Physical and Medical Standards for Joining Indian Army

After a candidate clears the SSB Interview, he/she is expected to undergo a Medical Examination held at the medical boards. Only the candidates who are declared fit by the medical authorities are eligible to join the Training Academy. However you can appeal in the medical board again if you are declared unfit, also temporary rejections are given to candidates who have curable problems like, overweight, underweight etc.

1. The candidate must be in good physical and mental health and free from any disease/disability which is likely to interfere with the efficient performance of duties
2. There should be no evidence of weak constitution, bodily defects or over weight.
3. The minimum acceptable height for Male candidate is 157.5 cms. For women candidate’s minimum acceptable height is 152 cms. For Gorkhas and individuals belonging to hills of North Eastern region of India, Garhwali and Kumaon, the Minimum acceptable height will be 5 cms less. In case of candidates from Lakshadweep, the minimum acceptable height can be reduced by 2 cms for males and females candidates. 
4. Chest should be healthy. For males the minimum range of expansion after full inspiration should be 5 cms. In recording the measurements, fraction of less than 0.5 cm will be ignored, 0.5 cm will be recorded as such and 0.6 cm and above will be recorded as 1 cm. X-Ray of the chest is compulsory and will be taken to rule out any disease of the chest.
5. There should be no disease of bones and joints of the body.
6. A candidate should have no past history of mental breakdown or fits.
7. The hearing should be normal. A candidate should be able to hear a forced whisper with each ear at a distance of 610 cms. in a quiet room. There should be no evidence of present or past disease of the ear, nose and throat.
8. There should be no sign of functional or organic disease of the heart and blood vessel. Blood pressure should be normal.
9. The muscles of abdomen should be well developed and there should be no enlargement of liver or spleen. Any evidence of disease of internal organs of the abdomen will be  a cause for rejection.
10. Un-operated hernias will make a candidate unfit. If operated, this should have been done at least 1 year prior to the present examination and healing is completed.
11. There should be no hydrocele, varicocele or piles.
12. Urine examination will be done and any abnormality, if detected will be a cause for rejection.
13. Any disease of the skin which is likely to cause disability or disfigurement will also be a cause for rejection.
14. A candidate should be able to read 6/6 in a distant vision chart with each eye with or without glasses. Myopia should not be more than 3.5D and hypermetropia not more than 3.5D including Astigmatism. For women candidates the minimum acceptable visual acuity are: Distant vision (corrected)better eye 6/6 worse 6/18,  Myopia of not more than minus 5.5 including Astogination.
15. Internal examination of the eye will be done by means of ophthalmoscope to rule out any disease of the eye. A candidate must have good binocular vision. The colour vision standard will be CP-III for Army A candidate should be able to recognise red and green colours.
16. Candidates who have undergone or have the evidence of having undergone Radial Keratotomy, to improve the visual acuity, will be permanently rejected.
17. Candidates who have undergone LASER Surgery for correction of refractive error will be considered for commission in Army if they fulfill following criteria :-
• Age more than 20 years.
• Uncomplicated stable LASIK/Excimer (PRK) laser procedure done for Myopia or Hypermetropia, with stable refraction for a period of six months after the procedure.
• A healthy retina.
• Corrected vision should be 6/6 in better eye and 6/9 in worse eye, with maximum residual refraction of +  1.50 in any meridian for myopia or hypermetropia.
• Axial length within permissible limits.

• Vision Standards for Indian Air Force Flying Branch
• Height and Weight Standard Ratio for Indian Armed Forces 

Height and Weight Standards

• Running : 2 to 4 Km. in 15 minutes
• Skipping
• Pushups & Sit-ups : Minimum 20 each
• Chin ups : Minimum 08
• Rope Climbing : 3 to 4 meters.

 Tashi Mishra, Editorial Team

She is a defense aspirant from Varanasi completed her BCA. She has attended SSB Interview at 1 AFSB Dehradoon and has more SSB coming up. She is confident about joining Defence Forces one day. Here, she is sharing her views and experience. Mail us to join our editorial team now.