Need military leadership skills: Tyagi

The air force is a way of life. It is not just a job. The Indian air force is looking for youngsters who want a challenging and adventurous life, and a good standard of living. Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi answers some pertinent queries about what it takes to make it in the Indian airforce.

Excerpts from the questions he was asked:

Q. Is the selection procedure for the air force tough?

A. Not at all. But not everybody is suitable for this job. We believe that military leadership doesn’t come with a degree. There is a selection process to identify a suitable person. The selection procedure is important because we need to psychologically judge the candidates.

Q. What positions can women hold in the air force? What is the cut-off age for women aspirants?

A. Almost all the fields are open for women except one. Women can become pilots but not fighter pilots. The air force involves several types of job even though it is associated with pilots and planes. But it also needs a lot of people to run the show. Everyone who enters the air force doesn’t fly planes. There are several branches and various types of jobs. You can become an engineer, doctor, accountant, logistic, meteorology, inventory, radar and missile launcher etc. Thousands of people are involved in making one aircraft fly.

Q. How does one enter the air force?

A. There are several ways of entering. You can go through the National Defence Academy (NDA). UPSE conducts a written exam which you can take after completing Std 12 with physics and maths. It is followed by an interview. Those who clear the interview go for a medical test. And after this, you are sent to the NDA. Then after a three-year training programme, you get a graduation degree. From NDA you go to the air force academy. After undergoing pilot training, from a cadet you become an officer after one year of training.

After graduation, you are eligible to sit for the Combined Defence Services (CDS) entrance exam for direct entry into the Air Force Academy. So you don’t have to go to the NDA. A written test is followed by an interview and medical test respectively.

For NDA, the candidate should be between 16 and 19 years of age and for CDS between 19 and 23 years of age. You can also join the air force after serving as a civil pilot, provided you have studied maths and physics in the twelfth class.

Other than through the NDA and a university degree, there are two more ways to become pilots. Those who join as airmen like technicians can also become a officer after joining the air force provided they have passed plus two with maths and physics and fulfill the age criteria. Another entry is through National Cadet Core (NCC). Graduates who held NCC’s C level certificate in college and have studied physics and maths in twelfth can appear for an interview without sitting for a written test. However, girls need a university degree and if they had physics and maths in ten plus two, they can enter the air force directly through an interview.

Q. Delhi has three air force schools which are promoting an air force culture. Are there any plans to start air force colleges and institutions?

There are no such plans as of now, though discussions have been going on for opening professional colleges. Since different states have different rules and quota systems, it is not possible to open colleges unless these issues are sorted out.
 
Q. What do you look for in an aspirant for a pilot’s job?

A. We look for a special quality called military leadership. We conduct a test to identify candidates with specific qualities. Only a psychologist can tell us about those qualities. Those that get through are nice, smart kids like you. Anyone can become a pilot. But not everyone becomes a military pilot. So, you need some special qualities to enter our flying branch. Sometimes a pilot needs to react within half a second. The air force needs a fighter or a combat pilot, though he can also fly a transport plane or a helicopter.

Just knowing how to fly a plane is not enough to become an air force pilot. Qualities such as leadership, integrity and taking right decisions under stress are important for a pilot. So, you need not prepare yourself. Just let yourself be yourself.

Q. How important is eyesight?

A. Good eyesight is quite important in the flying branch, particularly at the entry level. Your eyesight must be perfect when you join the air force, though you get some concessions later if  eyesight deteriorates, then you can fly with glasses. But you can’t get these concessions in the beginning.

Q. In the air force women are not given higher posts. What is being done to provide equal opportunities to women?

A: With regard to women - the army, navy and air force follow a common policy. Right now, women are given only short-service commission for ten years, which could be extended for four more years. Women can work for 14 years except in the medical branch.
 
Q. What suggestions will you give to those who want to join Indian Air force?

A: We are looking for smart young boys who are academically qualified. Flying is a technical subject and fighting in a plane is all the more technical. Therefore, we need science students who have studied physics and maths.
 
Q. What are the benefits of joining the air force?

A. The air force can’t match the private sector in terms of salary. But our perks are very high. If you look at the cost to the company, no company can give so much money to the employer. We get housing facility, club facility, mess, transportation and educational facilities. And at the same time, you get job security, pension after retirement and life long medical facilities for yourself and your family.

Q. I am a creative and innovative person. What kind of opportunities does the air force offer for a person like me?

A: If you are creative and innovative, the Indian Air force needs you. With innovation and creativity, you can win a war. You need creativity and innovation in almost all the work you do. But technology is changing very fast and therefore warfare. So, you can’t do well in any field without being innovative. Our job is not only to fight but also war prevention. So, you need to be strong to prevent war and at the same time be prepared for a war.
 
Q. Is there scope for commerce and science graduates?

A. Yes. Commerce graduates can join the accounts branch, while branches like metrological branch need candidates with a science background, whereas the engineering branch needs a engineering degree. Advertisements for the jobs appear in all major newspapers. 

Q: What are the opportunities available for a physically challenged person?

A: Our primary work is war prevention and if can’t prevent war, then fighting a war. Any one can fight, our work is to win a war. The nature of the job is such, if you are physically challenged, you can’t do such a work. Be it army, air force or navy, there is a limitation on inducting physically challenged people.

Q. What are officer-like qualities?

A. I don’t need pilots. I need combat aviators. I need military leaders, people who have leadership qualities. Officer-like qualities are essentially leadership qualities, essentially to be able to lead men in a way that they are ready to sacrifice their lives. Therefore, we conduct lengthy selection processes.

Q. What is better - joining SpiceJet or flying the fighters?

A: There is no harm in flying SpiceJet. But given a choice, I will fly SpiceJet and not a fighter plane.

Q. The number of seats in the air force is quite less. Why should we join it?

A. There is limited number of seats in every field. One needs to be prepared to face competition in every field. If you are bright, then you will get through.

Q. I have cleared the CDS exam and now I am appearing for a SSB interview. Give us some suggestions.

A. Let me tell you that one can’t get through the selection process with any sort of training offered by some institutes. There is a psychological test which doesn’t need preparation. The air force needs youngsters with special qualities. My suggestion is that you shouldn’t join any training academy. We come to know if you have gone there, as your answers will be mechanical.

Q. What is the scope for an aeronautical engineer?

A. They have a great future. We need aeronautical engineers more than pilots, especially when the technology is getting more advanced each day, we need more qualified people. The whole game is about aeronautics.

Q. How beneficial is working as a Scout or in the NCC in school?

A. Scouting and the NCC helps in character building. Secondly, NCC cadets having a C certificate are taken directly after graduation and they don’t have to appear for a written test.

Q. What are the promotion opportunities?

A. Some are time scale promotions in the beginning. When you get commissioned in the air force, you join as a flying officer. You become flying officer after completing your training. These days, one becomes flight lieutenant in two years and gets the next promotion in six years.