Who's an Army Officer?
The tricolour, the crisp uniforms, the power and the respect – as children, we’ve all been awed soldiers and want to be one. But, only a few go ahead and pursue it.
It’s a calling. A calling only the bravest, most adventurous and selfless individuals pay heed to. If somewhere down the line you’ve felt a pull towards it, felt the urge to serve your nation and protect its people, then this is the path for you!
As an army officer, you will guard our country against internal and external threats. You will work on rescue missions and help your country’s citizens in times of disaster and calamities.
Make no mistake, this is no easy feat. You will undergo rigorous training and live a life led by discipline and order, starting from the young age of 18 right to the end of your career. However, the path is just as rewarding as it is dangerous. Bringing you prestige, and honour, it is one of the most respectable jobs. Want to learn more about army officer? Read on!
What will you do?
Where will you work?
How do you get there?
What skills would you need?
Technical Skills
Technical skills refer to the specific knowledge and abilities required to perform particular tasks, often related to technology, engineering, computer science, or specialized fields. These skills encompass a wide range of competencies, including proficiency in software applications, programming languages, data analysis tools, and technical writing. Mastering technical skills allows individuals to effectively utilise tools and technologies relevant to their job roles. Strong technical skills will enable professionals to troubleshoot issues, implement solutions, and contribute to innovation within their organisations. build this skill
Communication Skills
Communication skills are the ability to clearly express ideas, information, and feelings, both verbally and in writing, so others can easily understand. This includes listening effectively, using the right tone, and being aware of non-verbal cues like body language. These skills help you explain your thoughts clearly, build relationships, and work better in teams. Good communication is important in almost every job, from customer service to leadership roles, because it ensures that tasks are understood and done correctly, and it helps prevent misunderstandings. build this skillHow do you make it to the top ranks?
Lieutenant
The lowest commissioned officer in the Indian Army is the Lieutenant. At this stage, your tasks are limited to handling administration or managerial related work.
Captain
After two years of reckonable (paid) commissioned service, you can become Captain. This role requires you to oversee the work of the Lieutenants and ensure all commands are executed correctly.
Major
After six years of reckonable commissioned service and the clearance of the Part B exam, you are eligible to be a Major. At this stage, you are responsible for commanding and directing a whole military section (10-12 soldiers).
Lieutenant Colonel
After 13 years of reckonable commissioned service and the clearance of Part D exam, you are promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. By this stage, you are responsible for commanding a platoon (3-4 sections).
Colonel
After 15 years of reckonable commissioned service, you might be selected to become Colonel. At this stage, you are recognised as the head of a military group.
Brigadier
Brigadiers are selected after 25 years of reckonable commissioned service. As the name suggests, you are responsible for commanding a brigade (3-4 battalions) of soldiers at this post.
Major General
After 32 years of commissioned service, you may be selected to become Major General. Here, you serve as a commander of a division, which may consist of several brigades.
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant Generals are selected after 36 years of commissioned service. At this stage, you act as the Vice Chief of Army Staff or the Army Commander.
General
This is the highest-ranking position in the Army. As the General, you are the Chief of the Army Staff, equivalent to Cabinet Secretary of India (highest civilian post).
Field Marshal
This is the highest attainable rank in the Indian Army, even though it’s not exercised in the Army structure. Only two appointments for this role have been made in Indian history. The first time to Sam Manekshaw, also known as “Sam Bahadur.” The second time to Kodandera Madappa Cariappa – the first to be made Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army.
Pursuing your career locally VS abroad
The most common route (for men) to becoming an Army Officer is through the National Defence Academy (NDA) in Pune. The Officers’ Training Academy in Chennai and the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun are good options too. The application fee is INR 100 for the general category aspirants, while some are exempt from any kind of payment. You need to be between 16 and 19 years of age and meet the physical requirements before enrolment. Once you join the NDA, you can continue studying in college and will be sent to the Indian Military Academy after graduating for a one-year training programme.
The second most common route (applicable to all genders) is through the Combined Defence Services Exam. Candidates must be between 19 and 24 years of age and must have a graduation degree from a recognised institute. Engineering graduates can join the military directly after qualifying in the Service Selection Board Interview. University entry schemes also give engineering graduates the opportunity to apply for the technical branches of the Army.
In order to pursue a career in the Indian Army, you must hold Indian citizenship and live here. However, the Indian Army is known to have sent its officers abroad for training and other purposes. Officers spend a year in third-world nations such as Uganda and Sudan as the UN’s peacekeeping forces. At the senior level, they are sent to countries like the US and Malaysia for promotional exams and better exposure. These training periods are sponsored by the candidate’s academy in India and the cost for living is also covered. However, these opportunities are few and officers are mainly trained within the Indian borders.
How much would you get paid?
What are your career options?
Infantry
The infantry includes soldiers who fight on foot. They capture enemy territories while defending their own from the enemies. As part of the infantry, you would typically carry equipment and weapons like rifles, machine guns, grenades, missiles, mines, anti-tank weapons and more.
Artillery
Officers in the artillery work in both war zones as well as civilian areas. Unlike soldiers in the infantry, you would use long-range field guns, multi-barrel rocket launchers and missiles for your operations. In civilian areas, you would be assigned to protect specific areas.
Armoured Corps
The battalions who operate tanks and other armoured vehicles for the Army make up the armoured corps. You would work along with the infantry. Help them capture enemy territories and defend your own and other captured territories by engaging enemy tanks in battle.
Army Service Corps
War or no war, the army personnel need to be moved from place to place and the army service corps are responsible for this transportation. As an officer of the army service corps, you would transport troops as well as rations, and arms and ammunition to different sites. You would also manage the storage of other important equipment.
Intelligence Corps
Intelligence corps deal with strategy. Here, you would be involved in the collection, analysis and communication of any kind of intelligence received regarding the enemy and their movement or strategy. You would specialise in encoding and decoding messages and looking for clues in pictures captured by satellites.
Ordnance Corps
This is a special branch of the Army. Ordinance corps procure equipment for the troops. You would work closely with the army service corps to maintain and store arms and ammunition used by the troops for war.
Signals
Similar to the runners and messengers of the past, these officers are responsible for quick communication between the different divisions of the Army. You would relay messages from headquarters to the troops on the frontline during the time of war.
Engineering
The army has its own engineers, be it civil, mechanical or electrical. As an engineer, you will be responsible for the building of roads and bridges, laying minefields, defusing explosives, destroying enemy bases, and the building and maintenance of equipment used by the infantry.
Medicine
The Army also has its own special medicine personnel – doctors, nurses, dentists, and even veterinary professionals. Here, you would provide care for the troops and their families and will be required on ground for emergency services at the time of war. To become a medic, you must complete Class 12 and appear for the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune exam. Once you qualify, you can pursue an MBBS course from AFMC, post which you will be commissioned into the Indian Army.
Law
The Army needs law graduates who provide legal counsel and services to the officers. You would handle cases and also take disciplinary action, if needed, against the officers in the Army. You will need a degree in Law in order to apply for this post. Once you graduate, apply for the Short Service Commission with the Judge Advocate General Department. You will have to pass a five-day interview process to get selected.
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