Indian Armed Forces Academies

[shek]

When I was in the NDA, it was POP without arms.

Looked quite neat. Both arms swinging.

Thank heavens, no one has got the idea still of POP on horses!

Who is the current Comdt and Deputy Commdt, NDA?

KK Khanna JAT Regt has gone to IMA, I believe.

Comdt: Lt Gen AK Chopra
D Com: AVM SS Madan

[RayC]

If Chopra is the Comdt, NDA then thats good.

He is a humane chap and not the 'showy' type who does things for recognition.

He is XXX Course NDA

KK Khanna is XXIX to XXX Course NDA.

[shek]

Ray sir, if i'm not wrong Lt Gen Chopra is from the Madras...

Mekala sir, are you ex-OTA? If so, which course/coy?

[RayC]

Yes, Chopra is from the MADRAS Regt.

He was the BGS 15 Corps during the ops in Kargil.

A real calm and cool person indeed.

[Mekala]

Ray sir, if i'm not wrong Lt Gen Chopra is from the Madras...

Mekala sir, are you ex-OTA? If so, which course/coy?

shek

Thank U 4 the link 2 OTA.

Ya, I am ex-OTA, 8 th course.
By the way, what course is on now?

Srini-M

[Mekala]

shek

I forgot 2 mention the coy. It was in Jessami, I am a Jessamian.

RU from OTA too?

Srini-M

[ASPuar]

RayC, sir, you mentioned I believe that your father was commissioned in 1942... may I ask what regiment he served in? My grandfather, you see, was also commissioned in 42-43, thereabouts. He served in the 1st Garhwal rifles, in Arakan, Burma. Later he was involved in the conversion of the JAK Militia to regular army, as the last commander J&K Militia.

[RayC]

He was in one of the tanks units that went to Pakistan.

Then he went to EME on Indep but since he was an English honours graduate and compatitively older, after the Timmayya Commission was adjusted, he was posted him to RIASC.

[shek]

Ray sir, if i'm not wrong Lt Gen Chopra is from the Madras...

Mekala sir, are you ex-OTA? If so, which course/coy?

shek

Thank U 4 the link 2 OTA.

Ya, I am ex-OTA, 8 th course.
By the way, what course is on now?

Srini-M

Sir, i'm not in the OTA yet, but hope to be soon by the end of this year. I got two uncles who are from the OTA.
Right now the 79th Course is on along with the 22nd Tech and WSES 25th, passing out this March.

[shek]

OK, fellow BRFites there is a slight change regarding the SS in the army which is soon coming into effect, but not in effect yet.
Presently 5yrs is the minimum service to be put it by an SS officer. This will now be changed to 7yrs with an option to leave after 14 also.
This change will be brought about with other major changes, like almost doubling the strength of the OTA to make the ratio of regular and SS officers equal and increasing the training period to almost a year and a half from the present one year.

[shek]

Any RDC-'05 Cadet out there who knows the latest of the Cadet Exchange Programme??? When i went to the UK in 2003 DGNCC was planning on adding Australia, New Zealand and even the US to the list of YEP countries. Any update on this? It will be really great if this has been done already. The more the countries, the more the cadets being exposed.
Anyway, YEP-UK rules!!

[shek]

IAF officer training institute to hike intake from next year :

Karnataka, India > Bangalore, Dec 8 : Indian Air Force's premier officer training institute, the Air Force Academy (AFA) at Dundigal near Hyderabad will increase its intake of cadets to over 400 from next year from the existing 370.

AFA, located about 35 kms from Hyderabad, grooms the cadets, both pilots and engineers, besides people from all other branches to officers in a rigorous 12-month training that is said to be one of the best in the world.

"Not many air forces in the world train the men and women like what we do. There are no concessions that are made for those who lag behind," AFA Deputy Commandant Air Commodore Arup Raha told visiting reporters from Bangalore.

About 370 cadets including 105 women will pass out of this academy as officers this month to join the IAF, Army, Navy and the Coastguard. The next term, which begins in January 2005, would have over 400 cadets, he said.

The AFA has 55 Hindustan Piston Trainer (HPT-32), where the cadets get initial training, and 16 Kiran trainers, which help the pilots to graduate for further training on more powerful aircraft.

An in-house team of experts and flying instructors have prepared computer-based training modules for the youngsters, which will eventually be linked to a local area network, for the cadets to access information at their convenience.

"We do more flying in training than compared to any other air force," Raha said, adding, students were put on simulators before they fly.

AFA is also adding 175 rooms to house the additional cadets aiming to get into the services. PTI

[Sidd]

About 370 cadets including 105 women will pass out of this academy as officers this month to join the IAF, Army, Navy and the Coastguard.

Not that I have any problem with that but is that figure correct?That is over 25% of women officers.

