Warm greetings to all Territorial Army personnel & their families on the occasion of 71st Territorial Army Day. We salute our brave hearts. May you continue to bring glory to the Nation during war and peace.
The origin of the Territorial Army can be traced back to 1857. It was raised as “Volunteers” and were recruited only from the Europeans & Anglo-Indians.
On 01 October 1920, the Indian Territorial Force Bill was passed resulting in the reorganization of the Territorial Army into two separate wings, namely, the Auxiliary Force & the Indian Territorial Force. While the former was meant only for the Europeans and Anglo-Indians, the latter for the Indians.
After Independence in 1947, the Territorial Army Act was enacted on 18 August 1948 by the Constituent Assembly resulting in the constitution of the present Territorial Army.
How To Become A Territorial Army Officer
How to Join as an Officer
Eligibility: Age – 18 to 42 years and Education – Graduation
Process: (1) Gainfully employed candidates fulfilling the eligibility criteria can apply in response to advertisements published in leading national newspaper & The Employment News in June – July and December – January each year. Applications are to be sent to the concerned TA Group Headquarters. After processing of applications, the eligible candidates are called for Preliminary Interview Boards held at respective TA Group Headquarters (Pune, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Lucknow). Selected candidates go through the SSB Interview, Medical Board & Police Verification. The successful candidates are granted commission by the President of India.
(2) Ex – Defence service officers may also join the TA. The required to apply directly to Additional Directorate General of Territorial Army and appear before the Board of Officers presided by the Additional Director General of Territorial Army at New Delhi . Selected Officers are to be cleared by the Medical Boards before the officer’s ar granted commission in the TA. All such officers are given the credit of their previous commissioned service on joning the Territorial Army.
How To Become A Territorial Army Officer
How to Join as a Jawan(Other Rank)
Eligibility: Age – 18 to 42 years and Education – Matriculation (dispensation for lower education qualification in specified cases exists).
Report to unit or the Recruitment Office on designated dates for tests as per laid down procedures. Selected candidates have to go through the Medical Board and Police Verification.
Process: Applicant to report to the unit or the Recruiting Office on designated dates as advertised in Newspaper and Indian Army Website for tests as per laid down procedures. Selected candidates have to go through the Medical Board and Police Verification.
Note: Recruitment in TA is carried out on a Zonal basis.
Recruitment Zones
Zone- I. The state of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab and the Union Territories of Delhi & Chandigarh.
Zone- II. The state of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
Zone-III. The state of Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland, Sikkim, West Bengal, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Zone-IV. The state of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka and the Union Territories of Dadar and Nagar Haveli, Goa, Daman & Diu, Lakshadweep and Pondicherry.
Training for Territorial Army Personnel.
Training in Infantry TA is carried out on Urban and Provincial system:-
(1) Urban Systems of Training. Training is carried out on weekends and holidays. Four hours training is counted as one day.
(a) Recruit Training. 32 days in the first year only including a camp of not less than 4 days if the trainees volunteers with the written consent of his employer, if any.
(b) Annual Training. A minimum of 36 days extendable up to a maximum of 60 days including a camp for 14 days.
(c) Post Commission Training (PCT). All officers are required to undergo 90 days of Post Commission Training within two years of their commissioning at IMA, Dehradun.
(d) Voluntary Training. To gain additional military training, provided the trainee Volunteers with the written consent of the employer, if any.
(2) Provincial Systems of Training.
(a) Recruit Training. For a continuous period of 30 days in the first year only.
(b) Annual Training. For a continuous period of two calendar months in the first and subsequent years.
(c) Post Commissioning Training. 90 days Post Commission Training is compulsory within two years of commissioning IMA, Dehradun.
(d) Voluntary Training. To gain additional military training, provided the trainee volunteers with the written consent of his
(3) Departmental TA.
(a) Recruit Training. This is carried out for a continuous period of 30 days in the first year in a camp.
(b) Annual Training. In the first and subsequent years annual training is carried out for a period of 30 days in a camp.
