# Business Requirements Document
## Join Indian Navy — Website Revamp
### joinindiannavy.gov.in

---

> **Document version:** 2.0
> **Status:** Draft
> **Date:** June 11, 2026
> **Prepared by:** Product Design & Management Team
> **Last updated:** June 11, 2026
> **Reviewed by:** [Pending — Recruitment Directorate, NIC]
> **Approved by:** [Pending]

---

## DOCUMENT CONTROL

| Version | Date | Author | Changes |
|---------|------|--------|---------|
| 1.0 | June 11, 2026 | Product Design & Management Team | Initial draft |
| 2.0 | June 11, 2026 | Product Design & Management Team | Reformatted to UX4G BRD template |

---

## TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. [Product Overview](#1-product-overview)
2. [Problem Statement](#2-problem-statement)
3. [Goals & Success Metrics](#3-goals--success-metrics)
4. [Users & Personas](#4-users--personas)
5. [User Journeys](#5-user-journeys)
6. [Scope — Page & Screen Inventory](#6-scope--page--screen-inventory)
7. [Functional Requirements](#7-functional-requirements)
8. [Non-Functional Requirements](#8-non-functional-requirements)
9. [Content Requirements](#9-content-requirements)
10. [Integration Requirements](#10-integration-requirements)
11. [Design & Brand Requirements](#11-design--brand-requirements)
12. [Accessibility Requirements](#12-accessibility-requirements)
13. [Constraints](#13-constraints)
14. [Risks](#14-risks)
15. [Open Questions](#15-open-questions)
16. [Timeline & Milestones](#16-timeline--milestones)
17. [Appendix](#17-appendix)

---

## 1. PRODUCT OVERVIEW

### 1.1 Product Identity

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| **Product name** | Join Indian Navy — Recruitment Portal |
| **Parent organisation** | Indian Navy — Recruitment Directorate |
| **Ministry / department** | Ministry of Defence, Government of India |
| **Product type** | Citizen-facing recruitment portal |
| **Primary URL / domain** | https://www.joinindiannavy.gov.in |
| **Launch type** | Revamp of existing live portal |
| **If revamp — replacing** | Current joinindiannavy.gov.in — a legacy NIC-hosted site with dated design, no mobile optimisation, and broken accessibility |

### 1.2 Product Purpose

**One sentence — what this product does:**

> The Join Indian Navy portal is the official digital platform for prospective candidates to discover, check eligibility for, apply to, and track applications for Indian Navy recruitment schemes across Officer and Sailor/Agniveer categories.

**What problem it solves:**

> Millions of young Indians across Tier 1, 2, and 3 cities want to build a career in the Indian Navy but cannot navigate the current portal to understand which scheme applies to them, complete an application without confusion, or track their status without calling the helpdesk.

**What happens if this product does not exist (the stakes):**

> Eligible candidates miss application windows or apply to the wrong scheme due to a confusing experience. The Indian Navy fails to reach its full recruitment potential from India's largest-ever youth population. India's prestige defence force presents a digital experience that contradicts its institutional authority.

### 1.3 Geographic & Regulatory Scope

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| **Geographic scope** | National — all states and union territories of India |
| **Regulatory frameworks** | GIGW 3.0, WCAG 2.1 Level AA, CERT-In security guidelines, MeitY web policy, NIC hosting policy, RTI Act 2005, IT Act 2000, data localisation requirements |
| **Government scheme / programme** | Agnipath Scheme (Agniveers), UPSC-linked schemes (NDA/CDS), Short Service Commission, Permanent Commission |
| **Must align with** | UX4G Design System (ux4g.gov.in), National Language Policy, Digital India guidelines, GIGW 3.0 |

---

## 2. PROBLEM STATEMENT

### 2.1 Current Situation

The current `joinindiannavy.gov.in` is a legacy NIC-hosted portal built without mobile-first principles, modern accessibility standards, or candidate-centric information architecture. It functions as a notice board rather than a guided recruitment experience. Candidates must already know Navy recruitment terminology to navigate it — there is no guided discovery, no eligibility check, and no unified application tracking. The homepage alone presents tickers, carousels, social media links, news, events, quick links, and category cards simultaneously with no visual hierarchy or primary call-to-action.

