The Indian Army has rolled out an incredible ad campaign to find more officers

[Zarvan]

More Daredevils Needed

“I wear my heart on my sleeve and my resume on my uniform. Which other company lets you do that?”

That’s the pitch the Indian Army is making in a new series of advertisements to try and get more men and women to join its ranks.

It needs these new recruits rather urgently: The Indian Army has a shortfall of 33,998 personnel, including 9,642 officers. The manpower situation has improved in recent years, but the army still operates with an officer cadre that is 18% lower than the official sanctioned number.

“The brief was two-pronged,” Vineet Singh, vice president and business head at Grey Group, the ad agency selected by the government to develop the campaign, told Quartz via email. “The primary objective was to attract quality candidates for a career with the Indian Army. Specifically in the officer cadre. The secondary objective is an image projection of the Indian Army.”

In all, nine advertisements have been launched, which were shot in two schedules between November 2014 and March 2015. “These ads were shot in multiple army bases across the country. All the people featuring in these ads are Indian Army officers. Location, equipment (artillery, BMPs, tanks, helicopters etc), ammunition was provided by the Indian Army,” Singh explained.

The Indian Army knows that it has a bit of a perception problem. The “availability of attractive alternative career avenues, stringent selection criteria, and difficult service conditions coupled with perceived high degree of risk” were keeping young Indian men and women away from the forces, defence minister Manohar Parrikar explained in parliament earlier this year.

By launching this campaign right before the recruitment season kicks off in November-December, the Indian Army is attempting a bit of an image makeover. But it isn’t alone. The Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force will also roll out new recruitment campaigns soon, Singh said.

The Indian Army has rolled out an incredible ad campaign to find more officers - Quartz

 

[Talwar e Pakistan]

More Daredevils Needed

“I wear my heart on my sleeve and my resume on my uniform. Which other company lets you do that?”

That’s the pitch the Indian Army is making in a new series of advertisements to try and get more men and women to join its ranks.

It needs these new recruits rather urgently: The Indian Army has a shortfall of 33,998 personnel, including 9,642 officers. The manpower situation has improved in recent years, but the army still operates with an officer cadre that is 18% lower than the official sanctioned number.

“The brief was two-pronged,” Vineet Singh, vice president and business head at Grey Group, the ad agency selected by the government to develop the campaign, told Quartz via email. “The primary objective was to attract quality candidates for a career with the Indian Army. Specifically in the officer cadre. The secondary objective is an image projection of the Indian Army.”

In all, nine advertisements have been launched, which were shot in two schedules between November 2014 and March 2015. “These ads were shot in multiple army bases across the country. All the people featuring in these ads are Indian Army officers. Location, equipment (artillery, BMPs, tanks, helicopters etc), ammunition was provided by the Indian Army,” Singh explained.

The Indian Army knows that it has a bit of a perception problem. The “availability of attractive alternative career avenues, stringent selection criteria, and difficult service conditions coupled with perceived high degree of risk” were keeping young Indian men and women away from the forces, defence minister Manohar Parrikar explained in parliament earlier this year.

By launching this campaign right before the recruitment season kicks off in November-December, the Indian Army is attempting a bit of an image makeover. But it isn’t alone. The Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force will also roll out new recruitment campaigns soon, Singh said.

The Indian Army has rolled out an incredible ad campaign to find more officers - Quartz

They have a population of over 1 billion and they cant find more officers? Here in Pakistan everyone is trying to become an Officer if they get the chance too; but now that it is so regulated and filtered; its near impossible to get in.

 

[Zarvan]

They have a population of over 1 billion and they cant find more officers? Here in Pakistan everyone is trying to become an Officer if they get the chance too; but now that it is so regulated and filtered; its near impossible to get in.

The concept of sacrifice and Jihad is basic motivation for Pakistan Army and those who join them

 

[AMCA]

They have a population of over 1 billion and they cant find more officers? Here in Pakistan everyone is trying to become an Officer if they get the chance too; but now that it is so regulated and filtered; its near impossible to get in.

Do you have any Idea how many lakhs of people appear for the Exams annually? Its never too easy to get into the armed forces.The Ad campaign will motivate those who believe that only MNC's can guarantee a good career and the youth of this country who are yet to figure out their job profiles need a reason to make Army their home and the ad campaign helps in removing the general misconception from the public that Army is all about fighting.

That way more and more people will come forward to write the exams.

 

[Point_4590]

They have a population of over 1 billion and they cant find more officers? Here in Pakistan everyone is trying to become an Officer if they get the chance too; but now that it is so regulated and filtered; its near impossible to get in.

Apart from lucrative private sector and MNC culture of Metroes which is virtually absent in Pakistan the selection processis very tough lakhs of applicants sits for written exam, few thousand clears it and few hundred cleared the SSB ininterview.

on an average SSB interview batch only 2 or 3 finally selected out of 120.

 

[rubyjackass]

They have a population of over 1 billion and they cant find more officers? Here in Pakistan everyone is trying to become an Officer if they get the chance too; but now that it is so regulated and filtered; its near impossible to get in.

The age limit to become an officer in India is too low. And the standards are very high. Considering everyone in India is running after engineering these days, new graduates hardly have 6-18 months to figure out whether they want to join Army. And Army officers make very less compared to an IT engineer in the beginning years. It is easy guess as to why people wouldn't choose Army.

In any country, if people are hankering to join Armed Forces in peacetime than normal, then it means there is no alternative attractive employment.

