Indian Navy is one of the biggest navies in the world. Candidates looking for a challenging career in the Naval branch of the Indian Armed Forces can join the Indian Navy can as an officer, as a Sailor and as a Naval Civilian. The primary objective of the Indian Navy is to protect its maritime borders against any threat or danger to the country, both in war and peace.
The Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy is the President of India. The training of officers in the Indian Navy is conducted at Indian Naval Academy, situated in Ezhimala, Kerala. There are several entry-level exams for candidates to join Indian Navy. Let us examine all of them in brief.
Join the Indian Navy as an Officer
Table of Contents
There are mainly 5 ways to join Indian Navy as an officer.
- UPSC Entries
- NDA
- CDS
- Non- UPSC Entries
- Indian Navy Entrance Test (INET)
- Direct Entries
- 10+2 Cadet Entry Schemes
- NCC Special Entry
- Indian Navy SSC Officer Entry Scheme
- Special Naval Architecture Entry Scheme
- University Entry Scheme (UES)
How To Join the Indian Navy in 2023?
NDA Exam
UPSC conducts exams for Permanent Commission entrance into the Indian Navy twice a year. There are two approaches you may take: The NDA/INA (Indian Naval Academy) entrance for 12th-grade candidates (or pass-outs) in Physics, Chemistry, and Math subjects, and the CDSE (Combined Defense Services Examination) for college graduates.
CDS Exam
Following written tests, the UPSC shortlists applicants. Following that, applicants are routed to Service Selection Boards in Bengaluru, Bhopal, and Coimbatore. Qualified applicants’ results are transmitted to UPSC for inclusion in the final merit list. UPSE conducts CDSE for Graduates twice a year.
INET (Indian Navy Entrance Test)
Candidates must have a B.E./B.Tech in any field with a minimum of 60% from an AICTE-accredited university/institute. Male and female candidates between the ages of 19 and 25 are eligible. All candidates must be unmarried Indian nationals. Candidates who are interested and eligible can apply online through the Indian Navy’s official website. This is a two-way procedure with an online examination followed by an interview with the Service Selection Board (SSB). The final merit list is created after the Indian Navy conducts medical testing.
10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme
This Scheme provides permanent commissions in the Indian Navy’s Executive, Engineering, and Electrical Branches. Candidates who are chosen by the Services Selection Board are sent to the Indian Naval Academy for the B Tech Course. They are granted Permanent Commissions in the Indian Navy’s Executive, Electrical, and Engineering branches upon completion of the course.
NCC Entry Scheme
University graduates with an NCC’C certificate and a minimum ‘B’ grade and 50% in their graduation degree exams are enrolled as regular commissioned officers in the Navy. They are solely chosen through the SSB interview. They join the CDSE cadets at the Indian Naval Academy for the Naval Orientation Course (NOC).
Indian Navy SSC Officer Entry Scheme
Applications are invited and shortlisted at the MoD’s IHQ (Navy). Short-listed candidates are then invited to attend SSB interviews. SSC hires for the following branches:
This branch has both a permanent and a short-term service commission programme.
Engineering: SSC (E) Schemes, University Entry Scheme (UES), Special Naval Architects Entry Scheme (SNAES), and SSC (E). Permanent Commission is for 10+2 years (Cadet Entry Scheme).
SSC entrance into Electric Engineering via the UES and SSC (L) Schemes. Permanent Commission is for 10+2 years (Cadet Entry Scheme).
Executive: Short Service Commission through University Entry, as well as various Short Service Commission (SSC) Schemes for Executive (GS) Air Traffic Control/ Law/ Logistic/ Naval Armament Inspectorate (NAI)/ Hydro/ Pilot/ Observer, as well as Permanent Commission for Logistic/ Law/ NAI Cadres.
SNAES (Special Naval Architecture Entry Scheme)
The ‘Unique Naval Architects Entry Program’ (SNAES) is a special scheme recently approved by the Government to fill 45 Naval Architect officers in the Naval Architecture Cadre of the Engineering Branch as Short Service Commission (SSC) Officers.
UES (University Entry Scheme)
Engineering students in their seventh and eighth semesters are eligible for recruitment into the Indian Navy’s Executive and Technical Branches. Candidates are contacted for interviews at the Service Selection Board after being shortlisted. Successful candidates must pass medical exams.