### 2.2 Pain Points

| User | Pain Point | Severity |
|------|-----------|----------|
| First-time candidate | Cannot determine which scheme applies to them without prior knowledge of Navy terminology (SSR, MR, AA, Agniveer) | High |
| All candidates | Two auto-scrolling tickers move too fast, have no pause control, and fail WCAG 2.2.2 | High |
| Mobile users (70–75% of traffic) | Layout is not optimised for smartphones — text overflows, touch targets are too small, forms are unusable | High |
| Hindi-speaking users | Site is English-only; Hindi available on some documents but not on the interface | High |
| Re-applicants | Application status requires login to a separate portal with no continuity from this site | High |
| All candidates | News, notices, deadlines, and results are mixed together with no taxonomy — critical windows are missed | Medium |
| Admin users | Content updates require NIC developer tickets — no CMS for routine notices | Medium |
| Candidates with disabilities | No meaningful WCAG compliance; screen reader access is a link, not a functional feature | High |
| Parents / guardians | Site looks unofficial and outdated, reducing trust; no simplified process explainer | Medium |

### 2.3 Root Causes

- Portal was built in an era of desktop-first, notice-board style government websites with no user research
- No mobile design investment despite mobile traffic being the clear majority
- Content is published by multiple teams with no unified taxonomy or CMS — resulting in noise
- No content strategy: scheme names use internal Navy jargon with no plain-language equivalents
- Accessibility was never a design or development requirement in the original build
- Application and tracking flows live on separate portals with no shared design language

### 2.4 Opportunity

A redesigned portal using UX4G components, a guided eligibility experience, and a mobile-first candidate journey would: reduce time-to-task from ~8 minutes to under 2 minutes; cut eligibility helpdesk calls by 30–40%; make the Navy accessible to first-generation applicants from Tier 3 cities; and establish `joinindiannavy.gov.in` as a reference UX4G implementation for defence recruitment portals across India.

---

## 3. GOALS & SUCCESS METRICS

### 3.1 Goals

| # | Goal | Why it matters |
|---|------|---------------|
| 1 | Reduce time-to-task to under 2 minutes | The majority of candidates are on 4G mobile with limited time; a slow discovery experience causes abandonment |
| 2 | Increase application start rate by 15% | Direct revenue of human capital for the Navy; missed applications = missed talent |
| 3 | Reduce eligibility-related helpdesk calls by 30% | Self-service discovery frees Recruitment Directorate staff for higher-value work |
| 4 | Achieve full WCAG 2.1 AA compliance | Legal obligation; moral obligation to serve candidates with disabilities equally |
| 5 | Establish UX4G compliance as reference implementation | Raises the bar for all defence/recruitment portals in India |
| 6 | Support Hindi at launch + 4 regional languages at v2 | India's candidates speak many languages; English-only is exclusionary |

### 3.2 Success Metrics

| Metric | Baseline | Target (12 months post-launch) | Measurement method |
|--------|----------|-------------------------------|-------------------|
| Time-to-task (homepage → correct scheme found) | ~4–8 min (estimated) | < 2 min | Usability testing + session recording |
| Mobile task completion rate | TBD — capture at launch | +25% improvement | NIC Analytics funnel |
| Homepage bounce rate | ~55–65% (estimated) | Reduce by 20% | NIC Analytics |
| Application start rate | TBD — capture at launch | +15% | Backend conversion tracking |
| WCAG 2.1 AA audit score | Failing (multiple criteria) | Pass — zero critical failures | Automated (Axe) + manual audit |
| Helpdesk calls — eligibility queries | TBD — Recruitment Directorate data | -30% | Helpdesk ticket categorisation |
| CSAT / user satisfaction | Not currently measured | ≥ 4.0 / 5.0 | Post-task survey on site |
| Hindi language usage share | 0% (not available) | ≥ 30% of sessions | NIC Analytics language toggle events |

### 3.3 Anti-Goals

- This portal is NOT a backend recruitment processing system — exam management, merit list generation, and results computation remain with the existing Navy/NIC backend
- This portal is NOT a mobile app — web-only for this phase
- This portal does NOT replace any internal Navy HR, salary, or officer management system
- This portal does NOT manage physical test centre operations

