The Indian Army has invited online applications from unmarried women holding an NCC 'C' Certificate, and Wards of Battle Casualties of Indian Army personnel, for Short Service Commission (Non-Technical) under the NCC Special Entry Scheme, 125th Course (April 2027) - SSCW (NCC)-125. This article covers complete details on eligibility, vacancies, selection process, training, and salary as per the official notification.
Note: The information below is for general awareness. Candidates must refer to the detailed course notification published on www.joinindianarmy.nic.in for complete information. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Hindi versions of the notification, the English version prevails.
Official Notification: Download Here
Indian Army NCC Special Entry Scheme 125: Quick Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Type of Entry | NCC Special Entry Scheme – 125th Course (April 2027), Short Service Commission (NT), Women (including Wards of Battle Casualties) |
| Age | 19 to 25 years as on 01 January 2027 |
| Open For | Unmarried female graduates |
| Educational Qualification | Graduation degree and minimum 'B' Grade in NCC 'C' Certificate exam |
| Vacancies | 06 (05 General + 01 Wards of Battle Casualties) |
| Selection Process | Application → Shortlisting → SSB → Medical → Merit List → Joining Letter |
| Pre-Commission Training Academy | Officers Training Academy, Chennai |
| Duration of Training | 49 weeks from April 2027 |
| Stipend During Training | ₹56,100 per month |
| Rank After Training | Lieutenant |
| Salary on Commissioning | CTC approx. ₹17–18 lakh per annum |
Important Dates
- Online application opens: 21 July 2026, 1500 hrs
- Online application closes: 21 August 2026, 1500 hrs
- SSB shortlisting (tentative): First week of September 2026
- SSB Centre and date selection window: 14 days in September 2026 (first-come-first-served)
- SSB interviews (tentative): November/December 2026, maximum 5 days
- Course commencement: April 2027
- Deadline to submit final degree certificate (final-year candidates): 01 April 2027
Vacancy Details
| Category | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| General Category (Women) | 05 |
| Wards of Battle Casualties of Indian Army Personnel | 01 |
| Total | 06 |
The Indian Army notifies vacancies separately for each entry and gender based on operational and administrative requirements. The shortlisting process, cut-offs, and merit for men and women are independent of each other.
Also Read: Indian Army Agniveer UHQ Rally 2026
Eligibility Criteria
Nationality
The candidate must be: (i) a citizen of India, or (ii) a subject of Nepal, or (iii) a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, or specified East African countries (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia) and Vietnam, with the intention of permanently settling in India, provided a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India (not required for Gorkha subjects of Nepal).
Age Limit
19 to 25 years as on 01 January 2027 (born not earlier than 02 January 2002 and not later than 01 January 2008, both dates inclusive). The date of birth recorded in the Matriculation/Secondary School Examination Certificate at the time of application will be treated as final; no subsequent change request will be entertained.
Educational Qualification and NCC Criteria (For NCC 'C' Certificate Holders)
- Minimum qualification: a Bachelor's degree or equivalent from a recognized university. Final-year candidates may apply, provided they complete their degree before the course begins; the aggregate percentage from the first two/three years of the degree course will be considered for shortlisting.
- Minimum two/three years of service (as applicable) in the Senior Division/Wing of NCC.
- Minimum 'B' Grade in the NCC 'C' Certificate exam. Candidates without an NCC 'C' Certificate (or only a Provisional NCC 'C' Certificate) on the date of application are not eligible. Provisional certificates are not accepted at the SSB stage.
Important: Candidates may appear for only one SSB interview - either as a CDSE candidate for SSCW (NT) (Women)-125 Course, or for NCC (Special) Entry-125 Course (Women). An undertaking to this effect must be given in the online application.
Eligibility for Wards of Battle Casualties
- Available to unmarried sons and unmarried daughters (including legally adopted) of Army personnel classified as: killed in action; died of wounds/injuries (other than self-inflicted); wounded/injured (other than self-inflicted); or missing, presumed dead.
