Indian Air Force

INTRODUCTION

he Indian Air Force has a long standing tradition of fostering the spirit of adventure. Be it the lofty heights of Himalayas or the mysterious depths of the ocean, vast expanse of the sky or closed confines of caves, Indian Air Force Personnel have been the pioneers of adventure activities in all these spheres. Adventure primarily constitutes an essential component of military training. It helps in developing a sense of purpose, determination, courage and perseverance against all odds. Adventure activities develop faith in ones abilities and leadership qualities, which are essential for day to day functioning during peace and for victory in war.

The IAF, plays a stellar role in promoting adventure activities among the air warriors. It deals with a broad spectrum of Terrestrial, Aqua and aero sports. In every individual there is, indeed, an inherent need for excitement of all groups of adventure. When one looks back, it is this fervent need that has lead us to venture out and cross new frontiers, leaving indelible imprints in the history of civilisation. Living on the edge, albeit for a short span of time, enables one to discover one’s own latent potential and this platform is what, the IAF provides.

As one journeys on, the realms of adventure provide rich treasure trove of memories to share with and learn from, to reminisce and dream on. The IAF aims to encapsulate all these unique experiences, and more importantly, be an instrument that would help in nurturing and channelizing the talent and indomitable spirit of youth. In pursuit of promoting adventure, IAF formed a registered society in 1952, to undertake these activities in an organised manner.

The Motto of Indian Air Force has been taken from eleventh chapter of the Gita, the Discourse given by Lord Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra during the Great War of Mahabharata. The Lord is showing His Supreme Divine form to Arjuna and the great form of the Lord is reaching the sky with glory, evoking fear and loss of self-control in the mind of Arjuna. The Indian Air Force, similarly, aims to overwhelm the adversaries with application of aerospace power in defence of the nation.

Working in the Indian Air Force makes you strong enough and teaches you not to substitute words for actions, not to seek the path of comfort, but to face the stress and spur of difficulty and challenge, to learn to stand up in the storm. It gives you a temper of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigour of the emotions, a predominance of courage and an appetite for adventure over the love of ease.

Face The challenge...be the Airwarrior

CAREER - AS PER QUALIFICATION

The valiant boys could be part of the Indian Air Force family by applying for NDA( National Defence Academy)

Candidates, short-listed for Indian Air Force after the initial selection procedure, go through a rigorous three-year training regimen at the National Defence Academy at Khadakwasla, followed by specialised training at one of the training establishment. Thereafter, they are Commissioned as Permanent Commission Officers and posted as pilots at any of the Air Force Stations.

To be in the NATIONAL DEFENCE ACADEMY

You can join NDA by taking the exam conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). This exam is conducted twice a year in all major cities throughout India.

  • ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
    • Age - 161/2 to 191/2 years(at the time of commencement of course)
    • Nationality – Indian
    • Gender - Men only
    • Educational Qualifications - 10+2 with Physics and Mathematics. Appearing final year students can also eligible to apply.


FLYING BRANCH


You surely fly high by joining the Flying branch of the IAF. You are trained as a Fighter pilot or a Helicopter pilot or a Transport pilot and are part of various peace and wartime missions.

As a Graduate/ Engineer, you enter the Flying branch through the Air Force Academy.

The following are the three modes of entry for Graduates/ Engineers to join the Flying branch:

CDSE (COMBINED DEFENCE SERVICES EXAMINATION) (FOR MEN ONLY)

  1. Men can enter through this mode of entry and will get a Permanent Commission.
  2. Eligibility criteria:
    • Age - 20 to 24 years (at the time of commencement of course)
    • Nationality – Indian
    • Marital Status - Single
    • Gender - Men only.
    • Educational Qualifications
      • Graduate (Three Year Course) in any discipline from a recognised University (with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level)/BE/B Tech (Four Year Course).
      • Final Year/semester students are also eligible to apply, provided they produce Degree certificate issued by the University as per the date stipulated in the advertisement.
      • No Percentage Bar for CDSE entry.
  3. Advertisement Schedule: Advertisements are released by UPSC in the months of November and August.
  4. For more details visit www.upsc.gov.in

NCC SPECIAL ENTRY (FOR MEN AND WOMEN)

(Candidates can apply online through NCC Special Entry)

