The Indian Army has released the official notification for the 10+2 Technical Entry Scheme (TES-57) for the course commencing in July 2027. This entry offers Permanent Commission to unmarried male candidates who have passed Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM) and have appeared in JEE (Mains) 2026.
Key Highlights
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Entry | Technical Entry Scheme (TES-57) – July 2027 |
| Open to | Unmarried Male candidates |
| Educational Qualification | 10+2 with PCM (minimum 60% aggregate) + appeared in JEE (Mains) 2026 |
| Vacancies | 90 (Provisional – subject to organisational requirements and training capacity at CTWs) |
| Age | 16½ to 19½ years as on 01 July 2027 (Born between 01 January 2008 and 01 January 2011, both dates inclusive) |
| Application Window | 14 October 2026 (1200 hrs) to 12 November 2026 (1200 hrs) |
| Selection Process | Application → Shortlisting → SSB → Medical → Merit List → Joining Letter |
| SSB | Up to 5 days between February and March 2027 |
| Training | 4 years (3 years at Cadets Training Wing + 1 year at IMA, Dehradun) |
| Degree | Engineering Degree |
| Rank on Commissioning | Lieutenant |
| Stipend | ₹56,100 per month (only while at IMA, after completion of 3 years) |
| Type of Commission | Permanent Commission |
| Primary Arms/Services | Commission possible in all Arms and Services; majority in Corps of Engineers, Corps of Signals, and Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers |
Eligibility Criteria
Nationality
The candidate must be an unmarried male and must be:
- A citizen of India, or
- A subject of Nepal, or
- A person of Indian origin who migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia) or Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.
Candidates in the second and third categories require a Certificate of Eligibility issued by the Government of India (not required for Gorkha subjects of Nepal). Provisional permission may be granted subject to submission of the certificate before declaration of SSB result or joining training.
Marital Status
Candidates must undertake not to marry until completion of full training. Marriage after the date of application (even if successful) will result in non-selection for training. Marriage during training will lead to discharge and recovery of training expenditure.
Age Limit
As on 01 July 2027, the candidate must be between 16½ and 19½ years of age. Date of birth must fall between 01 January 2008 and 01 January 2011 (both dates inclusive). Only the date of birth recorded in the Matriculation/Secondary School (Class 10) certificate is accepted. No change is permitted once entered.
Educational Qualification
- Passed 10+2 or equivalent examination with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics from a recognised board with a minimum aggregate of 60% marks.
- PCM percentage is calculated solely on the basis of Class XII marks.
- Mandatory: Must have appeared in JEE (Mains) 2026.
Candidates must enter the exact PCM percentage up to two decimal places (not rounded off). Any false entry will lead to outright rejection.
Medical Standards
Candidates must meet the medical standards prescribed for Officers’ entry into the Indian Army. Details are available on www.joinindianarmy.nic.in. Medical Board proceedings are confidential. The Directorate General of Recruiting has no role in medical boards.
Other Conditions
- Must not have been debarred by UPSC from any examination.
- Must not have been arrested, convicted by a criminal court, or involved in any court case. Discovery of any such issue leads to cancellation of candidature/withdrawal from the Academy.
- Candidates withdrawn from NDA, OTA, IMA, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy or any service training academy on disciplinary grounds are not eligible.
Training
Total training duration is 4 years:
- Phase-I (3 years): Integrated Basic Military Training and Engineering Training at one of the Cadets Training Wings (CTWs):
- CTW, CME, Pune – Civil & Mechanical Engineering (Parent Arm: Corps of Engineers)
- CTW, MCTE, Mhow – Telecom & IT Engineering (Dual Degree) (Parent Arm: Corps of Signals)
- CTW, MCEME, Secunderabad – Electronics & Mechanical Engineering (Parent Arm: Corps of EME)
- Phase-II (1 year): Integrated Basic Military Training and Engineering Training at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun.
On successful completion, cadets are awarded an Engineering degree. No ante-date seniority is granted on account of the degree. A maximum of two relegations is permitted on academic grounds during the four years (as per JNU Ordinance). Further academic relegation leads to withdrawal.
Minimum Physical Standards on Arrival for Training (Officer Cadet – Male)
| Activity | Standard |
|---|---|
| 2.4 km Run | 10 minutes 30 seconds |
| Push-ups | 40 |
| Pull-ups | 6 |
| Sit-ups | 30 |
| Squats | Two sets of 30 repetitions |
| Lunges | Two sets of 10 repetitions |
| Swimming | Knowledge of fundamentals |
Commission, Pay and Allowances
On successful completion of training, cadets are granted Permanent Commission in the rank of Lieutenant.
Pay Matrix (illustrative)
- 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
- And higher ranks as per the official notification.
Military Service Pay (MSP): ₹15,500 per month (fixed) for officers from Lieutenant to Brigadier.
