Territorial Army (TA) Coaching
The Territorial Army is the second line of defence of the Indian Army — a uniformed reserve force of civilian volunteers who train alongside the Regular Army and stand ready to mobilise when the nation calls. For employed graduates between 18 and 42 with a passion to serve, the TA offers something rare: a commission as a Lieutenant in the Indian Army, while continuing their civilian career.
The TA proposition. You keep your job. You earn a King's Commission. You wear the uniform. You train and embody for short periods every year. And you build, alongside your civilian career, a parallel military identity that lasts a lifetime — with full pension eligibility after 20 years of aggregate embodied service.
For exact fees, batch start dates and any current discounts, please call us — fee structure is shared during the counselling session.
What Is the Territorial Army?
The Territorial Army was raised on 9 October 1949 by India's first Defence Minister, Sardar Baldev Singh, on the British "Territorial Army" model. Its founding logic was simple: a country at peace cannot afford a Regular Army the size of one at war, but a country at war cannot raise such an army overnight. The TA bridges that gap — a trained reserve, maintained at low peacetime cost, that mobilises when needed.
Today, the TA serves three roles: it relieves the Regular Army from static duties, it assists civil administration during natural calamities and internal emergencies, and it provides ready units to the Regular Army when required. TA officers and soldiers have served in Sri Lanka (IPKF), Kargil, Operation Rakshak, and counter-insurgency deployments in J&K and the Northeast — and have earned full battle honours alongside their Regular Army counterparts.
Who Should Consider TA?
TA is designed for the employed citizen who wants to serve. It is the only commission in the Indian Armed Forces that is part-time by design — you continue your civilian career, with periodic embodiment for training and, if called, for active service.
The Working Professional
Engineers, doctors, lawyers, IT professionals, bankers, businessmen — anyone whose career has stabilised but whose love for the country wants a structured outlet.
Government & PSU Employees
Eligible across Central Govt, State Govt, Semi-Govt and PSU roles. Many departments offer additional TA-specific allowances and increments.
Self-Employed & Business Owners
If you run your own firm or consultancy, TA is a way to build a parallel military identity without leaving your business.
Ex-Service Officers
Officers released from the Regular Army can re-enter through TA via a separate Army HQ Selection Board route — a way to continue serving after release.
Note: Serving employees of the Armed Forces, Police and Para-Military Forces are not eligible for TA. Their full-time uniformed service is incompatible with TA's civilian-soldier construct.
Eligibility — TA as Officer (Civilian Candidates)
You must be:
- A citizen of India (male or female).
- Between 18 and 42 years of age on the date of application.
- A graduate from any recognised university (any stream).
- Gainfully employed in Central Govt, Semi-Govt, Private Firm, your own business, or self-employed (income proof required).
- Medically fit to standards laid down for Indian Army officer-grade entries.
- Not a serving employee of the Armed Forces, Police, or Para-Military.
Scheme of TA Written Examination
The TA written exam is conducted by the respective TA Group Headquarters and consists of two papers, each of 2 hours, held on the same day in two sessions (10:00–12:00 hrs and 14:00–16:00 hrs). Both papers are objective with OMR answer sheets.
| Paper | Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Reasoning & Elementary Mathematics | 50 + 50 | 100 |
| II | General Knowledge & English | 50 + 50 | 100 |
| Total | 200 | ||
Qualifying Standard & Negative Marking
- Candidates must score a minimum of 40% in each paper separately, AND an overall average of 50% to qualify.
- Negative marking: half of the marks assigned to the question are deducted for each wrong answer.
- If more than one answer is marked, it is treated as a wrong answer (penalty applies).
- There is no penalty for unattempted questions.
- This negative-marking scheme has been in force since the August 2016 PIB onward.
The TA Selection Process
From application to commissioning, the TA selection runs as a four-stage funnel:
Application & Screening
Application form from Employment Newspaper or downloaded free from indianarmy.gov.in. Submit by post to the relevant TA Group Headquarters with passport-size photographs, postal stamps and self-addressed envelope. Forms found correct are called for screening.
Preliminary Interview Board (PIB)
Conducted at the respective TA Group Headquarters. Includes the written exam (the two papers above) and an interview. Candidates carry attested educational certificates, medical fitness certificate from a registered MBBS doctor, identity proof, and an employment certificate authenticated by the head office.
