, 2021 | August 2021 |
March 9, 2021 | October 2021 |
AFCAT Eligibility Criteria
Candidates interested in clearing the AFCAT Exam must check the AFCAT exam eligibility criteria beforehand. Candidates who will fail to meet the eligibility criteria will not be permitted to participate in the AFCAT exam process. The complete details of AFCAT exam eligibility criteria is mentioned below:
Nationality: Candidate must be a citizen of India.
Age limit: Candidates applying for technical ground duty must not be more than 26 years old and must not be less than 20 years of age.
Marital status: Candidates below the age of 25 must be unmarried and widowers/widows, divorcees below the age of 26 are not eligible to appear in the AFCAT exam.
Educational qualifications:
Candidates who are applying for technical ground duty must hold the following educational qualifications in order to be eligible for the AFCAT exam:
Aeronautical Engineer: Candidates must have passed 10+2 with a minimum of 60 percent aggregate from a recognised board of India with physics and mathematics as compulsory subjects. Additionally, candidates must have passed engineering degree or an integrated engineering course of 4+1 years from a recognised university.
Or
Candidates who have successfully cleared sections A and B exam of Aeronautical Society of India/ Graduate membership exam of Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers/ Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers (India) with a minimum 60 percent marks in the following disciplines:
Communication Engineering
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Computer Engineering/Technology
Electronics Instrument & Control Engineering
Instrumentation & Control Engineering
Instrument & Control Engineering
Information Technology
Computer Engineering and Application
Computer Science and Engineering/Technology
Electronics and Computer Science
Electronics and/or Telecommunication Engineering
Electronics and/or Telecommunication Engineering (Microwave)
Electronics and Computer Engineering
Electronics Engineering/Technology
Electronics Science and Engineering
Electronics
Electronics and Communication Engineering
Electronics Communication and Instrumentation Engineering
Electronics Instrument & Control
Aeronautical Engineer (Mechanical): Candidates are eligible to apply if they have passed 10+2 with a minimum of 60 percent aggregate from a recognised board of India with physics and mathematics as compulsory subjects. Additionally, candidates must have passed engineering degree or an integrated engineering course of 4+1 years from a recognised university.
Or
Candidates are eligible to apply if they have successfully cleared section A and B of Aeronautical Society of India/ Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers (India) with an aggregate of 60 percent in the following disciplines:
Aerospace Engineering
Mechanical Engineering and Automation
Mechanical Engineering (Production)
Mechanical Engineering
Mechatronics
Industrial Engineering
Mechanical Engineering (Repair and Maintenance)
Aeronautical Engineering
Aircraft Maintenance Engineering
Defence Exam Syllabus and Exam Pattern
UPSC, Air Force, and other defence exam conducting authorities reserve the right to make changes in the syllabus and exam pattern of the defence exams. Candidates aspiring to get defence jobs via these defence exams are advised to thoroughly check the syllabus and exam pattern. The syllabus and exam pattern for defence exams such as NDA, AFCAT, CDA, and CAPF is mentioned in the table below:
Defence exam | Syllabus | Exam Pattern |
AFCAT | The compulsory written test includes subjects such as General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English, Numerical Ability and Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test | Written Test (compulsory) - 300 marks EKT (technical candidates) - 100 marks |
CAPF | Paper 1: Logical ability and intelligence Paper 2: General knowledge, essays, and comprehension | Paper 1: 250 marks (objective type) Paper 2: 200 marks (subjective type) |
CDS | Written exam consists of subjects such as English, General knowledge and Elementary Mathematics | Written Exam – (INA /IMA /AFA – 300 marks and OTA – 200 marks) SSB Interview |
NDA | Written exam consists of subjects such as Maths, English, General Knowledge, and Logical reasoning. | Written Exam Part 1: 300 marks, Maths Part 2: 600 marks, GAT SSB Interview - 900 marks, 2 stages |
Defence Exam Preparation
Candidates aspiring to crack different defence exams of India are required to follow a time table and prepare a strategy to crack defence exams. Following are some of the tips candidates can follow in order to excel in the defence exams:
Prepare a time table for your preparation of the defence exam and follow it.
Try to get involved in group studies with people of the same interest and goals as yours. Also try to know strategies from toppers and people who have already cleared the exam.
While preparing for the defence exam, make sure you make notes and go through the study material at a regular interval.
Remain in contact with the current news pertaining to national and international interests.
Practice mock tests at least one month prior to the exam. Try to make a table that keeps track of common mistakes in mock test papers. Then try to work on those mistakes and eradicate them.
Most importantly, remain physically active. Try physical activities such as exercise, yoga, running, or any sport of your choice.
