The Indian Military Academy (IMA) at Dehradun is where the Army trains the officers it commissions on a permanent basis. Cadets reach it through the National Defence Academy, through the Combined Defence Services examination, or through the Technical Graduate Course, and they leave as Lieutenants. Short service entries do not train here: they go to the Officers Training Academy. This guide sets out each route, the length of training and what is publicly known about the parades, using the Army’s own pages and UPSC’s notices.
Dehradun is home to the Academy, and it is also where GS India Defence Academy runs its classes. We write this guide for the many families who ask us how a boy or girl actually gets from school to IMA.
What is IMA Dehradun?
The Army’s page describes the Academy as the place that trains Gentlemen Cadets for commissioning into the Indian Army, along with cadets from friendly foreign countries. Its postal address as printed on the Army website is Bhartiya Sainya Academy (Indian Military Academy), Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248007.
The Academy’s history page dates the first batch to 1 October 1932, when 40 Gentlemen Cadets began training under its first Commandant. Field Marshal Sir Philip Chetwode, then Commander-in-Chief of India, inaugurated it on 10 December 1932. The main building and its central hall carry his name. The Academy took over a campus of 155.3 acres that had been built for the Railway Staff College. The first course passed out on 22 December 1934, when 29 of the 40 cadets passed out.
Which entries lead to IMA?
The Army’s IMA page lists the entries, and the UPSC notices give the current age windows. Training is one year for most entries and one and a half years for the Direct Entry.
| Entry | Who it is for | Age | How selection works | Training at IMA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular course: ex-NDA | Army cadets who have completed three years at the National Defence Academy | Joined NDA at 16½ to 19½ | NDA written examination (UPSC) and SSB, before NDA | One year |
| Regular course: ex-ACC | Cadets of the Army Cadet College wing (Siachen Battalion) | Not stated on the Army’s page | Lateral entry, as the Army’s IMA page lists it | One year |
| Direct Entry (CDS) | Graduates who clear the CDS examination and the SSB | 19 to 24 | UPSC’s CDS examination, then SSB | About 18 months |
| Technical Graduate Course (TGC) | Engineering graduates in notified streams | 20 to 27 | Shortlisting and SSB; no written examination | One year |
| University Entry Scheme (UES) | Final and pre-final year engineering students | As notified | As notified by the Army (its UES page said it was being updated when we checked) | One year |
Two points from the Army’s page are worth noting. All entrants are commissioned as Lieutenants on successful completion. And UES and TGC (with BE) entries get one year of ante-dated seniority over their course mates, to make up for the extra time they spent earning an engineering degree before commissioning.
Short service entries go elsewhere. Short Service Commission officers, men and women, train at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai for about 49 weeks, and the Technical Entry Scheme begins at the Officers Training Academy in Gaya. We compare the two academies in OTA Chennai vs IMA Dehradun, and explain the technical routes in our TES and TGC guide.
Joining IMA after Class 12: the NDA route
Army cadets who qualify for the NDA spend three years at the National Defence Academy at Khadakwasla, Pune, and then one year at IMA. The UPSC notice says the first two and a half years of NDA training are common to the Army, Navy and Air Force wings, and that Army cadets then go on to IMA, where they are known as Gentlemen or Lady Cadets. At the end of the year they receive Permanent Commission as Lieutenants, subject to being medically fit in the prescribed category. Read our NDA eligibility criteria for the age window and education rules, and our guide to joining the NDA for the full path.
Joining IMA after graduation: the CDS route
The CDS examination is the direct entry for graduates. The latest notice, for CDS (II) 2026 (examination on 13 September 2026), offers 100 vacancies at IMA, including 13 reserved for NCC ‘C’ Certificate holders, for the 163rd Direct Entry course starting in July 2027. The conditions in that notice are:
- Age: unmarried male candidates born not earlier than 1 July 2003 and not later than 1 July 2008.
- Education: a degree from a recognised university or an equivalent qualification. Final-year students can apply and must show proof of passing by the date in the notice.
- Written examination: English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics, each 100 marks and two hours.
- SSB: 300 marks, equal to the written marks, followed by a medical examination and the merit list.
- Women: in this notice women are considered only for the Short Service Commission at the Officers Training Academy, not for IMA.
For what recent candidates needed to score, see our CDS cut-off page, which uses only UPSC’s files. The CDS eligibility guide covers the syllabus in detail.
Training and life as a Gentleman Cadet
On admission a cadet becomes a Gentleman Cadet, or GC. According to the CDS notice, cadets are enrolled under the Army Act as Officer Cadets and get strenuous military training aimed at producing officers who can lead infantry sub-units. The Army’s page says the Academy’s training aims to build camaraderie, esprit de corps and team spirit, and the readiness to lead in critical situations.
