Delhi’s Jharoda Kalan Produces NDA Rankers to Ignite Dreams
Jharoda Kalan Armed Forces Preparatory School Delhi (Image school management)
Students from modest backgrounds crack NDA exam, giving Delhi’s Jharoda Kalan a new identity as a defence aspirants’ hub.
By SIDHARTH MISHRA
New Delhi, April 22, 2026 — In South-West Delhi lies the village of Jharoda Kalan, a place long associated with two prominent institutions—the Police Training College of the Delhi Police and a major camp of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Now, the village is steadily carving out a third identity for itself with the emergence of the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Armed Forces Preparatory School.
What brings fresh laurels to this otherwise quiet village is the remarkable achievement of students from this relatively new institution, established in 2022. Among them stands out Armaan Gupta, whose journey reflects both grit and aspiration. The son of a newspaper hawker, Armaan often assists his father in distributing newspapers, especially during school holidays. His mother supplements the family income by taking tuitions.
Despite these modest circumstances, Armaan has achieved an extraordinary feat. He has cleared the highly competitive National Defence Academy (NDA) examination, securing an impressive All India Rank (AIR) of 20 this year.
For a school that was set up only a few years ago and had yet to fully deliver on its intended goals, this achievement marks a significant turning point. The recently declared NDA merit list features several students from the institution, signaling a promising transformation. This turnaround is being attributed to the proactive and hands-on approach of Delhi’s Education Minister, Ashish Sood.
An education department official, while analyzing the results, noted, “Cadet Armaan Gupta of the present Class 12 has secured All India Rank 20. Four cadets, including Armaan, have obtained ranks that should fetch them call letters from the NDA. A fifth cadet may miss out due to medical reasons, though confirmation is awaited. The sixth cadet, a girl, has a 50:50 chance of receiving a call letter as her merit position is marginal.”
By any standard, this is a commendable performance. Entry into the NDA requires candidates to first clear a rigorous written examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission—an exam often considered comparable in competitiveness to the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE).
Those who qualify must then undergo the Services Selection Board (SSB) process conducted by the armed forces—Army, Navy, and Air Force. This multi-stage assessment tests candidates on physical endurance, psychological aptitude, leadership qualities, and overall personality. Many aspirants are filtered out in the preliminary stages itself, while only a few advance to the final rounds.
Traditionally, the NDA merit lists are dominated by students from elite institutions such as Sainik Schools, Rashtriya Military Schools, and the prestigious Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC). Competing successfully against candidates from such established institutions is no small achievement.
The success stories emerging from Jharoda Kalan are not limited to Armaan alone. Several students at the school come from economically weaker backgrounds. One cadet, Keshav, has lost his father and depends on limited family savings. Another student’s father is an unskilled labourer. For such students to excel in one of the country’s toughest selection processes is both inspiring and deeply satisfying for those associated with the initiative.
An official involved in the project remarked, “When students from such challenging backgrounds succeed, it gives immense satisfaction. However, to sustain and improve such performance, we need expert trainers—similar to those available in Sainik Schools.” Encouragingly, the government appears committed to this vision. Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood has made it clear that financial constraints will not hinder the hiring of expert faculty or the development of necessary infrastructure for training aspiring cadets.
As Jharoda Kalan continues to nurture such talent, the village is no longer just a hub of security forces training—it is fast becoming a cradle of future officers for the nation’s armed forces.
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