---

## 4. USERS & PERSONAS

### Persona 1 — Arjun Pawar, 19 *(Primary User)*

| Field | Detail |
|-------|--------|
| **Name** | Arjun Pawar |
| **Age range** | 18–21 |
| **Location** | Nashik, Maharashtra (Tier 2) |
| **Primary device** | Android smartphone only (Redmi Note series, ~3GB RAM) |
| **Device model** | Entry-to-mid-range Android; no laptop access at home |
| **Network conditions** | 4G mobile, intermittent connectivity in residential areas |
| **Language** | Marathi (primary), Hindi (comfortable), English (functional) |
| **Digital literacy** | Moderate — comfortable with WhatsApp, YouTube, UPI; unfamiliar with government portals |
| **Education** | 10+2 Science, passed with 60% |
| **Occupation** | Recently passed 12th; looking for career options |
| **Primary goal** | Find out if he's eligible for Agniveer MR and submit an application before the window closes |
| **Secondary goals** | Understand what the selection process involves; know what documents to prepare |
| **Emotional state** | Hopeful but anxious — unsure if he qualifies; worried about missing the deadline |
| **What success looks like** | "I found out in 5 minutes that I qualify, I know exactly what to do next, and I've started my application." |
| **Current workaround** | Asks friends who've applied before; watches YouTube videos from coaching centres; calls the helpdesk |
| **Key frustrations** | Doesn't know the difference between MR, SSR, AA; application link is buried; ticker is confusing and moves too fast; site doesn't work well on his phone |
| **Accessibility needs** | None stated |

**Quote:**
> "Yaar, kaunsa form bharna hai mujhe? Ye website pe kuch samajh nahi aata."
> *(Bro, which form do I fill? I can't understand anything on this website.)*

---

### Persona 2 — Priya Sharma, 22

| Field | Detail |
|-------|--------|
| **Name** | Priya Sharma |
| **Age range** | 21–25 |
| **Location** | Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (Tier 2) |
| **Primary device** | Laptop (primary) + Android smartphone |
| **Network conditions** | Home broadband + 4G mobile |
| **Language** | Hindi (primary), English (proficient) |
| **Digital literacy** | Tech-savvy — engineering graduate, comfortable with forms and portals |
| **Education** | B.Tech ECE, just graduated |
| **Occupation** | Fresher, exploring career options including defence services |
| **Primary goal** | Understand which officer entry scheme she's eligible for (UES, SSC Technical, CEN) and compare them |
| **Secondary goals** | Understand the selection process timeline; check if there's a current notification |
| **Emotional state** | Exploratory and evaluating — comparing Navy with other career options |
| **What success looks like** | "I can see all my options side-by-side, understand the differences, and decide whether to apply." |
| **Current workaround** | Reads coaching centre blogs and YouTube; cross-references multiple govt PDFs |
| **Key frustrations** | "Executive / Electrical / Engineering" labels don't map to how she thinks about her qualifications; cannot compare schemes side-by-side; content is buried in PDFs |
| **Accessibility needs** | None stated |

**Quote:**
> "I have a B.Tech in ECE — but I have no idea if that puts me in Engineering Branch or Electrical Branch or something else entirely."

---

### Persona 3 — Suresh Kumar, 35

| Field | Detail |
|-------|--------|
| **Name** | Suresh Kumar |
| **Age range** | 30–45 |
| **Location** | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (Tier 2) |
| **Primary device** | Smartphone (mid-range Android) |
| **Network conditions** | 4G mobile |
| **Language** | Hindi (primary), basic English |
| **Digital literacy** | Low-to-moderate — uses WhatsApp and basic apps; unfamiliar with government portals |
| **Education** | Graduate |
| **Occupation** | Small business owner |
| **Primary goal** | Understand if his 18-year-old son is eligible for Navy recruitment and explain the process to him |
| **Secondary goals** | Understand the timeline and what preparation is needed; identify trustworthy information |
| **Emotional state** | Cautious and evaluating — wants to make a good decision for his son; distrustful of unofficial-looking information |
| **What success looks like** | "I understood the process in Hindi, I trust this is the official site, and I can guide my son through what to do." |
| **Current workaround** | Asks at the local post office, consults coaching institutes, calls helpline |
| **Key frustrations** | Site is English-only; no simple process explainer; site looks outdated and unofficial; no Hindi toggle |
| **Accessibility needs** | None stated — but Hindi language is a critical requirement for this persona |