[shek]

Security at IMA beefed up
Swati Vashishtha
Tribune News Service

Dehra Dun, February 27
The police has beefed up security around the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehra Dun after intelligence reports of a terrorist attack threat. The intelligence agencies have reasons to believe that terrorist outfits from Jammu and Kashmir have plans to target the academy, official sources said. A high-level meeting of top officials with Chief Minister ND Tiwari was called today to look into fresh security issues, top police officials said.

The IMA Commandant, Lieut-Gen K.K. Khanna, who was tough on the terrorists during five years of his tenure in Baramula is on their hit list.

According to ADG (Law and Order) KR Negi, the police is providing peripheral security in view of the terrorist attack threat. Three police checkposts have been set up outside the academy for a 24-hour checking of vehicles since yesterday. Bunkers have been made and armed PAC personnel have been deployed at the academy. The police has been directed to take down the credentials of those passing from outside the academy.

Conducting the checking outside the academy, the police constables said there were directions to stop the vehicles and check them thoroughly. There is heavy barricading outside the academy.

Intelligence agencies have learnt that even as the IMA is a soft target for terrorists, the chances of a suicide attack are bigger with the new commandant assuming office. The IMA top brass and public relations officer were unavailable for comments.

[Pradeep_JR]

Hi guys….must tell u....this academies section is one that was necessary...gr8 job guys...well….I do not write regularly in the forum but do visit this site often....i have a small problem here and would be glad if someone could help….Let me start off……I have cleared my CDS II exam and have qualified for both IMA and the OTA……I have got my call letter for SSB for 119th IMA course on March 28th…..now my problem is I am in final yr engg and my exams will be in May – June……and the results will be declared only in the month of August…….But this IMA batch will start sometime in mid-July I guess…..so if by God’s grace I get through the SSB and also appear in the merit…..then there is a possibility that I will not have got my 7th and 8th semester marksheets by the time I join the IMA…..I needed to know if they will not allow me to enter the IMA or will they give me some time even after the course commences?….if so they how much time will I get……now another option I have is to write to the Army HQ and ask them to give me a call for the OTA which will be a safer option as the course will start only in oct 2005 .. I guess…..but I would prefer the IMA over the OTA……so I am in 2 minds now as to whether I should take a chance and go for this SSB and inturn take the risk of being thrown out of IMA(if I am selected) bcos of not being able to produce my documents in time…..or should I play safe and opt for the OTA……..I would be glad if nyone could help me out with this….thankx…bye

[shek]

Hey people, sad news about FC Sparsh Rana. He is the son of a fauji. An alumni of The Army Public School, DK, Delhi (TAPS). He was from 107th Oscar Sqn of the NDA.

[shek]

Pradeep, jus give me a little time on that and i'll let you know. Since it's directly involving your career i wouldn't want to mis-inform you.

[shek]

Hi guys….must tell u....this academies section is one that was necessary...gr8 job guys...well….I do not write regularly in the forum but do visit this site often....i have a small problem here and would be glad if someone could help….Let me start off……I have cleared my CDS II exam and have qualified for both IMA and the OTA……I have got my call letter for SSB for 119th IMA course on March 28th…..now my problem is I am in final yr engg and my exams will be in May – June……and the results will be declared only in the month of August…….But this IMA batch will start sometime in mid-July I guess…..so if by God’s grace I get through the SSB and also appear in the merit…..then there is a possibility that I will not have got my 7th and 8th semester marksheets by the time I join the IMA…..I needed to know if they will not allow me to enter the IMA or will they give me some time even after the course commences?….if so they how much time will I get……now another option I have is to write to the Army HQ and ask them to give me a call for the OTA which will be a safer option as the course will start only in oct 2005 .. I guess…..but I would prefer the IMA over the OTA……so I am in 2 minds now as to whether I should take a chance and go for this SSB and inturn take the risk of being thrown out of IMA(if I am selected) bcos of not being able to produce my documents in time…..or should I play safe and opt for the OTA……..I would be glad if nyone could help me out with this….thankx…bye

Hi pradeep, i just got some confirmed info. First of all you will be happy to know that even though your 7th and 8th sem results are out in aug, you STILL can join and continue in the IMA provided the conditions below are met:
1) You will have to first deposit Rs 24000/-, your 1st to 6th sem marks and a provisional certificate by your college stating that the 7th and 8th sem results will be out in aug.
2) The IMA will allow this 'delay' in submitting your marks only for 3 months. For every month you delay, you will have to deposit Rs 24000/- and by the end of 3 months if you still havent got your marks by then or God forbid you fail then you will be withdrawn and you will lose all your money. ie 24000x3
3) You will get back the money deposited by you as soon as you submit your marks card of the final two terms. Your 7th and 8th sem marks will be out by Aug, so you are well within the timeframe set by the IMA.

I hope i've been able to answer everything.
PS: i don't think you have the option to write to AHQ for change of academy to OTA. If there is a provision like this i'm not aware about please let me know.
Secondly, pradeep you must be a more active member in the BRF, esp in this forum of academies as you soon, God Willing will be joining the IMA.
Laslty, when you go for your SSB, if its possible do write down the details of the entire experience and post it on this forum. It will be really helpful to many.
Thanks
God Speed.

