On 10 December 1962, exactly thirty years after inception of the Military Academy, Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishanan, the then President of the Republic of India, presented new Colours to the Indian Military Academy in recognition of the gallant services of its Alumni in various wars and operations. The president remarked, ”There is a great responsibility resting on you. The security, the safety, the honour, the self-respect, and the prestige of our country are your main concern. We must be well armed, skilled and intelligent.” The Passing-Out-Parade of the 30th and 31st Regular, 15th and 16th NCC and 16th and 17th Technical courses on 10 December 1962 was thus invested with a historic significance. The void that had been created with the laying up of the Academy’s King’s Colours a day before India became a Republic in 1950, was thus filled.

     In 1963, the Academy witnessed a sudden spurt of activities. Following the Chinese aggression in 1962, the duration of training for regular courses was cut short and emergency courses were inducted. New living quarters for GCs were built in the Rangarwala (South Campus) area and also on the banks of Tons River (North Campus). In Aug 1964, Emergency Courses were discontinued and Regular Courses re-introduced. The last Emergency Commission course passed out on 01 Nov 1964.3903 new cadets were granted emergency commission by 01 Nov 1964.

     In 1974, the entry level of the GCs was raised to Bachelor Degree and the duration of training was reduced from two years to one and a half years for Direct Entries. In 1976, the four battalions of IMA were renamed as Cariappa Battalion, Thimayya Battalion, Manekshaw Battalion and Bhagat Battalion respectively with two companies each.

     On 15 Dec 1976, the fifth President of India, Shri Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, presented new colours to IMA as a mark of appreciation of its services to the nation both in peace and war. Placing them into the sash of Senior Under Officer D S Hooda, the president remarked, "I hope the Colours will inspire you to have strength and resilience for the purpose of welfare and safety of your country. I am sure that you will maintain these traditions and keep the flag flying."

     In 1977 Army Cadets College (ACC), the progeny of Kitchener College, Nowgaon, was shifted from Pune to IMA, Dehradun where it has been functioning as a feeder wing of IMA.

      In 1980, the appointment of the Commandant was upgraded to the rank of Lieutenant General and Lt Gen M Thomas, AVSM, VSM took over as the first Commandant in this rank in Dec 1980. The appointment of Deputy Commandant and Chief Instructor was also upgraded to the rank of Major General in July 1982. Later, the appointments of Commander ACC Wing and the Head of the Academic Department were upgraded to Brigadiers.

     From 10 Dec 1932 to 10 Dec 1982, from Brig LP Collins to Lt Gen Mathew Thomas, it was indeed a journey of 50 years of sweat and glory for the Indian Military Academy. Some of those pioneer GCs, who were reviewed by Sir Philip Chetwode, the then Commander-in-Chief in India, came for the Golden Jubilee celebrations to pay homage to their alma mater. Glowing with pride they witnessed the Golden Jubilee Parade of 500 Gentlemen Cadets reviewed by the then Prime Minister Smt Indira Gandhi. She flagged off mountaineering team of IMA during her visit to the Academy.

     In 1982 the IMA mountaineering expedition to Mt. Kamet (25,447 ft) and Mt. Abi Gamin (24,130 ft) was successfully accomplished. The team was led by Brig Jagjit Singh, AVSM**, VSM, ably supported by Capt Bhupinder Singh and Capt DB Thapa.

In an impressive ceremony Lt Gen J S Arora, PVSM (Retd), the then GOC-in-C, Eastern Command and the hero of the Dhaka campaign 1971 War, presented the surrendered personal pistol of Lt Gen AAK Niazi (Commander, erstwhile East Pakistan Forces, Dhaka) to the Academy on 9 Dec 1982 for safe keeping in the IMA Museum.