**Quote:**
> "Sarkari website par Hindi mein kuch nahi milta. Pata nahi ye sahi jagah hai ya nahi."
> *(Government websites have nothing in Hindi. I don't know if this is even the right place.)*

---

### Persona 4 — Lt. Cdr. Meera Nair *(Admin / Operator)*

| Field | Detail |
|-------|--------|
| **Name** | Lt. Cdr. Meera Nair |
| **Role / title** | Recruitment Directorate — Content Administrator |
| **Primary device** | Desktop (Windows, Chrome) |
| **Primary goal** | Publish, update, and retire notifications, news items, advertisements, and application window announcements without raising a developer ticket |
| **How often** | Daily during active application windows; weekly otherwise |
| **Technical proficiency** | Moderate — comfortable with standard CMS tools; not a developer |
| **Key frustrations** | Every content update requires an NIC developer ticket with a 2–5 day turnaround; no ability to schedule content to go live or expire automatically; no way to push emergency notices urgently |

---

### Persona 5 — Ravi Krishnan, 21

| Field | Detail |
|-------|--------|
| **Name** | Ravi Krishnan |
| **Age range** | 19–24 |
| **Location** | Chennai, Tamil Nadu (Tier 1) |
| **Primary device** | Smartphone (Android) |
| **Network conditions** | 4G mobile |
| **Language** | Tamil (primary), English (comfortable) |
| **Digital literacy** | Tech-savvy — has applied before, familiar with government portals |
| **Primary goal** | Check whether his joining letter for Agniveer SSR has been issued and download it |
| **Secondary goals** | Understand what to do next after selection; confirm joining date and location |
| **Emotional state** | Under time pressure — joining is approaching; needs quick confirmation |
| **What success looks like** | "I found my joining letter in one tap, downloaded it, and know exactly when and where to report." |
| **Current workaround** | Logs into a separate portal with a different URL; calls helpdesk if login fails |
| **Key frustrations** | Status tracking requires login to a separate portal with no continuity from the main site; status terminology is unclear ("Under Review" — for how long?); no Tamil language support |
| **Accessibility needs** | None stated |

**Quote:**
> "My joining letter should be out but I don't know where to check. The other portal shows 'Under Review' — I don't know what that means."

---

### Persona Summary

| Persona | Device | Language | Literacy | Primary Goal | Priority |
|---------|--------|----------|----------|-------------|----------|
| Arjun — First-time applicant | Mobile only | Hindi / Marathi | Moderate | Eligibility check + apply | **P1** |
| Priya — Engineering graduate | Laptop + mobile | Hindi / English | High | Compare officer schemes | P2 |
| Suresh — Parent / guardian | Mobile only | Hindi | Low–moderate | Understand process | P2 |
| Lt. Cdr. Meera — Admin | Desktop | English | Moderate (non-dev) | Publish/manage content | P2 |
| Ravi — Re-applicant / tracker | Mobile only | Tamil / English | High | Track status + download joining letter | P2 |

**Primary persona:** Arjun — every default design decision (layout, language, device, network, interaction cost) is made for him first.

**Most extreme accessibility need:** Suresh — Hindi-only user on a low-literacy mobile journey. Sets the plain language and multilingual design floor.

---

## 5. USER JOURNEYS

### Journey 1 — Eligibility Check → Apply *(P1)*

| Field | Detail |
|-------|--------|
| **Persona** | Arjun (first-time applicant) |
| **Goal** | Discover the right scheme, confirm eligibility, and initiate application |
| **Entry point** | Homepage — organic search or WhatsApp-shared link |
| **Trigger** | Friend tells him applications are open for Agniveer MR |
| **Exit point** | Application submitted → confirmation page with application number |
| **What Arjun must feel at the end** | Confident and accomplished — "I did it. I know what happens next." |