[Pradeep_JR]

Hi shek......thankx a million for that information.....feel relieved after i read it.......will make it a point to post more regularly in the forum.....
to start off with.....i had initially got a call for SSB on 28th Feb....around 160 candidates had come to allahabad....but almost 40 of them appearing in final yr exam like me were send back just bcos their bonafide stated that the results will be out in june......i guess something like this happened for the first time.....and i think the reason is that they didnt expect and were not prepared for 160 candidates......the call up officer got a copy of the employment news and said that the marksheets should be submitted to the army HQ by May 15th......so we will give u another date and if u get a bonafide from ur college stating that ur results will be out by may then we will entertain u .....otherwise we wont......so I went to college and have the bonafide stating the same and have to report on march 28th........met a lot of people there who had been to SSBs before (this is my first time) and all of them said that this was not how it was earlier......

PS: i don't think you have the option to write to AHQ for change of academy to OTA. If there is a provision like this i'm not aware about please let me know.

this information is confirmed.......the Call up officer at the Allahabad Board told me this and so did an ex-GTO of 11 SSB(Allahabad)Lt.Col S.P.Dalvi.So this is 100% confirmed.

[shek]

Hi shek......thankx a million for that information.....feel relieved after i read it.......will make it a point to post more regularly in the forum.....
to start off with.....i had initially got a call for SSB on 28th Feb....around 160 candidates had come to allahabad....but almost 40 of them appearing in final yr exam like me were send back just bcos their bonafide stated that the results will be out in june......i guess something like this happened for the first time.....and i think the reason is that they didnt expect and were not prepared for 160 candidates......the call up officer got a copy of the employment news and said that the marksheets should be submitted to the army HQ by May 15th......so we will give u another date and if u get a bonafide from ur college stating that ur results will be out by may then we will entertain u .....otherwise we wont......so I went to college and have the bonafide stating the same and have to report on march 28th........met a lot of people there who had been to SSBs before (this is my first time) and all of them said that this was not how it was earlier......

PS: i don't think you have the option to write to AHQ for change of academy to OTA. If there is a provision like this i'm not aware about please let me know.

this information is confirmed.......the Call up officer at the Allahabad Board told me this and so did an ex-GTO of 11 SSB(Allahabad)Lt.Col S.P.Dalvi.So this is 100% confirmed.

Pradeep, even i'm hearing this for the first time!! so basically those whos results comin in june are not eligible for SSB?

[shek]

Some imp stuff mailed to me by Rishi, a BRFite:

OLQ
Preparation for SSB Interview
When you have passed the written test for armed forces, you have to clear
the next step of the selection process: the Interview. Your performance
in the interview will determine whether you succeed or not. It is a
rigorous process designed to test every aspect of personality. There are
thousands who get a call from the SSB, but many are not able to make it
in the interview. To help readers, we give here what can be expected in
the interview and how to prepare for it.

Selection process of the army is not only rigorous but has evolved over a
period of time. The techniques used are continuously reviewed on the
basis of feedback from the Defence Institute of Psychological
Research. The procedure consists of an independent assessment of the
personality
of each candidate by three persons. These are Interviewing Officer,
Psychologist and the Group Testing Officer. Candidates are graded on 15
officer-like qualities on a scale of 1-10. One interesting aspect is that
high achievers are not sought: the search process is aimed at the average
candidate who has the potential to become an "average officer"
after
training.

The assessing officers are informal with the candidates, which creates a
positive environment for the conduct of various tests. The officers do not
wear uniforms so that the candidates do not feel that they are being
"watched". All attempts are made to make the candidates feel
comfortable.
Though different persons make their independent assessment, efforts are
made to bring uniformity.

The system is fair and selectors are well trained. The selection centre
is immune to any kind of influence. The system is such that the three
assessors do not interact and are unaware of the final result till the
Board Conference takes place, where each candidate's performance comes up
for discussion. Each candidate is discussed by all the officers in the
conference and a unanimous conclusion is reached on whether the candidate
should be taken or not.

Candidates are rated without regard to their background. Only performance
in the different tests counts. Taking the different scores into account,
an overall score is worked out.

Description of the Selection
Process

There are three Selection Centres in the country: Allahabad, Bhopal and
Bangalore. Be prepared to spend four days for the interview, excluding
the days of travel. Upon arriving, report to the Movement Control Office
at the Railway Station, from where you will be taken to the Selection
Centre. The Duty Officer will give you an introductory talk and
administrative directions. Fill up the Personal Information Questionnaire.

There will be 30 to 40 candidates per batch, divided into four groups of
8 to 10 each. You are not competing with the others, as is wrongly
believed. The candidates are assessed against a common standard of
suitability.

