How To Join PARA (SF) In Indian Army?
Paratrooper Special Forces aka Para SF or better known as the Para-Commandos established in the year 1967 are the premier Indian Army Special Operations Unit trained for Unconventional Warfare, Asymmetric Warfare, Counter-Terrorism and Clandestine Roles. The Para SF belongs to the Parachute Regiment which consists of an airborne infantry regiment too (Join PARA (SF)).
It was the first Special Operations Unit raised in India on similar lines as the British Special Air Services ( SAS ) to give India a combat edge over its adversaries in Unconventional Warfare Capabilities especially when facing superior numbers or technology as these specialized men can perform jobs which is beyond the combat capabilities of Infantry or any other forces.
HOW TO JOIN PARA SPECIAL FORCES:
A Para Commando is often called a soldier’s soldier or the ‘bravest of the brave’ because of the fact that they mostly work secretively and behind the enemy lines. A Para Commando is the finest form of soldier. And becoming one is definitely not so simple.
All Indian paratroopers are volunteers. Soldiers of the Indian army volunteer for the course irrespective of rank. Some enter the Para regiments fresh from recruitment, while others transfer in from regular army units.
They are put through a probationary period / selection process of three months for Paratroopers (Airborne) Battalions (5,6,7,23,29) and six months for Para (Special Forces) battalions (1,2,3,4,9,10,11,12,21 PARA),
In order to be a Para (Special Forces) all personnel are first required to qualify as Paratroopers; once selected the candidates may choose to advance to the SF selection, which takes place twice a year in the spring and the autumn term. It is one of the longest and tough training in the India; the candidates are exposed to sleep deprivation, humiliation, exhaustion, mental and physical torture.
SELECTION PROCESS & RECRUITMENT:
Some enter the Parachute regiments fresh from recruitment, while others transfer in from regular army units.
Pre Commission – Volunteer Ground cadets from IMA/OTA is commissioned at a scale of two officers per battalion per year. These officers are attached to a parent regiment by MS Branch.
Post Commission – Officers from all Army Units can volunteer for the Parachute Regiment provided their years of service on the day they volunteer/application is less than five and they are in medical category SHAPE-I and being graded ‘EXCELLENT’ in BPET i.e. Battle Physical Efficiency Training . These officers will retain their affiliation to their Regiment as parent regiment.
The following process would be followed with immediate effect to recruit motivated and volunteer soldiers into the PARA Regt.:
(a) Successful and eligible candidates i.e. those attaining 100% marks in Physical Fitness tests and 50% marks in Written Test and are in merit will be asked to exercise an option of joining the ELITE PARA Regt by AROs just prior to their despatch. These volunteers candidates will be subjected to additional tests for selection for PARA Regt.
(b) These candidates who have exercised the option of joining the PARA Regt will have the assurance of joining the already allotted Parent Regt if they fail to qualify in the special screening tests for PARA Regiment.
(c) Volunteers will be subjected to special tests as stated below :-
Physical Test :
- 5 Km Run in 20 Mins
- Chin Up 14
- Push Up 40 reps in 1 Min
- Sit Up 80 reps in 2 Mins
- Mtr Shuttle 17 times in 01 Min
(d) The selected candidates will be dispatched to PRTC. In case the selected candidates are not able to meet requisite training standards at PRTC, they will be transferred to the parent Regiment for further training, How To Join PARA (SF) In Indian Army.
There are nine Para (SF) battalions and soldiers are selected accordingly. An example of this would be the 10 Para (SF) who are also known as Desert Scorpions. The probation period for this is six month and the probationers are selected accordingly for desert warfare.
Depending on the battalion, the probation period varies from three months, six months or nine months, with additional time for specialized skills selection. Over the probation period, all soldiers are stripped of their ranks, including officers, and are known as probationers or probies.
PHASES OF SELECTION:
- Basic military training – to start the process a candidate first must join the Indian Army and complete the basic training requirements, which vary according to the training center and prospective role.
- Pre-Selection – this stage encompasses administrative procedures and the soldier applying for the Para (Air) or Para (SF) and the necessary medical requirements.
- Selection (encompassing a selection process and basic SF training) – Probationers undergo extreme physical and mental tests. Those who fail go back to their parent regiment. Those who complete the probation are inducted into the Parachute Regiment. In Parachute training, candidates then complete a 3-week Basic Parachute Course at the Indian Army’s Parachute Training School in Agra, Join PARA (SF).
- Advanced SF Training – all those who opt for Para (SF) must first qualify for Para (Air). Although this is also a training phase, it is still part of the selection process. Here the soldiers undertake different kinds of training with various organisations overseen by the Parachute Regiment Training Centre and the Special Forces Training School. Training includes weapons handling training, land navigation and field craft training, infiltration, assault and ambush tactics, close quarter battle(CQB) training etc.
Parachute Regiment consists of PARA and PARA (SF) Battalions, are the elite volunteer force of Indian Army. The Regiment has the honour of being conferred the ‘Bravest of the Brave’ distinction. The Regiment has already been awarded 08 Ashok Chakras, 11 Maha Vir Chakras, 21 Kirti Chakras, 106 Shaurya Chakras, 63 Vir Chakras and 491 Sena Medals and the list continues to grow.
How To Join PARA (SF) In Indian Army
Get Latest Blog On – https://blog.trishuldefenceacademy.com/
