India has many excellent educational institutions, one of which are the RIMC and RMS. Both the schools train cadets beyond just academics, and their excellence often gives rise to the RIMC vs RMS debate. But, which one is better out of the two? If you or someone you know aspires to study in either of these, we help you with a detailed comparison of the two institutions.
RIMC vs RMS: What Each Means?
Let us start with building an understanding of what each institution means, which will help us delve into the RIMC vs RMS debate later. To be honest, both are inter-services military schools for young minds, where each learns about the military life along with academics.
RIMC
RIMC stands for Rashtriya Indian Military College. It was established in 1922 in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The school spans over an area of 138 acres, and grooms young cadets into future officers who aspire to have a career in the Indian Armed Forces.
The RIMC is directly managed by the Ministry of Defence under the Army Training Command (ARTRAC) in Shimla. Its alumni are fondly known as Rimcollians, most of which go ahead to join the Indian Army, IAF, or Navy and serve the nation in uniform.
This school conducts admissions twice each year (January and July), only for class eight students. Additionally, they must be between 11.5 to 13 years of age at the time of admission. Each state has only one vacancy, while larger ones may have two, and candidates are selected through an entrance examination which happens in three phases:
- Written Exam: This comprises three sections, English for 125 marks, Mathematics for 200 marks, and General Knowledge for 75 marks. To qualify for the next round, you need 50% marks in each subject.
- Viva Voce: This is an oral test of your intelligence, and personality among other factors. Here too, you need 50% marks to qualify.
- Medicals: Only those candidates who are medically fit will be admitted to RIMC Dehradun.
RMS
RMS stands for Rashtriya Military School. The concept led to the founding of RMS in 1920s and 1930s to educate the sons of defence personnel as King George’s Royal Indian Military Schools. Currently, there are five RMS institutions in India, that is:
- Chail, Himachal Pradesh
- Ajmer, Rajasthan
- Belgaum, Karnataka
- Bengaluru, Karnataka
- Dholpur, Rajasthan
RMS is affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education, and is open to males and females. Its alumni are also known as Georgians who enter the institution either in class six or nine through the Common Entrance Test which happens every year in December. The test happens on an OMR sheet and involves the following:
- For class 6: Mathematics, English, Reasoning (Intelligence Test), and General Knowledge
- For class 9: Paper I (English, Hindi, and Social Science), and Paper II (Mathematics and Science)
Most seats in RMS are reserved for sons of defence personnel, however, civilians can also apply for the same.
RIMC vs RMS: Which One Is Better?
Now we come to the main argument, which one is better among the two. Let us look at a quick comparison of RIMC vs RMS for better understanding:
| RIMC | RMS |
| 1. Allow admission to class 8 students only. | 1. Allow admission to classes 6 and 9 only. |
| 2. Open to both male and female candidates. | 2. Open to only male candidates. Females can only appear through class 6 exam. |
| 3. Tougher competition due to state-wise vacancies. | 3. Vacancies are reserved for sons of defence personnel, hence, lesser competition. |
| 4. Only one RIMC exists for all applicants. | 4. A total of 5 RMS exist in the country. |
If we have to compare the RIMC vs RMS, you can see it for yourself. The RIMC has a tougher competition because its sole aim is to build cadets who will serve in the Indian Armed Forces through NDA. If you are someone who is sure of a career in the same, RIMC is the best option for you.
However, RMS does not train cadets to join the military in particular. The ethos may be similar, but cadets are exposed to numerous other career options after their 10+2. Hence, if you want to study in a military-like environment till you grow sure of your career path, RMS is the choice for you.
Despite the differences, both institutions impart quality education to cadets. Hence, whichever you choose, be rest assured that you will have the best time of your life, full of camaraderie, military ethics, and leadership.