  1. As an Air Wing Senior Division ’C’ Certificate holder of the National Cadet Corps, you can apply to the Flying Branch of the Indian Air Force. Men & women can join the Air Force through this mode of entry. Permanent Commission offered for men and Short Service Commission for men and women.
  2. Eligibility criteria:
    • Age –20 to 24 years (at the time of commencement of course). Upper age limit for Candidates holding valid and current Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA (India) is relaxed up to 26 years(at the time of commencement of course).
    • Nationality – Indian
    • Marital Status - Single
    • Gender - Men only.
    • Educational Qualifications
      • Graduate (Three Year Course) in any discipline from a recognised University with minimum 60% marks or equivalent and have passed Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level
      • OR
      • BE/B Tech (Four Year Course) from a recognised University with minimum 60% marks or equivalent
      • OR
      • Cleared Section A & B examination of Associate Membership of Institute Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India from a recognised University with a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent.
      • Final Year/semester students are also eligible to apply, provided they do not have any present backlogs at the time of AFSB Testing and produce Degree certificate issued by the University as per the date stipulated in the advertisement.
      • NCC Air Wing Senior Division ’C’ certificate and validity of the certificate would be two years before the date of commencement of the course.
  3. Advertisement Schedule: Advertisement for NCC Special Entry is released by the IAF in the months of June and December.

SSC (SHORT SERVICE COMMISSION ) ENTRY( FOR MEN AND WOMEN)

  1. You can apply through AFCAT for Short Service Commission (SSC) in the Flying Branch.
  2. Short Service Commission in Flying branch is for 14 years with no further extension.
  3. Eligibility criteria:
    • Age - 20 to 24 years (at the time of commencement of course).Upper age limit for Candidates holding valid and current Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA (India) is relaxed up to 26 years(at the time of commencement of course).
    • Nationality - Indian
    • Marital Status – Single
    • Gender - Men and Women.
    • Educational Qualifications
      • Minimum of 60% marks each in Maths & Physics at 10+2 level.
      • Graduates (Three Year Course) in any discipline from a recognised University who have attained minimum 60% marks or equivalent OR BE/B Tech (Four Year Course) from a recognised university with minimum 60% marks or equivalent.
      • Cleared Section A & B examination of Associate Membership of Institute Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India from a recognised University with a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent.
      • Final Year students are also eligible to apply, provided they do not have any backlog at the time of AFSB Testing and produce Degree certificate issued by the University as per the date stipulated in the advertisement.

GROUND DUTY (NON-TECHNICAL) BRANCHES

Managing human and material resources, the Ground Duty (Non-technical) Branch is the mechanism that steers the Indian Air Force.

GENERAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA for Ground Duty (Non-technical) Branches

  • Age - 20 to 26 Years for Graduates(at the time of commencement of course).
  • Marital Status - Candidates below the age of 25 years must be Unmarried.
  • Nationality - Indian.
  • Gender - Both men and women.

As a Graduate you can join as an officer in any of the following Ground Duty (Non-technical) Branches.

ADMINISTRATION BRANCH

  • Permanent Commission (for Men)/Short Service Commission (for Men & Women)
  • Responsible for the efficient management of both human and material resources. Some of the officers of the Administration Branch are selected and trained to carry out the following duties also:
    • Air Traffic Controller – Involves maintaining an orderly flow of traffic and airspace management.
    • Fighter Controller – Involves close contact and supervision between the air and radar for effective airspace management.
  • Educational Qualifications
    • Graduate Degree (Minimum three year degree course) in any discipline from a recognised university with 60% marks or equivalent or cleared section A & B examination of Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India from a recognised university with a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent.

ACCOUNTS BRANCH

  • Permanent Commission (for Men)/Short Service Commission (for Men & Women)
  • Responsible for efficient financial management of funds.You will also act as internal auditor to ensure a zero-defect audit from outside agencies.
  • Educational Qualifications
    • B.Com degree (minimum three year degree course) from a recognised university with a minimum 60% marks or equivalent.

LOGISTICS BRANCH

  • Permanent Commission (for Men)/Short Service Commission (for Men & Women)
  • Responsible for materials management of all Air Force resources. You would ensure efficient supervision of inventories, and involve in procurement processes of various ranges of equipment.
  • Educational Qualifications
    • Graduate Degree (Minimum three year degree course) in any discipline from a recognised university with 60% marks or equivalent or cleared section A & B examination of Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India from a recognised university with a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent.

