Joining the Indian Armed Forces is a dream of many. Few people clear the written exam, fewer people clear the SSB, and even fewer leave the academy during training, leaving a void which the person lower in merit would have been very happy to fill.
Read: Why I Left The Officer’s Training Academy Despite An AIR 2nd In 1st Attempt?
Here are the 9 reasons you are not meant to join the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force:
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You are a money minded person:
It is obvious that it is hard to survive without money. But making money your only priority and joining the forces because it is a “government job”, you will not be able to stay for long here, my friend. Even if you somehow clear SSB, you will find it hard to survive the military life and will find ways out of it to make money.
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You don’t like being away from your family/friends:
Indian Military is an all-India service. There will be places that you will be posted to at any time during your service. But on the contrary, you’ll have 2 months of paid leave per year. If you can’t manage with this, you are not a fit person to be here.
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You are scared:
This is the biggest reason to not be in the military. You are scared of being in front of the enemy. You are scared to go to the war front and you are scared to be holding and firing bullets. If that is so, please please stay away. You will be a liability to your comrades.
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You cannot bear the physical toughness:
There is something called ‘ragda’ that unofficially prevail in the academies. That is to make you fitter, tougher and stronger – physically and mentally. You’ll bleed, you’ll fracture your bones and you’ll be extremely sick at times. If you are not mentally prepared for this treatment, stay away and give chance to the ones who are ready. Remember – “Jitna ragda, utna tagda”.
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You got ego issues:
A little ego with everyone is fine. But in the military, which follows a strict hierarchy, you need to seem less egoistic to your seniors. Whatever they say, is your command to obey. If you don’t believe in this type of “monarchy” in the democratic organisation, you’ve got ego issues, my friend.
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You’re here to secure your future:
No. No! You are here to secure the future of 125 crore Indians while experimenting with your present. The military is not an adult day care center that you come in, serve for some years until you are a senior officer and stop doing your job. While your career will be secure, at the same time, your life will be at stake.
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You hate being looked down:
But your worth in the military will be determined by your rank and your achievements. Your seniors will look down on you. You’ll be punished severely for any of the smallest incidents. You literally have to prove your worth to be considered a real man who is finally ready to lead men into battle.
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You got issues with menial chores:
You have to clean your own mess, sweep, clean toilets and bathrooms and what not. If you are the person who believes this is not your job, there is no job for you in the military.
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You want a luxurious life:
Life in the military is not so luxurious, not even for officers. Officers live a life of upper-middle-class standard in the military. If you think, you’ll get luxury when you join, think again. The only luxury you’ll get for this mentality will be the uniform to dawn and holidays to enjoy.
Conclusion:
While I applaud everyone who decides to serve the country, I think that it’s important to know well what to expect from the career you chose and what the career expects from you. If you really are not mentally prepared to join the forces, please back off before it reaches the point that you have to quit. You are snatching the opportunity of the person very next in merit to you.
Also Read: 14 Things You Should Know Before You Join the Armed Forces
How to prepare for SSB Interview
