JAG Exam via CLAT PG Score: Eligibility, Process, Roles & Salary

A career where you wear the olive green uniform of the Indian Army but step into courtrooms instead of battlefields. A role where you are both a soldier and a lawyer. 

That’s the Judge Advocate General (JAG) branch—perhaps the only post in the country where the duties of a judge (during trials under military law) and an advocate (representing the armed forces in civil courts, arguing cases on behalf of military units) come together in one uniform.

By the end of this blog, you’ll know exactly what it takes to step into this unique legal career in uniform, like what the branch is all about, the duties of JAG officers, eligibility criteria, the selection process, documents required, training, pay scales, and career growth. 

WHAT IS JAG BRANCH? 

The Judge Advocate General’s Branch is the legal arm of the Indian Armed Forces, tasked with administering justice, advising commanders on legal matters, and ensuring discipline through courts-martial and the interpretation of military law. The system of military law in India traces back to the British era, with the Indian JAG Branch formally established after independence to uphold constitutional values within the forces.

Its headquarters is located at the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence (Army), New Delhi, and it functions under the control of the Judge Advocate General of the Army, who is the senior-most officer of the branch and a Major General-ranked officer. The branch plays a critical role in ensuring that the armed forces operate within the framework of justice, fairness, and international humanitarian law.

DUTY OF JAG OFFICERS

• Responsible for conducting courts-martial.

• Advise the presiding officers on matters of military law and discipline.

• Interpret international law and conventions, making sure that military operations comply with treaties like the Geneva Conventions.

• Train and educate troops in legal matters, promoting awareness of their rights, responsibilities, and the provisions of military law.

• Handle litigation in civil courts on service issues, assisting or representing the armed forces in disputes related to service conditions, pensions, or disciplinary actions.

• Draft and review military regulations and contracts to ensure that all legal documents, rules, and agreements are valid and enforceable.

• Ensure compliance with international law in peacekeeping operations by providing legal guidance in multinational environments.

• Safeguard human rights within the armed forces. 

WHAT IS JAG EXAM 2025?

The JAG Entry (Non-Technical) Scheme is a direct entry route into the Indian Army for law graduates, allowing them to join the Judge Advocate General’s Branch without appearing for any written examination. This examination is designed to recruit candidates for the Short Service Commission (SSC). For JAG entry, the selection process hinges on the SSB performance, which is a five-day, two-stage assessment and a medical test. Afterwards, a final merit list is prepared of the candidates who join OTA Chennai for the 49-week training.

ELIGIBILITY FOR JAG EXAM 2025

Check eligibility for JAG 2025 here for FEMALE AND MALE

1. Marital Status: The entry is exclusively for unmarried male and female law graduates.

2. Age Limit: Candidates must be between 21 and 27 years old as of January 01, 2026 (born between 02 Jan 1999 and 01 Jan 2005; both dates inclusive).

3. Nationality: A candidate must be:

(i) A citizen of India, or

(ii) A subject of Nepal, 

(iii) A person of Indian origin who has migrated with the intent of permanent settlement in India from Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, or the East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, and Ethiopia, or from Vietnam.

Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (ii) and (iii) shall require a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India. This certificate is not required for Gorkha subjects of Nepal.

4. Educational Qualification: 

(i) minimum 55% in their LLB degree, whether it's the 3-year or 5-year program.

(ii) A  CLAT PG 2025 score is mandatory for all candidates, including those with or pursuing an LLM, who are applying for courses commencing in a specific year.

(iii) Candidates must be eligible to register as an advocate with the Bar Council of India/State.

(iv) The college or university attended by the candidate must be recognised by the Bar Council of India.

Explore the detailed CLAT 2026 application guide to understand the process, dates, and requirements essential for JAG eligibility.

5. Vacancy: Total vacancies are 10, with 5 for men and 5 for women.

Want to boost your CLAT PG preparation for JAG eligibility? Don’t miss the Top 15 Supreme Court Judgments of 2025 for CLAT PG 2026 —a must-read for every law aspirant.

HOW TO APPLY for JAG EXAM 2025?

1. Visit the official website, www.joinindianarmy.nic.in.

2. Click on ‘Officer Entry Apply/Login’ and then ‘Registration.’ You can skip registration if you've already registered on the site.

3. Fill out the online registration form.

4. Once registered, click ‘Apply Online’ on the Dashboard.

5. On the ‘Officers Selection—Eligibility’ page, click ‘Apply’ next to ‘Short Service Commission JAG Entry Course.’

6. A page with the ‘Application Form’ will open. After reading the instructions, click 'Continue.'

7. Fill in your personal, contact, and educational information, as well as details from any previous SSBs you have attended. Remember to click ‘Save & Continue.’ after each segment.

8. After filling all sections, a summary page will appear where you can review and edit your entries.

9. After confirming all details are correct, click ‘Submit.’ You must click submit every time you edit the application.

10. Wait 30 minutes after the application's final closure on the last day, then get two copies of your application, including roll no. 

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS for JAG EXAM 2025

1. Application Printout: One signed copy with a self-attested photograph.

2. Academic Certificates (Originals & Self-Attested Copies):

• Class 10th Certificate and Mark Sheet.