Army
Indian Army is one of the four types of defence services in India. The Army constitutes its contribution towards the land-based defence problems. There are ten different ways to join the defence jobs in India and get a defence ministry recruitment, which are mentioned below along with their eligibility criteria:
Type of Entry | Eligibility Criteria | |
Age | Qualification | |
16.5 - 19.5 years | 10+2 | |
10+2 Tech | 16.5 - 19.5 years | 10+2 (70 per cent marks with Physics, chemistry, mathematics) |
NCC Special (Men & Women) | 19 - 25 years | Graduate (50 percent aggregate, “A” or “B” grade in NCC “C” certificate) |
SSC (Short Service Commission)- Men & Women (Non-Tech) | 19 - 25 years | Graduate |
SSC - Tech (Men & Women) | 19 - 27 years | BE/B.Tech, B.Arch., M.Sc. Computer |
IMA (Indian Military Academy) Non-tech | 19 - 24 years | Graduate |
TGC Education | 23 - 27 years | MA/M.Sc. in 1st and 2nd division |
UES | 18 - 24 years | Pre final year of engineering degree course |
TGC | 21 - 27 years | BE/B.Tech, B.Arch., M.Sc. Computer |
JAG (Men & Women) | 21 - 27 years | Law graduate with 55 percent marks registered with Bar Council of India. |
To get a defence job, there are several divisions in the Indian Army, each of which has been described below:
Infantry - The infantry troops in Indian Army is a division that consists of various equipment and tools required to fight the enemy including automatic rifles, shoulder-fired missiles, mines, loading rifles, machine guns, anti-tank weapons, grenades, and rocket launchers.
Artillery- The artillery of Indian Army is a division that utilizes missiles, guns and multi-barrel rocket launchers for manoeuvre requirements. The troops in it are set up in sensitive locations like ports, oil rigs, power generating stations, airfields, dams, etc.
Armoured Corps- The armoured corps is a division in Indian Army which includes the battalions on vehicles such as armoured vehicles and tanks.
Signals- This regiment is a division in Indian army responsible for communication. Signals are required to look into the maintenance and implementation duties. It is also responsible for electronic combat.
Army Engineers- Army engineers are people responsible for various tech and construction work such as maintenance or construction of airfields, roads, bridges, and more. Army engineers take complete responsibility for infrastructure and other aspects of the army.
Army Service Corps- The Army Service Corps is a division responsible for the movement of various army vehicles, troops, ammunition, and more. The Army Service Corps works as a lookout for movements across trains, roadways, and waterways. The main work of ASC is to provide efficient and effective transportation facilities so that the movement goes uninterrupted.
Army Medical Corps- Army Medical Corps is a medical division of th Indian Army. These medical professionals take care of army officers and their families. They are trained under Armed Medical College and College of Nursing.
Education Corps- The education corps are the people responsible for teaching new techniques, law, equipment usage, and more to army officers. They teach about new developments that take place in weapon systems, computerization, communication systems, arms and ammunition, digitization, and new techniques of warfare.
For defence ministry recruitment, let us have a look at different commissions in Indian Army. All the defence jobs are divided into these two commissions.
Short Service Commission: SSC or Short Service Commission is a job in Indian Army that serves upto 14 years after the commencement of their job.
Permanent Commission: After successfully completing their training, cadets are granted a permanent commission in the Indian Army with the rank Lt. Officers where they have the opportunity to serve upto full age of retirement.
Steps to join Indian Army
In order to join the Indian army and get defence jobs in India, candidates are required to follow a step-by-step procedure which requires physical fitness, mental ability test, interview, and more. The procedure to join the defence jobs in India is mentioned below:
Shortlisting of applicants - Students for further screening are shortlisted by the Integrated HQ of MoD (Army) on the basis of their aptitude test and performance.
Interview - The shortlisted candidates are required to be called for the interview rounds of SSB in various centres across the country such as Bhopal, Bangalore, Allahabad, and other cities. In the interview they are assessed by a psychologist, group testing officer and interviewing officer.
Physical Test - In order to be selected in the Indian Army, candidates are required to be medically fit. In the fitness test, candidates are assessed on the basis of their proactiveness, lung capacity, etc. height, weight, visual acuity, and more. To pass the fitness test, candidates must be free from any mental or physical disability.
Merit List - The final result of the interview and physical test is declared in the form of a merit list. Merit list is prepared on the basis of candidates’ performance in interview and fitness test.
Advantages
One of the biggest advantages of defence ministry recruitment is the job satisfaction that comes after serving the nation with utmost selflessness. Along with this, with the defence jobs in India, candidates have job security, benefits for the family and their security, personal satisfaction, and postretirement benefits.
Navy
Indian Navy is a defence service of India which ensures that cohesive defence is maintained in all water bodies surrounding India. Indian Navy is equipped to function above and under the ocean and protect the borders from various hazards. There are mainly three commands in defence ministry recruitment of the Indian Navy described below:
The Western Naval Command - This command has its headquarters at Mumbai and exercises control over the operations in the arabian sea.
