HOW TO GET INTO INDIAN AIR FORCE

 

INDIAN AIR FORCE (IAF)

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India holds the rank of Supreme Commander of the IAF. 

The head of the Indian Air Force is the Chief of the Air Staff, who holds the rank of Air Chief Marshal.

Eligibility criteria- Four Entry Points: (Officer Rank)

Anyone holding Indian citizenship can apply to be an officer in the Air Force as long as they satisfy the eligibility criteria. 

1. Male applicants, who are between the ages of 161/2 and 19 and have passed high school graduation, can apply at the Intermediate level. 

2. Men and women applicants, who have graduated from college (three-year course) and are between the ages of 18 and 28, can apply at the Graduate level entry.

3.  Graduates of engineering colleges can apply at the Engineer level if they are between the ages of 18 and 28 years. The age limit for the flying and ground duty branch is 23 years of age and for technical branch is 28 years of age. 

4. After completing a master's degree, men and women between the ages of 18 and 28 years can apply at the Post Graduate level. Post graduate applicants do not qualify for the flying branch. For the technical branch the age limit is 28 years and for the ground duty branch it is 25. 

 At the time of application, all applicants below 25 years of age must be single.

 The IAF selects candidates for officer training from these applicants. After completion of training, a candidate is commissioned as a Flying Officer.

Procedure for the selection of Cadets

Applicants to the NDA are selected via a written exam conducted by the UPSC every year, followed by extensive interviews by the Services Selection Board covering general aptitude, psychological testing, team skills as well as physical and social skills, along with medical tests. Incoming classes are accepted twice a year for semesters starting in July and January. 

Applicants who join the Air Force through the flying branch also go through a test called Computerized Pilot Selection System or CPSS for short.

Cadets who are accepted and successfully complete the program are sent to their respective training academies for one year of training before granting of commission: army cadets go to Indian Military Academy (IMA) at Dehradun, air force cadets to Air Force Academy (AFA) at Dundigal, Hyderabad, and naval cadets to Indian Naval Academy (INA) at Ezhimala, Kerala.

Air men : The duty of an airman is to make sure that all the air and ground operations run smoothly. From operating Air Defence systems to fitting missiles, they are involved in all activities of an air base and give support to various technical and non-technical jobs. 

The airmen of Technical trades are responsible for maintenance, repair and prepare for use the propulsion system of aircraft and other airborne weapon delivery system, Radar, Voice/Data transmission and reception equipment, latest airborne weapon delivery systems, all types of light, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic systems of airborne missiles, aero engines, aircraft fuelling equipment and heavy duty mechanical vehicles, cranes and loading equipment etc.

Recruitment of Air Men: Procedure

The recruitment of personnel below officer rank is conducted through All India Selection Tests and Recruitment Rallies. All India Selection Tests are conducted among 15 Airmen Selection Centres (ASCs) located all over India. 

These centres are under the direct functional control of Central Airmen Selection Board (CASB), with administrative control and support by respective commands. The role of CASB is to carry out selection and enrolment of airmen from the Airmen Selection Centres for their respective commands. 

Candidates initially take a written test at the time of application. Those passing the written test undergo a physical fitness test, an interview conducted in English, and medical examination. Candidates for training are selected from individuals passing the battery of tests, on the basis of their performance. Upon completion of training, an individual becomes an Airman.

 Some MWOs and WOs are granted honorary commission in the last year of their service as an honorary Flying Officer or Flight Lieutenant before retiring from the service.

Ranks in Indian Air Force

1. Marshal of the Indian Air Force  (MIAF Arjan Singh is the only officer to have achieved this rank).

2. Air Chief Marshal

3. Air Marshal

4. Air Vice Marshal

5. Air Commodore

6. Group Captain

7. Wing Commander

8. Squadron Leader

9. Flight Lieutenant

10. Flying Officer

11. Flight Cadet

Training and Education

 The Indian Armed Forces have set up numerous military academies across India for training its personnel, such as the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla.

Besides the tri-service institutions, the Indian Air Force has a Training Command and several training establishments. While technical and other support staff are trained at various Ground Training Schools, the pilots are trained at the Air Force Academy, Dundigul (located in Hyderabad). 

The Pilot Training Establishment at Allahabad, the Air Force Administrative College at Coimbatore, the Institute of Aerospace Medicine at Bangalore, the Air Force Technical College, Bangalore at Jalahalli, the Tactics and Air Combat and Defence Establishment at Gwalior, and the Paratrooper's Training School at Agra are some of the other training establishments of the IAF.