On Day One, you will be given intelligence and psychology tests,
including the Word Association Test (WAT) and the Thematic Appreciation
Test (TAT). In the first, there is a set of 60 words which are displayed
for 15 seconds per word during which you have to write a sentence. In the
TAT, you are shown 10 to 12 slides and are expected to write a small
story in 3 minutes. There is a third test, the Situation Reaction Test
(SRT),
in which 60 situations are shown and you have to write your
reaction. Interviews commence in the afternoon and carry on for Day Two
and
Three. The afternoons are free unless it is your turn for interview,
otherwise you are free to go shopping or sight seeing.

Group tests start on Day Two. Here, the primary concern is to see how you
face up to problems and your attitude toward other members of the
group. There will be two Group Discussions. In the first, the group is to
select one of the two given topics, while in the second, the topic is
given.
Topics could be current issues or general ones. A regular reading of The
Competition Master is known to help as many debatable topics are
covered in the magazine. Each discussion is 20-30 minutes long. There is
a Group Planning Exercise in which a story based on a model is narrated
and the group has to identify the problem and evolve a practical
solution. The Progressive Group Task requires you to collectively get over
four
obstacles, with a heavy load. The Group Obstacle Race requires you to
compete with other groups over a set of six obstacles. There is a Half
Group Task as well, in which your group is divided and the two half
groups compete with each other. Prepare for public-speaking as well, as
each
person is required to give a three-minute informal talk.

Day Three is for the Individual Obstacle Course, Command Tasks and Final
Group Task.

On Day Four, there will be a Board Conference during which you will be
asked questions. Based on total assessment, a decision is taken. The
selected candidates are asked to go through a medical examination, while
others are sent home.

How to prepare

The first thing to remember is that the SSB interview is a test of
personality. To prepare, it is better to start early and make efforts to
develop a
well-rounded personality.

What kind of a personality is required? Firstly, one must be physically
fit and fond of work-outs. One has to be a team player and exhibit
leadership skills. One should be pleasant but not frivolous. A
sports-loving personality stands at an advantage.

The intelligence tests are objective in nature and consist of verbal,
analytical and numerical questions. The questions are in various
combinations
to suit different entry levels, such as NDA, CDS and Service Entry. In
psychological tests, there are the following tests:

a) Word Association Test: A set of 60 words are displayed on a slide for
15 seconds by the psychologist. Candidates are expected to write a
sentence on each of the words. The words could be like "mother",
"death",
"army", "fight" etc. It is not like a sentence-making
exercise in
schools: it is neither a test of vocabulary nor the style of English. All
the words are simple and straightforward. Candidates must ensure that they
make a sentence that conveys a positive message. It should not have a
negative connotation.

b) Thematic appreciation test: Candidates are shown 12 slides depicting
some activity. Each slide is shown for 30 seconds, after which candidates
have to write a small story in 3-4 minutes, taking clues from the
activities. The stress again is not on language or vocabulary. The
reaction of the
students is to assess the Officer Like Qualities (OLQs). A psychologist
evaluates the reaction and grades the candidates on the various OLQs.

The list of 15 OLQs is given below:

effective intelligence
reasoning ability
organising ability
power of expression
social adaptability
co-operation
sense of responsibility
initiative
self-confidence
speed of decision
ability to influence the group
liveliness
determination
courage
stamina

--
per aspera ad astra

[shek]

Security at Indian Military Academy tightened:
[India News]: New Delhi, March 6 : Security at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehra Dun has been tightened further following the killing of three alleged members of a terrorist outfit who reportedly wanted to target it.

"We had IB (Intelligence Bureau) reports about a possible attack on the academy about two weeks ago and security had already been stepped up," a senior army official told IANS.

He said this had been further tightened following Saturday when police gunned down three members of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayba (LeT), which is largely active in Jammu and Kashmir, following the dramatic arrest of two men here.

Police said the three militants, two of who were said to be Pakistani nationals, were killed in the shootout in southwest Delhi were part of a plot to attack IMA, one of the most prestigious military institutions.

Besides the three terrorists who died, two or three escaped.

They said three AK-47 assault rifles, hand grenades, ammunition, satellite phones and some documents were recovered from a house at Bharat Vihar in southwest Delhi where the men were holed up.

Police officials said it all began when two men, identified only as Hamid and Tariq, were arrested and who led them to the militants.

Besides the Special Cell of the Delhi Police, the military intelligence (MI) and IB were involved in the interrogation of the two men.

The Pakistan-based LeT was blamed for the daring attack on Indian parliament in December 2001 and the Red Fort the previous year.

This is the first time the outfit is known to have planned to attack a military establishment outside Jammu and Kashmir.

The military intelligence was keen to find out how the militants came to possess detailed maps of IMA, the officials said.

"We are sure there are LeT moles in the city who had helped procure the maps for the attack and we are going to find out who they are," one official said.

Officials said the two arrested men were picked up hours before the shootout at Mubarak Chowk on G.T. Karnal Road while travelling in a jeep.

A total of 10.5 kg of RDX explosive was recovered from their jeep. The nationality of the two was yet to be established but they had been living in the capital for some years and were members of LeT.

