In a significant boost for Punjab’s youth and its armed forces recruitment initiatives, 26 cadets from the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (AFPI) in Mohali have secured coveted spots on the all-India merit list for the National Defence Academy (NDA). These selections mark the highest number of successful candidates from the institute in a single NDA batch, underlining the efficacy of the institute’s training programs.
The selected cadets are set to join the NDA’s 154th Course, scheduled to commence in June 2025, with call letters soon to be issued. Among the standout performers is Cadet Aryan Sofeth from Patiala, who clinched the impressive 9th rank on the merit list, while 10 other cadets achieved positions within the top 100. The outstanding performance came after 34 AFPI cadets underwent the rigorous Services Selection Board interview, following their success in the written entrance examination.
Major General Ajay H. Chauhan (retd), Director of AFPI, expressed his pride in the accomplishment, noting that since the institute’s inception, a total of 255 cadets have gone on to join various service training academies. Moreover, 170 alumni have already been commissioned as officers in the defence services—a testament to the institute’s long-standing commitment to fostering leadership and excellence in military training.
The achievement has also garnered praise at the governmental level. Punjab’s Minister for Employment Generation, Skill Development and Training, Aman Arora, lauded the cadets as “the pride of Punjab.” In addition to congratulating the NDA qualifiers, Minister Arora recognized AFPI alumni Gunjot Singh and Aryan Dutt for their recent selection into the Officer Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai for the Short Service Commission’s 64th (Technical) Course. Gunjot, hailing from Patiala district, and Aryan, whose father is a retired Commander of the Indian Navy from Mohali, serve as inspiring examples for future generations.
Established in 2011 by the Punjab Government, the AFPI was founded to counter the declining trend of youth joining the armed forces as officers. The institute offers a two-year residential program for matriculate boys that not only facilitates their 10+2 education but also provides intensive preparatory training for entry into the NDA. The success of this model has prompted the establishment of a similar institution, the Mai Bhago Armed Forces Preparatory Institute, aimed at nurturing aspiring female defence officers. Initially designed as a three-year program culminating in a graduation for the Short Service Commission, the institute has recently aligned its curriculum to a two-year course in line with the NDA’s format, following the historic decision to open the academy to women.
With these recent achievements, AFPI continues to build on its reputation as a premier training ground for future defence officers, contributing robustly to the strength and diversity of India’s armed forces.