 

[Shinigami]

They have a population of over 1 billion and they cant find more officers? Here in Pakistan everyone is trying to become an Officer if they get the chance too; but now that it is so regulated and filtered; its near impossible to get in.

thats because in india the armed forces have to compete with high pay private sector jobs

 

[Manindra]

They have a population of over 1 billion and they cant find more officers? Here in Pakistan everyone is trying to become an Officer if they get the chance too; but now that it is so regulated and filtered; its near impossible to get in.

Officers need balance between physical, mental & intellectual strength. not every man who applied for the job have it when you have serious competition from others sector.

As for your Pak Army comment, they are also facing problem of same magnitude which IA is facing in shortage of Officers.
One of the main reason also that we deploy (India-Pak) our officers frontline unlike NATO where there officers demands airstrike residing in safe bunker or armoured vehicle.
Pak Army to grow by 180,000; Change to offensive posture?

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

Officers need balance between physical, mental & intellectual strength. not every man who applied for the job have it when you have serious competition from others sector.

As for your Pak Army comment, they are also facing problem of same magnitude which IA is facing in shortage of Officers.
One of the main reason also that we deploy (India-Pak) our officers frontline unlike NATO where there officers demands airstrike residing in safe bunker or armoured vehicle.
Pak Army to grow by 180,000; Change to offensive posture?

PA has that issue because we are increasing the strength... Apart from that we had a high officer : soldier casualitie ratio .. 1 officer for 8 soldiers..

Some guy above talked above about tough army selection process (Indian military) 2-3 out of 120 sounds absolutely bs ... Unless it's the dumbest ppl applying..

Here in Pak.. We have te following process;

Preliminary tests (all taken on computers - digitalised).

GK
Maths
Science
Intel
Language

You have to clear all (step by step) in alloted 30? Minutes each .. If you fail in either .. You are screened out there n than.

Than comes psyche tests..interviews and medical tests,.. If you clear them at all..,

Than again you will have to clear ISSB -- for days you will have to perform several tests like group tasks,group discussions,Intel,Gk,math,science,psychological etc test (again)... All this while every move of yours is scrutinised by ISSB guys (even things like your table manners or how you speak or conduc yourself in general)... And than again an interview with the shrinks ...

If you get lucky you will get a call letter and you will have to take another med examination before joining the PMA..

While those who aren't selected simply get a "sorry try again"... Without any explanations or results ..

And yet if you fuked up at PMA .. Even during the last term .. you will be drummed out... I know this guy.. He mischievously salutes lady cadets during his last term (during March parade)... He's sitting home now ... Doing BSC or something.



Why do ppl want to join military in Pak? It's probably the national psyche .. Or the respect and love ppl have for the militry.. Kids growing up have pics of PAF jets or tanks .. Ask any kid what he want to be when he grows up.. His answer will either be "Pilot" or "Soldier".

 

[Manindra]

PA has that issue because we are increasing the strength... Apart from that we had a high officer : soldier casualitie ratio .. 1 officer for 8 soldiers..

Some guy above talked above about tough army selection process (Indian military) 2-3 out of 120 sounds absolutely bs ... Unless it's the dumbest ppl applying..

Here in Pak.. We have te following process;

Preliminary tests (all taken on computers - digitalised).

GK
Maths
Science
Intel
Language

You have to clear all (step by step) in alloted 30? Minutes each .. If you fail in either .. You are screened out there n than.

Than comes psyche tests..interviews and medical tests,.. If you clear them at all..,

Than again you will have to clear ISSB -- for days you will have to perform several tests like group tasks,group discussions,Intel,Gk,math,science,psychological etc test (again)... All this while every move of yours is scrutinised by ISSB guys (even things like your table manners or how you speak or conduc yourself in general)... And than again an interview with the shrinks ...

If you get lucky you will get a call letter and you will have to take another med examination before joining the PMA..

While those who aren't selected simply get a "sorry try again"... Without any explanations or results ..

And yet if you fuked up at PMA .. Even during the last term .. you will be drummed out... I know this guy.. He mischievously salutes lady cadets during his last term (during March parade)... He's sitting home now ... Doing BSC or something.

PA & IA have same route, so their selection process is also same. (The same process applied also here in India where PMA = IMA & ISSB = SSB)
And the thread I posted are not adding strength but by adding additional seats in PMA to fill shortfall of Officers.

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

Last night I was in Islamabad it was raining and I saw these kids (barely 15) walking past my car listening/watching this

Instead of the latest rap song by lil Wayne or something..

PA & IA have same route, so their selection process is also same. (The same process applied also here in India where PMA = IMA & ISSB = SSB)
And the thread I posted are not adding strength but by adding additional seats in PMA to fill shortfall of Officers.

They are raising another battalion not filling extra seat.. In short -- more officers Aswell as troops required.

 

[Manindra]

They are raising another battalion not filling extra seat.. In short -- more officers Aswell as troops required.

No, IA & PA are already oversized even they are thinking to reduce it even in this thread senior members have same opinion like mine as filling backlog.
Didn't know about PA but IA's opex to capex ratio is pathetic & need immediate trimming in size.

 

[kṣamā]

In any country, if people are hankering to join Armed Forces in peacetime than normal, then it means there is no alternative attractive employment.

Well this sums everything up. Plain and simple.

 

[topgun047]

They have a population of over 1 billion and they cant find more officers? Here in Pakistan everyone is trying to become an Officer if they get the chance too; but now that it is so regulated and filtered; its near impossible to get in.

Joining the the army is the best career move in Pakistan where army controls many things, even runs businesses and factories.
The best people in India have bigger fish to fry.

 

[livingdead]

The concept of sacrifice and Jihad is basic motivation for Pakistan Army and those who join them

no, its because army is not the only respectable job prospect in India... in case of officer cadre, the guy is intelligent and has many alternatives.
The same reason why govt jobs(even peon) are so favoured in bihar and UP.