Officials said on interrogation, they revealed the presence of about half a dozen LeT militants living in a safe house at Bharat Vihar.

A police team laid siege to the house shortly before 9 p.m. The trapped militants opened fire at the team and the police returned the fire. The exchange of fire continued for about an hour, they said.

Officials believe that two or three militants might have escaped and a massive manhunt has been launched to track them down.

--Indo-Asian News Service

[Pradeep_JR]

Pradeep, even i'm hearing this for the first time!! so basically those whos results comin in june are not eligible for SSB?

Thats what they make it out to be......but again......i met a lot of students there who had got a bonafide stating that the results will be out by May 31st........which is after the date mentioned in the employment news(May 15th)........and a lot of other students who had got a May bonafide even though the results were coming out only in june......all of them were allowed......now i have got a bonafide from my college stating that my results will be out in may even though it is expected to come only in june , july or aug........
I think it is only bcos they wanted to reduce the strength then and there.......i dont think there is nything more to it....

[Pradeep_JR]

Hi guys.....
If u have given ur CDS exam and want to enquire abt ur SSB call status or if u want to know abt the procedure to switch from a IMA call to a OTA call or for any other querries , u can call the following nos in delhi : -

IMA :- 011-26173701
OTA :- 011-26173215

These nos are easily available as compared to the other UPSC nos which have been provided for enquiries......u will fall asleep by the time u get through to them.......but remember.....only for those who have given the CDS exam and want to enquire......bye
pRaDeEp.

[shek]

Check this out, it was out sometime last year...sad.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/arti ... 791551.cms

[shek]

Nurturing the younger lot for a career in the armed forces, Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun has been the grooming center for attaining echelon in the Defence Services for many decades. After the First World War the need for a college was felt to train the Indian boys for absorption in the commissioned ranks of the Indian Army. Accordingly, the Government of India established the Royal Military College on 22 February 1922 at Dehradun. On 13 March 1922 the then Prince of Wales inaugurated this institution, which was named the Prince of Wales’ Royal Indian Military College. In January 1950 the name of the College was changed to Prince of Wales Military College and to Sainik School on 1 December 1955. The College finally acquired its present name Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) on 1 October 1959. The Ministry of Defence through Directorate General of Military Training, Army Headquarters, administers the College.

Before the establishment of the Indian Military Academy in 1932, the cadets from the RIMC used to enter the Military Colleges in United Kingdom.

The object of RIMC is to obtain suitable candidates for admission to the National Defence Academy (NDA) and to train them in such a way that they may compete for entry into the NDA. RIMC cadets cannot, however, be admitted directly into the NDA. Like other candidates they are required to qualify the UPSC competitive examination and the Service Selection Board interviews for entry into the NDA.

The admission to RIMC is biannual. To be eligible for entry, the candidates (boys only) should not be less than 11 ½ years of age but must not have attained the age of 13 years. Admissions are made to class I (equivalent to class VIII) only, on the basis of their performance in an All India Entrance Examination held twice a year in English, Mathematics and General Knowledge followed by a viva-voce.

The medium of instruction at the College is English. The classes range from standard VIII to XII. The unique feature of the College curriculum is that it is the only institution in the country, which has a total of four Board examinations every year. Class X and XII Board examinations are held in May and November every year.

Military training forms an integral part of the curriculum. There is a distinct accent on games, sports and on every kind of healthy adventurous activity and training, which would help in fostering a disciplined, rugged and well-integrated personality. A wide range of extra-curricular and co-curricular activities is organized for the enrichment of the social and cultural life of the cadets.

There were 37 cadets on the College rolls to begin with. Due to growing demand for admission to the College this was raised to 200 in 1965 and 220 in 1974. At present the strength of the College is around 250.

Intake of College is 25 to 30 students per term and there are two terms per year. Each state has its quota of 1 to 2 students (minimum 1 and maximum 2) with no reservation of any kind. Financial assistance in the form of scholarship from the Central/State governments is granted to the deserving candidates on the recommendation of the Commandant. The Government provides a subsidy of about Rs one lakh per student per year.

RIMC boys have been performing exceedingly well in mountaineering. In 1994, four RIMC cadets and three Old Boys climbed the 6,830 meters Kedar Dome peak which has been acknowledged by the Guinness Book of World Records as an outstanding feat by boys of 14-17 age group. In 1996, RIMC cadets successfully climbed Mt Thelu and Mt Koteshwar both above 6,000 meters within a span of five days. A cadet Julfikar Hasan successfully climbed Mt Gangotri-I at the age of 13 years only. Mountaineering Expeditions to Mt Black Peak (6,387 m, June 2000), Jogin-III (6,116 m, June 2002) and Gangotri-I(6,672m, June 2003) were successfully accomplished.

The students are encouraged to pursue adventure sports like trekking, long distance cycling, skiing, and white water rafting and parasailing. Training cruises on board Indian Naval Ships to Andamans or Lakshadweep Islands is almost a regular feature in January every year.

