Territorial Army Officer Recruitment 2026 Notification Out – Apply Offline
The Directorate General Territorial Army has invited applications for commission as Territorial Army Officers through the Army Headquarters Selection Board (ASB) 2026. This is a narrow recruitment with an unusual profile, and the eligibility gate is strict: only Ex-Armed Forces Commissioned Officers may apply. Applications are accepted from 27 July to 25 August 2026, by India Post only.
Two disqualifications catch people immediately. Applications from civilian candidates will be rejected without intimation. And serving members of the Regular Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, GREF, Para Military and similar forces are not eligible.
Recruitment at a Glance
| Employer | Directorate General Territorial Army, Ministry of Defence |
| Post | Territorial Army Officer (Provincial TA), commissioned as Lieutenant |
| Total Vacancies | 5 — Male 04, Female 01 |
| Who Can Apply | Ex-Service Commissioned Officers only |
| Qualification | Graduate from a recognised university |
| Age | 18 to 42 years on the date of application |
| Employment Status | Must be gainfully employed or self-employed |
| Selection | Interview only |
| Application Mode | Offline — by India Post |
| Last Date | 25 August 2026 |
| Interview | September 2026 (firm dates by email) |
Understand What You Are Applying For
The Territorial Army is explicitly a part-time commitment, not a full-time career. The notification states this plainly at the top, and the terms of service bear it out:
- Mandatory two-month annual training camp every year, including the first
- No guaranteed pension — pensionary treatment depends on embodied service as per organisational requirement
- Terminal gratuity on retirement only if you complete a minimum of four years aggregate embodied service
- Pay, allowances and privileges match Regular Army officers, but only while embodied for training or military service
- Service is normally within India; deployment beyond Indian limits requires a specific Government order
Because it does not provide a regular career, the notification requires that candidates already have a settled livelihood in civil life. If you are neither employed nor self-employed, the application is deemed ineligible.
Eligibility Criteria
Service Background
Only Ex-Service Commissioned Officers of the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force or Territorial Army may apply. Officers who completed their tenure or took premature retirement are eligible. Officers who were removed or dismissed from service, or who resigned, are not eligible.
Nationality
Indian citizens, subjects of Nepal, or persons of Indian origin who migrated from Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Uganda or Tanzania intending to settle permanently in India. The latter two categories need a certificate of eligibility from the Government of India — except Gorkha subjects of Nepal, and those who migrated from Pakistan before 19 July 1948 and have resided in India since, or migrated after that date and registered as Indian citizens under Article 6.
Age, Education and Fitness
Between 18 and 42 years on the date of application, though the upper limit may be relaxed at the discretion of the Chief of the Army Staff. A graduation degree from a recognised university is the minimum. Candidates must be physically and medically fit in all respects, in medical category S1H1A1P1E1.
Selection Procedure
- Screening by the Army Headquarters Selection Board at Directorate General Territorial Army (TA-4), Integrated HQ of MoD, New Delhi. The exam type is interview only — there is no written test.
- Medical examination at Armed Forces Clinic, New Delhi for recommended candidates.
- Police verification for final selection.
Eligible officers are issued a call-up letter by email from the Territorial Army Directorate. Army HQ decides how many applicants to call based on applications received against vacancies — if you do not receive a call-up letter, your candidature for ASB-2026 is deemed cancelled. No request to change the interview date will be granted, and admission at every stage remains provisional until eligibility is confirmed.
How to Apply
- Download Application Form IAF (TA)-9 (Revised) Part-1 from indianarmy.nic.in. It is free of cost.
- Complete the form in your own handwriting. Answer fully in words — not dashes or dots. Write your name in full block letters with no initials, matching your signature and certificates exactly.
- Attach a photocopy of your Release Order and a photocopy of your Release Medical Board Proceedings.
- Post the application by India Post only to: Directorate General Territorial Army, Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence, 4th Floor, ‘A’ Block, Ministry of Defence Office Complex, KG Marg, New Delhi – 110001.
- It must reach the Directorate complete in all respects by 25 August 2026.
Incomplete or ineligible forms, and anything arriving after 25 August 2026, are rejected without intimation. Furnishing false particulars or suppressing material information leads to summary rejection — and to discharge later if discovered after commissioning.
