Regiments form an important part of the Indian Army and once officer cadets near their passing out parade, they have to give a preference of regiments they want to join. If you are curious about the regiment allotment in Indian Army, you are at the right place.
What are Regiments in Indian Army?
Before we develop on the regiment allotment in Indian Army, let us understand what a regiment is. A regiment is a military unit comprising infantry soldiers, which acts as their administrative home. An officer of Colonel rank commands each regiment in Indian Army.
The Indian Army comprises 27 infantry regiments. Each has its cultural traditions, war cries, and stories of valour. Some of the examples include the Kumaon Regiment, Madras Regiment, and Parachute Regiment.
Some regiments are also known as rifle regiments because of their swiftness and agility since time immemorial. These include the Garhwal Rifles, Rajputana Rifles, and JAK Rifles.
Importance of Regiment Allotment in Indian Army
You might wonder why regiments exist in the Indian Army. As shared above, a regiment is the administrative home of a soldier, and it unifies soldiers from across the country. Hence, regiments have the following importance:
- Binding soldiers together as a family
- Instilling unity in diversity through traditions
- Efficiency of administration through division of labour
The idea is to develop brotherhood so strongly that everything that a soldier does comes down to “paltan ki izzat”, or unit’s honour.
Regiment Allotment in Indian Army
Each officer cadet has an arm or service that they feel drawn to. Hence, once they start approaching their commissioning day, they have to give a list of preferences based on their choice.
Opting for arms and services
Broadly speaking, there are two categories: Arms (combat arms or combat support arms) and Services. Only those who opt for infantry as their first preference during regiment allotment, can choose their choice of regiment.
Position in academy merit
Interestingly, just choosing a particular arm does not ensure that the allotment in Indian Army will happen as per your preference. The final allocation depends on your position in the academy merit through activities like drills, parades, academics, physical training, et cetera.
Availability of vacancies
Another factor that affects regiment allotment in Indian Army is availability of vacancies. This is similar to making it to the academy based on merit. For example, if 20 officer cadets want to join the Garhwal Rifles, but the rifle regiment has only 5 vacancies for that cycle, only the top 5 cadets in the final merit can join it.
Regiment Allotment in Indian Army Via Parental Claim
Many officer cadets have a rich family tradition of serving in a particular regiment over the years. If a cadet’s father or any family member has served in the Parachute Regiment, it is natural for him to be inclined towards the same. Hence, such cadets can also undergo regiment allotment in Indian Army through parental claim.
However, the final allocation depends on the position in merit, number of vacancies, and suitability of that cadet to serve in the regiment.
Final Thoughts
Regiment allotment in Indian Army is purely based on merit, which is the basis of the organization’s functioning. Each regiment carries pride and instils deep-rooted values in young officers and soldiers, which they carry forward through their years of service and after.
