How to Join Intelligence Agency RAW?

Asked by: Guest - 13 Jun 16

I have just passed out of 12th and want to pursue a career with India’s Intelligence Agency RAW. Can you guide me, how should I go about it? What is the procedure and eligibility?

Our expert said - 13 Jun 16

RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) is the primary Foreign Intelligence Agency of India. It is a specialized independent agency dedicated only to the Foreign Intelligence gathering. Job prospects at R&AW does not conclude only with the Officers, but it includes

- Linguistic experts
- Computer engineers
- Interpreters
- Logistic work
- Administrative task which includes collecting and analysing reports

To get into R&AW, the actual statement is ‘candidate cannot look out for a career in R&AW, instead R&AW looks out for deserving candidates to take them into this service’. R&AW never extends an open recruitment advertisement. R&AW usually takes up officers from Police, Civil services and Defense services of India. So, the best an interested candidate can do is clear UPSC examination to get into civil services or get into any of the Defense forces and perform to the best level for R&AW to identify the potential in the candidate. Towards the end of the basic training of these courses at the Lal Bahadur National Academy of Administration, RAW usually conducts psychological, mental and physical tests, on the basis of which the candidates are offered 1 year training at R&AW academy. At the end of this one year training, the candidates are given the option of continuing or re-joining the parent cadre.

Some basic requisite that the interested candidates are required to fulfil to get into attention at R&AW are:

- Fulfilling the criteria of being the citizen of the country
- Having a clear record on the law grounds
- Getting good quality education from a renowned University and excelling in the same.
- Don’t take drugs
- Building self to be physically fit and mentally tough to express psychological stability and strong determination.
- Prepared to travel
- Expressing leadership skills wherever possible
- Ability to conceal confidential things, eg. Avoid informing friends or relatives regarding your effort to apply at R&AW
- Never try to conceal any truth during the interview and selection process.
- Stay out of debt, which assure financial stability and provides confidence that the candidate is not vulnerable to bribery.

Few others can go a step ahead learning foreign language or taking active participation and performing well in sports to express physical fitness.