Stipend during Training: Gentlemen Cadets receive ₹56,100 per month on completion of three years of training (i.e., only while at IMA). On commissioning, pay is fixed in the first cell of Level 10. Training period is not counted as commissioned service; admissible arrears for the training period are paid.
Approximate Cost to Company (CTC) on commissioning is ₹17–18 lakh per annum (Level 10, excluding free medical cover and once-a-year travel to home town).
Other allowances include Dearness Allowance, Dress Allowance (₹20,000 per year), Risk & Hardship Matrix allowances (as applicable based on posting), Transport Allowance, Children Education Allowance, Hostel Subsidy, and ration in kind (in peace and field areas). All pay and allowances are subject to revision. Rates of certain defence-specific allowances automatically increase by 25% whenever DA rises by 50%.
Cost of Training: ₹13,940 per week (as on 2021; subject to revision). Borne by the Government but recovered in case of withdrawal for personal reasons.
Insurance: Covered under Army Group Insurance Fund (AGIF) scheme as detailed in the notification (₹30 lakh cover during the first three years without stipend; higher cover once stipend is received).
Selection Process
- Online Application
- Shortlisting: Based on JEE (Mains) Common Rank List (CRL) and other parameters. Cut-off percentage for shortlisting is expected to be published in the 4th week of November 2026 (tentative). IHQ of MoD (Army) reserves the right to shortlist and fix the cut-off without assigning reasons.
- SSB Interview: Shortlisted candidates undergo a 5-day SSB at one of the Selection Centres – Prayagraj (UP), Bhopal (MP), Bengaluru (Karnataka) or Jalandhar (Punjab). Two-stage process; Stage-I failures are returned the same day. Call-up letters are issued only via registered email and SMS.
- Medical Examination: For candidates recommended by SSB, conducted at the nearest Military Hospital.
- Merit List and Joining Letter: Merit is prepared solely on the basis of marks obtained in SSB. Higher educational qualifications, previous performance or NCC background have no role in finalising the merit list. Joining letters are issued in order of merit subject to vacancies and medical fitness.
Candidates recommended by SSB must fill three distinct choices of CTW. Final allotment is decided by the Indian Army. No representation for change of centre, date or CTW is entertained.
Special procedure applies to candidates applying for both TES and NDA (parallel courses) regarding medical examinations.
How to Apply
- Apply only online on www.joinindianarmy.nic.in by clicking the ‘online application’ button.
- Only one application is permitted. Multiple applications lead to cancellation of candidature.
- Candidates may edit the application until the closing date but must re-submit each time. No changes are allowed after closure.
- After successful submission, a confirmation appears. Printout with Roll Number becomes available 30 minutes after the application window closes.
- No hard copy of the application needs to be sent to the Directorate General of Recruiting.
- Candidates must carefully read the notification (available in both English and Hindi; English version prevails in case of any dispute) before applying.
- Employed candidates must inform their employer in writing and give an undertaking.
- Any change in postal address after submission must be communicated by post quoting Roll Number, name and course.
Documents to be carried for SSB (along with self-attested printout of application):
- Original Class 10 certificate and mark sheet showing date of birth
- Original Class 12 certificate and mark sheet
- Original ID proof
- Copy of JEE (Mains) 2026 result
- 20 self-attested passport-size photographs
Two sets of self-attested photocopies of the certificates must also be carried (originals returned after verification). DIGILOCKER certificates are not accepted in lieu of original hard copies (special authenticated procedure applies if only e-certificates were issued).
Revised mark sheets issued after the last date of online application will not be accepted. All candidates must fill their JEE (Mains) 2026 application number (for BE/BTech courses).
Important Dates and Instructions
- Online Application Opens: 14 October 2026 at 1200 hrs
- Online Application Closes: 12 November 2026 at 1200 hrs
- Cut-off for Shortlisting: Tentatively 4th week of November 2026
- SSB: February–March 2027
Final merit list will be published on www.joinindianarmy.nic.in before induction. Queries are answered only through the Feedback/Queries option on the website. Queries received up to three days before the closing of applications will be considered.
Travelling Allowance: First-time applicants for this type of commission are entitled to AC 3-tier to-and-fro railway fare or bus fare (including reservation charges) within India. Subsequent applications for the same type of commission do not attract TA.
Permanent Body Tattoos: Governed by the detailed policy available on the official website.
On joining the Army, personal restrictions as per Article 33 of the Constitution of India (as promulgated in the Army Act and Rules) will apply. Appointment remains provisional until satisfactory verification of antecedents.
Candidates are strongly advised to read the complete official notification carefully before applying to avoid rejection due to incomplete or incorrect information. All details above are extracted from the official TES-57 notification. For the most accurate and updated information, refer exclusively to www.joinindianarmy.nic.in.
