From his father’s uniform to his own: Meet Lt Mohit Arora after seven years of perseverance

Officer Cadet Mohit Arora from Phagwara in Punjab’s Kapurthala district has achieved a long-held ambition of joining the Indian Army after a seven-year pursuit. The son of an ex-serviceman from the Army Postal Service, Mohit was inspired by his father’s military service from an early age and grew up aspiring to wear the Olive Green uniform himself.

For Mohit, becoming an Army officer remained a clear goal despite the setbacks and competing career opportunities he encountered along the way. His journey included strong academic performance, competitive CAT scores and admission offers from three Indian Institutes of Management.

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From Army Public School to a Physics degree

Mohit completed his Class X education at Army Public School, Kolkata, before pursuing Class XII at Army Public School, Jalandhar Cantonment. He later earned a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Physics from Lovely Professional University, where he graduated with distinction.

His academic record also opened up opportunities outside the Armed Forces. He appeared for CAT 2022 and secured the 93rd percentile before improving his score to the 97th percentile in CAT 2023.

His performance led to admission offers from IIM Amritsar, IIM Nagpur and IIM Jammu, giving him the option of pursuing management education and a corporate career.

Why Mohit chose the Olive Green over IIM offers

Despite having opportunities to enter prestigious management institutions, Mohit continued to pursue his childhood ambition of becoming an Army officer. The decision reflected a clear preference for military service over the corporate career that his academic achievements could have enabled.

His pursuit lasted seven years and involved sustained preparation and persistence. The effort eventually paid off when he secured All India Rank 212, earning his place in the Indian Army.

The achievement was particularly significant because his aspiration had been shaped by his father’s service in the Army Postal Service. The uniform Mohit had seen his father wear during childhood had become the one he wanted to earn himself.

Seven-year pursuit leads to Army training

Mohit’s academic record meant that he had several competitive career paths available to him. Along with his distinction in BSc (Honours) Physics, his CAT performances and IIM admission offers demonstrated his ability to succeed in other fields.

He nevertheless remained committed to his military goal. His journey illustrates the sustained effort required to pursue a long-term ambition despite setbacks and alternative opportunities.

He is now at the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Gaya, where he has entered the next phase of his journey towards becoming an Army officer. His training will require him to develop discipline, physical resilience, mental robustness, teamwork and leadership.

From his early years in Phagwara and schooling at Army Public Schools in Kolkata and Jalandhar Cantonment to his Physics degree, CAT achievements and IIM offers, Mohit’s journey has involved several significant academic milestones. Throughout them, his ambition to serve the nation in uniform remained unchanged.

His experience also highlights the role of family inspiration and perseverance in pursuing a long-term goal. For Mohit, the Olive Green represented more than another career opportunity. It was the ambition he had carried since childhood, and after seven years of effort, he has taken a decisive step towards making it a reality.