Serving in the Indian Army as an officer is a very respectable profession. Lieutenant is the first rank in the Indian Army for officers. Young cadets who become officers first hold the ranks of Lieutenants and subsequently get promoted to the ranks of Captain, Major and so on. Being a Lieutenant in the army is very prestigious. This rank has its specific duties and roles. As Lieutenants,officers command groups of soldiers, participate in strategic decision making and more. There are various ways to become a Lieutenant in the Indian Army which are as follows:
To become a Lieutenant candidates can either join the National Defence Academy through NDA exam or Indian Military Academy or Officers Training Academy after clearing Combined Defence Service Exam.
NATIONAL DEFENCE ACADEMY:
To join the National Defence Academy, candidates need to appear for NDA/NA Exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission twice a year. This exam is conducted in two stages, wherein the first is a written exam and the second an interview.
Eligibility for NDA: Candidates should have passed class 12th Board Examination. The age limit is between 17-19 years of age. Candidates should be physically and mentally fit. There should not be any medical ailments. Only male candidates can apply for NDA Exam.
Selection Procedure: The written exam has questions from Maths and General Ability. Each subject is given a time of 2.5 Hours. Maths exam is of 300 marks while General Ability Exam is of 900 marks. The paper consists of objective type questions. Candidates who qualify the written exam have to appear for SSB Interview.
Candidates who are finally selected join the National Defence Academy for a period of three years to get their training as cadets. After three years, these cadets join the Indian Military Academy and receive their training for one year and finally pass out as Lieutenants.
INDIAN MILITARY ACADEMY or OFFICERS TRAINING ACADEMY
Candidates can also become Lieutenanats in the army after completing their graduation. For this, eligible candidates need to apply for Combined Defence Service Exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission twice a year. While filling the application form for CDS Exam, candidates can make their choice between Indian Military Academy or Officers Training Academy. Only male candidates can apply for Indian Military Academy.
Eligibility for CDS Exam: Graduation in any subject from any recognised University or equivalent. The age limit is between 19-24 years of age.
Selection Procedure: CDS Exam also consists of a written exam and an interview. The written exam for OTA consists of questions from General Awareness and English while written exam for IMA also includes questions from Mathematics. The time duration is 2 hours and maximum marks are 100 for each subject. Candidates who qualify the written exam appear for the SSB Interview.
Candidates who qualify the SSB Interview join the Indian Military Academy or Officers Training Academy to receive their traning for about 49 weeks and then they pass out as Lieutenants, ready to servce as officers in the Indian Army.