- Educational qualification: Graduate degree from a recognized university (final-year candidates also eligible under the same conditions as above).
- NCC 'C' Certificate is not required for this category.
- Required documents: Battle Casualty certificate number issued by the Manpower (Policy & Planning) Directorate (or Adjutant General's Branch MP-5(D) for casualties after September 2013); copy of Part II Order classifying the casualty as a "Battle Casualty"; and a Relationship Certificate issued by the Manpower Directorate/Regimental Records.
Age Limit and Physical Standards
Age limit is detailed above. Candidates must also meet minimum physical standards before joining the training academy:
| Activity | Minimum Standard (Women) |
|---|---|
| 2.4 km run | 13 minutes |
| Push-ups | 15 |
| Pull-ups | 02 |
| Sit-ups | 25 |
| Squats | Two sets of 30 repetitions |
| Lunges | Two sets of 10 repetitions |
| Swimming | Should know fundamentals of swimming |
Salary and Pay Scale
| Rank | Pay Level | Pay (₹) |
|---|---|---|
| Lieutenant | Level 10 | 56,100 – 1,77,500 |
| Captain | Level 10B | 61,300 – 1,93,900 |
| Major | Level 11 | 69,400 – 2,07,200 |
| Lieutenant Colonel | Level 12A | 1,21,200 – 2,12,400 |
| Colonel | Level 13 | 1,30,600 – 2,15,900 |
| Brigadier | Level 13A | 1,39,600 – 2,17,600 |
| Major General | Level 14 | 1,44,200 – 2,18,200 |
- Stipend during training: ₹56,100 per month (fixed at OTA, Chennai for the full 49-week duration).
- Military Service Pay (MSP): ₹15,500 per month, fixed, for officers from Lieutenant to Brigadier.
- Approximate CTC on commissioning: ₹17–18 lakh per annum, excluding free medical cover and one home-town visit per year.
- Additional allowances include Dearness Allowance, Transport Allowance, Children Education Allowance (₹2,250/month per child, for two eldest children), Hostel Subsidy (₹6,750/month per child), Dress Allowance (₹20,000/year), and various field/hardship allowances depending on posting.
Promotion Criteria
| Rank | Promotion Criteria |
|---|---|
| Lieutenant | On commission |
| Captain | On completion of 2 years reckonable commissioned service |
| Major | On completion of 6 years reckonable commissioned service |
| Lieutenant Colonel | On completion of 13 years reckonable commissioned service |
| Colonel (TS) | On completion of 26 years reckonable commissioned service |
| Colonel and above | On selection basis, subject to fulfilment of requisite service conditions |
Tenure and Release Options
- Officers are liable to serve for 10 years, extendable by a further 4 years, subject to eligibility and organizational requirements.
- Permanent Commission may be considered in the 10th year of service.
- Officers may apply for release during the 5th year of service; Army HQ's decision on such applications is final.
- Release options are also available after the 10th and 14th years of service.
- Reserve liability: Officers released before completion of contractual service must serve the Army Reserve for 5 years, plus 2 years on a voluntary basis, or up to age 37 (whichever is earlier).
Selection Process
- Shortlisting of applications: Based on bonus marks out of a maximum of 100 - up to 50 marks for NCC 'C' Certificate grading (50 for 'A' Grade, 25 for 'B' Grade) and up to 50 marks for graduation performance (0 to 50 marks on a sliding scale from below 60% to 85%+ aggregate).
- Vacancy-to-call-up ratio: Candidates are shortlisted for SSB based on this ratio, decided by the Directorate General of Recruiting.
- SSB Centre and date selection: Shortlisted candidates choose their SSB centre and date on a first-come-first-served basis; choices cannot be changed later except under exceptional circumstances.
- SSB interview: Conducted over 5 days at Prayagraj, Bhopal, Bengaluru, or Jalandhar. Candidates undergo a two-stage process - Stage I, and Stage II (for those who clear Stage I). Candidates who fail Stage I are sent back the same day.
