Indian Army NCC 124th Special Entry Course (Oct 2026): Apply Online for SSC Officers

The Indian Army has invited online applications from unmarried male and unmarried female (including Wards of Battle Casualties of Army Personnel) for the grant of Short Service Commission (SSC) under the NCC Special Entry Scheme 124th Course (October 2026). This entry allows NCC 'C' certificate holders to become commissioned officers without appearing for the UPSC CDS written exam.

1. Heading & Advertisement Details

• Advertisement Name: NCC Special Entry Scheme 124th Course (October 2026)

• Entry Type: Short Service Commission (NT) for Men & Women

• Training Academy: Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai

• Official Website: [suspicious link removed]

2. Important Dates

3. Application Fee and Mode of Payment

• Application Fee: NIL (Exempted)

• As per the Indian Army tradition for officer-level entries, there is no application fee for any category.

4. Age Limit (as on 01 July 2026)

• Minimum Age: 19 Years

• Maximum Age: 25 Years

• Birth Date Range: Candidates must be born between 02 July 2001 and 01 July 2007 (both dates inclusive).

• Note: The date of birth recorded in the Matriculation/Secondary School Examination Certificate will be accepted.

5. Vacancy Details (Detailed Table)

A total of 76 vacancies are available across the Men and Women entries, including special quotas for Wards of Battle Casualties.

6. Educational Qualification

Candidates must meet the following three criteria:

1. Degree Requirement: Degree of a recognized University or equivalent with an aggregate of minimum 50% marks taking into account marks of all the years.

2. Final Year Students: Those studying in the final year are also allowed to apply provided they have secured minimum 50% aggregate marks in the first two/three years.

3. NCC 'C' Certificate: Should have served for minimum two/three academic years in the Senior Division/Wing of NCC and must have obtained a minimum of 'B' Grade in the 'C' Certificate Exam.

7. Physical Standard Test (PST)

Note: Relaxation of 5 cms for Gorkhas and candidates belonging to Hills of North Eastern areas.

8. Physical Efficiency Test (PET)

Candidates are expected to maintain a basic level of fitness to undergo the rigorous training at OTA. The following are the minimum targets:

• Running: 2.4 Km in 15 Minutes

• Pushups: 13 Nos

• Sit-ups: 20 Nos

• Chin-ups: 08 Nos

• Rope Climbing: 3-4 Meters

9. Mode of Selection (Detailed)

1. Shortlisting of Applications: Integrated HQ of MoD (Army) reserves the right to shortlist applications based on the cutoff percentage of marks in Graduation.

2. SSB Interview (Two Stage):

   • Stage I: Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and Picture Perception & Description Test (PP&DT).

   • Stage II: Psychology Tests, Group Testing Officer (GTO) Tasks, and Personal Interview.

3. Medical Examination: Candidates recommended by the SSB will undergo a medical examination by a Board of Service Medical Officers.

4. Final Merit List: Prepared based on marks obtained in the SSB interview only (subject to medical fitness).

10. Reservation Criteria (Wards of Battle Casualties)

The quota for Wards of Battle Casualties is available even for those who do not possess an NCC 'C' Certificate.

• Eligibility: Wards (sons/daughters) of Army personnel who are:

  • Killed in action.

  • Died of wound or injuries.

  • Wounded or injured in action.

  • Missing in action.

• Education: Graduation with 50% marks is still mandatory.

11. Age Relaxation

• None: There is no age relaxation provided for any category (SC/ST/OBC) in the Indian Army Officer entries. The age bracket of 19-25 is strict.

12. Syllabus / SSB Process

Since there is no written exam, the "syllabus" is the 5-Day SSB Process:

• Day 1: Screening (OIR & PP&DT).

• Day 2: Psychological Tests (TAT, WAT, SRT, SD).

• Day 3 & 4: GTO Tasks (Group Discussion, Snake Race, Individual Obstacles).

• Day 5: Conference and Result Declaration.

13. Detailed Vacancy Breakdown (Category-wise)

• NCC Men (General): 63 Posts

• NCC Men (War Casualties): 07 Posts

• NCC Women (General): 05 Posts

• NCC Women (War Casualties): 01 Post

• Total: 76 Officers to be commissioned.

14. How to Apply in Detailed

1. Official Portal: Visit [suspicious link removed].

2. Registration: Click on ‘Officer Entry Apply/Login’ and then click ‘Registration’.

3. Application Form: After registration, click on ‘Apply Online’ under the Dashboard. A list of entries will appear; click ‘Apply’ against NCC Special Entry.

4. Detail Entry: Fill in personal, educational, and NCC details.

5. Selection of Center: Once the application closes, candidates will receive an email to select their SSB Center and dates on a "First Come First Served" basis.

6. Documents to Carry for SSB:

   • Printout of Application with Self Attested Photo.

   • Matriculation Certificate for Age Proof.

   • Degree/Provisional Degree and Marksheets of all years.

   • NCC 'C' Certificate (Original).

   • Valid Identity Proof.

Note: Candidates must ensure their NCC 'C' Certificate is valid and they have obtained at least a 'B' Grade, otherwise their candidature will be cancelled at the SSB center.