3 answers
PALLAVI’s Answer
rmed Forces offer excellent career opportunities to the adventurous young candidates to become pilot. It is a career that offers immense facilities, a privileged lifestyle and of course, honor in serving the country.
Air Force Pilot Eligibility
To become an IAF Pilot you can avail one of the following Opportunities.
Through National Defense Academy (NDA)
Eligibility Criteria
To join the NDA you need to fulfill the following requirements:
- Educational Qualification
To be eligible for joining NDA you should be passed/appeared 10+2 with Physics and Mathematics as subjects.
Age : 16-1/2 years to 19 years
Nationality : Indian
Gender : This is applicable only to men.
Physical Standards
General physical requirements common for all candidates.
You must be in good physical and mental health and free from any disease/ disability, which is likely to interfere with efficient performance of duties. There should be no evidence of weak constitution, bodily defects or overweight.
The height and weight standards for men and women differ.
Your chest should be well developed. The minimum range of expansion after full inspiration should be 5 cm.
There should be no disease of bones and joints of the body.
You should be free of any past history of mental breakdown or fits.
Your hearing should be normal without any evidence of present or past disease of the ear, nose and throat.
There should be no sign of functional or organic disease of the heart and blood vessels. Your blood pressure should also be normal.
The muscles of the abdomen should be well developed without any enlargement of the liver or spleen. Any evidence of disease of internal organs of the abdomen can be a cause for rejection.
An un-operated hernia can make you unfit for selection. If operated, this should have been done at least six months prior to the present examination and healing should be complete without any potential for recurrence.
There should be no hydrocele, varicocele or piles. If operated for hydromel and/or varicocele, this should have been done at least six months prior to the present examination and healing should be complete without any recurrence.
Urine examination will be done and any abnormality, if detected, can be a cause for rejection.
Any disease of the skin, which is likely to cause disability or disfigurement, will also be a cause for rejection.
Vision will be tested. You must have good binocular vision. In case you have undergone or are detected to have undergone Radial Keratotomy, or any other procedure to improve the visual acuity, you will be permanently rejected.
You should have sufficient number of natural and sound teeth. A minimum of 14 dental points will be acceptable. When 32 teeth are present, the total dental points are 22. You should not be suffering from severe pyorrhea.
Through Combined Defense Services Exam (CDSE)
Eligibility Criteria
To join threw CDSE you need to fulfill the following requirements:
- Educational Qualification
First Class Graduation (min 60% aggregate marks) in any discipline (Three Years Course) with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level.
First Class (min 60 % aggregate marks) B.E./B.Tech. (Four years).
Final Year students can also apply, provided they don’t have any backlog and min 60 % aggregate marks in the previous year/ semester.
2. Age : 19 years to 23 years
Nationality : Indian
Marital Status : Single.
How to be an IAF Pilot
To become an IAF Pilot one has to follow the below given steps
Step 1 -Scrutiny of Applications
After scrutiny of application for the eligibility-sent by you to the IAF-you will receive a call letter with further instructions.
For seeking entry into the Flying Branch through the NDA or CDSE, your applications need to be sent to UPSC, New Delhi. It conducts a written test twice a year in April & August (NDA) and April & September (CDSE). Advertisements for the examinations are released about six months in advance. Qualifying in these exams take you to step two. If you apply for Short Service Commission Flying (Pilot) or as an NCC Senior Division ‘C’ Certificate holder, your application is processed by Air HQ and call letter issued by AFSBs.
Step 2 -Testing Officer Like Qualities
After successfully clearing Step 1, you will receive a call letter to report to any one of the Air Force Selection Boards located at Dehradun, Varanasi and Mysore. At the Air Force Selection Boards, you undergo a number of psychological tests, an interview and group activities, which are collectively called the Officer Like Qualities (OLQ) Tests. These tests are designed to gauge your potential and suitability as an officer in the Armed Forces.
Short Description of the Test
The Psychological Tests are written tests that are conducted by a Psychologist.
