PROFILElast verified 2026-10-26National Security Guard (NSG, “Black Cats”)
Entry requirements and the path to selection
The National Security Guard is India’s national counter-terrorism force under the Ministry of Home Affairs, created by Parliament in 1986 on the model of the British SAS and Germany’s GSG 9. It has no direct recruitment: its Special Action Groups are made up of Army personnel and its Special Ranger Groups of personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces and state police. The NSG website describes its history, structure and training centre, but publishes no fitness standards for its probation. This page lists the official facts and points you to the units it was modelled on.
This unit does not publish fitness standards for its selection. This page lists only what official sources say.
What is officially known
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Established | By an act of Parliament; presidential assent on 22 September 1986 official · Sources |
| Composition | Special Action Groups (Army personnel) and Special Ranger Groups (Central Armed Police Forces and state police) official · Sources |
| Model | The British SAS and Germany’s GSG 9 official · Sources |
| Training centre | Raised on 15 October 1985 to train NSG probationers official · Sources |
| Deputation allowance | Special Security Allowance of 40% of basic pay official · Sources |
| Entry requirements for operators | Not published — the official deputation page lists only rank abbreviations, without age, medical category or tenure official · Sources |
Path into the unit
- Serve in the Indian Army (for the Special Action Groups) or in a Central Armed Police Force or state police (for the Special Ranger Groups).
- Volunteer for deputation to the NSG through the parent service.
- Probation and training at the NSG Training Centre — its standards are not published.
Test yourself against the nearest official standard
These units publish their standards — the closest public benchmark for this path.
GERMANY
UNITED KINGDOMWhat we do not give, and why
Age limits, a five-year tenure, probation length and physical tests appear on coaching websites and in the press, but not on the NSG’s official pages, so we do not give them.
Frequently asked questions
Can a civilian join the NSG?
Not directly. The official history describes the NSG as two elements drawn from the Army and from the police forces, so the way in is to join the Army or a police force first.
Why compare with GSG 9 and the SAS?
The NSG was officially modelled on them, and both have published standards on this site: GSG 9 minimums and the fitness standard required for the SAS Reserve course. They are a benchmark, not the NSG test.
Where do the facts come from?
From the NSG’s official website on the Ministry of Home Affairs domain (nsg.mha.gov.in) — history, training centre and deputation pages — and an NSG deputation notice of 1 October 2025, read in October 2026.
Kopassus (Komando Pasukan Khusus, Indonesian Army)