Documents for the Interview
Originals plus self-attested copies. Officers who cannot produce complete documents will not be allowed to attend the interview.
- Application Form IAF (TA)-9 (Revised) Part-2, downloaded and filled in your own handwriting
- All educational certificates from Matric onwards
- Latest physical fitness certificate from a registered MBBS doctor
- Photo identity proof, domicile or residential proof, and age proof (Matric or Senior Secondary certificate)
- Copy of Release Order and Release Medical Board Proceedings
- Discharge or Service Particular Booklet, and certificates or reports of all courses
- PAN card, Aadhaar card, latest income proof and latest filed Income Tax Return
- Service certificate authenticated by Head of Office plus a No Objection Certificate, if employed in Central/State/UT/Semi-Govt or private sector
- Self-employed candidates: an affidavit on non-judicial stamp paper stating nature of employment and annual income, duly notarised, with a PAN card photocopy and a self-certified character certificate
- Candidates whose names vary across documents: a copy of the Gazette notification showing the correct name, supported by newspaper cuttings
The notification prescribes exact wording for three certificates — one for government-sector employees, one for the self-employed, and one for private-sector employees confirming the employer will pay the difference between civil and military pay during TA duties and reabsorb the officer afterwards without loss of seniority or benefits. Use the formats printed in the advertisement.
Training and Commission
Selected candidates undergo Pre-Commission Training under TA Rule 20A, as amended by SRO 65 dated 29 April 2023. Commission is granted only on successful completion of that training, and the date of commission is the date the training ends. Thereafter, a two-month Annual Training Camp applies each year unless continuously embodied for six months in a training year.
Pay Scales (7th CPC)
| Rank | Level | Pay Matrix | Military Service Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lieutenant | Level 10 | ₹56,100 – ₹1,77,500 | ₹15,500 |
| Captain | Level 10A | ₹61,300 – ₹1,93,900 | ₹15,500 |
| Major | Level 11 | ₹69,400 – ₹2,07,200 | ₹15,500 |
| Lt Colonel | Level 12A | ₹1,21,200 – ₹2,12,400 | ₹15,500 |
| Colonel | Level 13 | ₹1,30,600 – ₹2,15,900 | ₹15,500 |
| Brigadier | Level 13A | ₹1,39,600 – ₹2,17,600 | ₹15,500 |
Promotion and Retirement
Promotion up to Lieutenant Colonel is by time scale subject to laid-down criteria; Colonel and Brigadier are by selection grade. Service limits: Captain at 4 years commissioned service, Major at 8, Lieutenant Colonel at 15, and Colonel (Time Scale) at 28. Previous full-pay commissioned service in the Regular Army, Navy or Air Force counts toward these periods, and once verified by the concerned PCDA(O), officers receive Ante-Date Seniority for pay and promotion.
Non-departmental TA officers must pass Promotion Examination Parts A and B for Major, and Parts C and D for Lieutenant Colonel, within the prescribed time limits. Failure risks termination of commission, and late passing brings a loss of seniority. Officers who already passed these in previous service are exempt on producing supporting documents.
Compulsory retirement: Major and below at 54; Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel at 56 or four years in present rank, whichever is earlier but not before 54; Brigadier at 58 or four years in rank, whichever is earlier but not before 56.
Official Links
- Notification PDF: DGTA Advertisement
- Official Website: indianarmy.nic.in
Frequently Asked Questions
Can civilians apply for this Territorial Army recruitment?
No. This notification is only for Ex-Armed Forces Commissioned Officers. Civilian application forms will be rejected without intimation.
What is the last date to apply?
The completed form must reach the Directorate General Territorial Army, New Delhi by 25 August 2026. Applications received later are rejected without intimation.
Can I apply online?
No. The form must be filled in your own handwriting and sent by India Post only.
How many vacancies are there?
Five — four for men and one for women — subject to change as per organisational requirement.
Is there a written exam?
No. Selection is by interview only, followed by medical examination and police verification.
Does the Territorial Army provide a pension?
Service in the Territorial Army does not guarantee a pension. Terminal gratuity is admissible on retirement provided you complete at least four years of aggregate embodied service. Disability and family pensions apply under certain conditions.
Are officers who resigned from service eligible?
No. Only officers who completed their tenure or took premature retirement may apply. Those removed, dismissed, or who resigned are not eligible.