ACC
Army Cadet College (ACC) Entry
Army Cadet College (ACC) Entry — 2026
The Army Cadet College (ACC) entry is a scheme of the Indian Army through which serving soldiers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Junior Commissioned Officers of the Regular Indian Army can earn a Permanent Commission as an officer. Selection is conducted by the Indian Army through the official recruitment portal joinindianarmy.nic.in. Successful candidates complete a three-year course at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun followed by one year of IMA training, and are then commissioned as Lieutenants. The ACC entry is announced once a year.
This page covers the exam pattern, detailed syllabus for all three written papers, eligibility, selection process, pay and preparation strategy. Figures such as age limits and exemptions are marked tentative wherever based on the previous cycle; always verify them against the current official notification on indianarmy.nic.in or joinindianarmy.nic.in.
Overview / Key Highlights
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Conducting Body | Indian Army (AG Branch, HQ Integrated HQ of MoD (Army)) |
| Exam Name | Army Cadet College (ACC) Entry / Army Cadet College Selection |
| Who Can Apply | Serving Regular Army personnel — JCOs, NCOs and Other Ranks |
| Mode of Written Exam | Offline, OMR-based (pen & paper); medium — English |
| Number of Papers | Three — English, General Knowledge, Elementary Mathematics |
| Total Marks (Written) | 300 (100 marks per paper) |
| Selection Stages | Written exam → SSB Interview → Medical Examination → Merit List |
| Negative Marking | Applicable (details in the marking scheme section) |
| Training after Selection | 3 years ACC course at IMA Dehradun + 1 year IMA training |
| Frequency | Once a year (annual notification) |
| Official Website | www.joinindianarmy.nic.in |
Selection Process
The ACC entry selection is a multi-stage process. Candidates are first screened on the basis of the written examination, and only those who qualify are called for the Services Selection Board (SSB) interview. The complete stage-wise flow is given below:
- Written Examination (Stage 1): An offline OMR-based written test of 300 marks covering English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics. Only shortlisted candidates proceed to the SSB.
- SSB Interview (Stage 2): A five-day Services Selection Board interview comprising Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests, Picture Perception and Discussion Test (PP&DT), psychology tests (TAT, WAT, SRT, Self-Description), Group Testing Officer tasks and a Personal Interview. SSB is conducted at the Selection Centres (Allahabad, Bhopal, Bangalore, Kapurthala).
- Medical Examination (Stage 3): SSB-recommended candidates undergo a thorough medical examination at a designated military hospital / Recruiting Medical Board. Medical fitness is mandatory.
- Merit List & Training (Stage 4): A consolidated merit list is prepared combining written and SSB marks. Selected candidates join the Army Cadet College at IMA Dehradun for three years, followed by one year of IMA training, and are then commissioned as Lieutenants.
Exam Pattern
The written examination consists of three papers conducted on the same day in a single sitting, each of 100 marks (total 300). The papers are objective (multiple choice) and answered on an OMR sheet.
Paper-wise Exam Pattern
| Paper | Subject | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | English | 100 (approx.) | 100 | 2 hours (approx.) |
| Paper II | General Knowledge | 100 (approx.) | 100 | 2 hours (approx.) |
| Paper III | Elementary Mathematics | 100 (approx.) | 100 | 2 hours (approx.) |
Important notes on the pattern (tentative): All three papers are objective and OMR-based. There is negative marking for wrong answers, so accuracy matters as much as speed. The written exam is qualifying-and-merit in nature: candidates must clear the written cut-off to be called for the SSB, and the final selection is based on combined written and SSB performance.
Detailed Syllabus
The syllabus of the ACC written examination is roughly of the level of Classes 10th and 12th. A detailed subject-wise syllabus is given below for systematic preparation.