Service Selection Board (SSB)
Standard 5-day SSB Interview at one of the SSB centres — screening (OIR + PPDT), psychological tests (TAT, WAT, SRT, Self-Description), GTO tasks (PGT, HGT, Snake Race, Command Task) and the personal interview. See our SSB Coaching page for the full breakdown.
Medical Board & Commission
Successful SSB candidates undergo a Medical Board to officer-entry standards. On clearing, you are commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Territorial Army, undergo basic training in your first year, and complete 2 months of post-commissioning training at IMA Dehradun within the first two years.
Training in TA
- 1 month basic training in the first year of commission.
- 2 months annual training camp every year, including the first year.
- 2 months post-commissioning training at IMA Dehradun within the first two years.
- Continued training, courses and embodiment as the unit's requirement dictates.
Pay, Pension & Benefits
When embodied for training, military service or appointment on permanent staff, TA officers draw the same pay, allowances and privileges as Regular Army officers of equivalent rank. The pay structure follows the 7th CPC pay matrix — Pay Level 10 at commissioning, with Military Service Pay (MSP) and applicable allowances.
Rank & Promotion
Commission in the rank of Lieutenant. Promotion up to Lt Col by time scale, subject to laid-down criteria. Promotion to Colonel and Brigadier by selection.
Pay & Allowances
Same as Regular Army officers when embodied. Allowances of rank as applicable. Training stipend for officers attending training.
Pension & Gratuity
Pension after 20 years of aggregate embodied service for officers (15 years for JCOs and Other Ranks). Gratuity at discharge for those not earning pension.
Welfare & Family Benefits
Ex-Servicemen (ESM) status to pensioners, free medical for self and dependants, CSD canteen access, leave encashment, and Leave Travel Concessions when embodied.
Awards & Honours
Eligible for all gallantry awards and medals applicable to the Regular Army. TA Decoration after 20 years of meritorious service for officers; TA Medal for JCOs/OR after 12 years.
Civilian Employer Incentives
Several Govts and PSUs (ONGC, IOC, Railways and others) offer TA-specific allowances, advance increments after 3–5 annual camps, lump-sum honoraria, daily allowances during embodiment, and tax exemptions in some states.
What The Cavalier's TA Programme Covers
Our 5-month TA programme is built around the realities of a working professional's schedule — most students are juggling jobs, families and exam preparation. The programme is designed to compress quality preparation into evenings, weekends and one focused intensive block before the PIB.
Reasoning & Elementary Maths
Verbal and non-verbal reasoning, arithmetic, percentages, time-work, profit-loss, ratio, geometry basics — everything calibrated to TA Paper-I standard.
General Knowledge & English
Static GK + Current Affairs (defence, polity, economy, geography, history, awards, sports), comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, sentence improvement.
PIB Interview Preparation
Mock PIB interviews simulating the TA Group HQ format — questions on your job, your motivation, your awareness of the TA, current affairs and basic GK on your home state.
Full SSB Preparation
Integrated SSB module — psych test analysis, GTO ground sessions on our 5-acre Delhi ground, mock interviews with former Interviewing Officers, and a final 5-day full mock SSB.
Mock Tests & Strategy
Weekly sectional tests, monthly full-length mocks calibrated to actual TA cut-offs, and one-on-one strategy sessions with faculty.
Hostel & Day Scholar Options
Hostel (₹400–₹450/day with three meals and tea) for outstation students; day-scholar lunch option (₹70/day) for Delhi-based candidates. See Contact Us for details.
Who Teaches
Our TA faculty includes former Army officers — several with TA familiarity from their service days — and senior subject experts for Reasoning, Maths and English. Mock SSB sessions are conducted by former Interviewing Officers and GTOs. Ex-Service Officers attempting TA re-entry through the Army HQ Selection Board route receive specific guidance through the parallel selection process.
Important Notes
- Application is free — never pay any agency for TA application forms; download from indianarmy.gov.in or get from Employment Newspaper.
- The TA written exam is held by the respective TA Group Headquarters (5 zones across India — Chandigarh, Lucknow/Patna, Kolkata/Shillong, Jaipur/Pune/Bengaluru/Hyderabad, Udhampur/Srinagar).
- Self-employed candidates and business owners must submit an affidavit on non-judicial stamp paper stating the nature of business and annual income.
- Once commissioned, TA Infantry officers may be called out for longer-duration service depending on operational requirements — be prepared for this commitment.