On 13 June 2026, the Air Force Academy (AFA), Dundigal, Hyderabad will host the Combined Graduation Parade (CGP) of 217 Course — an event that carries extraordinary historical weight. For the first time in independent India's history, women cadets from the National Defence Academy (NDA), Pune will stand on the AFA parade square to receive the President's Commission and join the Indian Air Force as commissioned officers.
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh will be the Reviewing Officer (RO) — conferring the President's Commission on graduating trainees, presenting Wings and Brevets upon completion of training, and awarding the President's Plaque to Flight Cadets standing first in the overall order of merit in Flying, Navigation and Ground Duty branches.
For every NDA aspirant — male or female — this event is deeply relevant. It is your destination.
The Path from NDA to AFA: Understanding the IAF Officer Pipeline
The commissioning of an IAF officer follows a structured pipeline that every NDA aspirant must understand:
Stage 1: NDA (National Defence Academy), Pune - Duration: 3 years (6 semesters) - Location: Khadakwasla, Pune, Maharashtra (established 1955) - Function: Joint training for Army, Navy and Air Force cadets together — academics (BSc/BA degree awarded by Jawaharlal Nehru University), physical training, military drill, character development - Exit: After 3 years at NDA, cadets are designated as Gentlemen Cadets / Lady Cadets for their respective services; Air Force cadets proceed to AFA
Stage 2: AFA (Air Force Academy), Dundigal - Duration: ~1.5 years of branch-specific flying training - Location: Dundigal, near Hyderabad, Telangana (established 1967) - Function: Flying training on trainer aircraft, navigation training, ground duty officer training — service-specific skills that NDA cannot provide - Exit: Graduation Parade (CGP) — award of Wings (for flying/navigation) or Brevets (for ground duty officers), and conferral of President's Commission as Flying Officer (IAF's entry-level commissioned rank)
Stage 3: Operational Squadrons - After commissioning, Flying Officers join operational flying units (MiG-21, Tejas, Su-30 MKI, etc.) for advanced training and operational flying
The CGP marks the transition from trainee (Flight Cadet) to commissioned officer. The Reviewing Officer — often the Raksha Mantri or Chief of the Air Staff — is the symbolic authority conferring the President's Commission.
The Historic First: Women from NDA at the CGP
The first batch of women cadets at NDA passed out on 30 May 2025, completing their 3-year NDA training alongside male cadets. They then proceeded to AFA Dundigal for 1.5 years of branch-specific training. The 13 June 2026 CGP marks the successful completion of that training — and their commissioning as Flying Officers in the Indian Air Force.
The legal journey to women at NDA: - Women have served in the Indian Air Force since 1993 — initially in non-combat roles (Administrative, Logistics, Education, Accounts and Meteorology branches), later as fighter pilots (approved in 2015; first women fighter pilots commissioned 2016) - For decades, however, NDA — the flagship tri-service officer training academy — admitted only male candidates - In September 2021, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union Government to allow women to appear for the NDA entrance examination forthwith — holding that the exclusion was "arbitrary" and violated Article 14 (Right to Equality) and Article 16 (Equality of opportunity in public employment) - The Government complied; women appeared in the NDA 2021 (November) examination for the first time - The first batch of women cadets joined NDA in 2022 and trained for 3 years alongside male cadets before the historic passout in May 2025
This CGP is the culmination of that Supreme Court directive — from a court order in 2021 to commissioned officers in 2026. For NDA aspirants, this is a live demonstration of the constitutional principle of equal opportunity in public service.
AFA Dundigal — Key Facts for NDA GK
Location: Dundigal, approximately 30 km north of Hyderabad, Telangana (historically in Andhra Pradesh before the Telangana bifurcation in 2014)
Established: 1967 — originally as the IAF College of Air Warfare, later reorganised as Air Force Academy
Training fleet at AFA (as visible at the 13 June CGP fly-past): | Aircraft | Role | |----------|------| | Pilatus PC-7 Mk II | Basic trainer (Swiss-made; 75 ordered; replaced Kiran in basic phase) | | Hawk Mk 132 | Advanced jet trainer (BAE Systems UK; built by HAL); used for advanced flying training | | Kiran Mk I/II | Intermediate jet trainer (HAL-built; being phased out; historic Indian aircraft) | | Chetak helicopter | Helicopter training (Aerospatiale SA 316 Alouette III; built by HAL under licence) |
The fly-past will also feature display aircraft: - SU-30 MKI: India's primary air superiority fighter (Sukhoi/HAL; ~260 in service; most important combat aircraft in IAF inventory) - Sarang Helicopter Display Team: HAL Dhruv (Advanced Light Helicopter) aerobatic display team - Suryakiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT): HAL HJT-16 Kiran-based aerobatic display team (IAF's equivalent of the RAF Red Arrows or USAF Thunderbirds)
The Akash Ganga is the IAF's skydiving display team — they will mark the beginning of the CGP. The Air Warrior Drill Team (AWDT) performs precision drill at ceremonial events.
