DEFENCE
Indian Army officer
Leading soldiers — in combat arms, engineering, signals, logistics, law or medicine.
Facts checked 17/10/2026
- Class 11–12 subjects
- Any stream for NDA (Army wing), CDS and NCC entry. PCM with 60% for the 10+2 Technical Entry. Engineering degrees for TGC and SSC Tech. LLB for JAG.
- First degree
- Not needed for NDA or TES (you get a degree in training). Any degree for CDS/NCC entry; B.E./B.Tech for TGC and SSC Tech.
- Entrance exams
- NDA and CDS (UPSC, twice a year). TES, TGC, SSC Tech, NCC and JAG have no written exam — shortlisting on JEE Main rank, degree marks, NCC grade or CLAT PG.
- Licence or registration
- None. Selection is through the SSB interview and a medical.
What the work is like
Leading a platoon, then a company; postings across India including high-altitude and border areas; technical, legal, education and medical branches too.
The path, step by step
- Class 11–12Any stream for NDA (Army). Take PCM if you want TES or the Navy/Air Force wings. Join NCC if you can.
- ApplyPick the entry that matches your stage: NDA or TES after Class 12; CDS, TGC, SSC Tech, NCC or JAG after a degree.
- SSB5-day interview, then a medical.
- TrainingNDA + IMA, IMA, or OTA, depending on the entry.
- CommissionLieutenant — Permanent or Short Service Commission (Short Service: 10 years, extendable to 14, reported). (reported — check with the official body)
Ways in
- NDA (after Class 12)
- Who
- Unmarried men and women, Class 12 any stream (Army wing).
- Age
- About 16½–19½ (NDA II 2026: born 2 Jan 2008 – 1 Jan 2011).
- Selection
- UPSC written exam (Maths 300 + General Ability 600) → SSB (900) → medical.
- Training
- 3 years at NDA Khadakwasla (degree from JNU), then 1 year at IMA Dehradun.
- You get
- Permanent Commission as Lieutenant.
- 10+2 Technical Entry (TES)
- Who
- Unmarried men, Class 12 PCM with 60%, and a JEE Main score from that year.
- Age
- 16½–19½.
- Selection
- No Army written exam: shortlisted on JEE Main rank → SSB → medical.
- Training
- 4 years (3 at an Army engineering college + 1 at IMA); engineering degree.
- You get
- Permanent Commission in technical arms. TES-57 applications: 14 Oct – 12 Nov 2026.
- CDS (graduates) — IMA or OTA
- Who
- IMA: unmarried men, any degree. OTA: men and women, any degree. Final-year students can apply.
- Age
- IMA 19–24; OTA 19–25.
- Selection
- UPSC written exam (IMA: English, GK, Maths; OTA: English, GK) → SSB → medical.
- Training
- IMA Dehradun (about 18 months, reported) or OTA Chennai (49 weeks).
- You get
- IMA: Permanent Commission. OTA: Short Service Commission.
- Technical Graduate Course (TGC) and SSC Tech
- Who
- Engineers (final-year can apply). TGC: unmarried men. SSC Tech: men and unmarried women.
- Age
- 20–27.
- Selection
- No written exam: shortlisted on degree marks → SSB → medical.
- Training
- TGC: about 12 months at IMA. SSC Tech: 49 weeks at OTA Chennai.
- You get
- TGC: Permanent Commission. SSC Tech: Short Service Commission. TGC-145 applications close 29 Oct 2026.
- NCC Special Entry
- Who
- Unmarried men and women with any degree (50%) and NCC 'C' certificate (at least B grade).
- Age
- 19–25.
- Selection
- No written exam: shortlisted with NCC and degree marks → SSB → medical.
- Training
- 49 weeks at OTA Chennai.
- You get
- Short Service Commission.
- JAG Entry (law graduates)
- Who
- Unmarried men and women with LLB (55%) and a CLAT PG score.
- Age
- 21–27.
- Selection
- Shortlisted on CLAT PG → SSB → medical.
- Training
- OTA Chennai.
- You get
- Short Service Commission in the Judge Advocate General's branch.
Good to know
- Every officer entry ends in the same 5-day SSB interview: screening (intelligence test and a picture-story discussion) on day 1, psychology tests, group tasks, a personal interview, and a final board on day 5. Then a medical (pass/fail).
- Officer cadets must be unmarried at entry and through training (official IAF rule; the same rule is reported for the other services).
- Women have joined NDA since 2021; the first 17 women cadets passed out in May 2025.
- Your Class 10 certificate is the only accepted proof of date of birth.
- Army Medical (AFMC Pune) is entered through NEET UG and needs service as an officer afterwards.
About pay: it varies a lot by city, employer and skill, and changes year to year, so we don't print salary numbers. Ask us in a session and we'll show you current, sourced figures for your case.
Sources: Join Indian Army (official) · UPSC (NDA and CDS notices) · PIB: women in NDA (2021) · PIB: first women cadets pass out of NDA (May 2025) · AFCAT general terms and conditions · NDA II 2026 notice summary · The 5-day SSB process (summary) · TES-57 notice summary · TGC-145 notice summary · JAG 125th course (LiveLaw)
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