Join The Indian Air Force Academy: The Indian Air force academy is the cradle of training for pilots, ground duty and technical officers and commissioned officers of the Indian Air Force. The Academy was established in 1969, and it started its operations in the year 1971. It is currently situated in Dundigal, around 25 km from Hyderabad to Secunderabad. It is spread in an area of 7,050 acres of land.

Furthermore, it also imparts training to the officers of the Indian Navy & the Indian Coast Guard. It is a destined training centre for all cadets who wish to pursue a future in the Indian Air Force. After a year of training at the Indian Air Force Academy, cadets were allocated to various branches of the Indian Air Force (IAF).  It started its wave of gender equality in 1993 with the induction of women cadets. 

• The training at the Air Force Academy is designed to inculcate moral values, leadership qualities, a sense of honour and duty,  a spirit of adventure, mental and physical prowess, and the will to win, in the Flight Cadets. 
• This is achieved by training in character building, discipline, military and academic subjects, physical exercise, drills, sports and adventure activities. 
• The underlying theme of activity at the Academy is the camaraderie and team spirit and a commitment to excellence. 
• Duty, honour, integrity and self-esteem are stressed during each stage of training; as these are important abstract qualities to be imbibed by every Flight Cadet. 
• The curriculum and syllabi keep pace with current doctrines and technological developments, allowing the cadets at the same time to imbibe the basic principles/tenets of the military profession.

The Air Force Academy imparts training to officers for different posts. Let us have a look at the types of training given to the candidates.

1. Flying training

The cadets are trained into flying different air vehicles. The whole training process is divided into three stages, mainly Stage I, II and III. Each stage brings more complexities and adv stages, to fly helicopters, fighter planes and transport aircraft.

2. Air Traffic Control Officers’ training

This course is designed for the candidates to train them in the Air Traffic Control system. The whole training process starts with the fundamentals of air traffic control. 

3. Ground Duty Officers’ training

Ground Duty Officers’ training is for all non-technical branches of the Indian Air Force. It concerns the areas of Administrative, Logistics, Accounts, Education and Meteorology division. The candidates are trained to deal with the ground-level problems that can hamper the normal aviation process.

4. Joint Services training

Cadets for the flight, Air Traffic Control and Ground Duty Branches will be given Joint Services Training here for 22 weeks. This training module is designed to impart common service subjects like administration and service knowledge.

5. Training for Aeronautical Engineering Branches

The candidates who are selected for entry into the  Aeronautical Engineering Branches are sent to the Air Force Technical College in Jalahalli, Bangalore. They are trained in general service training and military training.

Since, we got an idea of the workings, training and other information of the Indian Air Force Academy. Now we will discuss all the ways aspirants can join the Indian Air force academy. 

How to Join The Indian Air Force Academy

1. NDA

The NDA exam was conducted by the UPSC to select deserving candidates for various posts in the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force. The aspirants can apply for the NDA exam after completing their 12th class from any recognized board or university. The candidates must fulfil the other eligibility criteria prescribed by the UPSC to apply for the NDA exam.

This national level exam is conducted twice a year. Candidates can attempt any NDA exam to make their career in the defence field. Candidates must pass the exam and then further clear the SSB interview process to enter the desired Indian Air Force posts. The upcoming NDA exam is on 10 April 2022 (SUNDAY). Click here to learn more about the NDA exam. Prepare For NDA Exam Online with SSBCrackExams: Enroll for NDA Exam 2022 Online Coaching

2. NCC

Candidates who have specialization As an Air Wing Senior Division QC, certificate holder of the National Cadet Corps, can apply to the Flying Branch of the Indian Air Force. Although the permanent commission is granted to men and a short service commission is granted to both men and women cadets. The age limit is 20-24 years at the time of commencement of the course. The marital status should be single of the cadets to apply for the Indian air force and get into the Indian Air Force academy. Prepare For NCC Entry Online with SSBCrackExams: Enroll for SSB Interview Online Coaching

3. CDS Exam

Candidates can enter the flying branch of the Indian Air Force through the Combined Defence Services (CDS). It is only for male candidates. The cadets selected for the training at the Indian Air Force Academy will be trained as Fighter pilots or helicopter pilots or Transport pilots. They will be well-prepared for various peace and wartime missions. 

The CDS exam is conducted by the UPSC  to commission officers from the  Indian Military Academy, Officer’s Training Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Indian Air Force Academy. To apply for the CDS exam, the candidates must graduate or must be in the final year of graduation. The upcoming CDS exam is on 10 April 2022 (SUNDAY). Click here to learn more about the CDS exam. Prepare For CDS Exam Online with SSBCrackExams: Enroll for CDS Exam 2022 Online Coaching

4. AFCAT

The Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) is one of the ways for aspirants to join the Indian Air Force Academy. The candidates must be graduates or engineers. The candidate can apply for Short Service Commission (SSC) in the Indian Air Force in the flying branch for 14 years with no provisions of further extension. Candidates must be between 20-24 years, the time of commencement of the course to apply for the AFCAT exam.

It is a national level exam conducted twice a year by the Indian Air Force Authority for multiple posts in Flying and Ground Duty (Technical and Non- Technical). The candidates who successfully passed the AFCAT were then called to the Air Force Selection Board (AFSB). The candidates have to clear the AFSB process to finally get selected into the Indian air force.  Finally, they are sent to the Indian Air Force Academy for training purposes. Prepare For AFCAT Exam Online with SSBCrackExams: Enroll for AFCAT Exam 2022 Online Coaching. Click here to check the AFCAT exam online course comprising video lectures here.

5. Air force Meteorology Branch

Good weather analysis is always an important and foremost factor for safe flying. For this, the Indian Air Force has a separate weather analysis branch which is known as a meteorological branch, for which deserving candidates are selected every year as Meteorology Branch Officers in the Indian Air Force, and candidates will be given the responsibility to handle the latest satellite imagery and state-of-the-art monitoring equipment. Officers are expected to impart specific advice to the operators on all aspects of the weather. Candidates who have completed their post-graduation can apply for this post. Applications for this branch are inhibited two times a year by the Indian Air Force, and it is not covered under AFCAT. It could be a gateway for the defence aspirants to get into the Indian Air Force academy. Prepare For AFCAT Exam Online with SSBCrackExams: Enroll for AFCAT Exam 2022 Online Coaching. Click here to check the AFCAT exam online course comprising video lectures here.

Conclusion 

As we read above, the Indian Air Force Academy is the premier institution for the Air Force Cadets to get trained for the various roles and posts in the Indian Air Force. There are many ways through which the candidates can join the Indian Air Force Academy like NCC, AFCAT, CDS, and the meteorological department of the Indian Air Force. 

Candidates can apply for any of the exams stated above if they fulfil the eligibility criteria and produce complete documents. 

Working in the Indian Air Force is a matter of extreme pride and statist]faction. The aspirants who desire to join the Indian Air Force Academy can join it with their hard work, consistency and willpower. 

For further guidance and preparations for any of the Air force Defence exams, candidates can check out SSBCrackExams which is India’s most trusted online defence exam preparation site. They can take up specified courses which are designed in a student-friendly module and one to one personal attention to help every defence aspirant to achieve his/her dream of serving the nation.