| Step # | Arjun's action | System response | What can go wrong | Designed recovery |
|--------|---------------|-----------------|-------------------|-------------------|
| 1 | Lands on homepage | Homepage shows a live application banner for Agniveer MR with countdown | Banner not showing if no active window | Show "No applications currently open — get notified" CTA |
| 2 | Taps "Check My Eligibility" | Eligibility quiz launches (no login required, max 5 questions) | Quiz doesn't load on slow connection | Skeleton loader; offline-friendly fallback message |
| 3 | Answers 5 questions (education, age, gender, physical, branch preference) | Results show matching schemes as cards with plain-language descriptions | Arjun doesn't understand a question | Each question has a plain-language help tooltip |
| 4 | Selects Agniveer MR card | Scheme detail page opens — overview, eligibility, selection steps, documents needed | Too much content — Arjun gets lost | Progressive disclosure: summary first, details expandable |
| 5 | Taps "Apply Now" | Application form launches — multi-step with Stepper progress indicator | Login required and Arjun doesn't have an account | "Register in 2 minutes" flow inline, not a redirect |
| 6 | Completes registration + personal details | Form auto-saves at each step; session warning at t-5 min | Timeout during form — data lost | Save-and-resume; session extension modal |
| 7 | Uploads documents | FileUpload component with format/size guidance upfront | Wrong format uploaded | Inline error with specific correction instruction (not generic) |
| 8 | Reviews and pays fee | Payment summary page with amount, method options (UPI/Net banking/Card) | Payment gateway failure | Retry option; fee not deducted on failure; confirmation via SMS |
| 9 | Submits application | Confirmation page: application number, next steps, expected timeline | Network drop at submit moment | Idempotent submit; if duplicate detected, show existing confirmation |

**Happy path summary:**
> Arjun arrives from search, checks eligibility in 2 minutes, reads the scheme in plain language, registers, fills the form across 2 sessions (save-and-resume), pays, and receives his application number with a clear "what happens next" message.

---

### Journey 2 — Scheme Comparison → Save for Later *(P2)*

| Field | Detail |
|-------|--------|
| **Persona** | Priya (engineering graduate) |
| **Goal** | Compare officer entry schemes and decide whether to apply |
| **Entry point** | Homepage → "I want to become an Officer" pathway |
| **Trigger** | Placement season approaching; evaluating Navy as a career option |
| **Exit point** | Scheme saved / notification subscribed; or application started |
| **What Priya must feel** | Informed and in control — "I understand my options and I know which one is right for me." |

| Step # | Priya's action | System response | What can go wrong | Designed recovery |
|--------|---------------|-----------------|-------------------|-------------------|
| 1 | Lands on homepage; taps "I want to become an Officer" | Officer schemes overview page — all schemes listed with 1-line descriptions | Too many schemes listed | Grouped by qualification (10+2 / Graduate / Postgraduate) |
| 2 | Filters by "Engineering / Technical" | Filtered list shows: UES, SSC Technical, CEN Technical | Filter not intuitive | Default grouping by education level makes filter less critical |
| 3 | Opens UES detail page | Scheme page: eligibility, selection process, vacancies, pay, FAQ | Page is too long / dense | Sticky in-page TOC (AutoTOC pattern); progressive disclosure |
| 4 | Wants to compare UES vs SSC Technical | Comparison view (2 schemes side by side — key criteria) | No comparison feature | Minimum: "Compare" bookmark; stretch: side-by-side table |
| 5 | Decides not to apply now — wants to be notified | "Notify me when applications open" — email/SMS subscribe | No current notification exists | Subscribe with scheme tag; confirm via email |

**Happy path summary:**
> Priya arrives, clicks "I want to become an Officer," filters by technical/engineering, reads two scheme detail pages, subscribes for a notification, and leaves informed — no application started but a warm lead captured.

