Air Force

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NATIONAL DEFENCE ACADEMY (NDA)

S.NO.	COURSE
Tentative Vacancies Per Course	300 (Twice a year) or As notified from time to timeArmy – 195Air Force – 66Navy – 39
Eligibility Criteria
Age between	16 ½ to 19 yrs as of first day of the month in which course is due to commence
Qualification	12th Class of 10+2 System of Education/Equivalent for Army and with Physics and Maths for AF/Navy
Marital Status	Un Married
Application to be Received by	As per UPSC notification
Likely SSB Date	Sep to Oct and Jan to Apr
Date Commencement of Training	Jan and Jul
Training Academy	NDA , Khadakwasla, Pune
Duration of Training	3 Yrs at NDA and 1 Yrs at IMA(For Army cadets)/3 Yrs at NDA and 1 Yrs at Naval Academy( for Naval cadets)/3 Yrs at NDA and 1 & 1/2 Yrs at AFA Hyderabad (For AF cadets)

10+2 TES

10+2 TECHNICAL ENTRY SCHEME(10+2 TES)

Tentative Vacancies Per Course	85
Notify in Employment News and leading Daily news Paper	Notified by ADG Rtg AG's branch IHQ of MOD(Army) in May/Jun & Oct/Nov
Eligibility Criteria
Age between	16 ½ to 19 & 1/2 yrs as of first day of the month in which course is due to commence
Qualification	12th Class of 10+2 System of Education/Equivalent with a minimum aggregate of 70% in Physics, Chemistry & Maths(PCM)
Marital Status	Un Married
Application to be Received by	As per UPSC notification
Likely SSB Date	Sep to Oct and Jan to Apr
Date Commencement of Training	Jan and Jul
Training Academy	NDA , Khadakwasla, Pune
Duration of Training	3 Yrs at NDA and 1 Yrs at IMA(For Army cadets)/3 Yrs at NDA and 1 Yrs at Naval Academy( for Naval cadets)/3 Yrs at NDA and 1 & 1/2 Yrs at AFA Hyderabad (For AF cadets)

IMA (DE)

INDIAN MILITARY ACADEMY DIRECT ENTRY (NON TECHNICAL MEN)

Vacancies Per Course	250 (Twice a year)
Notify in Employment News and leading Daily news Paper	Notified by UPSC under the aegis of CDSE in May/Jun and Nov/Dec
Eligibility Criteria
Age between	19 and 24 yrs as of first day of month in which course is due to commence
Qualification	Graduation from Recognised University.
Marital Status	Un Married
Likely SSB Date	Jul to Aug and Mar / Apr
Date Commencement of Trg	Jan and Jul
Training Academy	IMA Dehradun
Duration of Trg	18 months

OTA SSC (Non Tech)

OFFICERS TRAINING ACADEMY (NON TECHNICAL MEN)

Vacancies Per Course	175 (Twice a year)
Notify in Employment News and leading Daily news Paper	Notified by UPSC under the aegis of CDSE in May/Jun and Nov/Dec
Eligibility Criteria
Age between	19 and 25 yrs as on 01 Jan of the yr in which course is due to commence for Apr course and 01 Jul of the yr in which course is due to commence for Oct course
Qualification	Graduation from Recognised University.
Marital Status	Un Married / married
Likely SSB Date	Nov / Dec and May / Jun
Date Commencement of Trg	Apr and Oct
Training Academy	OTA Chennai
Duration of Trg	49 Weeks

Graduate non UPSC

NCC (SPL) ENTRY MEN

Vacancies Per Course	50 (Twice a Year)
Notify in Employment News and leading Daily news Paper	Notified by Additional Directorate General Recruiting / AG Branch in Jun & Dec
Eligibility Criteria
Age between	19 and 25 yrs as of 01 Jul of the yr in which course is due to commence for Oct course and 01 Jan of the yr in which course is due to commence for Apr course
Qualification	Final year appearing/Graduate with 50% Aggregate marks, 2 Yrs service in NCC Senior Div Army with minimum ‘B’ Grade in ‘C’ Certificate Exam.
Marital Status	Un Married/Married
Application to be Received by	Oct / Nov and Apr / May through NCC Dte
Likely SSB Date	Dec/Jan and Jun/Jul
Date Commencement of Trg	Apr and Oct
Training Academy	OTA, Chennai
Duration of Trg	49 Weeks

