IAF seeks aspiring air warriors in officer cadre

New Delhi, June 19 (ANI): The Indian Air Force (IAF) has sought eligible Indian graduates and post-graduates, both men and women, to join the force as commissioned officers in the branches of flying, engineering and ground duties on completion of their respective courses, commencing July 2012.

To qualify, candidates will have to pass the Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT), scheduled on August 28 to be held at 57 different cities across the country.

The last date for submitting applications at AFCAT cells in any of the seven IAF Command Headquarters of Eastern (Shillong), Western (New Delhi), Central (Allahabad), South Western (Gandhinagar), Southern (Thiruvananthapuram), Maintenance (Nagpur) and Training Command (Bangalore) is July 11.

All eligibility criterions are given in the IAF website www.careerairforce.nic.in .

For males, the courses are for Short Service Commission (SSC) in the flying, technical and ground duty branches.

Males can also opt for Permanent Commission (PC) through Aeronautical Engineers Course (Electronics or Mechanical) and Ground Duty Officers Course (Administration and Logistics, Accounts, Meteorology and Education).

For women aspirants, only SSC is offered in the branches of flying, engineering and ground duties.

The duration of training for flying and technical branches is 74 weeks. Ground duty branches training is for 52 weeks.

PC in flying branch is presently only through the UPSC route - for NDA (National Defence Academy) graduates and those qualifying CDSE (Combined Defence Services Examination).

The engagement period for SSC in the flying branch is 14 years from date of commissioning and is non-extendable.

SSC officers in technical and ground duty branches will have initial tenure of 10 years. Later, an extension of four years may be granted subject to willingness, service requirements and availability of vacancies. PC officers would serve till superannuation.

Qualifying AFCAT will enable aspirants to undergo further testing at one of the Air Force Selection Boards (AFSB) at Dehradun, Mysore or Varanasi.

At AFSB, the candidates will be put through intelligence and other tests qualifying which they will undergo psychological and group tests including interview.

Aspiring pilots will be put through once-in-a-lifetime only allowed Pilot Aptitude Battery Test (PABT) to decide whether they can ever hope to be a military aviator.

For technical branches, qualifying the Engineering Knowledge Test (EKT) is a must. Both tests are held at the AFSBs.

Successfully candidates will undergo medical examination either at Air Force Central Medical establishment (AFCME), New Delhi or Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM), Bangalore.

10 percent vacancies are reserved for NCC Air Wing 'C' certificate holders.ewly commissioned officers begin drawing gross monthly emoluments of Rs. 57,352 for flying, Rs. 48, 602 for technical and Rs. 46,102 for ground duty branches.

In addition, furnished accommodation, comprehensive medical cover, leave (60 days annual and 20 days casual) including travel concessions, entitled rations, canteen and officers' mess facilities, insurance cover of Rs. 50 lakh, additional Rs. 3.5 lakh for flying branch officers are among some of the benefits IAF offers.(ANI)