Rimcollians as RIMC alumni are called have won various awards for gallantry and distinguished service. Rimcollian General K.S.Thimmaya was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan. RIMC has produced three Arjun Award winners – Brigadier D.K.Khullar (mountaineering), Colonel K.S.Rao (sailing) and Brigadier R. K.Manchanda (squash).

The first Indian officer to win the Victoria Cross was Rimcollian 2nd Lieutenant P.S.Bhagat who later rose to the rank of Lieutenant General. Major Som Nath Sharma (posthumously) who won the Param Vir Chakra was also a Rimcollian. So far, five Rimcollians have won the Padma Bhushan and one Padma Shri. Apart from this the Rimcollians have won one Maha Vir Chakra, 15 Vir Chakra and hundreds of other gallantry awards and commendations.

RIMC’s crowning glory is that it has given five Chief’s of Staff - four to the Indian Army namely General K.S.Thimayya, General G.G.Bewoor, General V. N. Sharma and General K.Padmanabhan and the fifth was the Chief of Air Staff – Air Chief Marshal, N. C. Suri.

The achievements of the Rimcollians across the border have also been equally impressive. Rimcollians in Pakistan include two former Air Chiefs - Air Marshal, Nur Khan and Air Marshal, Asghar Khan, one former Army Chief Lt General, Gul Hassan Khan, the Foreign Minister Sahabzada Yakub Khan, the former Interior Minister Nasrullah Babar and the former Foreign Secretary, Sharayar Mohammad Khan.

Nestled in the foothills of the Shivalik ranges in the sylvan surroundings of the Doon valley, the RIMC has a sprawling campus of 138 acres. The campus has quite a few heritage buildings in Tudor style, some nearly a hundred years old. Besides, it has playfields, courts, swimming pools, riding school, Indoor shooting range and all facilities for co-curricular activity. Future plans of the RIMC include modernization of sports and curricular activities with a thrust on academics, plans for an Olympic size swimming pool, open-air theatre, an auditorium and sports complex for yoga classes, basketball and other indoor games.

As a result of the operation green campaign launched by RIMC for storage of the rainy water flowing in a nearby stream, a beautiful lake has recently come up in its vicinity. In an area exceeding more than an acre, the lake is being used for fisheries and also for boating purpose. Captivating to the eyes, the lake has been attracting birds of different species including migratory birds from Siberia during monsoon.

RIMC is truly a mini-India reflecting a student population from every state and from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.



*Information Officer, PIB, Dehradun

[shek]

Indo-Pak reunion at RIMC Founders Day!:
[India News]: Dehradun, Mar 14: A Pakistani delegation of army officials arrived in Dehradun for a reunion at the Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) for its 83rd Founder's Day on Sunday (March 13).

At least two Air Chiefs of Pakistan and several flag officers, both in Indian and Pakistani defence forces, have passed out from RIMC. "This is not my first trip here but my third one. I have friends not only in Dehradun but also in New Delhi. My generation is no longer working. We feel very happy and very homely here," said Brigadier (Retired) Faqir Mohammad Khan, an old student from Pakistan.

The atmosphere at the reunion was warm and cordial and the Pakistanis were treated with hospitality.

"One thing you can see is that there is no difference between the two countries. The common man wants friendship, peace and harmony. You know the history about India and Pakistan were divided. We want the two countries to become one again and we love each other," said General S.S. Garewal, a former Indian army officer.

RIMC traces its origin to the Prince of Wales Royal Indian Military College, which was inaugurated on 13th March 1922 by the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII.

The purpose of this institution was to ensure a high pass rate to provide Indian boys with suitable education for Royal Military College, Sandhurst, as part of the Indianisation programme of the officer cadre of the Indian Army.

RIMC was then a College, a pre Sandhurst institution run along the lines of an English public school. The British believed that to become an army officer, if education in Britain was impossible, a public school education in India was an absolute necessity. (ANI)

[shek]

Govt extends restructuring of officers' cadre to Air Force
NEW DELHI, MAR 15 (PTI)
After the Army, the government today extended the restructuring of the officers' cadre to the Air Force and Navy to give it a younger profile and facilitate quicker vertical movement in the promotion ladder.

Under the new set of recommendations approved by the President, it will take just two years for a officer on being commissioned to become Flight Lieutenant and six years to become Squadron Leader.

While it will take 13 years to enable one to become a Wing Commander, 26 years of commissioned service will be needed to get promoted to the rank of Group Captain.

However, loss of senority for non-qualification in promotion examinations already awarded will continue to hold good.

Those serving in the rank of Wing Commander will now be eligible for promotion to Group Captain rank (time scale/select) under certain conditions.

Officers not promoted to the rank of Group Captain by selection may be granted the substantive rank of Group Captain (Time Scale) irrespective of vacancies, provided they are considered fit in all other respects.

[shek]

Passing out parade at OTA
NT Bureau
Chennai, Mar 20:

Two hundred and eighty two cadets graduated as army officers at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai Saturday. Among them 72 were women.

