What is Indian Territorial Army? How to get Commission in the Indian Territorial Army (TA)?

  

Hurry Up - Last date for submission of forms for the Commission in the Territorial Army is 31-December-2011 .

Territorial Army?? 

I am sure many of you wouldn't be knowing much about this important wing of the Indian Army.

Well, let me put it in this way, Do you know the Army has given Honorary Ranks to Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Kapil Dev & Abhinav Bindra. All these eminent personalities have been awarded with the honorary Rank - Lieutenant Colonel by the Indian Territorial Army.

Now lets discuss what the India Territorial Army is and how it is serving the Mother India.

Indian Territorial Army came into force post independence, after the Territorial Army Act was passed in 1948. It was formally inaugurated by the first Indian Governor General Shri C Rajgopalachari on October 9, 1949. This date is also celebrated as the TA day or the Territorial Army day.

The Territorial Army is a part of the Regular Army which plays many important roles. The following are some of the important roles carried out by the TA.

• Conducting the Counter Insurgency Operations.
• Acting as a Road Opening Party for the Army convoys.
• Relieving the Regular Army from the static duty.
• Assisting the Civil authorities during natural calamities.
• During War time, it takes over all the Army Installations & Cantonment areas and  ensures their full safety.
• The TA units were actively involved in 1962, 1965, 1971 & also during Kargil war.
• TA was also involved in many operations such as Operation Pawan (Sri Lanka), Operation Rakshak in Punjab and J&K, Operation Rhino and Operation Bajrang in Northeast.
• At the time of earthquakes in Latoor (Maharashtra) and in Uttar Kashi, and Cyclone in Orissa, it assisted the Civil Authorities in Rescue and Rehabilitation Operations.
• The Ecological unit of the TA has planted more than 2.5 crore trees in approximately 20000 hectare of land in Massoori and Pittorgarh (UP), Bikaner & Jaisalmerh in Rajastan.

The Terriers of the Territorial Army have won many gallantry awards such as 2 Ati-Vishishtha Seva Medal (AVSM), 15 Vishishtha Seva Medal (VSM), 5 Vir Chakra (VC), 13 Sena Medal, 25 Mention-in-Dispatches and 43 Chief of Army Staff's (COAS) Commendation Cards.

 

Selection Procedure for Officers:

Before we start to discus the Selection Procedure, lets first understand the eligibility criteria. 

In order to become a TA Officer one need to fulfill the following parameters - 

• Citizen of India.
• Gainfully Employed.
• Graduate in any stream from any reputed Universities.
• Medically Fit.
• Age between 18 to 42 years.
• Willing to work anywhere in India. 

Candidates sufficing the above eligibility criteria can apply for the Commission in the Territorial Army. Advertisements inviting the candidates to join the TA as an Officer is published in all the Major Newspapers like Employment News & The Times Of India during January and August. The interested candidates are requested to download the latest Application form from the indianarmy.nic.in website.

Candidates should fill the form very carefully and should attach the below mentioned documents along with the same. (All the Documents should be duly Attested)

• Copies of Mark-sheets and Certificates (Matric and Above)
• Employer's No Objection Letter
• Salary Certificate/Slip
• Income Tax Proof in case of Self-Employed candidates
• Saral Form in case income exceeds the Allowable Limit
• Pan Card
• Affidavit, in case of variation in Name in  SSC, HSC or Degree Mark-sheet/Certificate. 
• Medical Fitness Certificate from a Doctor (MBBS & Above)
• Address & Photo Proofs
• Certificates showing Achievement in Sports, Extra-Curricular Activities
• Self Attested Photograph
• Self Addressed Envelope with Postal Stamp (Amount may vary depending upon City and State)

In case, the Candidate is employed in Public/Private Sector he should get Seal/Rubber Stamp & Signature from his employer in the appropriate section in the Application Form. The Self-Employed candidates should acquire the signature and stamp from a Gazetted Officer in the Appropriate Section.

Since you are applying for the Institution which itself is known for discipline and Punctuality, please make sure your Forms reach to the Command HQ within given timeline.

You'll be then send the Call-up Notice containing the Date, Venue and other important Instruction Pertaining to the Examination.

Where to post the Application Form:

Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Delhi & Chandigarh: Commander TA Group, Head Quarters, Western Command, Building No. 750, Sector 8-B, Chandigarh – 160018.

Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh: Commander Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh – TA Group Headquarters, Central Command, Lucknow -02.

Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Pondicherry:- Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Pondicherry, Diu & Dadar & Nagar Haveli – Commander TA Group, Headquarters, Southern Command, Pune – 1.

West Bengal, Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh – Commander – TA Group Headquarters, Eastern Command, Fort William, Kolkata – 21.

Ex-Service officers of the three services as candidate should send their applications along with enclosures as mentioned to 

The Additional Directorate General TA,
Integrated Headquarters of MoD (Army),
L Block, New Delhi – 01

Preliminary Interview Board Examination (PIB):

The Preliminary Board Interview is divided into 2 stages

1. Written Test
2. Personal Interview

Written Test:

The Written Test is divided into 3 Sections

1. Objective Type: will consist of 60 Objective type questions on Current Affairs, General Science, History, Geography, Sports etc. (Total 60 Marks)
2. Essay Writing: 300 words Essay on Current Burning Topics (National/International). To be selected from 4 options. (Total 30 Marks)
3. Short notes Writing: Candidates are required write 100 words short notes on any 2 topics out of 5. Each Short notes carries 5 marks (Total 10 Marks)

 The Candidates are required to attain 40% score in each sections. After combining scores of all the Sections the Aggregate marks shouldn't be less than 50%.

The results are declared on the next day of the written examination and all the successful candidates are then called for PIB Interviews.

PIB Interview: 

PIB interviews are conducted on the next 2 days of the result.

candidates have to fill the PIQ (Personal Information Questionnaire) form and produce all the original documents for checking before the Personal Interviews commence.

Candidates are then asked to sit as per their Roll Numbers in a batch of 15 or 20 and called in one by one for the Interviews.

The PIB interview is headed by Major General, who is accompanied by the TA Commander (Brigadier) and a Civilian Psychologist.

Once you are in, you'll be offered chair to sit. The Board members will ask any questions depending upon the information supplied in the PIQ form. So be cautious about what you write in the PIQ.

The Honorable members may ask any questions such as

• Tell us something about yourself.
• Where do you work, about your job, about the field in which you are employed (IT, Finance, Insurgence etc)
• Why do you want to join the TA.
• What do you know about the TA [Refer this website, information is more than enough to clear you :) ]
• They may also ask you any general knowledge question

The interview last not more then 5-7 minutes. However, all the officers are very senior and experiences hence provide them accurate information. Nonetheless, don't forget that the Psychologist is observing you all the time so be careful with you body language.

If you are find fit for the SSB (Services Selection Board) interview the Major General will "Recommend" you for the same with the consent of other two interviewers.

How to Prepare for the Written Exam:

• Read News Paper daily.
• Read "Competition Success" or "Competition Refresher" regularly.
• Refer to any Guide on Combined Defense Examination (CDSE).

Please follow my Blog for the SSB interview techniques. I shall soon post some useful information pertaining to the SSB interviews - the main battle.

Good Luck Terriers!!