JOIN INDIAN ARMY JAG ENTRY SCHEME 35TH COURSE (OCT 2025) : SHORT SERVICE COMMISSION FOR LAW GRADUATES 

Applications are invited from unmarried male and unmarried female LAW GRADUATES for grant of Short Service Commission in the Indian Army for Judge Advocate General Branch. 

Eligibility
Nationality :  A candidate must either be: (i) A citizen of India, or (ii) A subject of Nepal, (iii) A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire and Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India, provided that a candidate belonging to categories (ii) and (iii) above shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India. Certificate of eligibility will, however, not be necessary in the case of candidates who are Gorkha subjects of Nepal.

Age Limit : 21 to 27 years as on 01 Jul 2025 (Born not earlier than 02 Jul 1998 and not later than 01 Jul 2004; both dates inclusive). 
Note. Candidates should note that the date of birth as recorded in the Matriculation/Secondary School Examination Certificate or an equivalent certificate on the date of submission of applications will only be accepted and no subsequent request for its change will be considered or granted.

Educational Qualification :  Minimum 55% aggregate marks in their LLB Degree (three years professional after graduation or five years after 10 plus 2) examination. In addition, CLAT PG 2024 Score is mandatory for all candidates (including LLM qualified and LLM appearing candidates) who apply for courses starting in a particular year. The candidates should be eligible for registration
as an advocate with Bar Council of India/State. Candidate should be from a College/University recognized by Bar Council of India. 

Vacancies :  Men 04 Women 04.
Note: The Indian Army publishes vacancies for Men and Women separately for various entries keeping into account the operational and administrative needs of the Force as envisaged in the existing and future scenarios. Though the vacancies for Men and Women categories for JAG-35 Course are being notified through a common Notification, the selection, shortlisting and merit
for both these categories are done separately in a gender pure manner wherein Men & Women are tested separately. The preparation of final merit lists for both these categories are also done separately and in a gender pure manner. 

Terms and Conditions of Service
Tenure of Engagement:  Short Service Commission will be granted to Men and Women in the regular Army for 14 years i.e. for an initial period of 10 years extendable by a further period of 04 years. Male & Female officers who are willing to continue to serve in Indian Army after the expiry of period of ten years of Short Service Commission may, if eligible and suitable in all respects, be considered for the grant of Permanent Commission (PC) in the 10th year of their Short Service Commission in accordance with the relevant policies as issued from time to time. Those SSC
officers (Male & Female) who are not selected for grant of PC but are otherwise considered fit and suitable, will be given options to continue as SSCOs for a total period of 14 years (including the initial tenure of 10 years) on expiry of which they will be released from Indian Army.

(i) Special Provision Release on Completion of 5th Year of Service SSCOs (Male & Female Officers), other than those who have undergone or are undergoing any other specialised course of such nature, who are desirous of leaving the service after completion of five years service may, during the fifth year of service, apply to the Army HQs for release. Army HQ will consider the applications of such officers on merits and the decision of the Army HQ will be final and irrevocable. On approval such officers will be released from service on completion of 5th year of service. Those SSCOs (Male & Female Officers) who have undergone or are undergoing any other specialised course of such nature, will not be released before expiry of full tenure of 14 years unless the cost of
training of such specialized course as prescribed is recovered from them. They will be required to execute a bond to this effect on being nominated for undertaking specialised course of such nature.

(ii) Special Provision during Extended Tenure. During extended tenure, they will be permitted to seek release from the Army on following grounds:-
 (aa) Taking up civil job.
 (ab) Pursuing higher education.
 (ac) Starting own business/ joining family business.

Period of Probation :  An officer will be on probation for a period of six months from the date he/she receives his/her commission. If he/she is reported on within the probationary period as unsuitable to retain his/her commission, his/her services may be terminated any time whether before or after the expiry of the probationary period.

Ante Date Seniority :  No ante date seniority will be granted.

Termination of Commission :  An officer granted Short Service Commission will be liable to serve for ten years but his/her Commission may be terminated at any time by the Government of India for:-
(i) Misconduct or if his/her services are found to be unsatisfactory, or
(ii) On account of when found medically unfit, or
(iii) If his/her services are no longer required, or
(iv) If he/she fails to qualify in any prescribed test or course.
(v) An officer may on giving three months notice be permitted to resign his/her commission on compassionate grounds of which the Government of India  will be the sole judge. An officer who is permitted to resign his/her commission
on compassionate grounds will not be eligible for terminal gratuity.
Reserve Liability : Short Service Commission Officers on release before or expiry of contractual length of service will carry reserve liability to serve the Army for five years plus two years on voluntary basis or up to the age of 37 years for women and 40 years for men whichever is earlier.
Training :  Duration of training is 49 weeks at Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai.
(a) Selected candidates will be detailed for Pre-Commission training at OTA, Chennai according to their position in the final order of merit, up to the number of available vacancies, subject to meeting all eligibility criteria.
(b) Candidates will neither be allowed to marry during the period of training nor will he/she be allowed to live with parents/guardians. Candidates must not marry until they complete the full training at OTA. A candidate, who marries subsequent to the date of his/her application, though successful at the SSB interview and medical examination, will not be eligible for training. A candidate if he/she marries, while under training, shall be discharged and will be liable to refund all expenditure incurred on him/her by the Government. All candidates who successfully complete Pre-Commission training at OTA, Chennai will be awarded ‘Post Graduate Diploma in Defence Management and Strategic Studies’ by University of Madras.

Cost of Training :  The entire cost of training at OTA is at Government expense. In case the Lady/Gentlemen cadet is withdrawn from training academy due to reasons other than medical ground or the reasons not beyond his/her control, he/she will be liable to refund cost of training @ ₹ 17,561/- per week (as on 2024) and as notified from time to time (for the period of candidate’s stay at the Officers Training Academy, Chennai/Cadet Training Wing). The cost of training is borne by State, will be recovered from cadets withdrawing for personal reasons. 

Pay : 

Military Service Pay (MSP) :  MSP to the officers from the rank of Lieutenant to
Brigadier₹ 15,500/- p.m. fixed.

Fixed Stipend for Cadet Training : 

How to Apply

(a) Applications will only be accepted online on website www.joinindianarmy.nic.in. Click on ‘Officer Entry Appln/Login’ and then click ‘Registration’ (Registrations not required, if already registered on
www.joinindianarmy.nic.in). Fill the online registration form after reading the instructions carefully. After getting registered, click on ‘Apply Online’ under Dashboard. A page ‘Officers Selection - ‘Eligibility’ will open. Then click ‘Apply’ shown against Short Service Commission JAG Entry Course. A page ‘Application Form’ will open. Read the instructions carefully and click ‘Continue’ to fill details as required  under various segments. Personal information, Communication details, Education details and details of previous SSB. ‘Save & Continue’ each time before you go to the next segment. After filling details on the last segment, you will move to a page ‘Summary of your information’ wherein you can check and edit the entries already made. Only after ascertaining the correctness of all your details, click on ‘Submit’. Candidates must click on ‘Submit’ each time they open the application for editing any details. The candidates are required to take out two copies of their application having Roll Number, 30 minutes after final closure of online application on last day.