The Group Tests are interactive indoor and outdoor tests. We expect active physical participation from you.
The Interview involves a personal conversation with our Interviewing Officer.
The following is the schedule for OLQ Tests:
Schedule for Flying Branch
Day 1 Pilot Aptitude Battery Test (Most Important Test)
Day 2 Phase I & Psychological Tests
Day 3 Group tests
Day 4 Group tests Interview
Day 5 Interview
Day 6 Conference
Most Important test to become an IAF Pilot
Pilot Aptitude Battery Test (PABT) is a unique test. It is aimed at assessing a candidate’s aptitude to be trained as a pilot. PABT is being used as an independent selection device to induct potential officers into Flying Branch of Indian Air Force. PABT comprises three tests viz Instrument Battery Test (INSB), Sensory Motor Apparatus Test (SMA) and Control Velocity Test (CVT). Instrument Battery Test (INSB) is a paper pencil test and other two are machine tests. The Instruments Battery Test (INSB) comprises two parts.
This test assesses assimilation of the briefing and the ability of an individual to read and interpret the dials of an instrument panel of an aircraft. The candidates who score the minimum laid down criteria are subjected to the machine test. The machine test includes Sensory Motor Apparatus Test (SMA) and Control Velocity Test (CVT). These tests measure the psychomotor co-ordination skill of the individual. These tests are conducted on a single day and administered only once in life time.
Only those candidates who qualify in Phase I shall be retained at AFSB for further testing of Phase II Those recommended by the AFSBs will require to fill up certain documents at the Boards and subsequently move to the next step.
Step 3 -Conducting of Medical Examinations
IF found suitable by the Selection Board, you would be sent to the Air Force Central Medical Establishment, New Delhi or the Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Bangalore for a thorough medical examination.
Step 4 -Preparing All India Merit List
An All India Merit List is compiled on the basis of your performance at the AFSB and subject to being medically fit. Based on the vacancies available, Air HQ would issue joining instructions to join Air Force Academy for the training of a Pilot.
The Flying branch includes Fighter pilots-the elitist bunch of persons of the Air force who fly combat or fighter planes (like Mirage 2000, MIG 29, MIG 27, Jaguar, MIG 25, MIG 23 and MIG 21) carrying ammunition and missiles; Transport pilots who fly planes (like huge IL 76 (Gajraj) and AN 32 ) which carry men and materials, and Helicopter(like MI-17) pilots who provide air support to a moving army, or are used for para-dropping men and supplies. It depends upon your performance in the training which plane you will be flying of after completing your training in the academy.
Jaminder’s Answer
The NDA you can join after you passing your 12th class:
UPSC issues guidelines related to NDA 2020 eligibility criteria. Candidates willing to apply for NDA 2020 must go through the detailed eligibility criteria listed down before applying.
Only unmarried male candidates are eligible to apply for NDA 2020
Candidates who fall between the age group 16.5 years - 19.5 years are only eligible to apply
Minimum education qualification required to apply for NDA is 10+2 (Army), 10+2 (Physics and Maths for Air Force & Navy)
Candidates must meet the following NDA eligibility criteria 2020 to appear in the exam:
Age Limit
Education Qualification
Nationality
Physical Standards
NDA Eligibility Criteria 2020- Age Limit
The specifications of NDA 2020 age limit are as follows
NDA Age limit 2020
Exam
Age limit
Date of Birth Criteria
NDA (1) 2020
16.5 years - 19.5 years
July 02, 2001, to July 01, 2004
NDA (2) 2020
16.5 years - 19.5 years
January 02, 2002, to January 01 2005
Minimum age of a candidate to apply for NDA 2020: 16.5 years
Maximum age limit as per NDA 2020 eligibility criteria: 19.5 years
Note: There is no reservation hence there is no age relaxation for candidates belonging to any category in NDA.
