If you are searching for "Navy SSR and AA recruitment 2026", start with one fact: the Indian Navy no longer recruits school leavers into the old SSR and Artificer Apprentice (AA) sailor entries described in many older guides. Since the Union Cabinet cleared the Agnipath scheme on 14 June 2022, sailor recruitment for this age group runs through Agniveer entries with a four-year engagement.
The Navy's recruitment site, joinindiannavy.gov.in, currently lists four sailor-level entries under "Become an Agniveer": Agniveer SSR, Agniveer MR, Agniveer Apprentice and SSR (Medical Assistant). There is no separate "Artificer Apprentice" entry on that menu. This guide explains what each current entry asks for, using the official pages and the advertisement for the 01/2027 and 02/2027 batches (applications 14 March to 6 April 2026). Facts were checked on 9 October 2026.
Old guides vs the current official position
| Point | What older guides often say | What the current official pages say |
|---|---|---|
| Who can apply | Unmarried men only | Unmarried men and unmarried women (SSR advertisement) |
| Length of service | Long-term sailor career from day one | Four-year Agniveer engagement; up to 25% of each batch may be enrolled in the regular cadre |
| Starting pay | ₹21,700 basic pay | ₹30,000 monthly package in year 1, rising to ₹40,000 in year 4 |
| Running test | 1.6 km in 7 minutes | 1.6 km in 6 min 30 sec for men, 8 min for women |
| Eyesight | 6/6 without glasses | Uncorrected 6/12 in each eye, corrected 6/6 |
If a guide still quotes the left-hand column, treat everything else in it with caution.
Keep preparing
Continue with Document Verification Checklist – Central and Defence Recruitment₹299 — coaching के एक महीने से काफ़ी सस्ता / far cheaper than a month of coachingThe current sailor entries at a glance
| Entry | Minimum qualification (per the Navy's entry pages) | Stage I exam (INET) |
|---|---|---|
| Agniveer (SSR) | 10+2 with Maths and Physics, 50% aggregate; or 3-year engineering diploma (Mechanical, Electrical, Automobiles, Computer Science, Instrumentation Technology or IT) with 50%; or 2-year vocational course with Physics and Maths, 50% | 100 questions, 1 hour, 10+2 standard; English, Science, Mathematics and General Awareness |
| Agniveer (MR) — Chef, Steward, Hygienist | Matriculation (Class 10) with 50% aggregate | 50 questions, 30 minutes, Class 10 standard; Science & Mathematics and General Awareness (MR advertisement) |
| Agniveer (Apprentice) | Class 10 with 50% plus a 3-year AICTE-recognised diploma with 50% in listed engineering or electrical streams | Check the syllabus and advertisement for the batch you apply to |
The entry pages put the age band at 17½ to 22 years on the day of enrolment, but each advertisement fixes exact date-of-birth windows per batch (see the worked example below). MR Musician recruitment runs through a separate application window.
Timeline for the 01/2027 and 02/2027 batches
These are the tentative dates printed in the official advertisement. The Navy says exact dates are announced on the candidate portal.
| Activity | Tentative timeline |
|---|---|
| Online applications (INET 2026) | 14 March – 6 April 2026 |
| Correction window | 10 – 11 April 2026 |
| Stage I INET | May 2026 |
| INET result | May – June 2026 |
| 01/2027 batch: call-up letters / Stage II / induction | September 2026 / October 2026 / December 2026 |
| 02/2027 batch: call-up letters / Stage II / induction | February 2027 / March 2027 / May 2027 |
As of 9 October 2026, the recruitment site's news section says Stage II call-ups for the 1/27 batch have been issued. We did not find a notice for the next INET cycle; watch the site rather than relying on predicted dates.
How selection works
- Stage I – INET. Computer-based, bilingual, multiple-choice. A wrong answer costs one-fourth (0.25) of the question's marks. You must pass every section and the aggregate; the Navy sets the pass marks.
- Shortlisting. Vacancies are allotted state-wise, so cut-offs can differ between states. Where candidates tie, the one with the earlier date of birth gets priority.
- Stage II. Physical Fitness Test, a written exam (for SSR: 100 questions, 1 hour, 10+2 standard) and a recruitment medical examination.
- Merit list. Prepared state-wise on the Stage II written exam, subject to passing the PFT and medical.
- Pre-enrolment medical at INS Chilka, Odisha, where training starts.
