SSC Tech entry is the Indian Army’s Short Service Commission for unmarried engineering graduates, open to men and women. The Army’s portal lists the age as 20 to 27 years, the qualification as an engineering degree in a notified discipline, and training at the Officers Training Academy, Chennai, for 49 weeks, with courses starting in April and October. The portal’s tables show the Services Selection Board, not a written examination, as the selection stage. The exact disciplines, dates and vacancies are fixed in the notification for each course, so use this guide to understand the entry and the notification to apply.
GS India Defence Academy is a private coaching academy in Dehradun. It is not part of the Army and has no link with any selection board. Nothing here is an official instruction, and the notification for your course overrides it.
SSC Tech at a glance: men and women
The Army publishes separate pages for men and for women. The entries are close but not identical, and the pages differ in the months they give, which is a reason to read the notice rather than a summary.
| Point | SSC Tech (Men) | SSC Tech (Women) |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 20 to 27 years | 20 to 27 years |
| Birth window rule | Born between 2 April and 1 April for the April course; between 2 October and 1 October for the October course | Not stated on the women’s page; see the notification |
| Qualification | Engineering degree in a notified discipline | Engineering degree in a notified discipline |
| Marital status | Unmarried | Unmarried |
| Notified by the recruiting directorate | December and May | December/January and June/July |
| Applications | January and June | February/March and July/August |
| Likely SSB | September to November and April to June | November to January for the April course; May to July for the October course |
| Course starts | April and October | April and October |
| Academy and duration | OTA Chennai, 49 weeks | OTA Chennai, 49 weeks |
| Vacancies | As notified, twice a year | As notified in the notification, twice a year |
The two pages give different months, and we cannot tell from the pages whether the cycles really differ, so do not plan a year around them. The notification for your course gives the window that matters.
How is the age counted?
The Army counts age from the start of the course, not from the day you apply. For an April course, the 20-to-27 rule becomes a span of birth dates that starts on 2 April of one year and ends on 1 April of another, and the notification prints those two dates in full. A candidate born a day outside the span is not eligible, so check your matriculation certificate against the printed dates rather than doing the sum in your head. The Army accepts the date of birth on the matriculation or equivalent certificate for this purpose.
SSC Tech or TGC?
Engineering graduates often ask which of the Army’s engineers’ entries to choose. The portal gives them side by side.
| Point | SSC Tech (Men) | TGC (Engineers) |
|---|---|---|
| Qualification | Engineering degree in a notified discipline | BE or B.Tech in notified streams of engineers |
| Age | 20 to 27 years; born between 2 April and 1 April or 2 October and 1 October | 20 to 27 years; born between 2 January and 1 January for the January course, 2 July and 1 July for the July course |
| Courses start | April and October | January and July |
| Training academy and duration | OTA Chennai, 49 weeks | IMA, one year |
| Likely SSB | September to November and April to June | March/April and September/October |
IMA is in Dehradun, where this academy is located, but the two entries have different notifications, courses and academies, so the choice depends on your branch, your timing and the notice. We cannot tell you which suits you, and we do not make claims about outcomes. Read both pages and the notices that follow.
What is the selection process?
The Army’s SSC Tech table lists no written examination. The stage it names is the SSB. The 2016 notification for the Technical Graduate Course, a related engineers’ entry, said that the Army’s headquarters shortlists applications and fixes a cut-off percentage of marks for each engineering stream, that only shortlisted candidates are interviewed at the Selection Centres, and that the centre is allotted by the recruiting directorate with no requests for change entertained. Your SSC Tech notice will state how your course shortlists, so read the clause on it.
At the board, UPSC’s CDS notice describes the two-stage procedure that Services Selection Boards use. Stage I has the Officer Intelligence Rating tests and the Picture Perception and Description Test. Stage II has the interview, group testing officer tasks, psychology tests and the conference, over four days. Candidates who clear Stage II and are recommended go for a medical examination, which we describe in our guide to the SSB medical examination. You can read about the Army’s four centres in our guides to SSB Bangalore and SSB Kapurthala.
Which documents should an engineering graduate keep ready?
The 2016 TGC notification gives a model list of what engineering candidates carried to the selection centre. Your SSC Tech notice will carry its own list, so treat this as a guide to the kind of papers involved.
- A printout of the online application, signed, with a self-attested photograph.
- Matriculation or equivalent certificate showing the date of birth. The notification said an admit card, mark sheet or transfer certificate is not accepted as proof of date of birth.
- Class 12 certificate and mark sheet.
- Engineering degree or provisional degree, and the mark sheets of all semesters.
- For final-year students, a certificate from the Principal on the final examinations, in the form the notice prescribes.
- All certificates in original. Originals were returned after verification at the board.
It also warned that a candidate who did not carry all the documents had the candidature cancelled, which matches UPSC’s rule for its own entries that candidates without original certificates are sent back at their own expense.
How should you prepare?
Because there is no written paper in the Army’s table, your engineering marks get you in front of the board and the board does the rest. That makes the SSB preparation unusually important. Begin with the Personal Information Questionnaire, practise Stage I papers on a clock, build running and strength habits, and rehearse group tasks with friends who will give you honest feedback. Use your final-year project and internships as material for the interview, since you can speak about them without rehearsal. If you want to talk it through, we offer free counselling by phone or WhatsApp on +91 70170 31757.
Sources for this guide
Frequently asked questions
FAQs
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Can't find yours? Ask on WhatsApp; a counsellor usually replies within working hours.
Ask on WhatsAppWhat is the age limit for SSC Tech?
The Army's portal gives 20 to 27 years for both men and women, counted from the start of the course. The notification prints the exact birth dates.
Who can apply for SSC Tech?
Unmarried engineering graduates with a degree in a discipline notified for that course. Men and women have separate pages and separate vacancies.
Is there a written exam for SSC Tech?
The Army's SSC Tech table lists none; it names the SSB as the selection stage. Applications are shortlisted by the Army, so read the shortlisting clause in your notice.
Where is SSC Tech training held?
The Army's portal names the Officers Training Academy, Chennai, with a duration of 49 weeks and courses starting in April and October.
What is the difference between SSC Tech and TGC?
Both are for engineers aged 20 to 27. SSC Tech trains at OTA Chennai for 49 weeks with April and October courses; the portal lists TGC with IMA as the academy, a one-year duration and January and July courses.
Can final-year students apply?
That depends on the notification for the course. Earlier engineers' notifications allowed final-year candidates with a certificate from the Principal, but read your notice.
Preparing for the board that follows your engineering degree? Our classroom SSB training in Dehradun covers Stage I papers, group tasks and mock interviews, with separate hostels and a mess for boys and girls. Call +91 70170 31757 or message us on WhatsApp for batch dates.
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