Law graduate

JAG MEN

JAG Men
Vacancies Per Course	As Notified
Notify in Employment News and leading Daily news Paper	Notified by Additional Directorate General Recruiting / AG Branch
Eligibility Criteria
Age between	21 and 27 yrs as on 01 Jul of the yr in which course is due to commence for Oct course and 01 Jan of the yr in which course is due to commence for Apr course
Qualification	Graduate with LLB / LLM with 55% marks. Registered with Bar Council of India / State
Marital Status	Un Married / Married
Application to be Received by	Oct / Nov and Apr / May
Likely SSB Date	Dec – Jan and Jul – Aug
Date Commencement of Trg	Apr and Oct
Training Academy	OTA CHENNAI
Duration of Trg	49 Weeks

UES (Pre Final Yr)

UNIVERSITY ENTRY SCHEME

Vacancies Per Course	60
Notify in Employment News and leading Daily news Paper	Notified by Additional Directorate General Recruiting / AG Branch in May. Applications to be forwarded to respective Command Headquarters as per the areas indicated in the notification.
Eligibility Criteria
Age between	19 and 25 yrs as of first day of month in which course is due to commence
Qualification	Pre Final year students of Engineering Degree Course
Marital Status	Un Married
Application to be Received by	as specified in the notification.
Likely SSB Date	Jul/Aug during final year
Date Commencement of Trg	Jul at IMA Dehradun

TGC

TGC (ENGINEERS)

Vacancies Per Course	As Notified (Twice a Year)
Notify in Employment News and leading Daily news Paper	Notified by Additional Directorate General Recruiting / AG Branch in May/Jun and Nov/Dec
Eligibility Criteria
Age between	20 and 27 yrs as of first day of month in which course is due to commence
Qualification	BE / B Tech final appearing & degree holders in notified streams of Engineers
Marital Status	Un Married / Married
Application to be Received by	To apply online as per notification & fwd applications as given in advertisement
Likely SSB Date	Oct-Nov & Apr-May
Date Commencement of Training	Jan and Jul
Training Academy	IMA
Duration of Training	One Year

SS (Tech)

SHORT SERVICE COMMISSION TECHNICAL MEN

Vacancies Per Course	As Notified (Twice a year)
Notify in Employment News and leading Daily news Paper	Notified by Additional Directorate General Recruiting / AG Branch in Dec/Jan and Jun / Jul
Eligibility Criteria
Age between	20 to 27 yrs as on first day of the month in which course is due to commence
Qualification	Engineering Degree in notified discipline
Marital Status	Un Married / Married
Application to be Received by	To apply online & applications to be fwd as given in advertisement
Likely SSB Date	Nov to Jan for Apr Course and May to July for Oct Course
Date Commencement of Trg	Oct and Apr
Training Academy	OTA Chennai
Duration of Trg	49 Weeks

Post Graduate

TGC EDUCATION (AEC)

Vacancies Per Course	As Notified (Twice a Year)
Notify in Employment News and leading Daily news Paper	Notified by Additional Directorate General Recruiting / AG Branch in May/Jun and Nov/Dec
Eligibility Criteria
Age	23 to 27 yrs
Born Between	2nd Jan to 1st Jan for Jan Course.2nd Jul to 1st Jul for Jul Course
Qualification	MA / MSC in 1st or 2nd division in notified subjects from recognised university
Marital Status	Un Married
Application to be Received by	Jun/Jul and Dec/Jan
Likely SSB Date	Sept/Oct and Apr/May
Date Commencement of Trg	Jan and Jul
Training Academy	IMA
Duration of Trg	One Year

SSCW(NCC) Entry

NCC (SPL) ENTRY WOMEN

Vacancies Per Course	As Notified (Twice a year)
Notify in Employment News and leading Daily news Paper	Notified by Additional Directorate General Recruiting / AG Branch in Dec/Jan and Jun / Jul
Eligibility Criteria
Age between	20 and 27 yrs as on first day of the month in which course is due to commence
Qualification	Engineering Degree in notified discipline
Marital Status	Un Married
Application to be Received by	Feb / Mar and Jul / Aug
Likely SSB Date	Nov to Jan for Apr Course and May to July for Oct Course
Date Commencement of Trg	Oct and Apr
Training Academy	OTA Chennai
Duration of Trg	49 Weeks

GRADUATE UPSC

SHORT SERVICE COMMISSION NON TECHNICAL WOMEN

Eligibility Criteria
Age between	19 and 25 yrs as on 01 Jan of the yr in which course is due to commence for Apr course and 01 Jul of the yr in which course is due to commence for Oct course
Qualification	Graduation / Post Graduation from Recognized University.
Marital Status	Un Married
Application to be Received by	applications to be forwarded to UPSC as per notification published in Apr/ Sep every year
Likely SSB Date	May/Jun and Nov/Dec
Date Commencement of Trg	Apr and Oct
Training Academy	OTA Chennai
Duration of Trg	49 Weeks

