The What & How of a prestigious Career in the Indian Navy

4^th of December marks the day India celebrates the exceptional bravery and intelligence of the country’s naval force during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war. Considered as one of the most strategic defence forces, the Indian Navy is the 5^th largest naval force in the whole world. It is the love for the nation and people of the nation that inspires the Indian Navy to be such a strong and inspiring force.

Being a multi-dimensional combat force, the Indian Navy has several responsibilities, which includes: safeguarding the coast, maritime warfare as well as rescue operations during disasters; making them no less than superheroes. A fleet of submarines, destroyers, freights and other support vessels operate under the Indian Navy. Thus, earning a spot in the Indian Navy is a matter of honor, prestige and respect.

Did you know that …

• Our Indian Navy is 406 years old (founded – 5^th September, 1612) and was initially recognised as the Royal Indian Navy under the East India Company. It was only after India got its independence that the navy was renamed as Indian Navy on 26th January, 1950
• In 1956, Ram Dass Katari became the first Indian flag officer, and was appointed the first Indian Commander of the Fleet on 2 October.
• Women were inducted into the Indian navy for the first time in 1992, when twenty-two women were trained for education, logistics, and law cadres.
• India is the only country with supersonic cruise missiles in their army, navy, and air force as we have BrahMos, the fastest cruise missile in the world with a speed of Mach 2.8–3.0
• MARCOS or Marine Commandos, nicknamed magarmach, are the special operations (very secretive) unit of the Indian Navy. Because of their rigorous special training, they played a major role during rescue mission of the hostages during the 26/11 attacks of Mumbai.

Joining the Indian Navy

The Indian Navy in recent years, has experienced rapid modernization and have gone through mass recruitment, therefore encouraging the youth to be a part of one of India’s most prestigious force.

The Indian Navy operates three commands, each under the control of a Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief in the rank of Vice Admiral. The three Commands are:

• The Western Naval Command (Headquarter at Mumbai).
• The Eastern Naval Command (Headquarter at Visakhapatnam)
• The Southern Naval Command (Headquarter at Kochi)

There are two broad roles in Navy: Officer or Sailor.

Officer: There are many specialized officer’s roles in Indian Navy that you can opt for. You can be a doctor, a dentist, a Naval Armament Inspector, Air Traffic controller, Logistics Officer, a hydrographic officer, Provost Officers, Aviation Officer, and submarine Officer or even join the Law cadre. You need to have specialised degrees in order to get there.

Sailor: In navy, the sailors are the sepoys who play an equally important part. You can step into the field by picking the role that inspires you. Becoming a sailor in Indian Navy comes with its own perks. You can become a commissioned officer depending on your performance and efficiency.

Requirements: In order to be a part of the Indian Navy or any defence wings, you need to crack NDA (National Defence Academy) conducted by UPSC (Union Public Service Commission), University Entry Scheme (UES) or Direct Entry Permanent Commission /Short Service Commission

Education Qualification: You need to have a minimum qualification of 10+2 with good marks in Maths & Physics. Taking up subjects like Chemistry, Biology or Computer science will help up climb up the ladder fast. For most of the roles in Navy, you need to have a degree in any of these equivalent discipline:

• Mechanical Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Engineering in Computer Science/Technology
• A postgraduate degree in Humanities (Economics/History/ Political Science)

You can also get a specialisation in Anti-Submarine Warfare, Naval Communication, Gunnery, Hydrography, Navigation & Direction or Meteorology & Oceanography

Age Limit: 16- 24 years

Physical Fitness Test (PFT): Clearing a physical fitness test is a must in order to join the Indian Navy. The test will consist of 1.6 Km run to be completed in 7 minutes, 20 squat ups (Uthak Baithak) and 10 Push-ups. Candidates undergoing PFT will do so at their own risk.

Top Naval Academies:

• The Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, Kerala (it is the largest of its kind in Asia)
• Institute of Naval Medicine, Mumbai
• INS Mandovi (Provost and Physical Training School), Goa
• INS Valsura (Electrical Training), Jamnagar, Gujarat
• INS Agrani (Leadership Training), Coimbatore

For all you Navy aspirants, a strong foundation in science subjects and a great performance in 10+2 will give you a strong advantage at cracking the entrance.

Pro Tip: The first step towards this dream job is performing well in your 12th Board Exams. BYJU’S-The Learning App has programs designed to prepare you for your boards as well as competitive exams like NEET and IIT. With adaptive and engaging videos, samples test papers for each concept and personalised feedback, BYJU’S visual learning methods will give you the necessary boost to do your best.

Score high with BYJU’S The Learning App!

Now, you can get a free counselling session with BYJU’S experts at your home to help guide you better.

Click Here to book now!