The President's Commission — What It Means Constitutionally
The President's Commission is the formal instrument by which an individual becomes a commissioned officer in the Indian Armed Forces. Under the Constitution of India, Article 53(2): "In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provision, the supreme command of the Defence Forces of the Union shall be vested in the President and the exercise thereof shall be regulated by law."
The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. When the Reviewing Officer (Raksha Mantri or CAS) confers the President's Commission, the officer enters the service of the Republic under the supreme command of the President.
A commissioned officer has the authority to command, lead and be responsible for the welfare of troops (soldiers/airmen) below them. Non-commissioned officers (NCOs) — like Sergeant, Havildar — are promoted from the ranks without the President's Commission.
Rank hierarchy (IAF commissioned officers, entry to top): Flying Officer → Flight Lieutenant → Squadron Leader → Wing Commander → Group Captain → Air Commodore → Air Vice Marshal → Air Marshal → Air Chief Marshal
A fresh AFA graduate enters as Flying Officer — the most junior commissioned rank.
The 217 Course — Multinational and Multi-Service
The CGP is called "Combined" because it includes not just IAF Flight Cadets but also: - Indian Navy trainee officers (who train at AFA for certain branches) - Indian Coast Guard officers - Officers from friendly foreign nations — this batch includes trainees from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Defence training diplomacy is a significant instrument of India's soft power. Training foreign officers at Indian academies creates inter-service familiarity, long-term personal relationships with future foreign military leaders, and reinforces India's role as a net security provider in the Indo-Pacific.
IAF Rank Structure and What "Flying Officer" Means
Every NDA aspirant dreaming of wearing IAF wings should know the full commissioned officer rank hierarchy:
| Rank | Insignia | Equivalent (Army) | Equivalent (Navy) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flying Officer | 1 thin stripe | 2nd Lieutenant | Sub Lieutenant |
| Flight Lieutenant | 2 thin stripes | Lieutenant | Lieutenant |
| Squadron Leader | 3 thin stripes | Captain | Lt Commander |
| Wing Commander | 1 thick + 2 thin stripes | Major | Commander |
| Group Captain | 1 thick + 3 thin stripes | Lt Colonel | Captain |
| Air Commodore | 1 thick + 4 thin stripes | Brigadier | Commodore |
| Air Vice Marshal | 1 star | Major General | Rear Admiral |
| Air Marshal | 2 stars | Lt General | Vice Admiral |
| Air Chief Marshal | 5 stars / Sky Marshal | General | Admiral |
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh (current Chief of the Air Staff) will personally lead the fly-past at the 13 June CGP — a traditional honour where the CAS leads his graduating Flight Cadets in the air. It is also a signal: the head of the service is present not just administratively but in the cockpit.
NDA cadets enter AFA for which branches? The IAF has three broad categories of branches: - Flying Branch (Pilots): The core combat arm — fly fighters, transport aircraft, helicopters - Navigation Branch: Navigators/Weapon Systems Officers in twin-seater aircraft (MiG-21 Bison was single-seat; Su-30 MKI is twin-seat with navigator); increasingly relevant with modern complex weapon systems - Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical): Aeronautical Engineers (technical), Education, Logistics, Meteorology, Administration, Accounts, Armament — support branches that keep the flying side operational
NDA cadets who qualify the CPAB (Computerised Pilot Selection Procedure — aptitude test + medical) go into the Flying Branch; others go into Ground Duty or Navigation branches. The Wings at CGP are for Flying and Navigation; Brevets are for Ground Duty.
NDA Exam Quick Revision
Q: Where is the Air Force Academy located? → Dundigal, Hyderabad, Telangana
Q: Which Supreme Court judgment opened NDA to women cadets? → The SC in September 2021 directed the government to allow women to appear in the NDA examination — citing Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution (Right to Equality; Equality of Opportunity)
Q: What is the President's Commission? → The formal commission under which an individual becomes a commissioned officer in the Armed Forces, in whose service the President is the Supreme Commander under Article 53(2) of the Constitution
Q: What are Wings and Brevets at AFA? → Wings = awarded to Flying and Navigation branch officers upon completing flying training; Brevets = awarded to Ground Duty branch officers
Q: What is the Suryakiran Aerobatic Team's aircraft? → HAL HJT-16 Kiran (Indian-built jet trainer; being phased out but still used by SKAT)
Q: What was the first batch of NDA women cadets' passout date? → 30 May 2025 — they then joined AFA for branch training, commissioning on 13 June 2026
Defence training, constitutional provisions on the armed forces and IAF structure are core NDA GK topics. Strengthen your defence knowledge base with NDA/CDS Current Affairs and prepare with expert faculty at Cavalier Defence Academy's upcoming courses.
Source: Ministry of Defence PIB release, 9 June 2026 (PRID 2270574). IAF training pipeline and constitutional provisions cross-verified.