LAW GRADUATE

JAG WOMEN

JAG Women
Vacancies Per Course	As Notified
Notify in Employment News and leading Daily news Paper	Notified by Additional Directorate General Recruiting / AG Branch
Eligibility Criteria
Age between	21 and 27 yrs as on 01 Jan of the yr in which course is due to commence for Apr course and 01 Jul of the yr in which course is due to commence for Oct course
Qualification	Graduate with LLB / LLM with 55% marks. Registered with Bar Council of India / State
Marital Status	Un Married
Application to be Received by	Oct / Nov and Apr / May
Likely SSB Date	Dec – Jan and Jul – Aug
Date Commencement of Trg	Apr and Oct
Training Academy	OTA CHENNAI
Duration of Trg	49 Weeks

CAREER AS AN AIR FORCE OFFICER

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An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. To be able to lead and control, requires the ability to motivate yourself, inspire others and make tough decisions efficiently. When you join to become an Air Force Officer, we’ll help you develop your leadership and management skills, preparing you fully to take on the challenge of leading in real life situations. Lessons in team work, developing communication skills and confidence, honing strategic and dynamic thinking and preparing you to face pressures with ease are grilled into an Officer during his training. The Air Force teaches you all, not only making men and women of young boys and girls but making them leaders in life. An officer’s strength of character and strong moral compass make him/her stand out from the crowd at all times.
As an Officer in the Indian Air Force, you will inherit a glorious heritage and timeless traditions of the IAF, blended perfectly with the latest technology.

As an officer in the Indian Air Force you will strategise, lead and manage. Depending on your qualifications, you could join one of the various branches in the IAF. Broadly the Air Force has three branches with further sub-streams :

(a) Flying Branch

•  Fighters
•  Transports
•  Helicopters

(b) Technical Branch

•  Mechanical
•  Electronics

(c) Ground Duty Branch

•  Administration
•  Accounts
•  Logistics
•  Education
•  Meteorology

FLYING BRANCH

You surely fly high by joining the Flying branch of the IAF. You are trained as a Fighter pilot or a Helicopter pilot or a Transport pilot and are part of various peace and wartime missions.
The various modes of entry into the Flying Branch are:

•  As a Graduate
•  NDA (National Defence Academy)

AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING BRANCH

As an officer in the Technical Branch,you propel and manage your team to ensure that the Indian Air Force remains airworthy. You would be incharge of some of the most sophisticated equipment in the world by joining one of the sub branches based on your qualification.

General Eligibility

for Aeronautical Engineering Branch are (applicable for men and women):

•  Age – 18 to 28 years (at the time of commencement of course)
•  Nationality – Indian
•  Marital Status – Candidates below the age of 25 years should be unmarried

Entry into the Technical Branch is through two schemes, both via AFCAT

•  UNIVERSITY ENTRY SCHEME(UES)
•  For candidates studying in Pre-Final year of B-tech/BE degree course
•  For men only. Grant of Permanent Commission.
•  Educational Qualifications – The candidate must be currently studying in Pre-final year of BE / BTech degree course with choice of subject as mentioned above. There must be No backlog / arrears of papers of previous semesters at the time of SSB Testing. On completion of degree, minimum 60% of marks in aggregate in all papers put together are mandatory.

Advertisement Schedule – December every year (through AFCAT)

•  AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING COURSE
•  After completion of Engineering degree or while in your final year/semester of Engineering
•  For both Men and Women. Permanent Commission (for men) / Short Service Commission (For men and women)
•  Marks – Must have scored a minimum of 60% marks in aggregate in all the papers put together in any one of the qualifications listed Final year students are eligible to apply provided they do not have any present backlog at the time of SSB testing and they produce provisional/ original degree issued by the University as per the date stipulated in the advertisement.

Advertisement Schedule –

Advertisements for AFCAT are released by the IAF in the months of June and December

Educational Qualification for Aeronautical Engineering Branch –

Depending upon your stream of Engineering and subjects studied, you could join one of the sub branches of the Technical branch. Check the educational qualification required for the sub branches. Aeronautical Engineering (Electronics)Aeronautical Engineering (Mechanical)

GROUND DUTY BRANCHES (For Graduates/ Post Graduates)

Managing human and material resources, the Ground Duty Branch is the mechanism that steers the Indian Air Force.General Eligibility Criteria for Ground Duty Branches

•  Age – 20 to 23 Years for Graduates and 20 to 25 years for Post Graduates (at the time of commencement of course). Upper age limit relaxed upto 26 years for Law Graduates (3 Years Course), upto 27 years for CA / ICWA / M Ed /Ph D.
•  Marital Status – Candidates below the age of 25 years must be Unmarried.
•  Nationality – Indian
•  Gender – Both men and women.

