Various of our soldiers, sailors and airmen join the Indian military as Non-Commissioned Officers and Junior Commissioned Officers. Most of them even have attended SSBs in their lifetime but could not clear it. Just to support their family among various other reasons, they settle their life becoming NCOs and JCOs, also called PBORs (Person Below Officer Rank). Not that we are degrading the value of PBORs or PBOR Entries, but believe me, when an officer worthy man become an NCO, it says a lot about his tough decision.
My own Ground Training Instructor applied to be an officer, even attended AFSBs but couldn’t make it. He wanted to be a literature, but at the same time, he needed to support his family financially, so joined the Air Force as an airman. Not sure of him, but we do feel a void in his dreams. This post is dedicated to you, sir.
So, there are various entries through which a PBOR can become an Officer in Indian Military. Although you cannot become a Commissioned Officer in the Air Force being a PBOR, you can join the Army as a Commissioned Officer from the Air Force. Unlike this, a PBOR in the Navy can become a Commissioned Officer in the Navy but he cannot join the Army. To sum up here’s a representation:
Although in service, a PBOR has to write an exam to be eligible to attend SSB for the Officer entry. They can also write subsequent exams like CDSE after informing their Commanding Officers. Let’s look at them One by One:
PBOR Entries To become a CO through Soldier in Army or Airman in Air Force:
There are three schemes in this offered to worthy Army Soldier and Air Force Airmen. Soldier/Airmen with higher education qualification NCC certificate and sports achievement are given weightage in selection process:
- ACC (Army Cadet College):
- Education Requirement: 10+2
- Service Requirements: Minimum Service 2 Years of service in the Army/Air Force
- Training: Four Years (Three Years in ACC Wing and one Year at IMA)
- Degree Remark: Graduate Degree from ACC Wing
- Age: 26 years
- Marital Status: Married or Unmarried
- SCO (Special Commissioned Officers):
- Education Requirement: Class XI CBSE pattern
- Service Requirements: Minimum Service of 5 years in Army/Sgt and Above for Air Force
- Training: One year at IMA
- Age: 27-32 years
- Marital Status: Married or Unmarried
- PC(SL) – Permanent Commission (Special List):
- Education Requirement: Higher Secondary (11th Pass)
- Service Requirements: Minimum service 10 years in Army/ Sgt and Above for Air Force
- Training Academy: Four weeks at OTA
- Age: 32-40 Years (45 yrs for Engineers & 45 yrs for IOB)
- Marital Status: Married or Unmarried
PBOR Entries To become a CO through Seaman in Navy:
Sailors who possess unique leadership qualities and fulfil requisite conditions in terms of age, education etc can aspire to become Commissioned Officer in the Navy through Commission Worthy (CW) scheme and Special Duties (SD) scheme. Such officer can aspire to Command Ships and Units and even rise to become Admirals! That is Navy’s way of giving an opportunity to deserving few who for some unforeseen reasons could not make it to the officer rank. So a sailor can become a commissioned officer through CW entry.
Although exact eligibility criteria and service requirements are unknown for CW and SD schemes, number of PBORs including Jawans promoted to Senior Officers post in the three services of the Armed Forces during 2007-2009 is as under:
| Year | Army* | Air Force | Navy | |
| Commission Worthy Scheme | Special Duty List Scheme | |||
| 2007 | 159 | 94 | 54 | 82 |
| 2008 | 139 | 64 | ||
| 2009 | 205 | 59 | ||
* Excluding Army Medical Corps and Army Dental Corps
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