Hi Hemendra,

Once you have completed your CDS course, you would be inducted into the Indian National Army as an officer. Now once you are serving as an officer in the Indian National Army you have to volunteer to join the Special Forces. Officers from all units in the Army can volunteer for the Special Forces provided their years of service is less than five on the day of volunteering. The officers also need to fall under the medical category SHAPE-1 and also needs to be graded as "EXCELLENT" in Battle Physical Efficiency Training( BPET). The officers will be retained of their affiliation to  Regiment as the parent regiment.

Criteria falling under BPET category are as follows:

• 5 kilometers of running that needs to be completed within a stipulated time period along with a set of physical exercises.
• The officers also need to do an intense running exercise within a specific time which is to be completed with 15-20 kg of battle load while holding the personal rifle which is usually around 7 kg.

The officers qualifying the above stages will be put through a probation period of 3 months for Paratroopers( Airborne) Battalions and another 6 months for Para( Special Forces) Battalions.

Once all the above conditions are completed the candidates may choose to advance for the Special Forces Selection which takes place categorically twice a year in the spring and autumn term.

Even if all the above steps are completed, the candidate is not formally inducted into the regiment as Special Forces commando until the completion of the Balidan Padh wherein after training the officer candidate is deployed in an active hostile zone for routine operations for a year. After the candidate has completed or rather outlived the "BALIDAN PADH", he is given the Balidan Badge and is then finally inducted into the Special Forces regiment of the Indian National Army.

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