As a Graduate/ Post Graduate you can join as an officer in any of the following Ground Duty Branches

ADMINISTRATION BRANCH
•  Permanent Commission (for Men) / Short Service Commission (for Men & Women)
•  Responsible for the efficient management of both human and material resources. Some of the officers of the Administration Branch are selected and trained to carry out the following duties also:
•  Air Traffic Controller – Involves maintaining an orderly flow of traffic and airspace management.
•  Fighter Controller – Involves close contact and supervision between the air and radar for effective airspace management.
•  Educational Qualifications
•  Graduation degree in any discipline with a minimum 60% marks in aggregate in all papers put together
•  Post Graduation degree / equivalent diploma in any discipline with a minimum 50% mark in aggregate in all papers put together.

ACCOUNTS BRANCH

•  Permanent Commission (for Men) / Short Service Commission (for Men & Women)
•  Responsible for efficient financial management of funds.You will also act as internal auditor to ensure a zero-defect audit from outside agencies.
•  Educational Qualifications
•  Graduate Degree in Commerce (B Com) with a minimum 60% marks in aggregate in all papers put together
•  Post Graduate Degree in Commerce (M Com) / CA / ICWA with a minimum 50% mark in aggregate in all papers put together.

LOGISTICS BRANCH

•  Permanent Commission (for Men) / Short Service Commission (for Men & Women)
•  Responsible for materials management of all Air Force resources. You would ensure efficient supervision of inventories,and involve in procurement processes of various ranges of equipment.
•  Educational Qualifications
•  Graduation degree in any discipline with a minimum 60% marks in aggregate in all papers put together
•  Post Graduation Degree/ equivalent diploma in any discipline with a minimum 50% marks in aggregate in all papers put together.

As a Post Graduate you can join in the following Ground Duty Branches.

EDUCATION BRANCH

•  Educational Qualifications – Post Graduate Degree in any discipline with a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate in all papers put together.

METEOROLOGY BRANCH

•  As a Meteorology Branch Officer you would be involved handling the latest satellite imagery and state-of-the-art monitoring equipment,you would render specific advice to the operators on all aspects of weather.
•  Educational Qualifications – Post Graduate Degree in any Science Stream / Mathematics / Statistics / Geography / Computer Applications / Environmental Science /Applied Physics / Oceanography / Agricultural Meteorlogy / Ecology & Environment / Geo- physics / Environmental Biology. All candidates should have scored a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate in all papers of Post Graduation put together and should have studied Maths & Physics in Graduation with minimum of 55% marks in both subjects.
•  Advertisement Schedule – Advertisements for AFCAT are released by the IAF in the months of June and December 10+2
  The valiant boys could be part of the Indian Air Force family by applying for NDA( National Defence Academy) Candidates, short-listed for Indian Air Force after the initial selection procedure, go through a rigorous three-year training regimen at the National Defence Academy at Khadakwasla, followed by specialised training at one of the training establishment. Thereafter, they are Commissioned as Permanent Commission Officers and posted as pilots at any of the Air Force Stations.
  To be in the National Defence Academy
  You can join NDA by taking the exam conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). This exam is conducted twice a year in all major cities throughout India.

Eligibility Criteria

•  Age – 16 ½ to 19 years(at the time of commencement of course)
•  Nationality – Indian
•  Gender – Men Only
•  Educational Qualifications – 10+2 with Physics and Mathematics. Appearing final year students can also eligible to apply.
•  Advertisement Schedule – May and December. (Advertisement is released by UPSC. Visit www.upsc.gov.in)

ENGINEER

As an Engineer, you can soar into a rewarding and challenging career in the Indian Air Force. You have the option to apply for all branches of the IAF. Click on for details.

Flying Branch
Technical Branch
Ground duty Branch

FLYING BRANCH

You surely fly high by joining the Flying branch of the IAF. You are trained as a Fighter pilot or a Helicopter pilot or a Transport pilot and are part of various peace and wartime missions. The various modes of entry into the Flying Branch are:

•   As a Graduate
•   NDA (National Defence Academy)

AS A GRADUATE

As a Graduate/ Engineer, you enter the Flying branch through the Air Force Academy.
The following are the three modes of entry for Graduates/ Engineers to join the Flying branch:
CDSE (COMBINED DEFENCE SERVICES EXAMINATION) (FOR MEN ONLY)

•   Men can enter through this mode of entry and will get a Permanent Commission.
•   Eligibility criteria:
•   Age – 19 to 23 years (at the time of commencement of course)
•   Nationality – Indian
•   Marital Status – Single
•   Gender – Men only.
•   Educational Qualifications Graduate (Three Year Course) in any discipline from a recognised University (with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level) / BE / B Tech (Four Year Course).
•   Final Year / semester students are also eligible to apply, provided they produce Degree certificate issued by the University as per the date stipulated in the advertisement.
•   No Percentage Bar for CDSE entry.
•   Advertisement Schedule: Advertisements are released by UPSC in the months of June and October

