Indian Airforce Officer Career Information
Watch your speed… follow the glide slope… wings level…. reduce power… overshoot… hold your altitude. This is the kind of verbal shorthand you are likely to hear on an Indian Airforce plane. If you think living and earning on earth is for lesser mortals consider a job in the sky.
What an Indian Airforce Officer does
The Indian Air force is the fourth largest air force in the world. Recently, National geographic ran a reality show, Mission Udan which was based on life in the Indian Air Force. The show captured all the thrills, excitement and joy of flying the most modern machines.
The air force can be divided into:
• Flying Branch
• Technical Branch
• Ground duty Branch
Now let's see what's in store for you in each of these branches:
Flying Branch - You'll be flying fighter/bomber aircraft designed to destroy the enemy in the air and on the ground. As a transport pilot you will be ferrying troops and equipments under enemy fire often making rough landings at makeshift runways. As an airforce officer, you could even be assigned to V.I.P. transport.
As a chopper pilot you will closely co-ordinate with the army in its operations. You could spy on enemy positions or drop commandos with pinpoint accuracy or ambush enemy tanks with guns and rockets.
Technical Branch - For those of you with a technical bent of mind, the Indian Air Force offers an opportunity for hands-on experience on sophisticated aircraft and weapon systems. You will ensure the war preparedness of the fleet and the airworthiness of the aircraft.
Ground duty - You will look after administration, logistics, accounts, education and meteorology. You could also be the eyes in the sky as the air traffic controller and fighter combat controller.
Job Opportunity
Flying branch officers have to opt for a permanent commission of 20 years. Short Service commission of seven years is offered for all other branches.
Your career growth usually takes this route:
• Commissioning rank- Flying Officer
• 5 years-Flight Lieutenant
• 11 years -Squadron Leader
• 16-21 years - Wing Commander
• 22 years - Group Captain
• 24 year - Air Commodore
• 26 years - Air Vice Marshal
• 28 years - Air Chief Marshal
Career Prospects
To make the IAF more attractive, the Short Service Commission for men across all divisions is being introduced so one can earn while they learn.
Air force pilots after retirement can move on to commercial airlines. This is true for all other branches as the civilian airline industry mirrors the defence one. With flying clubs and adventure sports gaining popularity there is a need for qualified personnel in these areas too.
Abilities & Traits Required
You need to:
• Be Patriotic
• Be a Team Player
• Have Leadership Qualities
• Be Problem solver
• Have a sense of Responsibility
• Good Stamina and Physical Fitness
• Adaptable to change
• Tenacious
• Looking out for others
• Integrity
• Dependable
• Courageous
• Alert
• Strong Determination
• Self Confident
• Organised
Qualifications
Flying Branch *Before being inducted as a trainee pilot at the Air Force Academy you have to finish a three-year course from National Defence Academy.
• Age Limit: 16 ½-19 years
• Educational Qualifications: Minimum 10 + 2 with Physics and Mathematics
• Entrance: Written examination conducted by UPSC followed by a Services Selection Board interview for those who pass the written examination.
Advertisement: In the month of April/ November by UPSC. The format of application will be available in the Employment News.
Air Force Academy (CDSE)
• Age Limit: 19 to 23 years
• Educational Qualifications: BSc (Physics and/ or Mathematics) or BE
• Entrance: Written examination conducted by UPSC followed by a Services Selection Board interview for those who pass the written examination.
Advertisement: In the month of April/ November by UPSC. Successful candidates join the Air Force Academy directly for Pilot Training.
National Cadet Corps
• Age Limit: 19 to 23 years
• Educational Qualifications: BSc Physics and/or Mathematics or BE
• Entrance: Direct Services Selection Board interview.
Eligibility criteria for Women
• Status: Unmarried or widows of service personnel killed on duty but without any child.
• Age Limit: 19-23 years, relaxable up to 25 years for those holding Commercial Pilot License.
• Educational Qualification: BSc Physics and/or Mathematics or BE
Advertisement: Published in the month of January and July each year in the Employment News and leading Newspapers.
Entrance: Directly qualify for interview by Service Selection Board.
Successful candidates join the Air Force Academy directly for Pilot Training.
Engineering
• Entry into the engineering branch can be achieved through the University Entry Scheme. Here, you are selected to join the Aeronautical Engineering Branches for Permanent or Short Service Commission while in the Pre-Final/ Final Year of your study in the Engineering Colleges.
• Alternatively, you can opt for the Direct Entry Scheme after graduation.