Paper I — English
- Parts of Speech — nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs and their usage
- Tenses and their correct application in sentences
- Subject-Verb Agreement (concord) rules
- Articles, Prepositions and Conjunctions
- Sentence Correction / Error Spotting
- Fill in the Blanks with appropriate words, idioms and prepositions
- Reading Comprehension — passages followed by questions
- Cloze Test — filling gaps in a given passage
- Para Jumbles / Rearrangement of jumbled sentences
- Synonyms and Antonyms
- One-word Substitution
- Idioms and Phrases and their meanings
- Active-Passive Voice and Direct-Indirect (Narration) conversion
- Spelling, Punctuation and basic word usage
Paper II — General Knowledge
- Indian History — Ancient, Medieval and Modern India, the freedom struggle and important dates
- Indian Geography — physical features, rivers, mountains, climate, monsoon and mineral resources
- Indian Polity — the Constitution, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Parliament, President and Judiciary
- Indian Economy — budgets, banking, agriculture and economic reforms
- General Science — basics of Physics, Chemistry and Biology related to everyday life
- Defence and the Armed Forces — Army ranks, regiments, Gallantry awards and recent operations
- Sports — tournaments, trophies, Olympics and award-winning players
- Current Affairs — national and international events of the last one year
- Books and Authors; Awards and Honours — Padma awards, Bharat Ratna, Nobel Prize
- International Organisations — UN, UNESCO, ASEAN, SAARC and related summits
- Indian Art and Culture — dance forms, festivals, folk arts and monuments
- Environment and Ecology — climate change, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries
- Computers and Information Technology basics
- Miscellaneous — national symbols, important institutions and world records
Paper III — Elementary Mathematics
- Number System — properties of numbers, divisibility, HCF and LCM
- Simplification and Approximation — BODMAS, fractions, decimals and surds
- Algebra — linear and quadratic equations, factorisation, indices
- Percentage — conversion and application in marks and expenditure problems
- Profit and Loss — cost price, selling price, discount and successive percentage
- Ratio and Proportion — direct and indirect proportion, partnership
- Simple Interest and Compound Interest
- Time, Speed and Distance — trains, boats, relative and average speed
- Time and Work — work efficiency, pipes and cisterns
- Averages and Mixtures / Alligation
- Mensuration — area and volume of rectangles, triangles, circles, cylinders, cones and spheres
- Trigonometry — ratios, identities, heights and distances (basic level)
- Geometry — lines, angles, triangles, quadrilaterals and circles
- Statistics — mean, median, mode and data interpretation from tables and graphs
- Probability — elementary problems on coins, dice and cards
Marking Scheme
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Marks per Question | 1 mark per question (100 questions × 1 mark = 100 marks per paper) |
| Negative Marking | Applicable — marks deducted for wrong answers (typically a fraction of a mark; verify in the notification) |
| Total Written Marks | 300 |
| Qualifying Nature | Written exam is qualifying for the SSB; final merit combines written and SSB scores |
| Cut-off Factors | Number of vacancies, difficulty of the paper, category of the candidate (JCO/NCO/OR) |
Since the exact negative-marking formula may change from year to year, candidates must read the current notification carefully. As a rule of thumb, do not attempt questions you are not reasonably sure of, because a wrong attempt can reduce the qualifying written score (tentative).
Eligibility Criteria
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Who Can Apply | Serving soldiers of the Regular Indian Army — JCOs, NCOs and Other Ranks (including those in the Armed Forces Medical Corps and other branches as per notification) |
| Educational Qualification | 10+2 / Intermediate pass (with English as a subject); certain categories may be eligible with 10th (Matric) pass — verify in the official notification (tentative) |
| Age Limit | Generally between 20 and 27 years as on the prescribed date (tentative — confirm against the current notification) |
| Service Requirement | Minimum length of regular service already completed, per the category, as specified in the notification (tentative) |
| Medical Fitness | Must be medically fit and free from Colour Vision deficiency, and meet the visual/acoustic standards laid down for officers |
| Number of Attempts | Age and service limits effectively decide the number of attempts; there is no separately published attempt cap for ACC (tentative) |
Written Exam Exemption: As per the practice of the previous cycles, candidates who are graduates or hold equivalent higher qualifications may be exempted from the written examination and appear directly before the SSB. Confirm the exact exemption conditions in the annual notification before applying (tentative).
Application Process & Fees
The ACC entry is a departmental / internal recruitment. Serving soldiers do not apply on the civilian online portal; they submit their application through their respective Unit / Command Headquarters, which forward it to the recruiting authorities of the Indian Army. The important points are:
- Applications are routed through the candidate's unit, formation and Command HQ, which verify eligibility, service record and category.
- There is generally no application fee for serving soldiers for the ACC written examination (tentative, based on the previous cycle).