- Cost of training. The notice says accommodation, books, uniforms, boarding and medical treatment are borne by the Government.
- Stipend. The notice lists a fixed stipend of ₹56,100 a month, the starting pay in Level 10, for cadets in training at IMA, INA, AFA and OTA. On commissioning the pay is fixed in the first cell of Level 10.
- The Sword of Honour is the most coveted recognition for a cadet, awarded for the best overall performance in military training, academics, sports and co-curricular activities, according to the Army’s page.
- Obligations. Cadets cannot normally resign during training. Those who leave are required to repay the cost of training, and a parent or guardian signs a bond to that effect before joining.
The passing out parade
Each course ends with a Passing Out Parade (POP), held on the drill square in front of the Chetwode Building. It closes with the ‘Antim Pag’, the final step, after which the cadets are commissioned. Training starts in January and July, so there are two parades a year. We have confirmed the last two from official reports:
| Parade | Reviewing officer | What was reported |
|---|---|---|
| 13 December 2025 | General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Army Staff | All India Radio reported 525 Gentleman Cadets taking the Antim Pag, of whom 34 were from friendly foreign countries. |
| 13 June 2026 | President Droupadi Murmu | The President’s office listed the 158th Regular Course and the 141st Technical Graduate Course. All India Radio reported 515 Gentleman and Women Cadets, 34 of them from friendly foreign countries, and nine women cadets passing out of the Academy for the first time. |
On that pattern the next parade would fall around December 2026, but we will not give a date until the Army announces one. For visiting, we have not found a public visitor policy on the Army’s website, so we do not list entry rules or timings. Check the announcement for the specific parade.
If you want to contact the Academy, the Army’s IMA contact page prints the telephone numbers 0135-2773835 and 2774178.
For families in and around Dehradun
Dehradun is more than IMA. It is a UPSC examination centre for the NDA and CDS, as the centre lists in the NDA (II) 2026 notice show, and it has the Air Force’s 1 AFSB, one of five Air Force Selection Boards. Our guide to 1 AFSB Dehradun covers that board. If you are thinking of the Army, begin with the entry that matches your stage: the NDA after Class 12, the CDS or TGC after graduation.
Not sure which route fits your child? Call or WhatsApp +91 70170 31757 for free counselling. We will explain the options without guessing at outcomes.
FAQs
Questions parents ask us.
Can't find yours? Ask on WhatsApp; a counsellor usually replies within working hours.
Ask on WhatsAppWhat is the address of IMA Dehradun?
The Army's website prints it as Bhartiya Sainya Academy (Indian Military Academy), Dehradun, Uttarakhand, PIN 248007.
How do I join IMA after Class 12?
Through the NDA. Army cadets who qualify spend three years at the National Defence Academy and then one year at IMA, where they are commissioned as Lieutenants.
How do I join IMA after graduation?
Through the CDS examination (Direct Entry, age 19 to 24 in the latest notice) or, for engineering graduates in notified streams, through the Technical Graduate Course, which has no written examination.
How long is training at IMA?
One year for ex-NDA and TGC entries, and about 18 months for the Direct Entry through the CDS.
Is IMA for permanent or short service commission?
Permanent. Short Service Commission officers train at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai instead.
Can girls train at IMA?
Women who join the Army wing of the NDA go on to IMA, where the notice calls them Lady Cadets. Through the CDS, the 2026 notice considers women only for the Officers Training Academy.
When is the IMA passing out parade?
There are two a year. The last two were on 13 December 2025 and 13 June 2026. The Army announces each date separately.
Sources
- Indian Army: IMA, Army Establishments
- Indian Army: IMA entries
- Indian Army: IMA history, inauguration (1932)
- Indian Army: IMA contact page
- Indian Army: Careers, Indian Military Academy
- Indian Army: Careers, TGC (Engineers)
- UPSC: CDS (II) 2026 notice (vacancies, age, education, training, stipend)
- UPSC: NDA and NA (II) 2026 notice (training pattern, examination centres)
- All India Radio: passing out parade, 13 December 2025
- All India Radio: passing out parade, 13 June 2026
- President of India: review of the 158th Regular Course and 141st Technical Graduate Course
- Indian Air Force: selection process (AFSB centres)
Preparing for the NDA or CDS from Dehradun? GS India Defence Academy runs classroom NDA coaching in Dehradun and CDS coaching, with SSB-focused preparation, separate hostels for boys and girls and a mess. Our fee structure page shows the current options.
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