NDA (NATIONAL DEFENCE ACADEMY)

The valiant boys could be part of the Indian Air Force family by applying for NDA (National Defence Academy)
Candidates, short-listed for Indian Air Force after the initial selection procedure, go through a rigorous three-year training regimen at the National Defence Academy at Khadakwasla, followed by specialised training at one of the AF Training Establishments. On successful completion, they are Commissioned as Permanent Commission Officers and posted as pilots at any of the Air Force Stations.
You can join NDA by taking the exam conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). This exam is conducted twice a year in all major cities throughout India.

•   Eligibility Criteria
•   Age – 16 ½ to 19 years (at the time of commencement of course)
•   Nationality – Indian
•   Gender – Men only
•   Educational Qualifications – 10+2 with Physics and Mathematics. Students appearing in final year are also eligible to apply.
•   Advertisement Schedule – May and December. (Advertisement is released by UPSC. Visit www.upsc.gov.in)

TECHNICAL BRANCH

AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING BRANCH

As an officer in the Technical Branch, you propel and manage your team to ensure that the Indian Air Force remains airworthy. You would be incharge of some of the most sophisticated equipment in the world by joining one of the sub branches based on your qualification.
General Eligibility for Aeronautical Engineering Branch are (applicable for men and women):

•   Age – 18 to 28 years (at the time of commencement of course)
•   Nationality – Indian
•   Marital Status – Candidates below the age of 25 years should be unmarried
•   Entry into the Technical Branch is through two schemes, both via AFCAT
•   UNIVERSITY ENTRY SCHEME(UES)
•   For candidates studying in Pre-Final year of B-tech/BE degree course
•   For men only. Grant of Permanent Commission.
•   Educational Qualifications: The candidate must be currently studying in Pre-final year of BE / BTech degree course with choice of subject as mentioned above. There must be No backlog / arrears of papers of previous semesters at the time of SSB Testing. On completion of degree, minimum 60% of marks in aggregate in all papers put together are mandatory.
  Advertisement Schedule: December every year (through AFCAT)

AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING COURSE

•   After completion of Engineering degree or while in your final year/semester of Engineering
•   For both Men and Women. Permanent Commission (for men) / Short Service Commission (For men and women)
•  Marks – Must have scored a minimum of 60% marks in aggregate in all the papers put together in any one of the qualifications listed
•   Final year students are eligible to apply provided they do not have any present backlog at the time of SSB testing and they produce provisional/ original degree issued by the University as per the date stipulated in the advertisement.

Advertisement Schedule – Advertisements for AFCAT are released by the IAF in the months of June and December.
Educational Qualification for Aeronautical Engineering Branch –Depending upon your stream of Engineering and subjects studied, you could join one of the sub branches of the Technical branch. Check the educational qualification required for the sub branches.

GROUND DUTY BRANCH

GROUND DUTY BRANCHES

(For Graduates/ Post Graduates)

Managing human and material resources, the Ground Duty Branch is the mechanism that steers the Indian Air Force. General Eligibility Criteria for Ground Duty Branches

•   Age – 20 to 23 Years for Graduates and 20 to 25 years for Post Graduates (at the time of commencement of course). Upper age limit relaxed upto 26 years for Law Graduates (3 Years Course), upto 27 years for CA / ICWA / M Ed / Ph D.
•   Marital Status – Candidates below the age of 25 years must be Unmarried.
•   Nationality – Indian
•   Gender – Both men and women.

As a Graduate/ Post Graduate you can join as an officer in any of the following Ground Duty Branches

ADMINISTRATION BRANCH

•   Permanent Commission (for Men) / Short Service Commission (for Men & Women)
•  Responsible for the efficient management of both human and material resources. Some of the officers of the Administration Branch are selected and trained to carry out the following duties also:
•   Air Traffic Controller – Involves maintaining an orderly flow of traffic and airspace management.
•   Fighter Controller – Involves close contact and supervision between the air and radar for effective airspace management.

Educational Qualifications

•   Graduation degree in any discipline with a minimum 60% marks in aggregate in all papers put together

OR

•   Post Graduation degree / equivalent diploma in any discipline with a minimum 50% marks in aggregate in all papers put together.

ACCOUNTS BRANCH

•   Permanent Commission (for Men) / Short Service Commission (for Men & Women)
•   Responsible for efficient financial management of funds. You will also act as internal auditor to ensure a zero-defect audit from outside agencies.