---

### Journey 3 — Application Status Check + Document Download *(P2)*

| Field | Detail |
|-------|--------|
| **Persona** | Ravi (re-applicant / tracker) |
| **Goal** | Check if joining letter is available and download it |
| **Entry point** | Direct URL or Google search "joinindiannavy joining letter" |
| **Trigger** | Expected joining date approaching; wants confirmation |
| **Exit point** | Joining letter downloaded as PDF |
| **What Ravi must feel** | Reassured and ready — "My letter is here. I know when and where to report." |

| Step # | Ravi's action | System response | What can go wrong | Designed recovery |
|--------|--------------|-----------------|-------------------|-------------------|
| 1 | Goes to /apply/track | Status check form — application number + DOB (no login required for basic check) | Doesn't remember application number | "Look up by mobile number + DOB" as fallback |
| 2 | Enters details | Current status displayed with Timeline component | Status shows "Under Review" with no date | Each status shows: what it means + estimated timeline |
| 3 | Sees "Joining Letter Issued" status | Download button active for joining letter PDF | PDF fails to load | Retry; helpdesk contact visible inline |
| 4 | Downloads PDF | Tagged accessible PDF downloaded; page shows joining instructions summary | PDF is a scanned image (inaccessible) | New PDFs must be generated as tagged accessible |

**Happy path summary:**
> Ravi goes to the tracker, enters application number + DOB, sees "Joining Letter Issued" status, reads what it means, and downloads the PDF in one tap with full joining instructions on the page.

---

## 6. SCOPE — PAGE & SCREEN INVENTORY

### 6.1 Sitemap

```
/ (Home)
├── /explore/
│   ├── /explore/officers              All officer entry schemes
│   ├── /explore/sailors-agniveers     All sailor / Agniveer schemes
│   └── /explore/eligibility-check     Guided eligibility quiz (no login)
├── /schemes/
│   └── /schemes/{scheme-slug}         Individual scheme detail (standardised template)
│       e.g. /schemes/agniveer-ssr
│            /schemes/ssc-technical
│            /schemes/upsc-nda
├── /apply/
│   ├── /apply/new                     Start new application (multi-step form)
│   │   ├── /apply/new/register        Step 1 — Registration
│   │   ├── /apply/new/personal        Step 2 — Personal details
│   │   ├── /apply/new/education       Step 3 — Educational qualifications
│   │   ├── /apply/new/documents       Step 4 — Document upload
│   │   ├── /apply/new/preview         Step 5 — Review & preview
│   │   ├── /apply/new/payment         Step 6 — Fee payment
│   │   └── /apply/new/confirmation    Step 7 — Submission confirmation
│   └── /apply/track                   Application status tracker (no login required)
├── /results/                          Results & merit lists
│   └── /results/{scheme-slug}         Scheme-specific results
├── /joining/
│   └── /joining/{scheme-slug}         Joining letters + reporting instructions
├── /prepare/
│   ├── /prepare/syllabus              Scheme-wise syllabus
│   ├── /prepare/physical              Physical standards (scheme-wise)
│   └── /prepare/medical               Medical standards (scheme-wise)
├── /life-in-navy/                     Career storytelling, roles, branches, lifestyle
├── /news/
│   ├── /news                          Notices, advertisements, results (filterable)
│   └── /news/archive                  Expired notifications archive
├── /faqs/                             Structured FAQ by topic and scheme
├── /contact/                          Contact directory + helpdesk information
└── /about/                            About the Recruitment Directorate
```