• Age Limit: 18 to 28 years
Aeronautical Engineering (Electronics) (Permanent Commission or Short Service Commission)
• Engineering Degree in Electronics/Telecommunications/ Electrical
• Communication/Electronics and Communication/Computer Science & Engineering or a combination of these subjects
OR
• BTech in Radio Physics and Electronics of Calcutta University OR
• BSc Physics with Electronics of Bombay University OR
• MSc Electronics of Delhi, Bangalore, Madras, Gujarat, Lucknow or Calcutta University OR
• BSc with Physics, Maths and Chemistry.
Aeronautical Engineering (Mechanical) (Permanent Commission or Short Service Commission)
• Engineering Degree in Aeronautical/ Mechanical/Production/ Industrial Production
OR
• BSc with Physics, Maths and Chemistry
Advertisement: Applications are called for twice a year in the month of January and July through advertisement published in the leading newspapers/Employment News.
Entrance: Written examination conducted by UPSC followed by a Services Selection Board interview for those who pass the written examination.
Ground Duties
• You would be inducted in one of these departments - Administrative, Logistics or Air Traffic Controller/Fight Controller (Short Service Commission) branches.
• Age Limit: 20-23 years for graduates and 20-25 years for post graduates
Educational Qualifications:
• Graduates with 60 per cent and above marks and post graduates with 50 per cent and above.
• Candidates with an MBA or post graduate diploma in Business Administration (Two years full time or three years part time course from institutes recognised by All Indian Council for
• Technical Education (AICTE) with 50 per cent and above marks and between the age group of 20-25 years can also apply.
• For Law graduates (three-year course) with 50 per cent and above marks the age is relaxable to 26 years. LLB (five-year course) with 50 per cent marks and above can also apply provided they are in the age group of 20-25 years.
Advertisement: It is released in leading newspapers or Employment News in January and July for the administrative branch. In January for Logistics Branch and in March for the Air Traffic Controller and Fighter Controller Branches.
Accounts Branch Age Limit: 20 to 23 years for Graduates and 20 to 25 years for post graduates.
Educational Qualifications:
• BCom/BCom (Hons) with 60 per cent and above marks and M.Com. with 50 per cent and above marks.
• For candidates with AICWA/Chartered/Registered/Incorporated Accountant together with BCom or MCom degree the age is relaxable upto 27 years.
Advertisement: Released in leading newspapers/Employment News in the month of July each year.
Entrance: Through SSB interview
Education Branch Age Limit: 21 to 25 years.
Educational Qualifications: MA/MSc with 50 per cent and above marks in English/Psychology/Defence Studies/Mathematics/Physics/Statistics/Computer Science or an MBA with 50 per cent and above marks with a combination of minimum two subjects out of Physics, Maths, Statistics, English, Psychology or Defence Studies at BA/ BSc level.
Candidate with Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (Two year full time or three years part time course) from Institutes recognised by All Indian Council for Technical Education (AICTE) with 50 per cent and above marks can also apply. For those who have done their MEd/ PhD, the age limit is relaxable up to 27 years.
Advertisement: Advertisement is released in leading newspapers/ Employment News in the month of July each year.
Entrance: Written examination conducted by UPSC followed by a Services Selection Board interview for those who pass the written examination.
Meteorological Branch Age Limit: 20 to 25 years.
Educational Qualifications: MSc in Physics/ Applied Physics/ Meteorology/ Geophysics with Meteorology and Oceanography/ Oceanography with specialisation in Meteorology/ M.A/M.Sc. in Mathematics or Applied Mathematics/M.tech. in Atmospheric Science from IIT Delhi with 50 per cent and above marks.
Advertisement: Advertisement is released in the leading Newspapers/ Employment News in the month of July each year.
Entrance: Written examination conducted by UPSC followed by a Services Selection Board interview for those who pass the written examination.
Candidates must be in accordance with the prescribed physical standards i.e. they should be physically fit and free from any disease or disability and excess fat. The minimum acceptable height for the Air Force is 162 cm.
(For Gurkhas and residents of north-eastern India, Garhwal and Kumaon, the minimum acceptable height is 5 cm lower than the standard and for candidates from Lakshadweep, the minimum height is lowered by 2 cm.)Candidates must have perfect eyesight (known as 6/6 vision).
Besides these general conditions, each training institute and examination has their own standards and requirements.
Salary
• Flying Officer Rs 8500 – 10050
• Flight Lt. Rs 9600 - 11400
• Sq. Leader Rs 11600 - 14850
• Wing Commander Rs 13500 – 17100
• Group Captain Rs 15100 - 17350
• Air Commander Rs 16700 - 18050
• Air Vice Marshal Rs 18400 – 22400
• Air marshal Rs 22400 – 24500
• Air Chief Marshal Rs 30000
In addition to the above fighter pilots get flying pay of Rs 9000 per month. For helicopter and transport pilots, it is Rs 7000.
Other facilities include leave benefits, travel concessions, dearness allowance, furnished accommodations, soft loans, group insurance scheme and free ration and medical treatment.