Officers Training Academy transforms young graduates into commissioned Officers armed with requisite military knowledge, leadership skills and morals & ethics of highest order. Before appearing for the CDS exam, many candidates might have the query “What is OTA in CDS exam?” In this article, let’s understand all details about OTA in Combined Defence Service.
Candidates who want to serve for a short period of time can appear for the CDS exam and get into OTA by selecting the Officers’ Training Academy Course. The tenure of service in OTA is 10 to 14 years.
Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2023 will be conducted by the Union Public Service Commission on 16th April 2023 for admission to various courses, such as:
- Indian Military Academy (Direct Entry)
- Indian Naval Academy (General Service)
- Air Force Academy (Pre-flying Training Course)
- Officers’ Training Academy SSC
On joining OTA, cadets will be allowed to apply and proceed for civil central job interview/SSB in the first term of the Training only.
OTA Vacancies 2023
The Officers’ Training Academy has the following number of vacancies:
| 119th SSC (Men) (NT) (UPSC) Course | 170 |
| 33rd SSC Women (NT) (UPSC) Course | 17 |
How to Join CDS OTA?
Aspirants can join the Army and serve as Commissioned Officers for 10 years. At the end of this period, you have two options. Either elect for a Permanent Commission or opt-out.
Once selected for Short Service Commission, you go to the Officers Training Academy in Chennai.
Tenure at OTA
Short Service Commission will be granted to males and females in the regular Army for 14 years i.e. for an initial period of 10 years, extendable by a further period of 4 years.
Mode of Entry to OTA
The various courses that can be pursued in OTA are:
- Short Service Commission Non-Technical Men
- Short Service Commission Non-Technical Women
- JAG Men and Women
- Short Service Commission Technical Men
- Short Service Commission Technical Women
- NCC (SPL) Entry Men
- NCC (SPL) Entry Women
Candidates who mark their choice as OTA go through the following process after the CDS exam:
Successful candidates will be enrolled as Gentleman/Woman Cadets and will complete a 49-week training term at the Officers’ Academy. Gentlemen/women cadets who successfully complete training are issued a Short Service Commission in the rank of Lieutenant from the date of successful completion of training.
All cadets who successfully complete pre-commissioning training at Officers Training Academy, Chennai, will be awarded a “Post Graduate Certificate in Defence Management and Strategic Studies” by the University of Madras.
Eligibility Criteria for OTA
The eligibility criteria for pursuing various courses at OTA are given below:
| Name of the Course | Type of Entry | Duration | Age | Qualitative Requirements |
| Short Service Commission | SSC (Non-Technical) | 49 weeks | 19-25 years | Degree or equivalent at the time of joining the Course |
| SSC (Tech) (Twice in a year) | 20-27 Years | Engineering Degree of equivalent, notified discipline at the time of joining the course | ||
| SSC National Cadets Corps (NCC Special Entry Scheme) (Twice a year) | 19-25 Years | Graduate with 50 % aggregate marks, two years service in NCC | ||
| Short Service Commission (Women) (SSC (W)) (For Lady Cadets) | (a) SSC (Women) Non-Technical
(incl Non-Technical / Specialist/ JAG entry) (Twice a year) |
49 weeks | 21-27 Years | Post Graduate / LLB Graduates or equivalent at the time of joining the Course |
| (SSC) (Women) Technical (Twice a year) | 20-27 Years | Engineering Degree or equivalent notified Graduate with 50% aggregate marks, two years service in NCC Senior Division Army | ||
| SSC (Women) National Cadets Corps (NCC Special Entry Scheme)
(Twice a year) |
19-25 Years |
Nationality
A candidate must be unmarried and must either be:
(i) a Citizen of India, or
(ii) a subject of Nepal, or
(iii) a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka and East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire and Ethiopia or Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.
Age Limit, Marital Status & Gender
- (SSC Course for men) – Unmarried male candidates born between 2nd January 1999 and 1st January 2005 are only eligible.
- (SSC Women Non-Technical Course)- Unmarried women, issueless widows who have not remarried and issueless divorcees (in possession of divorce documents) who have not remarried are eligible. They should have been born between 2nd January 1999 and 1st January 2005.
Exam Pattern for Officers’ Training Academy
The OTA exam pattern is as follows:
| Subject | Duration | Maximum Marks |
| English | 2 hours | 100 |
| General Knowledge | 2 hours | 100 |
The papers in all the subjects will consist of objective-type questions only.
Syllabus for OTA exam
English
The question paper will be designed to test the candidates’ understanding of English and effective communication.
General knowledge
The subject of General Knowledge includes awareness of current events as well as ordinary observation and experience related to the basic science that would be anticipated of an educated individual who has not undertaken a specific study of any scientific field. The test will also feature questions on Indian history and geography that candidates should be able to answer without any additional preparation.
Salary at OTA
| Stipend to Gentlemen or Women Cadets during the entire duration of training in Service academies, i.e. during the training period at OTA. | Rs 56,100/- per month (Starting pay in Level 10) |
Career Growth & Promotion
Short Service Commission officers’ male and female, after completion of the course, will be eligible for substantive promotion as follows:
(i) To the rank of Captain on completion of 2 years of commissioned service
(ii) To the rank of Major on completion of 6 years of commissioned service.
(iii) To the rank of Lt. Col. on completion of 13 years of commissioned service.
Aspirants dreaming of getting into Army have a great opportunity by getting into SSC in OTA. But, the preparation for the course won’t be easy. Therefore, the preparation strategy must be of enhanced level.
About OTA
The establishment of the Officers’ Training Academy dates back to the Second World War, when the Army recognised the need to prepare chosen Indians for commissioned posts. Between 1942 and 1945, seven Officers’ Training Academies were created in India. They, however, were closed down after the war. A National Emergency was proclaimed after the Chinese aggression in October 1962, and two Officers Training Courses were formed in January 1963, one in Chennai and the other in Pune, to provide Emergency Commissioned Officers to the Indian Army. The Pune Academy was closed on May 9, 1964, but the Chennai one is still functional and is the only one.
Related Links:
| CDS Syllabus | UPSC CAPF Syllabus | UPSC NDA Syllabus |
| UPSC Books | UPSC 2023 | NDA Exam |
| Competitive Exam Preparation Strategies | Government exams after 12th |