Educational Qualifications

•   Graduate Degree in Commerce (B Com) with a minimum 60% marks in aggregate in all papers put together

OR

•   Post Graduate Degree in Commerce (M Com) / CA / ICWA with a minimum 50% marks in aggregate in all papers put together.

LOGISTICS BRANCH

•   Permanent Commission (for Men) / Short Service Commission (for Men & Women)
•   Responsible for materials management of all Air Force resources. You would ensure efficient supervision of inventories, and involve in procurement processes of various ranges of equipment.

Educational Qualifications

•   Graduation degree in any discipline with a minimum 60% marks in aggregate in all papers put together

OR

•   Post Graduation Degree/ equivalent diploma in any discipline with a minimum 50% marks in aggregate in all papers put together.

As a Post Graduate you can join in the following Ground Duty Branches.

EDUCATION BRANCH

•   Educational Qualifications – Post Graduate Degree in any discipline with a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate in all papers put together.

METEOROLOGY BRANCH

As a Meteorology Branch Officer you would be involved handling the latest satellite imagery and state-of-the-art monitoring equipment,you would render specific advice to the operators on all aspects of weather.

Educational Qualifications

Post Graduate Degree in any Science Stream / Mathematics /Statistics / Geography / Computer Applications / Environmental Science /Applied Physics / Oceanography / Agricultural Meteorlogy / Ecology & Environment / Geo- physics / Environmental Biology. All candidates should have scored a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate in all papers of Post Graduation put together and should have studied Maths & Physics in Graduation with minimum of 55% marks in both subjects.

Advertisement Schedule: Advertisements for AFCAT are released by the IAF in the months of June and December

GRADUATE

As a graduate, you can fly into a challenging and rewarding career in the Air Force by applying for the suitable branch. Depending upon your educational qualification, you could apply for different branches.Click on, for details.

Flying Branch
Technical Branch
Ground duty Branch

FLYING BRANCH

You surely fly high by joining the Flying branch of the IAF. You are trained as a Fighter pilot or a Helicopter pilot or a Transport pilot and are part of various peace and wartime missions. The various modes of entry into the Flying Branch are:

•   As a Graduate
•   NDA (National Defence Academy)

AS A GRADUATE

As a Graduate/ Engineer, you enter the Flying branch through the Air Force Academy.The following are the three modes of entry for Graduates/ Engineers to join the Flying branch:CDSE (COMBINED DEFENCE SERVICES EXAMINATION) (FOR MEN ONLY)

•   Men can enter through this mode of entry and will get a Permanent Commission.
•   Eligibility criteria:
•   Age – 19 to 23 years (at the time of commencement of course)
•   Nationality – Indian
•   Marital Status – Single
•   Gender – Men only.
•   Educational Qualifications Graduate (Three Year Course) in any discipline from a recognised University (with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level) / BE / B Tech (Four Year Course).
•   Final Year / semester students are also eligible to apply, provided they produce Degree certificate issued by the University as per the date stipulated in the advertisement.
•   No Percentage Bar for CDSE entry.
•   Advertisement Schedule: Advertisements are released by UPSC in the months of June and October

NDA (NATIONAL DEFENCE ACADEMY)

The valiant boys could be part of the Indian Air Force family by applying for NDA (National Defence Academy)
Candidates, short-listed for Indian Air Force after the initial selection procedure, go through a rigorous three-year training regimen at the National Defence Academy at Khadakwasla, followed by specialised training at one of the AF Training Establishments. On successful completion, they are Commissioned as Permanent Commission Officers and posted as pilots at any of the Air Force Stations.
You can join NDA by taking the exam conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). This exam is conducted twice a year in all major cities throughout India.

•   Eligibility Criteria
•   Age – 16 ½ to 19 years (at the time of commencement of course)
•   Nationality – Indian
•   Gender – Men only
•   Educational Qualifications – 10+2 with Physics and Mathematics. Students appearing in final year are also eligible to apply.
•   Advertisement Schedule – May and December. (Advertisement is released by UPSC. Visit www.upsc.gov.in)

TECHNICAL BRANCH

AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING BRANCH

As an officer in the Technical Branch, you propel and manage your team to ensure that the Indian Air Force remains airworthy. You would be incharge of some of the most sophisticated equipment in the world by joining one of the sub branches based on your qualification.