• Class 12th Certificate and Mark Sheet.

• Graduation Degree/Provisional Degree.

• LLB Degree/Provisional Degree.

• Mark sheets for all years/semesters.

3. Professional Documents:

• Registration with the Bar Council of India/State OR a certificate from your college/university stating the LLB course is recognized by the Bar Council of India.

4. University Certificate: A certificate explaining the formula used to convert CGPA/grades to percentages.

5. CLAT PG 2025 Score Card.

6. For Serving Armed Forces Personnel: Application duly countersigned by your Commanding Officer.

SELECTION PROCEDURE FOR JAG EXAM 2025

1. Shortlisting of Applications: Integrated HQ of MoD (Army) reserves the right to shortlist applications. The shortlisting is based on to call-up ratio.

2. Allotment of Selection Centre: After your application is shortlisted, you will receive an email notifying you of your assigned selection center. You must then log in to the website to choose your SSB interview date from the available options. Dates are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. If you don't select a date, or if exceptional circumstances occur, a date will be allotted for you by the Selection Centre.

3. Conduct of SSB: Only shortlisted eligible candidates will undergo SSB at the Selection Centres.

4. Medical Examination: Check Medical Policy and Tattoo Policy here.

5. Merit List: The merit list is based solely on a candidate's SSB marks. If multiple candidates have the same marks, the older candidate is ranked higher. If both marks and age are the same, the candidate with a higher percentage in their qualifying exam is placed higher. Other factors like higher educational qualifications, don't influence the ranking. Only those on the merit list who are within the stipulated vacancies and are medically fit will receive a joining letter for training at OTA, Chennai.

SSB INTERVIEW for JAG EXAM 2025

The Services Selection Board interview is a five-day comprehensive assessment to evaluate a candidate's potential for becoming an officer in the Indian Armed Forces. It's a two-stage process that tests a candidate's officer-like qualities (OLQs).

Stage I: Screening

DAY 1: Screening stage to filter out candidates who do not meet the basic aptitude requirements. This involves two tests:

• Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) Test: This is a written test with both verbal and non-verbal reasoning questions to assess your basic intelligence and logical ability.

• Picture Perception and Discussion Test (PPDT): You are shown a hazy picture for 30 seconds and must write a story based on it. Afterward, you participate in a group discussion with other candidates to collectively agree on a single story. Your performance in both the story writing and the discussion is evaluated.

Stage II: The Comprehensive Assessment (Days 2-5)

DAY 2: A series of psychological tests are conducted to evaluate your personality and thought process. These include:

• Thematic Apperception Test (TAT): You are shown 11 ambiguous pictures and one blank slide. For each, you have 30 seconds to observe and four minutes to write a story about what led to the situation, what is happening, and the outcome. This reveals your imaginative and problem-solving skills.

• Word Association Test (WAT): Sixty words are flashed on a screen for 15 seconds each. You must write the first sentence or thought that comes to mind for each word.

• Situation Reaction Test (SRT): You are given a booklet with 60 real-life situations and 30 minutes to write your responses, showing your decision-making abilities.

• Self-Description Test (SDT): You write a brief description of what you think about yourself and what your parents, friends, and teachers think about you.

Day 3 & 4: Group Testing Officer (GTO) Tasks

These days are focused on evaluating your social and leadership skills in a group setting through a variety of indoor and outdoor activities.

• Group Discussion (GD): You discuss two topics, usually related to current events or social issues, with your group.

• Group Planning Exercise (GPE): You are given a model and a hypothetical scenario with multiple problems. As a group, you must devise a logical plan to solve the issues.

• Progressive Group Task (PGT): Your group must overcome a series of four progressively difficult physical obstacles using a few helping materials.

• Half Group Task (HGT): Similar to PGT, but with half the group size, giving each member a better chance to showcase their abilities.

• Obstacle Race: You must complete ten individual obstacles within three minutes.

• Command Task (CT): You are assigned as a commander and must lead two to three subordinates to complete a specific task.

• Individual Lecturette: You select one topic from four options and deliver a short lecture to your group.

• Final Group Task (FGT): This is a final, short group task designed to give the GTO one last chance to observe the group's dynamics.

Day 5: Conference

This is the final day of the SSB process.

• Conference: All the assessors—the psychologist, GTO, and interviewing officer—gather to discuss the performance of each candidate. The candidate is briefly called into the conference room to answer a few final questions.

• Result Announcement: The final results are announced to the entire batch. Candidates who are recommended are asked to stay back for a detailed medical examination, while the others are allowed to leave.

PROMOTION CRITERIA 

PAY SCALE

Conclusion

The JAG branch offers a rare mix of law and service in uniform. As a JAG officer, you don’t fight on the frontlines but safeguard justice, discipline, and the rights of those who do. For law graduates seeking a career that’s prestigious, purposeful, and different from the usual legal paths, the JAG exam could be the perfect calling.

Want to plan your career beyond the JAG exam? Explore this detailed guide on LLM from Abroad and discover top destinations, eligibility, and opportunities for law graduates.