Indian Army, the name is enough, for a great future. This is a job of courage, a job you and your parents will be proud of. In fact, the only job of courage, pride, power, manpower, respect, honor, teamwork and everything which a man needs in his life.

Some believe that it is a job which lets you deal with danger, others believe that it is a job of just exposing your life to threat and giving it to the nation.

Well, there is no job in the world, where you have to take zero risk. Even a pizza delivery boy’s job is full of risk, as he everyday drives to deliver the pizza in time, but no pride and honor is associated with it.

Indian Army is one of the best defence services, where you get to work with the best defence forces know for its teamwork, bravery, intelligence, and pride.

Indian Army as a Career for Engineering Graduates:

Engineering graduates are often perplexed about their future careers. Engineering opens the door to a variety of careers, making career selection difficult. Not only engineers, but every graduate wants a stable job, a good position, and a good salary.

A career in the Indian Army is one of the best options for engineering graduates, as it can meet all of their needs in terms of respect, pride, honour, and salary.

What It Takes to Join Indian Army ?

To join the Indian Army, all you need is a firm determination and love for the country, and in return you will receive a job of respect, pride, great teamwork, and honour to serve your country. As an army officer, every moment and every part of your life will be dedicated to serving the country.

Consider whether you truly want to serve your country. Do you see anything ahead of the nation? If you answered yes, you were born to serve your country. Army jobs are filled with honour, respect, and pride, and they are one of the best career paths for young people.

However, in order to join the Indian Army, you must go through an army recruitment process that includes a written, physical, and medial examination. After passing, you will be hired by the Indian army.

Benefits of Joining Indian Army 

A career in the Indian Army teaches you to be brave, to be disciplined, and to face real life challenges. When you work with any of the armed forces, you become a different person; you are more organized, disciplined and know the purpose of your life.

How Engineering Graduates Can Join India Army ?

To join Indian Army,  graduates have many entry schemes, but if we talk precisely about engineering graduates here are the ways through which they can join Indian Army.

1. University Entry Scheme (UES): This is the entry path for engineering graduates, a kind of pre-placement opportunity for students. Engineering students in their 3rd year get this chance.

Eligibility criteria and other information:

• Age: should be between 18 to 24 years.
  Indian Army visits some college campuses and provides an opportunity to pre-final graduates.
• Notification: comes in June/July every year.
• Candidates should be unmarried.
• Training Academy is IMA (Indian Military Academy), Dehradun
• Duration of Training: 1 year.

The procedure is to fill up the form and then appear on the campus where army comes to prior filtering. Prior filtering, is named so, because this is the first step. First step is to be present in the campus where you are filtered, followed by a group discussion and other tests. The candidates who clear this step are considered for the personal interview.

Candidates who clear the personal interview wait for the SSB (Services Selection Board). This is the most important step for the selection. Candidates receive the call letters by electronic mails.

2. Technical Graduate Course (TGC): This entry is for candidates in fourth year or who have completed their engineering.

• Age: should be between 20 to 27 years.
• Notification: In this entry candidates needs to fill up the online application which is available in March/April and September/October.
• Candidates are shortlisted on the basis of merit of percentage and then appear in SSB.
• Marital Status: Should be Unmarried/ Married
• Training Academy is IMA, Dehradun
• Duration of Training: 1 year.

3. The Short Service Commission (SSC) Technical: This entry is for the candidates who are engineering graduates.

• Age: should be between 20 to 27 years.
• Marital Status: Should be Unmarried/Married.
• Notification: Candidates can apply in June/July and December/January when the notification comes.
• Training Academy is the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai
  Duration of training: 48 weeks.

4. AEC (MEN): This entry is for candidates who completed an MA/ MSc in 1st or 2nd division in any required subjects from recognized university.

• Age: 23 to 27 years.
• Notification: March/April and September/October.
• Marital Status: should be Married/Unmarried.
• Training Academy is IMA, DEHRADUN
• Duration of Training: 1 year.

What is Service Selection Board (SSB)

The service selection board, commonly known as SSB, is the board which selects candidates for the Indian Army.
There are 4 locations where SSB centres of Indian Army are present:

• Allahabad
• Bhopal
• Bangalore
• Ropar

Under the SSB, candidates are made to go through certain tests, tasks, and physical exercises.
SSB is a 5 day process

• Day 0 (Reporting Day): The day when candidates report to the centre.
• Day 1 (Screening Test): This is called stage 1 testing (verbal and nonverbal), then there is a picture perception test (in which a picture is flashed for 30 seconds which is hazy) and you need to write a story about it.
• Day 2 (Psychology Test):
  • Thematic Apperception Test (TAT): It is similar to that of Picture Perception and Discussion Test (PPDT) and here you get 12 slides in which each picture is flashed side by side. Every picture is flashed for 4 minutes 30 seconds.
  • Word Association Test (WAT): It is the SSB process’ second psychology test. Every word is shown for 15 seconds one after another and you have to write the first thought that comes to your mind for the word shown. There is a total of 60 words.
  • Situation Reaction Test (SRT)
  • Self-Description Test (SD)

  Day 3 & 4 (GTO Tasks): Following tests are held in Group Testing officer tasks:

  • 1. Group Discussion
  • 2. Progressive Group Tasks
  • 3. Group Planning Exercise
  • 4. Individual Obstacles
  • 5. Half Group Tasks
  • 6. Command Task
  • 7. Group Obstacles Snake or Snake Race
  • 8. Leatherette
  • 9. Final Group Task

  Day 5 (Conference Day): This is the final day, during this every assessor and candidate sit together. All candidates have to appear before the complete Board of examiners which include all the GTOs, Presidents, all the psychologists, Deputy President, and Technical Officers.
  After the board meeting of every candidate results are announced within half an hour.
  All the selected candidates are required to stay back for the medical examination, which takes around 3 to 5 days in Military Hospital.

  The Bottom Line

  Hope this article inspires you to join the Indian Army and serve the country to your best possible. It is the most valued profession in the world? Apart from this it has all to choose it – strength, bravery, adventure, personal growth, technology, and a cushy lifestyle. Indian Army gives you all this and in return asks you for willingness to die for your beloved nation. Are you ready for this?