Only unmarried male candidates born not earlier than July 02, 2001, and not later than July 01, 2004, are eligible to apply for NDA (1) 2020. Candidates who meet the NDA age limit criteria can only apply for the exam.
The date of birth mentioned in the Matriculation or Secondary School Leaving Certificate will be accepted by UPSC. These certificates are required to be submitted only after the results of the NDA written exams are declared.
The CDS you can join after completion of Graduation:
CDS Eligibility Criteria: Nationality
Candidates must be a:
a. Indian citizen, or
b. Nepal, Bhutan, Refugee of Tibet, who migrated to India before 1962, or
c. Person of Indian Origin (PIO) who migrated from Sri Lanka, Burma, Pakistan, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, East African countries of Kenya, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, and Ethiopia or Vietnam with an intention of permanent settlement in India.
Candidates belonging to (b) and (c) must provide a certificate of eligibility issued by the Indian government with an exception for Gorkha subjects of Nepal.
CDS Eligibility Criteria: Educational qualification:
The educational qualification required for UPSC CDS are tabulated below:
Job Type Educational Qualification
Indian Military Academy (IMA) Graduate Degree (Recognised University)
Indian Naval Academy (INA) B. Tech or B. E Degree (Engineering from recognized University)
Air Force Academy (AFA) – B. Tech or B.E degree
– or Degree (with Physics and Maths in 10+2 level)
CDS Eligibility Criteria For Educational Qualification Highlights:
– Final year candidates from the above-mentioned courses are also eligible to apply provided they do not have backlogs. Later the candidate must provide a passing certificate within the prescribed time set by UPSC.
– Candidates opting Army/Navy/Air Force as their first choice must submit a graduation/provisional certificate as proof at the time of SSB Interview at SSB.
– Candidates who are suspended from holding any type of commission in the Defence Services by the Ministry of Defence are not eligible.
– Candidates who fail to learn flying during the training in the Air Force will be absorbed in Navigation/Ground Duty (Non-Tech) Branches of the IAF (subjected to the vacancy availability).
CDS Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit & Sex
Defense Academy Born Not Earlier Than Born Not Later Than Sex
Indian Military Academy (IMA) 2nd July 1996 1st July 2001 Male
Indian Naval Academy (INA) 2nd July 1996 1st July 2001 Male
Air Force Academy (AFA) 2nd July 1996 1st July 2000 –
Officers Training Academy (OTA)- SSC Men 2nd July 1995 1st July 2001 Male
Officers Training Academy (OTA)- SSC Women 2nd July 1995 1st July 2001 Female
CDS Eligibility Criteria: Physical Standards
Medical Board of UPSC will examine the entire body of all candidates to check if they are oriented to work under military deployment. So it is mandatory for the candidates to check if they comply with all physical standard guidelines set by UPSC.
Only those who are physically and mentally fit as per UPSC guidelines will be eligible for the CDS examination.
Candidates with permanent body tattoos on their inner side of the elbow to the wrist and on the reverse side of palm/back (dorsal) side of the hand will only be eligible. Tattoos on any other part of the body will lead to disqualification.
Candidate must be free from any disease or disability for the efficient performance of CDS duties.
Candidates must meet visual and hearing standards set by UPSC. The standards might vary depending on the role you are applying for.
Male candidates with a minimum height of 157.5 cms (157 cms for Navy and 162.5 cms for Air Force) and women with 152 cms will be eligible for CDS 2 examination.
Mal-development or impairment of bone and joint functions will lead to disqualification of the candidate.
The previous history of mental breakdowns will also lead to candidature failure.
Candidates must be medically capable of undergoing training and military duties of Armed Forces.
Any deformities or abnormalities in the body will lead to the ineligibility of the candidate.
Shweta’s Answer
You can appear for CDS(Combined Defence Services) conducted by UPSC twice a year from the age of 17 onwards. Once you clear the written which is a basic aptitude test (Maths+English+GK), you have an interview process called SSB which is a 5 day long interview.
You can refer to the below link for more details:
www.indianairforce.nic.in