The eastern Naval Command - This is an operational command whose headquarters are located at Visakhapatnam and exercises its control over the operations in Bay of Bengal.
The Southern Naval Command - This is an operational command whose headquarters are located at Kochi.
There are various types of entries available in the defence jobs of India in the Indian Navy. All of these defence job are broadly divided into two categories depending on their commission time.
The Service Commission in the Indian Navy is defined by two commissions namely Permanent Commission and the Short Service Commission. The Permanent Commission is for long term duty until the officer retires. The Short Service Commission is the short term service commission which shares a period for a limited period. The Indian Navy Entrance Test is conducted for the officer’s entry for both the commissions.
Entry via Indian Navy Entrance Test (INET)
S.No | Name of the Entries | Type of Commission |
1 | Pilot (NMR) – for men only | Permanent Service Commission and Short Service Commission |
2 | General Service – Executive (GS/X) | Permanent Service Commission and Short Service Commission |
3 | Education- for men and women | Permanent Service Commission and Short Service Commission |
4 | Air Traffic Control (ATC) – for men and women | Permanent Service Commission and Short Service Commission |
5 | Naval Architect- for men and women | Permanent Service Commission and Short Service Commission |
6 | Logistics- for men and women | Permanent Service Commission and Short Service Commission |
7 | General Service (Technical – Electrical & Engineering) | Permanent Service Commission and Short Service Commission |
8 | Hydro– for men only | Permanent Service Commission and Short Service Commission |
9 | Observer- for men and women | Permanent Service Commission and Short Service Commission |
10 | Naval Armament Inspectorate Cadre (NAIC) – for men and women | Permanent Service Commission and Short Service Commission |
11 | Information Technology– for men only | Permanent Service Commission and Short Service Commission |
12 | Pilot (MR) – for men and women | Permanent Service Commission and Short Service Commission |
Direct Entry -
S.No. | Sports | Permanent Service Commission for Graduates |
Sports | Permanent Commission(PC) and Short Service Commission For Graduate Level Entries | |
Musicians | Permanent Commission(PC) and Short Service Commission For Graduate Level Entries | |
Law | Permanent Service Commission for Graduates | |
Musicians | Permanent Service Commission for Graduates |
Ways to join Indian Navy: There are various ways one can join a defence job in Indian Navy. In order to participate in the selection process of the Indian Navy, candidates are required to keep different points in mind. The defence exams conducted to join Indian Navy at various levels in described below:
1. Union Public Service Commission (UPSC Entries): For defence ministry recruitment, the UPSC CDS selection process is carried out in four important modes such as -
National Defence Academy (Naval Academy)
2. The National Defence Academy and NDA Naval Academy - The UPSC conducts IHQ MoD (Army)/ADG (recruiting) as a nodal agency admission process for defence ministry recruitment. The admission is carried out on the basis of a written test which is followed by an SSB interview process.
3. Combined Defence Services Exam - The defence exam is commonly known as CDSE. In order to take this defence exam, candidates are required to hold a bachelor’s degree. Candidates are required to clear a written test and a personal interview conducted under SSB.
4. NCC Entry - No specific written defence exam is required for this category entry. Candidates holding a B.Tech or B.E degree are eligible to apply in the same. Candidates shortlisted are directly called for SSB interview. After qualifying the interview and fitness exam, the candidates are posted as an officer in the Indian Navy on the basis of All India Merit.
5. Indian Navy Entrance Test (INET)- Indian Navy Entrance Test (INET) is an officers’ entry test conducted twice a year under the control of IHQ MoD (Navy)/ DMPR and recruits for both Permanent Commission (PC) and Short Service Commission (SSC). After the entrance test, candidates are selected on the basis of their merit and are required to take part in the fitness test.
Advantages
The noble profession of serving the nation is uptaken by the officers can not be compared. The dedication required to put the nation first is noble and gracious. Therefore, the provided relaxations and benefits in terms of health care to education for children is obvious. The officers are provided various benefits such as healthcare, accommodation, clothing, ration, naval housing schemes, training, leave concessions, travel concessions.
