TES entry coaching in India means two different things, and it helps to separate them. The Army’s Technical Entry Scheme (TES) selects students after Class 12 through JEE Main shortlisting and a Services Selection Board, with no written examination of its own, and the Navy runs a similar 10+2 B.Tech entry. Coaching can help with the second stage, the SSB, but it cannot change eligibility, and it cannot teach JEE Main for you. At GS India Defence Academy in Dehradun we offer residential, classroom SSB preparation for candidates of TES age, and this page explains the scheme first and then how to choose any academy, including ours.
GS India Defence Academy is a private academy. We are not part of the Army or the Navy, and we make no claims about selection. The notice for your course is the authority on age, marks and dates.
What is the Army’s Technical Entry Scheme?
The Indian Army’s portal lists the 10+2 Technical Entry Scheme as an entry for students who have just finished Class 12 with science. The table below is its own, as seen in October 2026.
| Point | What the Army’s portal says |
|---|---|
| Vacancies | 90 per course, twice a year |
| Notified | In April and September, by the Directorate General of Recruiting |
| Age | 16½ to 19½ years |
| Qualification | 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics at 60% aggregate, and appeared in JEE Main |
| Marital status | Unmarried |
| Applications | As per the notification on the recruitment website, joinindianarmy.nic.in |
| Likely SSB | August to October and February to April |
| Training starts | January and July |
| Training academy | OTA Gaya |
| Duration | 5 years (1 year and 4 years at CTWS); Permanent Commission after 4 years |
The Army’s notice for the 46th TES course, for January 2022, announced that JEE Main had been made obligatory for TES in addition to the criterion of minimum marks in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. In other words, no written paper of the Army’s own stands between you and the SSB: JEE Main and your Class 12 marks decide who is called, and the board decides the rest. Age, marks and dates change between notices, so confirm each against the current one.
The Navy has a parallel route. Its 10+2 (B.Tech) Cadet Entry takes unmarried men and women, uses the JEE Main rank to call candidates to the SSB, and trains them for four years at Ezhimala. We have written a separate guide to the Navy 10+2 B.Tech entry, including the January 2027 advertisement’s numbers. Check the Army’s notice on whether your entry is open to women, since the portal’s TES table does not say.
What can TES coaching actually do?
Be clear about this before you pay anyone. Eligibility is fixed by the notice: your age on the day, your marks and your JEE Main attempt. No coaching alters those. JEE Main preparation belongs with your school or tutor, and we do not teach it. What an SSB programme can do is prepare you for the stage after JEE Main, where you are tested for officer-like qualities by psychology tests, group tasks, a personal interview and a conference of assessors.
That stage rewards habits built over time: clear thinking under time pressure, honest self-description, teamwork and fitness. Many candidates of this age have never faced a panel of adults, which is a reason to practise the format before the call-up arrives. Our free SSB practice tool and our guide to the SSB interview process are good places to start at no cost.
Best TES coaching in India: how to choose one
Rankings of the best TES coaching in India are mostly self-published, and we do not claim a place on any list. A better method is to ask each academy the same questions and compare the answers in writing.
| Question to ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Does the programme teach the SSB tests, group tasks and interview in person, with individual feedback? | The SSB is a face-to-face process, and feedback on your own performance is what improves it |
| Is it clear that JEE Main is not part of the programme? | A programme that promises both without a timetable is hard to trust |
| What are the dates of the batch, in writing, and what happens if your SSB call comes during it? | Calls arrive on the board’s schedule, not the academy’s |
| Are boys and girls housed separately, and who supervises? | Parents of 16- to 19-year-olds are right to ask |
| Are fees published, with and without hostel? | Our own fees are on one page: fee structure. Compare like with like |
| Does the academy talk about selections, ranks or promised results? | No academy can promise selection. Treat any such claim as a warning |
| Can you visit and speak to the people who will teach? | Visit before you decide, not after |
Our guide on how to choose a defence academy uses the same logic for NDA, and it applies here as well.
Why families from across India look at Dehradun
Dehradun is home to the Indian Military Academy. Families from other states can plan a few weeks of focused SSB work in the city, away from the distractions of home. We say this as a plain description, not a claim of results.
GS India Defence Academy teaches in classrooms at Street 1, Subharti Road, Nanda Ki Chowki, Lower Kolhupani, Dehradun 248007. We do not offer online classes. Our SSB-focused preparation covers the psychology tests, group tasks and mock interviews, and our SSB training in Dehradun page describes the 12-day and one-month batches. Boys and girls stay in separate hostels with a mess, described on our hostel and mess page. Fees are shown only on the fee structure page, so that you are always looking at the current figures.
If you live outside Dehradun, ask us about the practical side before you travel: when to arrive, what to pack and how the batch fits your SSB date. We offer free counselling by phone or WhatsApp on +91 70170 31757, and our contact page has the address and the form.
When should a TES aspirant start preparing?
The Army’s table gives two windows for the SSB, August to October and February to April, and says the scheme is notified twice a year. A student in Class 12 therefore has two clocks running: Class 12 marks and JEE Main for the call, and personal readiness for the board. A sensible pattern is to put JEE Main first, then build SSB habits alongside it, then take formal preparation when the call-up letter arrives or just before. Younger students in Class 11 can begin with fitness, reading the news and speaking to a group.
- Class 11: start running regularly, read a newspaper daily, and learn to talk about yourself without notes.
- Class 12: keep your Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics marks above the minimum in the notice, sit JEE Main, and read the notice when it comes out.
- After the call-up: use the weeks before the board for timed tests, group practice and mock interviews.
To understand where TES sits among the other routes to an officer’s commission, see our guide on how to join the NDA after Class 10 and Class 12.
Sources for this page
- Indian Army: 10+2 Technical Entry Scheme (age, marks, vacancies, training)
- Indian Army: TES (10+2) Entry-46 Course notice (JEE Main made obligatory)
- Join Indian Navy: 10+2 (B.Tech) Cadet Entry advertisement, January 2027 course
- Join Indian Navy: officer selection procedure (JEE Main rule, SSB stages)
- UPSC: Combined Defence Services Examination (II) 2026 notice (how Services Selection Boards run)
Frequently asked questions
FAQs
Questions parents ask us.
Can't find yours? Ask on WhatsApp; a counsellor usually replies within working hours.
Ask on WhatsAppIs JEE Main compulsory for Army TES?
The Army's portal says candidates must have appeared in JEE Main, and its notice for the 46th TES course said JEE Main had been made obligatory in addition to the minimum marks in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.
What is the age limit for Army TES?
The Army's portal gives 16½ to 19½ years. Each notice fixes the exact dates, so check the current one.
Is there a written exam for TES?
The Army's TES table lists no written examination of its own. JEE Main and Class 12 marks lead to the SSB, which is the main selection stage.
Does GS India Defence Academy teach JEE Main?
No. Our programme for TES and Navy B.Tech entry candidates is SSB preparation. Keep your JEE Main preparation with your school or tutor.
Is TES coaching available online with you?
No. All our classes are in person in Dehradun, because group tasks and interviews are best practised face to face.
Can I stay in a hostel during the SSB batch?
Yes. Boys and girls have separate hostels with a mess, and the fee table shows the options with and without hostel.
For the course details, batches and the fee table, see our page on Army TES and Navy technical entry coaching in Dehradun. Call +91 70170 31757 or message us on WhatsApp for current batch dates, or start from the admission page.
Admissions