- The notification is published once a year on joinindianarmy.nic.in and indianarmy.nic.in.
- Keep service documents (PMR-6), 10th/12th mark sheets, ID cards and recent photographs ready while forwarding the application.
- Important dates such as the last date of receipt, written exam date and SSB dates are announced in the notification; for the 2026 cycle, check the notifications section of the official website.
Salary / Pay Scale after Commission
Candidates who complete the ACC course and the subsequent IMA training are commissioned as Lieutenants in the Indian Army and are entitled to officer-level pay and allowances under the 7th Central Pay Commission:
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Rank on Commission | Lieutenant (Lt) |
| Pay Level | Level 10 of the 7th CPC Pay Matrix |
| Basic Pay | ₹ 56,100 per month (entry level of Level 10) |
| Military Service Pay (MSP) | ₹ 15,500 per month |
| Approx. In-hand | Around ₹ 80,000–90,000 per month including allowances (tentative, varies by posting and allowances) |
| Other Benefits | Defence Service Allowance, ration money, CSD facilities, medical facilities, pension after retirement, gratuity, leave and accommodation |
Officers also receive annual increments and promotions to higher ranks (Captain, Major, etc.) on completion of the required years of commissioned service, with corresponding increases in pay.
Official Links & Resources
- Official Website (Indian Army): https://indianarmy.nic.in
- Official Recruitment Portal (Join Indian Army): https://www.joinindianarmy.nic.in
- Official Notification: The ACC notification and its PDF are published in the "Job Opportunities / Careers" section of the official websites. A direct PDF link could not be captured during research; download the current ACC notification PDF from the official portal and read it thoroughly.
- SSB / Selection Centres: Information about the Services Selection Board is available on indianarmy.nic.in.
Preparation Tips & Strategy
- Master the basics first: The standard is roughly Class 10/12 level, so complete one standard textbook per subject before attempting test papers.
- Practise previous year papers: Old ACC question papers (available through the unit library or coaching material) give the exact difficulty and frequently repeated topics.
- Give timed mock tests: The written exam is OMR-based and speed matters; practise filling the OMR sheet to avoid marking errors.
- Watch the negative marking: Never guess wildly — wrong answers reduce your score.
- Update current affairs daily: Follow a daily newspaper or monthly current-affairs capsule, plus static topics like history, geography and defence.
- Build mathematics speed: Learn short tricks for percentages, time & work and simplification to finish the paper on time.
- Prepare for the SSB simultaneously: Work on communication skills, team spirit and officer-like qualities, and practise TAT, WAT, SRT, GD and GTO tasks.
- Keep documents ready: Ensure your service record, educational certificates and medical documents are in order before the notification is published.
FAQ
Q: Who is eligible to appear for the Army Cadet College entry?
A: Serving soldiers of the Regular Indian Army — JCOs, NCOs and Other Ranks — who meet the age, service and educational conditions laid down in the current official notification can apply through their unit/Command HQ.
Q: How many papers are there in the ACC written exam?
A: Three objective papers — English (100 marks), General Knowledge (100 marks) and Elementary Mathematics (100 marks) — totalling 300 marks. The exam is conducted offline on an OMR sheet.
Q: What happens after clearing the written exam?
A: Qualifying candidates appear for a five-day SSB interview. Those recommended undergo a medical examination, and the final merit list is prepared combining written and SSB performance.
Q: How long is the training after selection?
A: Selected candidates complete a three-year Army Cadet College course at IMA Dehradun, followed by one year of IMA training, after which they are commissioned as Lieutenants in the Regular Army.
Q: Do graduate candidates have to give the written exam?
A: As per practice in previous cycles, candidates holding a degree or equivalent higher qualification may be exempted from the written exam and appear directly before the SSB. Confirm the exact exemption rule in the current notification (tentative).
Q: Where do I apply for the ACC entry?
A: Serving soldiers apply through their respective units, which forward the application through the formation and Command HQ. There is generally no application fee (tentative).
Closing Note
The ACC entry is a unique opportunity for serving soldiers to earn a Permanent Commission and rise to officer rank. Because the notification, vacancy, age limit and exemption rules may change every cycle, always verify the current details against the official notification on joinindianarmy.nic.in and indianarmy.nic.in, and keep checking the official website regularly for updates.