Officers Training Academy - Chennai

Officers Training Academy - Chennai

"Serve with Honour" is the motto of the Officers Training Academy Chennai, as signified by the Cross  Swords, depicting the profession of Arms and the Ashoka Chakra depecting Honour.

The Aim: The training at the OTA aims at inculcating in the Gentlemen and the Lady Cadets9GCS/LCs) moral values, leadership traits, mental and physical powers, a sprit of adventure and a will to win.

History: The Officers Training School was established in September 1962 to train Emergency Commissioned Officers. On 02 Feb 1965, it was started to Short Service Regular Commission. On 01 Jan 1988, Officers Training School was rechristened as Officers Training Academy. (OTA).

For the first time in the History of Indian Army, Women were inducted in the Army as Officers and the onerous task of training the WSES (O) courses commenced at the OTA from 21 Sep 1992. The OTA is located at St. Thomas Mount, a suburb of Chennai. St. Thomas Mount was an important bastion of the Madras Presidency Army of the British. The buildings occupied by OTA were built between 1815 and 1952.  The OTA campus sprawls over an area of approximately 650 acres..
            
Service and General Awareness Training:

The aim of service training is to prepare a GC/.LC for command of an infantry platoon in war and peace and that of General Awareness Training is to  orient them with present technical advancements in the filed of warfare. Various training  given at the OTA are:-

• Tactics
• Map Reading
• Organisation and Administration
• Integrated General Leadership Training
• Weapon Training
• Physical  Training
• Drill
• Communication Skills,
• Military Technology
• Computer Applications
• Social Studies
• International Relations etc.,

Modes Of Entry Officers Training Academy:

Description	Course	Age	Education Min	Method	When to apply ?
Short Service Commission, (Non Technical)	May and Oct /Nov	19 - 25 years	Degree at the time of Joining	CDSE –Written Test UPSC and SSB Interview	Apply in response to adv During March and October
Short Service Technical	May and Oct / November	19 – 27 Years	Engineering Degree I n Notified Discipline	DirectSSB Interview	Apply in response to adv During March and October
Short Service Commission, NCC Special Entry Scheme	May	19 – 25 Years	Graduate with 50 % aggregate marks, two years service in NCC Senior Div. Army with minimum” Grade In “C” Certificate Exam	Direct SSB Interview	Apply in response to adv During October
Women Special Entry Scheme Officers	March and September	19 to 27 Years	Graduate Or Post Graduate	Direct SSB Interview Only	Apply in response to advertisement In June and December.

Eligibility Conditions:- Male/ Female, may be married if above the age of 25 Years. Should be a graduates in any discipline
 
Training Duration:

The training duration is 44 Weeks. On Successful competition of the course the cadets would be commissioned as lieutenant as per as possible the arms and service of their choice. However, it is based on merit and availability of number of vacancies. The training will be completed in terms of Five months each, at the end of each term the Cadets would be granted short leave.

Duration of Service would be generally Five years extendable up to 10 years. Or can also be converted into Regular (Permanent Commission), in this case the candidates will lose a seniority of Nine months, to the corresponding IMA Course.  This is because the cadet entering into IMA under Goes a training for 1 ½ years, prior to his commissioning.

Officers Training Academy - Chennai