Admiral Sunil Lanba, the Chief of Naval Staff inaugurated Indian Navy’s first full-fledged Service Selection Board (SSB) at Diamond Harbour, near Kolkata. The Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, Vice Admiral Karambir Singh, was also present at the venue.
SSB (Kolkata) is located approximately 55 km away from central Kolkata, on land that was previously occupied by a Naval Coastal Battery. This is the fifth Service Selection Board of the Indian Navy and caters for selection of both Permanent and Short Service Commission officers. The other Boards are located in Bhopal, Bengaluru, Visakhapatnam and Coimbatore. Spread over an area of 27 acres on the banks of the river Hooghly, SSB (Kolkata) has the capacity to screen approximately 5000 officer-candidates annually. The Board can accommodate approximately 160 candidates at a time and has separate facilities and accommodation for men and women candidates. Facilities available at the Board are GTO ground, Testing Hall, Conference Room, accommodation for staff and a Medical Inspection Room. These are not only custom-built to meet the stringent testing requirements, but also to cater for the comfort and convenience of candidates.
The SSB at Diamond Harbour, Kolkata will boost the induction of officers, both men and women, into the Indian Navy. Its location will reduce the travel time and effort for candidates from Northern and North Eastern parts of the country.