Introduction to Intakes
At General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU), Officer Cadets are systematically organized into ‘intakes’ to foster leadership, discipline, and unity among Officer Cadets from the tri-services including Army, Navy and Air Force.
Organizational Structure
Each intake consists approximately 4 to 6 troops. Every troop is supervised by a dedicated Troop Commander, an officer responsible for the training, mentorship, and administration of the Officer Cadets within that troop. Further, the Squadron Commander oversees the entire intake and leads the team of Troop Commanders.
Composition of Troops
Each troop typically consists of 40 to 50 Officer Cadets. Further, troops are generally organized based on the academic degree programs that Officer Cadets are enrolled in. Accordingly, squadrons can be broadly categorized into:
Technical troops – Comprising of Officer Cadets following degrees in Engineering, Information Technology, and other technical disciplines.
Non-Technical troops – Including Officer Cadets studying Management, Law, Social Sciences, and related fields.
MBBS Officer Cadets – Officer Cadets following the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) program are also part of the overall squadron structure but may be organized with particular administrative attention.
Joint-Service Integration
A defining feature of KDU Officer Cadets’ structure is tri-service integration. Every troop is a mix of Army, Navy and Air Force Officer Cadets, promoting inter-service cooperation and understanding. This structure is designed to instill the values of teamwork and joint operations from the earliest stage of an Officer Cadet’s military career.