Officers recruitment is advertised through the Employment News and all-important National and Regional newspapers/dailies. Selection for all Permanent Commission entries, except 10 + 2 NDA and Naval Academy entry and NCC Special entry (Graduate) is through a written examination conducted by the UPSC, followed by an interview by the Service Selection Board (SSB). There is no written examination for the Short Service Commission entries. These applications are shortlisted as per the criteria laid down by the Naval Headquarters, Directorate of Manpower Planning & Recruitment. Selection is through merit alone.

It is mandatory that all Degrees and educational qualifications are from Educational Institutions recognized by the competent authority in the field. Degrees/mark sheets must be original or attested by appropriate authorities, as asked for in the advertisement. No compromise/relaxation will be made on this issue. All candidates desirous of joining the Indian Navy must be physically/mentally fit as per laid down standards. Proficiency in sports, swimming and extra-curricular activities is desirable.

Women are granted Short Service Commission (SSC) in:

Naval Architect

Law

Logistics

ATC

Aviation (Observer) & Education Branches.

The government has also given approval for the Permanent Commission (PC) in Education, Law and Naval Architect branch on completion of SSC tenure depending upon merit and vacancy.

As an officer of the Executive Branch, one can exercise command of ships, submarines, and aircraft. Executive officers can specialize in any of the following:

Gunnery & Missiles

Navigation and Direction

Anti-Submarine Warfare

Communications

Pilot

Observer

Submarine

Hydrography

Diving

The other cadres that form part of the Executive Branch are:

Law

Air Traffic Control

Naval Armament Inspection and Logistics

Modern ships, submarines, and aircraft are fitted with advanced technology machinery and propulsion systems. As an Engineer Officer, you will be responsible for keeping all these Hi-tech systems serviceable. Opportunities exist to work in gigantic naval dockyards and indigenous production units. In no other career is an engineer exposed to such a wide spectrum of opportunities and to keep abreast of modern developments. An Engineer Officer’s career is interspersed with technical courses up to post-graduation level in India/abroad. You can also join in the Naval Architecture Cadre of the Engineering Branch. The Indian Navy today employs the largest pool of trained Naval Architects in India. A Naval Architect is involved in design, construction, quality control, repair and new construction work of naval vessels. With the Navy going for more and more sophisticated warship production within the country, the Corps of Naval Architects offers excellent opportunities to keep abreast of the advancement in shipbuilding technology and implement your innovative ideas.

A warship is a mini floating city with an integral power generation and distribution system. In addition, complex missile systems, underwater weapons, radar, and radio communication equipment form the major part of a warship’s equipment. A majority of these are either computer-based or computer-aided and incorporate the latest trends in electronics engineering. For a ship to be able to fight effectively, all these equipment must be kept working at peak efficiency. Electrical Officers have this responsibility and other challenging tasks. To sharpen their skills, the Navy offers excellent opportunities for post-graduate courses in India/abroad to deserving candidates. Note: Officers of the Engineering and Electrical Branches can also volunteer for the Aviation/ Submarine Arm.

Any service will be as good as the training its officers and men receive. As an Education Officer, you will play a major role in the training of naval officers/sailors. Education Officers are responsible for scientific and methodical instructions, including theoretical aspects of technical subjects of all branches of the navy and also for general education. An Education Officer can specialize in almost all specializations of the Executive Branch. In addition, some officers also get specialization in Oceanography & Meteorology.