(c) Post Commission Training. 30 days Post Commission Training at respective Regimental Centers within two years of commissioning is compulsory for all Departmental TA Officers, except Medical Officers of Railway (TA) units.
(d) Voluntary Training. Departmental TA personnel who volunteer with the specific consent of their departments can be attached for voluntary training.
Fields of Activity
The Territorial Army is active in numerous field. It has following types of units:-
• Infantry Battalions including Home & Hearth Battalions.
• Ecological Task Forces.
• Railway Engineer units.
• Oil Sector units.
• Engineer units for Line of Control Fencing.
• One Composite Ecological Task Force (National Mission for Clean Ganga) is also under raising at Allahabad.
History of Territorial Army
The Territorial Army was raised by the Britishers in 1920 through Indian Territorial Act of 1920 and it was org into two wings namely – ‘The Auxiliary Force’ for Europeans & Anglo-Indians, and ‘The Indian Territorial Force’ for Indian Volunteers. After Independence Territorial Army Act was passed in 1948 and the Territorial Army was formally inaugurated by the first Indian Governor General Shri C Rajagopalachari on 09 Oct 1949. This date is being celebrated as Prime Minister’s TA Day Parade every year.
The Territorial Army initially had various types of units such as Armed Regt (TA), Infantry Battalion (TA), Air Defence (TA), Med Regt (TA), Engineers Field Park Coy (TA), Signal Regiment (TA), EME Workshop (TA), Coast Battery (TA), ASC GT Coy (TA), ASC Compo Pl (TA), AMC Field Ambulance (TA), by 1972 these units have either been disbanded or converted to Regular Army except Inf Bn (TA).
The Territorial Army is part of Regular Army and its present role is to relieve the Regular Army from static duties and assist civil administration in dealing with natural calamities and maintenance of essential services in situations where life of the communities is affected or the Security of the Country is threatened and to provide units for Regulars Army as and when required.
Presently the Territorial Army has a strength of approx. 40,000 persons comprising of Departmental TA units such as Railway, IOC, ONGC, Telecommunication and General Hospital and the non Departmental TA units of Infantry Bn (TA) and Ecological Bn (TA) affiliated to various Infantry Regiments.
The TA units were actively involved in 1962, 1965 and 1971 operations. The “Terriers” have also taken part in OP-PAWAN in Srilanka, OP RAKSHAK in Punjab & J&K, OP RHINO and OP BAJRANG in North East in a most active manner. Departmental units came to the aid of the civil authorities during Industrial unrest and natural calamities, most famous being earthquake in Latoor (Maharastra), Uttarkashi in Garhwal Himalaya and the Super Cyclone in Orissa. The Ecological units have arrested man made environmental degradation by planting 2.5 crore trees over 20,000 hectare of land in Mussoori Hills & Pithoragarh (UP), Bikaner & Jaisalmer (Rajasthan) and ravines of Chambal in Madhya Pradesh.
Men of TA have taken active part in various adventure activities, famous one being scaling of Mt Tengchen Khang (6010 Mtr) in West Sikkim by Jt-Indo-British TA Mountaineering Expedition in May 98.
The officer and men of the Territorial Army have been decorated for their gallantry and distinguished services. So for they have earned 02 Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), 15 VSM, 05 Vir Chakra, 13 Sena Medal, 25 Mentioned-in-Despatches and 43 COAS commendation card.
Many industrialists, politicians and eminent personalities have been members of the TA. The force also has the honour to appoint 11 officers as Hony ADC to the President of India.
Many motivated men and women want to join the Territorial Army but they do not have complete knowledge about the Territorial Army Exam and interview. In this article, SSBCrackExams is going to cover the basic information for the defence aspirants who want to join the Territorial Army as an officer.
Lt. Gen D.P. Pandey, DGTA has Commemorated and laid Wreath at National War Memorial to honour the Brave Hearts who laid down their lives Serving for the Nation in war and peace on the Occasion of 71st Raising day of Territorial Army.#TerritorialArmy
— SSBCrackExams (@SSBCrackExams) October 9, 2020
⚔️🇮🇳❤️🔥@SSBCrack pic.twitter.com/1DA9ftxVyr
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