General Eligibility for Aeronautical Engineering Branch are (applicable for men and women):

•   Age – 18 to 28 years (at the time of commencement of course)
•   Nationality – Indian
•   Marital Status – Candidates below the age of 25 years should be unmarried
•   Entry into the Technical Branch is through two schemes, both via AFCAT
•   UNIVERSITY ENTRY SCHEME(UES)
•   For candidates studying in Pre-Final year of B-tech/BE degree course
•   For men only. Grant of Permanent Commission.
•   Educational Qualifications: The candidate must be currently studying in Pre-final year of BE / BTech degree course with choice of subject as mentioned above. There must be No backlog / arrears of papers of previous semesters at the time of SSB Testing. On completion of degree, minimum 60% of marks in aggregate in all papers put together are mandatory.
  Advertisement Schedule: December every year (through AFCAT)

AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING COURSE

•   After completion of Engineering degree or while in your final year/semester of Engineering
•   For both Men and Women. Permanent Commission (for men) / Short Service Commission (For men and women)
•  Marks – Must have scored a minimum of 60% marks in aggregate in all the papers put together in any one of the qualifications listed
•   Final year students are eligible to apply provided they do not have any present backlog at the time of SSB testing and they produce provisional/ original degree issued by the University as per the date stipulated in the advertisement.

Advertisement Schedule – Advertisements for AFCAT are released by the IAF in the months of June and December.
Educational Qualification for Aeronautical Engineering Branch – Depending upon your stream of Engineering and subjects studied, you could join one of the sub branches of the Technical branch. Check the educational qualification required for the sub branches.

GROUND DUTY BRANCH

GROUND DUTY BRANCHES

(For Graduates/ Post Graduates)

Managing human and material resources, the Ground Duty Branch is the mechanism that steers the Indian Air Force. General Eligibility Criteria for Ground Duty Branches

•   Age – 20 to 23 Years for Graduates and 20 to 25 years for Post Graduates (at the time of commencement of course). Upper age limit relaxed upto 26 years for Law Graduates (3 Years Course), upto 27 years for CA / ICWA / M Ed /Ph D.
•   Marital Status – Candidates below the age of 25 years must be Unmarried.
•   Nationality – Indian
•   Gender – Both men and women.

As a Graduate/ Post Graduate you can join as an officer in any of the following Ground Duty Branches

ADMINISTRATION BRANCH

•   Permanent Commission (for Men) / Short Service Commission (for Men & Women)
•  Responsible for the efficient management of both human and material resources. Some of the officers of the Administration Branch are selected and trained to carry out the following duties also:
•   Air Traffic Controller – Involves maintaining an orderly flow of traffic and airspace management.
•   Fighter Controller – Involves close contact and supervision between the air and radar for effective airspace management.

Educational Qualifications

•   Graduation degree in any discipline with a minimum 60% marks in aggregate in all papers put together

OR

•   Post Graduation degree / equivalent diploma in any discipline with a minimum 50% marks in aggregate in all papers put together.

ACCOUNTS BRANCH

•   Permanent Commission (for Men) / Short Service Commission (for Men & Women)
•   Responsible for efficient financial management of funds. You will also act as internal auditor to ensure a zero-defect audit from outside agencies.

Educational Qualifications

•   Graduate Degree in Commerce (B Com) with a minimum 60% marks in aggregate in all papers put together

OR

•   Post Graduate Degree in Commerce (M Com) / CA /ICWA with a minimum 50% marks in aggregate in all papers put
  together.

LOGISTICS BRANCH

•   Permanent Commission (for Men) / Short Service Commission (for Men & Women)
•   Responsible for materials management of all Air Force resources. You would ensure efficient supervision of inventories, and involve in procurement processes of various ranges of equipment.

Educational Qualifications

•   Graduation degree in any discipline with a minimum 60% marks in aggregate in all papers put together

OR

•   Post Graduation Degree/ equivalent diploma in any discipline with a minimum 50% marks in aggregate in all papers put together.

As a Post Graduate you can join in the following Ground Duty Branches.

EDUCATION BRANCH

•   Educational Qualifications – PGraduation degree in any discipline with a minimum 60% marks in aggregate in all papers put together

Advertisement Schedule : Advertisements for AFCAT are released by the IAF in the months of June and December

Advertisement Schedule : June and December (AFCAT)

POST GRADUATE

As a Post- Graduate, you could join any of the Ground Duty Branches of the IAF. Click on for details.

1. Ground duty Branch
GROUND DUTY BRANCHES
(For Graduates/ Post Graduates)

Managing human and material resources, the Ground Duty Branch is the mechanism that steers the Indian Air Force.

General Eligibility Criteria for Ground Duty Branches

•   Age – 20 to 23 Years for Graduates and 20 to 25 years for Post Graduates (at the time of commencement of course). Upper age limit relaxed upto 26 years for Law Graduates (3 Years Course), upto 27 years for CA / ICWA / M Ed /Ph D.
•   Marital Status – Candidates below the age of 25 years must be Unmarried.
•   Nationality – Indian
•   Gender – Both men and women.