### 6.2 Page Inventory

| Page name | Route path | Page type | Primary persona | Device priority | Primary CTA | BRD req. IDs |
|-----------|-----------|-----------|----------------|----------------|-------------|--------------|
| Home | / | Landing | Arjun | Mobile-first | Check My Eligibility | FR-NAV-01, FR-NAV-02, FR-NOTIFY-03 |
| Officers overview | /explore/officers | List | Priya | Desktop + mobile | View Scheme | FR-NAV-03 |
| Sailors/Agniveers overview | /explore/sailors-agniveers | List | Arjun | Mobile-first | View Scheme | FR-NAV-03 |
| Eligibility quiz | /explore/eligibility-check | Form (multi-step) | Arjun | Mobile-first | Next question | FR-FORM-01 through FR-FORM-04 |
| Eligibility results | /explore/eligibility-check/results | List | Arjun | Mobile-first | Apply / Set Reminder | FR-FORM-05 |
| Scheme detail | /schemes/{slug} | Detail | Arjun / Priya | Mobile + desktop | Apply Now / Notify Me | FR-DATA-01 through FR-DATA-03 |
| Apply — Register | /apply/new/register | Form step | Arjun | Mobile-first | Create Account | FR-AUTH-01 |
| Apply — Personal details | /apply/new/personal | Form step | Arjun | Mobile-first | Save & Continue | FR-FORM-06 |
| Apply — Education | /apply/new/education | Form step | Arjun | Mobile-first | Save & Continue | FR-FORM-06 |
| Apply — Documents | /apply/new/documents | Form step | Arjun | Mobile-first | Upload & Continue | FR-FILE-01 through FR-FILE-03 |
| Apply — Preview | /apply/new/preview | Detail | Arjun | Mobile-first | Confirm & Pay | FR-FORM-07 |
| Apply — Payment | /apply/new/payment | Form step | Arjun | Mobile-first | Pay Now | FR-PAY-01 through FR-PAY-03 |
| Apply — Confirmation | /apply/new/confirmation | Confirmation | Arjun | Mobile-first | Download Receipt | FR-PAY-04 |
| Application tracker | /apply/track | Tracker | Ravi | Mobile-first | Download Document | FR-TRACK-01 through FR-TRACK-03 |
| Results | /results/{slug} | List | Ravi | Mobile + desktop | Download Merit List | FR-DATA-04 |
| Joining letters | /joining/{slug} | Detail | Ravi | Mobile-first | Download Joining Letter | FR-TRACK-03 |
| Syllabus | /prepare/syllabus | Detail | Arjun / Priya | Mobile + desktop | Download PDF | — |
| Physical standards | /prepare/physical | Detail | Arjun | Mobile-first | — | — |
| Medical standards | /prepare/medical | Detail | Arjun | Mobile-first | — | — |
| Life in the Navy | /life-in-navy | Landing | Priya / Suresh | Desktop + mobile | Explore Schemes | — |
| News & notices | /news | List | All | Mobile + desktop | View Notice | FR-NOTIFY-01, FR-NOTIFY-02 |
| News archive | /news/archive | List | All | Mobile + desktop | — | FR-NOTIFY-04 |
| FAQs | /faqs | List | Suresh / Arjun | Mobile-first | — | — |
| Contact | /contact | Detail | All | Mobile + desktop | — | — |
| About | /about | Detail | Suresh | Mobile + desktop | — | — |
| Admin — Dashboard | /admin | Dashboard | Lt. Cdr. Meera | Desktop | Publish Notice | FR-CMS-01 through FR-CMS-05 |
| Admin — Create/edit notice | /admin/notices/new | Form | Lt. Cdr. Meera | Desktop | Publish / Schedule | FR-CMS-02, FR-CMS-03 |

### 6.3 States Inventory

| Page | Loading | Empty | Error | Partial data | Success |
|------|---------|-------|-------|-------------|---------|
| Home | ✓ (notification cards) | ✓ (no active windows) | ✓ | — | — |
| Eligibility quiz | ✓ | — | ✓ | — | ✓ (results) |
| Scheme detail | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ (no active notification) | — |
| Apply — all steps | ✓ | — | ✓ (field + form-level) | ✓ (save-and-resume) | ✓ (confirmation) |
| Application tracker | ✓ | ✓ (no results found) | ✓ | ✓ (status known, doc not ready) | ✓ (doc available) |
| Results | ✓ | ✓ (not declared yet) | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| News | ✓ | ✓ (no notices) | ✓ | — | — |
| Admin dashboard | ✓ | ✓ (no content) | ✓ | — | ✓ (publish confirmed) |

### 6.4 Out of Scope

- Backend recruitment processing (exam management, merit list computation, results generation) — remains with existing Navy/NIC backend
- Internal Navy HR, salary, and officer management systems
- Internal Navy intranet and officer portal
- Physical test centre management software
- eOffice or government document management integrations beyond DigiLocker
- Native mobile applications (iOS / Android) — web-only for this phase
- Live chat or AI-powered helpdesk (future consideration)

