The Indian Navy conducted its maiden Naval Standardisation Exercise at the Naval Service Selection Board (SSB), Kolkata, from August 18 to 22, 2026, with the objective of further refining and strengthening the officer induction process across all Naval SSBs.
The five-day exercise was conducted under the aegis of the Personnel Branch/Directorate of Manpower Planning and Recruitment (DMPR) at Naval Headquarters, in conjunction with the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s Defence Institute of Psychological Research (DRDO/DIPR).
Teams representing Naval SSBs at Bengaluru, Bhopal, Visakhapatnam and the Coast Guard SSB (CGSB) at Noida participated in the exercise along with the host SSB at Kolkata.
The exercise provided a common platform for personnel involved in the officer selection process to exchange professional experiences, discuss existing practices and examine areas requiring greater standardisation across the various selection boards.
Discussions during the exercise focused on strengthening the officer induction mechanism and ensuring greater consistency in selection-related processes across Naval SSBs.
The participation of teams from different SSB locations enabled the exchange of perspectives and operational experiences, allowing the participants to identify effective practices and develop valuable takeaways for improving the overall induction framework.
The involvement of DRDO/DIPR further contributed to the professional and scientific dimensions of the exercise, supporting efforts towards a robust and contemporary officer selection system.
The maiden Naval Standardisation Exercise marks an important step towards greater coordination and uniformity among the Indian Navy’s officer selection establishments.
The valuable insights and recommendations emerging from the discussions are expected to further enhance the quality, consistency and effectiveness of officer induction into the Indian Navy, contributing to the selection and development of capable future naval leaders.
