Do you love your country enough to devote your entire life to the service of your nation? Are you fearless and passionate to serve your country selflessly? Then this is the right career option for you – A career in one of the most prestigious and esteemed career options available for devout Indians.
Indian Armed Forces are the second-largest army in the world with one million reserve troops and more than 1.4 billion active troops. Indian Army is the largest and the oldest branch of the Armed forces.
Who is an Army officer?
An Army Officer is a person working in the Indian Armed forces with power and authority for performing specific functions in the armed forces.
The job of an army officer is a challenging role for youth since the emerging world of the cold war and the battle of words on social media. Their main task is protecting the nation from threats either internally or externally, helping citizens and maintaining the law and order in any situation. They play a vital role in undertaking relief and rescue operations during counter-insurgency and natural calamities.
Education and Eligibility
- Army aspirants have to complete their 12th with minimum of 60% marks from a recognized board.
- National Defense Academy (NDA) Eligibility:
- Qualify the entrance exam conducted by NDA.
- Qualified candidates have to undergo physical and medical tests along with 3 years of training in NDA in Khadakwasla, Pune and one year at Indian Medical Academy (IMA), Dehradun.
- After training completion, candidates receive bachelor degree in Science or Arts from Jawaharlal Nehru University and get posted in the armed forces.
- Technical Entry Scheme (TES) Eligibility:
- Complete 10+2 in Math, Physics, chemistry with minimum 70% aggregate for eligibility in TES.
- Qualified candidates get training at Officers training Academy for one year and later at Cadet Training Wings for four years.
- Upon completion of training, candidates receive B.Tech from JNU along with posting.
Different Selection Processes
The following is a list of various selection processes; an army aspirant has to go through before wearing the prestigious uniform.
- NDA conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
- Combined Defense Services Examination (CDSE) conducted by UPSC.
- University Entry Scheme for final year engineering graduates.
- Technical Graduate Course (TGC) only for engineering graduates who can apply from final year itself.
- Short Service Commission (SSC) technical entry.
Required Skills
- Passionate to serve the country selflessly.
- Leadership Skills.
- Excellent communication and decision-making skills.
- Physically and mentally fit to face various physical challenges and qualify for the army.
- Analytical Skills and Creativity.
- Research Skills.
- Perseverance and creativity.
Rank holders in the Army
There are different rank holders in the army each with their roles and purposes like:
- Lieutenant: Officer-level rank who later evolves himself as an Army officer to command his subordinates.
- Captain: Similar to a Business Manager, the Captain in the Indian Army is responsible for enlisted officers and lower-ranked officers.
- Majors: They serve in higher staff duties including operations, logistics and personnel and commonly do not take commands.
- Lieutenant Colonel: Commands for the deployment of troops in battalions that are a convenient size of the military unit.
- Colonel: can command any unit regardless of where they belong.
- Brigadier: Commands a brigade of several thousand soldiers and is at a senior rank above the Colonel.
- General: Also called the Chief of Army Staff which is the supreme rank in the Indian Army.
Various job profiles for an Army Officer
Indian Army is divided into various fields and divisions. Aspirants with the required education, skills and based on their performance in recruitment tests will get hired in the following divisions.
- Infantry
- Armored Corps.
- Artillery
- Armoured Engineers.
- Signal regiment officers.
- Army Medical corps.
- Army Service Corps.
- Intelligent Corps.
Salary and Career Outlook
An Army officer’s exact salary is dependent on many factors like a signed contract, the rank they hold, experience and their field. The base pay of these officers varies greatly by rank and experience. They are provided with housing and housing allowance. The median annual salary of Army officers is $88,018 in 2021 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The following is a list of monthly salaries of various Army Officers.
- Captain- INR 15,600-39,100.
- Major- INR 15,600- 39,100.
- Lieutenant- INR 37,400- 67,000
- Major Lieutenant- INR 37,400- 67,000.
In India, a growth of 35% is witnessed in the employment of Indian Armed Officers in the last few years. There are many vacancies in the Indian Army, Air force and Navy for technical and non-technical personnel. Interested candidates can apply when a vacancy is present to become an army officer.
– Samiya Firdous