Verified NCC 'C' certificate holders and sponsored candidates are exempted from INET and called directly to Stage II. The exam fee is ₹550 plus 18% GST, which works out to ₹649, paid once at the INET stage.
Physical Fitness Test (from the Navy's selection procedure)
| Candidate | 1.6 km run | Squats | Push-ups | Bent-knee sit-ups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 6 min 30 sec | 20 | 15 | 15 |
| Female | 8 min | 15 | 10 | 10 |
Medical points that catch people out
- Height: minimum 157 cm, with relaxations for specified domiciles (for example, 152 cm for Gorkhas and candidates from Bhutan, Sikkim and the North East) listed on the selection procedure page.
- Vision: uncorrected 6/12 in each eye and corrected 6/6. Refractive surgery is accepted only under listed conditions, such as not having it before age 20 and having it at least 12 months before the exam.
- Tattoos: permanent tattoos are permitted only on the inner forearm (elbow to wrist) and the back of the hand.
For how medical rules work across other government jobs, see our guide to finding the official medical standards.
Worked example: which batch can you sit?
The advertisement accepts INET 2026 applicants born between 1 December 2004 and 31 October 2009. Stage II eligibility then depends on the batch: 1 December 2004 – 31 May 2009 for 01/2027, and 1 May 2005 – 31 October 2009 for 02/2027 (both dates inclusive). Four illustrative dates of birth:
| Date of birth | INET 2026 | 01/2027 batch | 02/2027 batch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 November 2004 | Not eligible (before 1 Dec 2004) | No | No |
| 15 January 2005 | Eligible | Yes | No (before 1 May 2005) |
| 10 August 2007 | Eligible | Yes | Yes |
| 10 October 2009 | Eligible | No (after 31 May 2009) | Yes |
Use the date of birth on your Class 10 certificate, and recheck these windows in the next advertisement — they move with every cycle.
Pay and the four-year maths
The official pay page splits the monthly package into 70% in hand and 30% into the Agniveer Corpus Fund, which the government matches. Multiplying the monthly figures by 12:
| Year | Monthly package | In hand per month | In hand per year | Your corpus contribution per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ₹30,000 | ₹21,000 | ₹2,52,000 | ₹1,08,000 |
| 2 | ₹33,000 | ₹23,100 | ₹2,77,200 | ₹1,18,800 |
| 3 | ₹36,500 | ₹25,550 | ₹3,06,600 | ₹1,31,400 |
| 4 | ₹40,000 | ₹28,000 | ₹3,36,000 | ₹1,44,000 |
| Total | ₹11,71,800 | ₹5,02,200 |
With the government's matching contribution, the Seva Nidhi on exit is about ₹10.04 lakh excluding interest, and the pay page says it is income-tax exempt. Risk and hardship, dress and travel allowances are paid on top of the package, so actual take-home can be higher than the table. There is no gratuity or pension, and Agniveers do not get ex-servicemen status. The advertisement also lists a non-contributory life insurance cover of ₹48 lakh during the engagement.
What happens after four years
According to the terms and conditions page, Agniveers can apply for regular-cadre enrolment at the end of the engagement. Applications are assessed centrally on performance, and not more than 25% of each batch is taken; those selected serve at least 15 more years. Other conditions worth knowing before you apply:
- You cannot marry during the four-year tenure; doing so leads to dismissal.
- Leave is 30 days a year, plus sick leave on medical advice.
- Release at your own request is not permitted except in exceptional cases approved by the competent authority.
Your preparation checklist
- Confirm which entry fits your qualification: 10+2 (SSR), Class 10 (MR) or diploma (SSR or Apprentice).
- Download the syllabus and sample papers linked on the Agniveer SSR page.
- Practise all four sections — you must clear each one, not just the total.
- Train to the PFT standard now; men need 15 push-ups and a 6:30 run, not the older 10 and 7:00.
- Keep original marksheets ready; internet copies are not accepted at Stage II.
- Note the photo rule: a recent colour photo holding a slate with your name and the date, plus a live webcam photo during the application.
- Plan for police verification of your antecedents before you report to INS Chilka.
- Apply only on joinindiannavy.gov.in and ignore agents who promise selection — the advertisement carries an explicit warning about touts.
If you are aiming for an officer commission instead, the routes are different; our NDA preparation guide covers one common route for Class 12 students.