DEFENCE
Indian Navy officer
Serving at sea, in the air and ashore — executive, engineering, education and flying branches.
Facts checked 17/10/2026
- Class 11–12 subjects
- Class 12 PCM for NDA (Navy wing) and the 10+2 B.Tech entry (70% PCM, 50% English). Engineering or other degrees for SSC entries.
- First degree
- Not needed for NDA or the 10+2 B.Tech entry (the Navy gives you a B.Tech). B.E./B.Tech (60%) for most Short Service entries.
- Entrance exams
- NDA and CDS (UPSC). The 10+2 B.Tech and Short Service entries have no Navy written exam — shortlisting on JEE Main rank or degree marks.
- Licence or registration
- None. Selection is through the SSB interview and a medical.
What the work is like
Ship and submarine operations, naval aviation, marine and electrical engineering, logistics, education.
The path, step by step
- Class 11–12Take PCM and keep English strong.
- ApplyNDA or 10+2 B.Tech (with JEE Main) after Class 12; CDS or a Short Service entry after a degree.
- SSB5-day interview, then a medical (strict eyesight rules for executive branches).
- TrainingNDA + Naval Academy, or the Naval Academy, Ezhimala.
- CommissionSub Lieutenant.
Ways in
- NDA — Navy wing (after Class 12)
- Who
- Unmarried men and women, Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Maths.
- Age
- About 16½–19½.
- Selection
- UPSC written exam → SSB → medical.
- Training
- 3 years at NDA, then the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala.
- You get
- Permanent Commission.
- 10+2 (B.Tech) Cadet Entry
- Who
- Unmarried men and women, Class 12 with 70% PCM and 50% English, plus a JEE Main score from that year.
- Age
- About 16½–19½.
- Selection
- Shortlisted on JEE Main rank → SSB → medical.
- Training
- 4-year B.Tech at the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala; the Navy pays.
- You get
- Permanent Commission (executive and technical branches).
- CDS — Indian Naval Academy
- Who
- Unmarried men with B.E./B.Tech.
- Age
- 19–24.
- Selection
- UPSC written exam → SSB → medical.
- Training
- Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala.
- You get
- Permanent Commission.
- Short Service Commission entries
- Who
- Unmarried men and women: engineers (60%) for most branches; MBA/MCA for logistics; a 60% master's for education. NCC 'C' holders get a 5% cut-off relaxation.
- Age
- Roughly 19–25, by branch.
- Selection
- No written exam: shortlisted on degree marks → SSB → medical.
- Training
- Naval Orientation Course at Ezhimala, then professional training.
- You get
- Short Service Commission as Sub Lieutenant (10 years + up to 4 per the 2024 notice; a 2026 summary says 12 + 2 — confirm).
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).
- Navy entries are notified twice a year (January and June/July courses).
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 Navy (official) · UPSC (NDA and CDS notices) · Navy SSC advertisement (2024, CBC) · Navy 10+2 B.Tech Jan 2027 notice summary · Navy SSC June 2027 notice summary · The 5-day SSB process (summary)
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