Airforce
The Indian Airforce Services (IAF) provide aerial services to the nation. One of the primary missions of the Air Force is to secure Indian airspace. The IAF proved various services described as follows:-
a. Service Personnel- The service personnel performs various tasks including financials, pension, and other general services. Therefore, this part is sub categorized into two broad categories:
General and Airmen. These are described as follows:
i. General Service Personnel– This category includes the Indian Air Force Benevolent Association (IAFBA). The aim of the Indian Air Force Benevolent Association is to relieve financial hardship/distress among all Air Force personnel both retired and present along with their dependents under various welfare schemes.
ii. Airmen- Airmen are expected to perform in different trades. They look at various aspects of the family and pension-related work of air force officers. It includes various other important categories such as Dual Pension, Family Pension, Career Planning, and Pensionary Benefits.
b. Air Force Naval Housing Board- AFNHB generally constructs two categories of dwelling units. One category is for officers and the other for airmen / sailors of the Air Force and Navy. AFNHB is committed to serve the housing needs of the both Airforce and Naval Force community without seeking any loss or profit.
c. Air Traffic Service- It is quite vital to manage air traffic effectively and efficiently. As the lives of those in the air heavily depend on this. Therefore, airdromes are run as per the specific scheduled time, minor mistakes and can turn into disasters.
d. Expedition- This part works or contains all the details of the aircraft. Such as how it is selected, from whom it is selected, etc.
e. Aerospace Safety- This is one of the most vital departments as there is no acceptance of any minor glitch or error in air works. The job requires a high level of professionalism in reducing accidents and saving lives. The safety of people depends on aerospace management. Simple ignorance can result in rampant damage. Therefore, the Aerospace Safety department was formed in 1960.
f. IAF Placement Cell- It is vital to understand that IAF services require a lot of hard work and dedicated effort. These are not easy to go jobs, the field demands tenacity, unwavering physical strength along with the mental strength. Therefore, only a few people are selected in the Indian Air Force. The selection standards are defined by IAF Placement cell and are responsible for all regular updates of any changes in the process.
There are two categories of commission in Indian Air Force which constitute all types of defence jobs in India offered in the Indian Air Force. These commissions are Permanent Commission and Short Service Commission. The Permanent Commission is for long term duty until the officer retires. The Short Service Commission is the short term service commission which shares a period for a limited period. The entrance test is conducted for the officer’s entry for both the commissions for defence jobs in India.
The eligibility criteria for Short Service Commission (SSC) and Permanent Commission Indian Air Force (IAF) is described below:
S.No | Parameters | Details |
For Flying Branch (Men) | Candidates can join the Flying Branch of the Air Force after completing 10+2 through NDA. Or candidates can join it after graduation through CDSE/NCC special entry. | |
For Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical Branches) | Candidates can join ground duty of Air Force for both technical and non-technical branches after completing 10+2 via NDA. Or candidates can join it after graduation through AFCAT or MET entry. | |
Marital Status | Candidates are required to be below 25 years of age and unmarried at the time of commencement of training. And widows, widowers, or divorcees below the age of 25 are not eligible. Also, candidates are not allowed to get married during the training. And married candidates above 25 years of age are eligible to apply. | |
Background | Candidates should not have been charged with any criminal charges. | |
Ineligibility to apply | Those candidates are not eligible to apply who have been removed from the defence training establishments on grounds of discipline. |
Ways to join Indian Air Force (IAF):
There are mainly four possible ways to join Indian Air Force:
National Defence Academy Exam (NDA)
Combined Defence Services Exam (CDS)
Air force Common Admission Test (AFCAT)
National Cadet Corps (NCC) entry
Branches of the air force: Apart from the air functions, there are several other sets of duties performed by the air force. Each category has its own rigorous admission procedure. The important branches of Indian Air Force are mentioned below:
Flying branch (Fighters, Transporters and Helicopters): For the flying branch, candidates are recruited through NDA and NCC ‘C’ certificate via Airforce selection board.
Ground duty: The technical Branch of ground duty consists of two parts namely Aeronautical and AE (Mechanical) engineer. Candidates are required to hold a degree in Electronics and Telecommunication or a degree in Aeronautical/Mechanical branch respectively. The age limit for technical ground duty branches is 20 to 27.
Ground duty: The non-technical branch of ground duty constitutes various departments such as administration, logistics, meteorology, accounts, education, and more. The candidates for non-technical ground duty are selected via the Airforce Selection Board. Some of the points to be considered while applying are:
Candidates must be of 20 to 23 years of age while applying for administrative duty. A bachelor’s degree in any discipline is also required.
In order to be recruited in the logistics department, candidates must be of 20 to 25 years of age and should have a Master of Arts or Master of Science degree.
For the accounts department, candidates must be at least 20 years of age to 28 years old. Candidates must also have a degree in chartered accountancy or a B.Com degree.
Candidates must be a M.Sc. graduate within the age limit of 20 to 27 years in order to be recruited in the meteorological department.
Advantages
There are various benefits in an IAF defence job along with the job satisfaction. Candidates are offered lucrative opportunities such as loans in various categories such as Conveyance Loan, Computer Loans and House Building Loans. Candidates are also offered benefits of healthcare, accommodation, clothing, ration, training, leave concessions, travel concessions.