IMA Full Form

Shuchi BagchiUpdated On: September 11, 2023 08:21 am IST

IMA full form is Indian Military Academy which is the significant training academy for Indian Army personnel. But are you aware of the history of IMA, process of joining IMA or the objectives of IMA? Continue reading to know a lot more than just IMA full form.

What is IMA Full Form?

The full form of IMA is Indian Military Academy. It is a highly reputed and recognised officer training academy of the Indian Army. The Motto of IMA displays "Valor and Wisdom". As of now, Lieutenant General Alok Joshi is the Commandant and chief instructor of IMA.

It is the official training unit of the Indian Army and is meant for training candidates for a permanent position in the Indian Army. IMA is headquartered In Dehradun, Uttarakhand in the Northern Indian state of Uttarakhand. IMA was established in 1932. The first batch had 40 Gentlemen Cadets as trainees. These cadets were known as ‘Pioneers’. The first Commandant of IMA was Brigadier L.P. Collins, DSO, OBE. A trainee officer in IMA is designated as a ‘gentleman cadet'. This may be due to the reason that the academy expects its trainee should adopt the highest level moral and ethical values. The campus of IMA is located on National Highway 72. The trainees are supposed to uphold the highest standards of moral rectitude.

 Brief History of the IMA

The IMA was founded in 1932 and since its inception, it has grown from 40 GC's to a planned capacity of 1650 GC's. The IMA was expanded as the ‘Armed Forces Academy’ in January 1949 where the cadets of Army, Navy, and Air Force were trained.  For their respective job roles. The existing Armed Forces Academy in Dehradun was renamed as ‘National Defense Academy’.

 In 1954, the joint services wing was relocated to Khadakwasla in Pune, but the military wing stayed back in Dehradun and regained and retained its original name ‘Indian Military Academy’.

 The Organization of IMA- Details

Commandant of IMA – Lieutenant General 

Deputy Commandant and Chief Instructor- Rank of Major General

The structure of IMA is divided into headquarters, Instructional units, Training grounds and Army Cadet College Wing. The headquarters consists of General Staff branches, administrative and adjutant’s branches.

 The Brigadiers administers these branches except for the Adjutant branch which is headed by Lieutenant General. Instructor teams are further divided into service training teams and academic departments that are headed by Brigadiers.

What are the Aims of Training in IMA?

The training at IMA is difficult and is followed by strict discipline and regulation. The candidate has to abide by the rules and regulations in the academy. If the rules are not followed stringently, the officer under training is penalized or is given major punishment in the process of training part. The army personnel receives training in the overall front, From emergency situations to unforeseen calamities, they must be able to handle and administer both. Basically, the training at the Indian Military Academy is aimed at the optimum development of intellectual, moral, and physical qualities which will be required in everyday life during posting after the training. The training is essential for leadership in the profession of arms and how to be prudent in handling weapons. Training at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) inculcates and instills those qualities of brave mind and courageous heart, sense of patriotism, character, dynamism, initiative, and basic understanding that are the very basis of leadership in both war as well as in peaceful circumstances. After receiving the proper training and guidelines, the military personnel perform various duties and designations allocated to them in the training period. After the promotion, when a new and more higher designation is authorized, the personnel is expected to undergo a more severe process of training in order to do justice to the position attained. The senior military personnel also accompanies and administers the training process of less experienced persons who join the academy. As the rank and position in the Indian Military increase, the responsibility to oversee, administer, and guide the juniors at the Indian Military Academy increases.

Process to Join IMA

IMA recruitment happens through various exams and courses. The methods by which one can join IMA are given below:

  • CDSE exam – The interested candidates need to appear for CDSE written test, pass SSB and clear further medical exams. The CDS exam is held twice a year during March/April and September/October.
  • Technical graduate course – BE/B.Tech final year students can appear for the TGC examination for IMA full form. The time span of training is 1 year. Interested candidates can check the notifications on the official website during May/June and November/December. 
  • NDA exam – Class XII passed-outs are eligible to appear for the NDA exams or the candidates who are about to take class 12th board exams can also apply. After getting selected in NDA by clearing the exam and selecting Army as preference, the selected candidates will undergo three-year training in Pune and one year at Dehradun.

Moreover, before applying for the examination, the candidates need to check the basic eligibility criteria and meet the basic physical standard to avoid the risk of getting rejected.

 Basic Physical Standards to Join IMA

There lies a statutory basic physical standard to join IMA. Some of the general physical requirements to join IMA are listed below:

  • Candidate should have good Physical and Mental Health (mentally stable)
  • Should not be suffering any disease of Joints or Bones or physically handicapped
  • Well developed chest growth with 5 cms expansion
  • No symptoms of any organ related diseases
  • No skin disease or infections
  • Abnormality should not be detected in the urine sample (normal urine sample is preferred)
  • The candidates should be able to run 2.4 km in 10 minutes for men and in 13 minutes 30 seconds for women

What are the Aims and Objectives of IMA?

IMA has laid down strict rules and regulations to be followed by the defense personnel after the completion of the training. The basic objectives of IMA are:

  • The IMA aims at the complete development of intellectual, moral and physical qualities of persons joining the Army as officers
  • Through the training process, the officers are imparted the knowledge and skill to protect and uphold the dignity of the nation
  • The objectives of the IMA is to protect the country’s security
  • The IMA training phase instills the courage and valor among the officers to face any challenges and battles.

Another IMA Full Form

The other full form of IMA is Indian Medical Association. It is considered as the largest organization of doctors of modern India who serve for the betterment of society and larger good. The IMA started in 1928 and the headquarters of IMA is situated at New Delhi. Various functions and responsibilities of the members of IMA:

  • Promote advancement in the field of medical and allied sciences and promote the improvement of public health care and provide medical education throughout the country as much as possible
  • Uphold and retain the honor and integrity and promote cooperation among the members
  • Strive to achieve equality among members of the medical profession and abolish divisions in medical education especially in colleges

FAQs

What is the full form of IMA?

The IMA full form is Indian Military Association.

What is the role of IMA?


The basic role of IMA is to train the officers for the Indian Army who assume the position of “Lieutenant” later.

Is there any other full form of IMA?


Yes, the other IMA full form is Indian Medical Association.

Is IMA (Indian Medical Association) useful for doctors?

Yes, the IMA looks after the interest of doctors as well as the community's well being to a larger extent.

Is training at IMA strict?

The training procedure for officers in IMA is strict in nature. The rules and regulations should be followed in the academy as well in various postings.

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