As a Graduate/ Post Graduate you can join as an officer in any of the following Ground Duty Branches

ADMINISTRATION BRANCH

•   Permanent Commission (for Men) / Short Service Commission (for Men & Women)
•   Responsible for the efficient management of both human and material resources. Some of the officers of the Administration Branch are selected and trained to carry out the following duties also:

Air Traffic Controller – Involves maintaining an orderly flow of traffic and airspace management.

Fighter Controller – Involves close contact and supervision between the air and radar for effective airspace management.

Educational Qualifications

•   Graduation degree in any discipline with a minimum 60% marks in aggregate in all papers put together

OR

•   Post Graduation degree / equivalent diploma in any discipline with a minimum 50% marks in aggregate in all papers put together.

ACCOUNTS BRANCH

•   Permanent Commission (for Men) / Short Service Commission (for Men & Women)
•   Responsible for efficient financial management of funds.You will also act as internal auditor to ensure a zero-defect audit from outside agencies.

Educational Qualifications

•   Graduate Degree in Commerce (B Com) with a minimum 60% marks in aggregate in all papers put together

OR

•   Post Graduate Degree in Commerce (M Com) / CA /ICWA with a minimum 50% marks in aggregate in all papers put together.

LOGISTICS BRANCH

•   Permanent Commission (for Men) / Short Service Commission (for Men & Women)
•   Responsible for materials management of all Air Force resources. You would ensure efficient supervision of inventories,and involve in procurement processes of various ranges of equipment.

Educational Qualifications

•   Graduation degree in any discipline with a minimum 60% marks in aggregate in all papers put together

OR

•   Post Graduation Degree/ equivalent diploma in any discipline with a minimum 50% marks in aggregate in all papers put together.

As a Post Graduate you can join in the following Ground Duty Branches.

EDUCATION BRANCH

•   Educational Qualifications – Post Graduate Degree in any discipline with a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate in all papers put together.
•   METEOROLOGY BRANCH

  As a Meteorology Branch Officer you would be involved handling the latest satellite imagery and state-of-the-art monitoring equipment, you would render specific advice to the operators on all aspects of weather.

•   Educational Qualifications Post Graduate Degree in any Science Stream / Mathematics /Statistics / Geography / Computer Applications / Environmental Science / Applied Physics / Oceanography / Agricultural Meteorlogy / Ecology & Environment / Geo- physics / Environmental Biology. All candidates should have scored a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate in all papers of Post Graduation put together and should have studied Maths & Physics in Graduation with minimum of 55% marks in both subjects.

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

•   Types of commission. There are two types of commission:-Permanent Commission

  A Permanent Commission means a career in the Air Force till you retire. Permanent Commission Officers continue to serve till the age of superannuation. For a Permanent Commission, you could join as follows:

  · MEN

•  For Flying Branch
•  After 10+2 – Join NDA
•   After Graduation – Join through CDSE
•   For Technical and Ground Duty Branches – Opt for Permanent Commission (PC) course through AFCAT and join Air Force Academy

WOMEN

•  Presently Women Officers of Education and Accounts Branch only are being considered for Permanent Commission. Option for PC will be considered/offered on successful completion of Short Service Commission (SSC) tenure, subject to Vacancies, suitability, merit, willingness and service requirements

Short Service Commission

A Short Service Commission means a limited period career in the Air Force. You can join the IAF as a Short Service Commission Officer by opting for a SSC Course.

·For
Men and Women
·Available
to graduate and post graduate entries only
·Tenure


•  Flying Branch – The engagement period is 14 years from date of commissioning (not extendable)
•   Technical and Ground Duty branches – The engagement period would be for a period of 10 years. An extension of 4 years may be granted subject to vacancies, suitability, merit, willingness and service requirement.

2. Marital Status .

Candidates below 25 years of age must be unmarried (term unmarried excludes widower and divorcee even though without encumbrances). Marriage is not permitted during training. Married candidates above 25 years of age are eligible to apply but during training period they will neither be provided married accommodation nor can they live out with family.

3.Candidate should not have been arrested, convicted or prosecuted oncriminal charges.

4.Candidates who have been withdrawn / suspended from Defence Training Establishments on grounds of discipline are not eligible to apply.

Important Information

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• www.joinindianarmy.nic.in
• www.nausena-bharti.nic.in
• www.careerairforce.nic.in
• www.upsc.gov.in

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Career in Defense Forces (Officer Rank)

• Army
• Navy
• Air Force

Written NDA

• General Ability Test (Paper–II)
• Scheme of Examination
• Syllabus of the Examination (Paper–I)

Gallantry Awards

• Veer Chakra
• Shaurya Chakra
• Param Vir Chakra
• Maha Vir Chakra
• Kirti Chakra
• Ashoka Chakra