Indian Coast Guard Assistant Commandant (GD / Technical)

Officers lead operations at sea and on shore. This covers patrolling the coast and the exclusive economic zone, search and rescue, stopping smuggling and illegal fishing, and responding to oil spills. Technical officers look after ship and aircraft engines and electrical and electronic systems.

A day in the work
On a patrol ship, your day might start with a briefing and engine and equipment checks. Then you take a watch on the bridge, track fishing boats and merchant ships, and do boarding checks. If a distress call comes in, the whole crew shifts to search and rescue. On shore postings the work is more about planning, paperwork, training and coordinating with the Navy, police and port authorities.

1. Step 1 · Class 11–12Take Physics and Maths in Class 11 and 12. The Coast Guard requires both subjects for GD and Technical entry. After Class 12 there is no direct entry as an officer, so you need a degree first.
2. Step 2 · 3–4 years after Class 12Finish a degree. For GD, any bachelor's degree will do (reported: at least 60% marks in recent notices). For Technical, you need a B.E./B.Tech in a Mechanical, Electrical or Electronics-type branch. Final-year students can apply. For the 2027 batch they had to show proof of passing by 31 Oct 2026, or lose their candidature.
3. Step 3 · Stage I (CGCAT)A 2-hour online test in English with 100 questions and 400 marks. It covers English, Reasoning and Numerical Ability, General Science and Maths, and General Knowledge. For the 2027 batch, applications ran from 8 to 27 July 2025. The Coast Guard advertises twice a year, around Jan–Feb and Jun–Jul. You can apply for both GD and Technical if you qualify for both.
4. Step 4 · Stage II (Preliminary Selection Board)Shortlisted candidates are called to a one-day board. Documents are checked, and (reported) there are tests of thinking and communication. You arrange your own stay in the allotted city for the day. (reported — check with the official body)
5. Step 5 · Stage III (Final Selection Board)A multi-day assessment at the Coast Guard Selection Board. It is reported to be at Noida, with interviews and group tasks. (Reported: the final merit list combines CGCAT and FSB marks.) (reported — check with the official body)
6. Step 6 · Stage IV (Medical)A medical exam at Base Hospital, Delhi Cantt. Minimum height is 157 cm for men, with relaxation for hilly and tribal areas. Eyesight for GD is 6/6 and 6/9 uncorrected, and 6/6 in both eyes with glasses. Technical entry allows weaker uncorrected vision (6/36). Hearing must be normal.
7. Step 7 · Training and probationSelected officers report to the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala. GD officers do a 44-week Naval Orientation Course and Technical officers do 22 weeks. After that comes training on ships and at units of the Navy and Coast Guard. Trainees can be discharged as unsuitable if their progress is poor. Probation lasts about 2 years before you become a confirmed Assistant Commandant.

• General Duty (GD), menAny degree with Physics and Maths in Class 12. This is the biggest entry. For the 2027 batch, 140 of 170 vacancies were GD.
• Technical (Mechanical / Electrical / Electronics), menAn engineering degree in the right branch, plus Physics and Maths in Class 12. It has fewer vacancies (30 in the 2027 batch) and a more relaxed uncorrected eyesight limit than GD.
• General Duty, women (Short Service Appointment)A separate entry, open only when a notice includes it. The 2027 GD/Technical notice was for men only. The post is for 8 years, extendable up to 14. Eligibility is a degree with Physics and Maths in Class 12, minimum height 152 cm.

Fees from: Indian Coast Guard 2027 batch notice (training) · Indian Coast Guard: Women-SSA page (SC/ST fee exemption) · KGEC admissions 2026–2027 (statutory fee table) · GCOEA fee structure 2026-27 download page · P.E.S. Modern COE fee structure 2026-27. Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

Pay follows a fixed government scale, so it rises with rank and years of service, and sea or remote postings add allowances. Where you live and which unit you serve in changes your total allowances more than your base pay.

Women can join as Assistant Commandant (GD) on a Short Service Appointment when a notice includes it, with a lower minimum height of 152 cm. The 2027 GD/Technical notice was for men only. SC/ST/OBC candidates get age relaxation only where posts are reserved, and SC/ST candidates are exempt from the fee. Height can be relaxed for hilly and tribal areas. I did not find any relaxations for disability in the medical standards I read.

• Class 7–9Learn to swim well and build a daily running and exercise habit. Read about how the Coast Guard rescues people at sea, and find your state's coastline or nearest port on a map.
• Class 10–12Choose Physics and Maths for Class 11–12. Join your school's NCC unit if there is one, and sign up on MY Bharat (age 15+) for free volunteering.Open link ↗
• College or afterTake a free NPTEL or SWAYAM course on a topic such as ocean engineering, naval architecture basics or basic electrical machines. It builds the science and engineering base that Technical entry rewards.Open link ↗

• This profile is based on the latest official notice I could read, for the 2027 batch (applications July 2025). I could not find a newer notice. Check joinindiancoastguard.cdac.in for the current one, as dates, vacancies and rules change every cycle.
• Age is 21–25 years for GD and Technical. Relaxation is 5 years for SC/ST and 3 years for OBC (non-creamy layer), but only if posts are reserved for them. The Coast Guard also gives a 5-year relaxation to serving defence personnel.
• Assistant Commandant is a Group 'A' gazetted officer post. The official promotion table runs from Assistant Commandant to Deputy Commandant (minimum 6 years), then upward to Director General.
• Looking for a sailor entry after Class 10 or 12? The Coast Guard also has Navik and Yantrik posts. They are separate from this officer entry.