EDUCATION BRANCH

  • Permanent Commission (for Men)/Short Service Commission (for Men & Women)
  • Educational Qualifications
    • MA/M.Sc degree in English/ Physics/ Mathematics/ Chemistry/ Statistics/ International Relations/ International Studies/ Defence Studies/ Psychology/ Computer Science/ IT/ Management/ MBA/ MCA/ Mass Communication/ Journalism/ Public Relations with minimum 50 % marks in aggregate in all papers put together in Post-Graduation (minimum two years programme) and 60% marks in Graduation (both recognised by UGC/Competent Accreditation Authority).
    • For integrated courses (single degree without permission to exit and lateral entry), the minimum duration must be as per prevailing UGC guidelines with a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate of all papers put together.

METEOROLOGY BRANCH

  • Permanent Commission (for Men)/Short Service Commission (for Men & Women)
  • As a Meteorology Branch Officer you would be involved handling the latest satellite imagery and state-of-the-art monitoring equipment, you would render specific advice to the operators on all aspects of weather.
  • Educational Qualifications
    • Post Graduation Degree in any science stream/ Mathematics/ Statistics/ Geography/ Computer Applications/ Environmental Science/ Applied Physics/ Oceanography/ Agricultural Meteorology/ Ecology & Environment/ Geo-physics/ Environmental Biology. All candidates should have scored a minimum 50% marks in aggregate in all papers of Post Graduation put together (provided Maths & Physics were studied at Graduation level with a minimum of 55% marks in both).

GROUND DUTY (TECHNICAL) BRANCH

As an officer in the Ground Duty (Technical) Branch, you propel and manage your team to ensure that the Indian Air Force remains airworthy. You would be incharge of some of the most sophisticated equipment in the world by joining one of the sub branches based on your qualification.

As an officer in the Ground Duty(Technical) Branch, you propel and manage your team to ensure that the Indian Air Force remains airworthy. You would be incharge of some of the most sophisticated equipment in the world by joining one of the sub branches based on your qualification.

  • Age - 20 to 26 years (at the time of commencement of course)
  • Nationality - Indian
  • Marital Status - Candidates below the age of 25 years should be unmarried

Entry into the Ground Duty(Technical) Branch is through two schemes, both via AFCAT

  1. AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING COURSE
    • After completion of Engineering degree or while in your final year/semester of Engineering
    • For both Men and Women. Permanent Commission (for men) / Short Service Commission (For men and women)
    • Marks - Must have scored a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent in any one of the listed disciplines.
    • Final year students are eligible to apply provided they do not have any present backlog at the time of SSB testing and they produce provisional/ original degree issued by the University as per the date stipulated in the advertisement.
    • Advertisement Schedule - Advertisements for AFCAT are released by the IAF in the months of June and December.
  2. EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION FOR AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING BRANCH
    • Depending upon your stream of Engineering, you could join one of the sub branches of the Technical branch. Check the educational qualification required for the sub branches.

PAY AND ALLOWANCE

  1. Even before you are Commissioned as an Air Force Officer you start earning a monthly stipend of Rs. 56,100/- during last one year of your training period at any of the Air Force Training Institutions.
  2. The following Pay / Allowances would be applicable on grant of Commission to Flying Officers:-
    • Pay in Pay Band ( Common to all Branches ) - Rs 56,100 Per Month ( The officer will be placed in Level 10 in the Pay Matrix of VIIth CPC - 56,100-1,10,700)
    • Military Service Pay :- Rs 15,500 Per Month
    • Other allowances such as Transport allowance, Children Education Allowance, HRA etc. are also admissible to Officers.
  3. In addition the following allowances are admissible to the newly Commissioned Officers in Flying and Technical Branches
    • Flying Allowance to Flying Branch Officers.
    • Technical Allowance to Technical Branch Officers.

As you grow in rank and stature in the Air Force, your income and other entitlements also increase in harmony with your enhanced responsibilities.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Indianairforce.nic.in. (2018). Indian Air Force | Government of India. [online] Available at: http://www.indianairforce.nic.in/