Major Defence Entry Schemes
| Entry | Eligibility | Age Limit | Academy/Training |
|---|---|---|---|
| NDA (Army/Navy/Air Force) | 12th pass (PCM for Air Force & Navy) | 16.5–19.5 years | National Defence Academy, Pune (3 yrs) + IMA/INA/AFA |
| CDS (Army/Navy/Air Force) | Graduates (Army), Engg (Navy), Physics/Maths + Graduation (Air Force) | 19–24 years | IMA (Dehradun), INA (Ezhimala), AFA (Hyderabad), OTA (Chennai) |
| AFCAT | Graduates with 60% (specific streams for tech/ground duties) | 19–24 years (Flying), 19–26 years (Ground/Technical) | Air Force Academy, Hyderabad |
| Agniveer (Army, Navy, Air Force) | 10th/12th pass depending on stream | 17.5–21 years | Respective Regimental/Technical Training Centres |
| Army/Navy Medical Corps | MBBS/BDS/Medical PG | 21–30 years | Armed Forces Medical College / AMC |
Physical & Medical Requirements
| Requirement | Standard |
|---|---|
| Height | Army: 157.5 cm (men), 152 cm (women); Air Force: 162.5 cm (men); Navy: 157 cm |
| Vision | 6/6 in one eye, 6/9 in other (correctable); no color blindness |
| Chest Expansion | 5 cm minimum (for men) |
| BMI | Should be proportionate to height/age |
| Running | 2.4 km in 15 min (Army), 1.6 km in 7 min (Air Force), 1.6 km in 7 min (Navy) |
| Other | Push-ups, sit-ups, rope climbing, swimming (Navy/Air Force) |
Cutoff & Category
| Exam | Typical Cutoff | Category Relaxations |
|---|---|---|
| NDA | 340–370 marks (out of 900) | Age & cutoff relaxations for SC/ST/OBC in SSB |
| CDS | 100–120 (out of 200 per paper) | Relaxations as per UPSC norms |
| AFCAT | 150–170 (out of 300) | As per central govt norms |
| Agniveer | Varies — 40–50% qualifying marks | Relaxed height/age for certain regions/categories |
Preparation Guidance
| Area | Tips & Resources |
|---|---|
| Written Exams | NCERTs, Lucent GK, Pathfinder (Arihant), English by Wren & Martin, Maths by R.S. Aggarwal |
| SSB Interview | Practice PPDT, TAT, GTO tasks, group discussions; mock interviews |
| Physical Prep | Daily running, push-ups, swimming, stamina workouts |
| Current Affairs | The Hindu, PIB updates, Defence news |
| Online Resources | SSB Crack, Defence Guru, Study IQ Defence, Unacademy Defence |