Candidates wondering about eligibility for the NCC Special Entry Scheme 125th Course can note that the entry is open only to unmarried male graduates who meet specific age, nationality, and NCC certification requirements. Wards of Battle Casualties have a slightly relaxed set of conditions, explained separately below. Nationality A candidate must be a citizen of India, a subject of Nepal, or a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, or specified East African countries with the intention of permanently settling in India, subject to a certificate of eligibility from the Government of India (not required for Gorkha subjects of Nepal). Age Limit Applicants must be between 19 and 25 years as on 01 January 2027, meaning candidates born not earlier than 02 January 2002 and not later than 01 January 2008 (both dates inclusive) are eligible. No age relaxation details beyond this are specified in the notification. Educational Qualification and NCC Requirement For NCC 'C' Certificate holders, the minimum qualification is a Bachelor's Degree from a recognised university, along with a minimum of 'B' Grade in the 'C' Certificate examination of NCC, after serving at least two/three years (as applicable) in the Senior Division/Wing of NCC. Final-year students may also apply, provided they complete their degree before the course begins; for such candidates, the aggregate percentage scored in the first two/three years of the degree course will be used for shortlisting. A provisional NCC 'C' Certificate will not be accepted at the SSB stage - candidates must hold the confirmed certificate before appearing for the interview. Eligibility for Wards of Battle Casualties Unmarried sons and unmarried daughters (including legally adopted) of Army personnel classified as Battle Casualties - killed in action, died of wounds, wounded/injured, or missing presumed dead - are eligible under a separate quota of 7 vacancies. The same graduation qualification applies, but an NCC 'C' Certificate is not required for this category.

The selection procedure for the NCC Special Entry Scheme 125 Course follows a five-stage structure: Application, Shortlisting, SSB Interview, Medical Examination, and Merit List, followed by the Joining Letter. Each stage is explained below with the realistic timeline indicated in the notification. Shortlisting of Applications: Based on bonus marks out of a maximum of 100 - up to 50 marks for performance in the NCC 'C' Certificate (50 for 'A' Grade, 25 for 'B' Grade) and up to 50 marks for graduation performance (ranging from 0 for below 60% to 50 for 85% and above). Shortlisting is tentatively expected in the first week of September 2026. SSB Centre & Date Selection: Shortlisted candidates choose their SSB centre and date on a first-come-first-served basis during a 14-day window in September 2026. SSB Interview: Conducted over a maximum of five days at Prayagraj, Bhopal, Bengaluru, or Jalandhar, likely in November/December 2026. It follows a two-stage process - candidates who fail Stage I are returned the same day. Medical Examination: Candidates recommended after Stage II undergo a medical test; the medical validity period is 270 days from the SSB medical board date to the PCTA joining date. Merit List: Prepared strictly on SSB interview marks; ties are broken first by age (older candidate ranked higher) and then by qualifying exam percentage. Joining Letter: Issued to candidates within the merit list and available vacancies, subject to meeting all eligibility criteria, for Pre-Commission Training at OTA Chennai starting April 2027.