They would be commissioned in various ranks in the Indian army, one of the largest combat forces in the world.

Reviewing officer Lieutenant General M M Lakhera, Lt. Governor of Pondicherry, accepted the honour accorded by the passing out cadet officers.

Lakhera congratulated the officers and reminded them of the challenges ahead in their career. He appreciated the women cadets for matching standards with the men.

It was the seventy ninth passing out parade at the Officers Training Academy (OTA). Major General K K Kohli, Commandant OTA was present.

Among those who hogged the limelight for their meticulous work was Academy Under Officer Rahul Bharathi who was given the Sword of Honour and a gold medal for standing first in the overall order of merit.

Battalion Under Officer Sathish Gautam was awarded the silver medal. Senior Under Officer Arshpreet was given a gold medal among the women cadets. At the key 'Piping Ceremony' at the event, the parents and relatives of the officers affixed two stars in their epaulette to signify the rank of Lieutenant and thus opening the gates for the journey for the men and women in green in becoming officers.

[shek]

SOME INFO ON JOINING THE TA AS AN OFFICER:

1) Firstly you need to be a graduate of a university recognized by the AICTE. You have to be below 40yrs while joining.
2) You need to have a job and an NOC by your boss allowing you to join the TA.
3) You have to write a letter to the TA Group Commander and he will send you the forms etc
4) You will need to write a simple test in English I suppose just for initial screening.
5) Clearing that you will be called for a prelim board interview conducted by the TA Gp Cdr, a university professor and a TA Bn CO.
6) Clearing that you will be called for the Services Selection Board Interview, just like candidates joining the regular army.
7) After the SSB and medicals, you will be allotted a TA Unit (you can also opt for any unit if you want I guess).
After you join the unit, you may either go to the IMA or the OTA for 3 months (or so...) Offr trg and thereafter every 2 months a year you will be involved in Annual Trg Camps within the unit itself.
9) TA officers go for a one year attachment to regular Infantry Units. Earlier there used to be absorption into the regular army but during/after major ops esp Parakram, the TA found itself short of officers and thus they had to be called back. But you may never know, the policies keep changing.
10) TA officers are entitled to EVERYTING a regular army officer gets, be it perks etc etc.
11) They can work till retirement age and can (so far) attain the max rank of Brigadier.

[member_7047]

Shek, i must congratulate you on starting this topic. I think this is the best topic on the forum and its sad that very few are interested in this thread. I'm in the services, ex NDA course 102, Alfa squadron. I'm the son of a retd Fighter Pilot and have seen life in the Armed Forces ever since i was a little boy! Its an awesome life. If i ever get a chance of joining the Army again i would prob try joining the OTA. Not that i regret joining the NDA but looking at it in a broader perspective, the OTA is a better option. Anyway, i'm new to BRF and it will take some time adjusting! The first topic my eyes locked on to was this! Great Job and congrats once again.
Regards,
Jon
Any ex-Alfa squadron/NDA types around??

[shek]

Army School organises free NDA coaching
Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 29: Army School Damana organized three day free NDA coaching from today, admission for which is open for all the schools.
Brig P P Toor, Chairman of the host School inaugurated the coaching session. He apprised the aspiring students that there was no shortcut to success and the only thing to achieve success was the sincere hard work.
The qualities like motivation, dedication and honesty are also important for achieving the objectives. While concluding Brig Toor told the gathering that he would love to join Army life in his next birth also.
The guests present on the occasion were Principal Dr Renu Gupta and Army officers Maj Mukherjee, Maj Shikhar, Maj Thapiyal and Capt Annie. Mrs Sapna Gupta, Counsellor of the School gave the students information on various career options in which they could excel.
Maj Mukherjee gave detailed information on entry into defence services, Maj Shikhar spoke about examination scheme and syllabi and Capt Annie motivated the girls to join Army. Maj Thapiyal inspired the gathering by showing different pictures depicting how the life in Army can be.
By the end of the first day the students were in high spirits and satisfied as also keen to attend the other days with dedication and motivation.

[shek]

Sainik School to get Rs 1.01 cr grant from MoD
Tribune News Service

Kapurthala, March 31
To undertake structural restoration work of Sainik School, Kapurthala, housed in Jagatjit Palace, the Ministry of Defence has sanctioned a grant of Rs 1.01 crore.

A communique in this regard from the department reached the school here today, while the grant for the purpose is likely to reach tomorrow. Even as the complete details regarding utilisation of the grant are yet to reach the school, it has been stated that this grant would be supplemented by a share of the Punjab Government to the tune of Rs 96 lakh as communicated by the Principal Secretary of the Defence Services Welfare Department of Punjab.

The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) had already sanctioned Rs 98 lakh for Jagatjit Palace and Baradari Gardens for its facelift. The grant is, however, yet to reach the school.

Jagatjit Palace is a unique example of French architecture. Maharaja Jagatjit Singh's quest for beauty coupled with his global exposure enabled him to create a string of beautiful buildings in Kapurthala which exemplified the best of exotic and native streams.