- Medical examination: Conducted for candidates recommended after Stage II.
- Merit list: Prepared based on SSB marks. Ties are broken first by age (older candidate ranked higher), then by percentage in the qualifying exam.
- Joining letter: Issued to candidates within the merit list and available vacancies, subject to meeting all eligibility criteria and being declared medically fit.
Candidates who fail to report within 7 days of the reporting date will have their candidature cancelled, and the next candidate in the merit list will be considered.
Required Documents
- Signed printout of the online application with self-attested photograph
- Matriculation/Secondary School Examination Certificate (or equivalent) and mark sheet
- 12th Class certificate and mark sheet
- Graduation degree or provisional degree certificate (provisional degree must not be older than 6 months as on 01 April 2027, i.e., issued between 01 October 2026 and 01 April 2027)
- Mark sheets of all years/semesters
- NCC 'C' Certificate, issued on or before the date of online application submission (not required for Wards of Battle Casualties)
- CGPA-to-percentage conversion certificate from the university, where applicable
- For final-year candidates: certificate from the institution head confirming final-year status and expected result declaration by 01 April 2027
- For Wards of Battle Casualties: Battle Casualty certificate, Part II Order copy, and Relationship Certificate
Note: DigiLocker certificates will not be accepted in place of original certificates. All originals must be carried to the SSB interview; incomplete documents lead to summary rejection.
How to Apply
- Visit www.joinindianarmy.nic.in and click "Officer Entry Application/Login," then "Registration" (skip if already registered).
- After registration, click "Apply Online" under the Dashboard, then click "Apply" against Short Service Commission NCC Special Entry Course.
- Fill in personal information, communication details, education details, and previous SSB details (if any), clicking "Save & Continue" after each section.
- Review the summary of your information, then click "Submit" only after confirming all details are correct.
- Take two printouts of the application (with roll number) 30 minutes after the online application closes on the last day.
No changes can be made to the application after it closes. Candidates must submit only one application - multiple applications will result in cancellation.
Also Read: Indian Army NCC Special Entry Scheme 125th Course (Men) Recruitment 2026 - Apply Online for 70 Posts
Important Instructions
- Candidate's name, parents' names, and date of birth in the profile and application must exactly match the Matriculation/Secondary certificate; any variation leads to cancellation.
- CGPA/grades must be converted to marks per the university's formula; discrepancies found later lead to cancellation.
- Candidates cannot marry during training, nor live with parents/guardians during the training period; marrying before or during training leads to removal and recovery of training costs.
- Cost of training at OTA is borne by the Government, except for candidates withdrawn for personal reasons or reasons within their control, who must refund training costs at ₹20,482 per week (as of 2026).
- Candidates serving in the Armed Forces must inform their Commanding Officer in writing about applying, and carry a countersigned application to the SSB.
- Candidates should never have been debarred by UPSC from any exam, arrested/convicted by a criminal court, or expelled from any service training academy on disciplinary grounds.
- Travelling Allowance (AC 3-Tier fare) is admissible only for the first SSB appearance for a particular type of commission.
- Successful completion of training at OTA, Chennai earns a Post Graduate Diploma in Defence Management and Strategic Studies from the University of Madras.
Indian Army SSC (Non-Tech), Women Important Links
- Apply Online: Click here
- Official Notification PDF: Click here
- Official Website: Click here
- Join Arattai Channel: Click Here
- Join Telegram Channel: Click Here
- Join WhatsApp Channel: Click Here
- Sarkari Result: Click Here
- Download Mobile App: Click Here
Candidates preparing for similar opportunities can also explore other Indian Army Recruitment and Defence Jobs for Women notifications. Those interested in officer-level entries can check more SSB Interview Preparation resources, while NCC cadets can browse NCC Special Entry Scheme updates and Short Service Commission Jobs matching their eligibility.