But the building has been in dire strait for quite some time now. The wooden floor and doors were getting damaged as they have almost been hollowed by termite. So much so that a circumventing path atop the library made of wooden planks can fall any time. The roof of the office of the Registrar collapsed a few weeks back and his office had to be shifted elsewhere.

Subsequently, INTACH officials visited the school and prepared a report which had listed a cost of Rs 3 crore for the works that are required to be done. The chairman of the trust, Mr S.K. Misra, had subsequently taken up the case for the provision of the funds with the Ministry of Defence.

Meanwhile, the school has received Rs 9,600 per student from the Central Government for scholarship. The school is also likely to get revised scholarships under the new income slabs for the students from the Punjab Government soon.

[shek]

INS Zamorin commissioned at Ezhimala Naval Academy
EZHIMALA (KERALA), APR 6 (PTI)

The INS Zamorin was today commissioned by Chief Minister Oomen Chandy at the Ezhimala Naval Academy adding one more establishment, which will serve as a depot base for coordinating administrative matters for India's prestigious Naval academy.

Commissioning of INS Zamorin is a landmark for the Indian Navy and Kerala. The coming up of the prestigious academy, will witness a sea change and give physical expression to the seafaring traditions of Ezhimala, Malabar region and Kerala in particular and the country at large, Chandy said after commissioning the base depot.

Stating that he was conscious of the commitment made by the Kerala Government to the Indian Navy, Chandy said the government had fulfilled several assurances and spent about Rs 40 crore for land acquisition and infrastructural facilities, which included construction of five peripheral roads skirting the site, building of three bridges, provision of a dedicated 110 kva sub station and provision of emergency water supply.

He assured that government would complete the weir and pipeline for supply of water from the Kariangode river and improve the approach roads to the academy from the north and south to national highway standards.

"The commissioning of INS Zamorin which marks the completion of the first phase of the rs 500 crore project for building the naval academy will be boon to the local economy," the chief minister said.

[shek]

Hey Pradeep, do post in info about your experience in the SSB. It will really be useful. Never mind, keep trying, Bash on Regardless!!

[ASPuar]

Under the new set of recommendations approved by the President, it will take just two years for a officer on being commissioned to become Flight Lieutenant and six years to become Squadron Leader.

While it will take 13 years to enable one to become a Wing Commander, 26 years of commissioned service will be needed to get promoted to the rank of Group Captain.

This is a misrepresentation. Whereas one should become a Wingco at 13 yrs of service under the new policy, I am quite quite certain that one doesnt become a group ct. a 26!! The time officially required for substantive promotion to AIR MARSHAL is 28 years at present. I imagine that 26 years is the time required for time scale promotion for those who didnt make the selection grade. I suspct the substantive promotion time to gp. cpt. will be 18 years rather than the ridiculous 26.

[shek]

Sir, i think 26yrs is for the officers who havent made it in the selection grade and are time scale. But as you pointed out, it is a little too much. But i guess it is the same in the Army.
I've heard that selection grade Colonels are putting up a case regarding the new policy of time scale Colonels. According to them, time scale Colonels, when they pick up thier Col ranks shouldnt be allowed to wear the red collor dogs so as to differentiate themselves from the selection grade ones. Time Scale Cols do not get to command any unit/regt. Though i dont know if this has yet become an official complaint, but its fair enough.

[ASPuar]

At the same time, I think that the above mentioned plan is not a good one. If there are created two classes of colonels, then what is the point of having a time scale elevation to colonel anyway?

[RayC]

There has being a spate of "cosmetic" changes in the uniform and also in other spheres including promotions etc.

I sure would be interested in knowing what is the general opinion if I may.

Or someone could start a thread on this since this is not really pertaining to this thread. I would have done it, but I would be biased.

[ASPuar]

My two cents on the matter mentioned above are: If it isnt broken, dont fix it!

The uniform was fine as it stood before. In the first place, a I have mentioned, this dressing up of the gorget patches in the manner of many a tinpot south american army is tacky, and serves no real purpose. I understnad the excuse presented was ostensibly that a major general was denied due honors at some conference or other, abroad, because his rank was not clearly distinguishable. Surely, this is because of some mixup. And have a couple of tiny stars on the gorget patches will not remedy this anyway. Umpteen armies dont follow the star patttern and have no trouble getting their officers recognised.

Second, this rot about wearing only camo to staff and hq assignments is really quite silly. It seems like another bout of cheap and overstated showmanship to me.

Third, the retiring of the Sam Browne belt in the 80s was regrettable.

The uniform seems to be looking less and less martial in aspect and mroe pedestrian as time passes. There is an oft repeated cliche that people are losing respect for the uniform.

In some respects, as in the literal meaning of the statement, I think that there is a good reason for it. The uniform is looking less and less respectable!

Of course, I am an armchair observer. Certainly those serving in the forces may have other opinions, and those are the ones that really matter.