---

## 7. FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

### 7.1 Navigation

| ID | Requirement | Priority | Notes |
|----|-------------|----------|-------|
| FR-NAV-01 | The homepage must present two clearly labelled candidate entry pathways: "I want to become an Officer" and "I want to join as a Sailor / Agniveer" as the primary visual entry points | Must-have | Replaces current internal terminology cards |
| FR-NAV-02 | The homepage must display a contextual primary CTA reflecting the most time-sensitive live application window (e.g. "Agniveer MR — 3 days left to apply") | Must-have | Dynamic; falls back to "Check My Eligibility" when no window is live |
| FR-NAV-03 | Primary navigation must have a maximum of 5 top-level items using the UX4G NavigationMenu mega-menu pattern on desktop and hamburger on mobile | Must-have | |
| FR-NAV-04 | Every page except the homepage must display a UX4G Breadcrumb component | Must-have | |
| FR-NAV-05 | A "Back to Top" button (UX4G BackToTop component) must appear on all pages exceeding 2 viewport heights | Must-have | |
| FR-NAV-06 | The auto-scrolling ticker banners must be removed and replaced with a static, accessible notification panel with date-sorted entries | Must-have | WCAG 2.2.2 fix |

### 7.2 Forms & Input

| ID | Requirement | Priority | Notes |
|----|-------------|----------|-------|
| FR-FORM-01 | The eligibility quiz must ask no more than 5 questions (education level, age, gender, physical category, preferred branch) | Must-have | |
| FR-FORM-02 | The eligibility quiz must be completable without login | Must-have | |
| FR-FORM-03 | Eligibility quiz results must display as UX4G Card components showing: matched scheme name, plain-language eligibility summary, match rationale, and Apply / Notify Me CTA | Must-have | |
| FR-FORM-04 | Eligibility quiz results must be shareable via a permanent URL | Must-have | For candidates sharing with parents / counsellors |
| FR-FORM-05 | Each eligibility quiz question must include a plain-language help tooltip using the UX4G Tooltip component | Must-have | |
| FR-FORM-06 | The application form must be a multi-step flow using the UX4G Stepper pattern with save-and-resume at every step | Must-have | |
| FR-FORM-07 | A session expiry warning must appear 5 minutes before timeout with an "Extend Session" option | Must-have | WCAG 2.2.1 + data loss prevention |
| FR-FORM-08 | All required documents and their format/size specifications must be listed on a "What you'll need" screen before the application form begins | Must-have | |
| FR-FORM-09 | All form field errors must be associated with their fields, visible inline, and describe the specific corrective action required | Must-have | WCAG 3.3.1 |
| FR-FORM-10 | A form-level error summary (UX4G Alert — error variant) must appear at the top of any step with validation failures | Must-have | |

### 7.3 Authentication & Sessions

| ID | Requirement | Priority | Notes |
|----|-------------|----------|-------|
| FR-AUTH-01 | Candidates must be able to register using mobile number + OTP (UX4G OTPInput component) | Must-have | |
| FR-AUTH-02 | Application status tracking (/apply/track) must be accessible without login using application number + date of birth | Must-have | Core Ravi journey |
| FR-AUTH-03 | Eligibility quiz and scheme browsing must be fully accessible without login | Must-have | Core Arjun discovery journey |
| FR-AUTH-04 | Maximum unauthenticated session: 60 minutes with t-5 min warning | Must-have | See FR-FORM-07 |

### 7.4 Search

| ID | Requirement | Priority | Notes |
|----|-------------|----------|-------|
| FR-SEARCH-01 | Global search must index all pages, scheme content, FAQs, and news items | Must-have | |
| FR-SEARCH-02 | Search results must support filtering by: Content type (Scheme / Notice / FAQ / Result), Category (Officer / Sailor / Agniveer), and Date | Must-have | |
| FR-SEARCH-03 | Search must handle common misspellings and Hindi transliterations (e.g. "Agneeveer," "agnivir," "jawan") | Should-have | |

### 7.5 Notifications & Alerts

| ID | Requirement | Priority | Notes |
|----|-------------|----------|-------|
| FR-NOTIFY-01 | The "Latest Updates" section must visually distinguish between: Notification, Result, Joining Letter, and Advertisement using distinct UX4G Badge variants | Must-have | |
| FR-NOTIFY-02 | Candidates must be able to subscribe to scheme-specific notifications (email / SMS) without completing a full application | Should-have | Subject to backend capability |
| FR-NOTIFY-03 | Emergency / high-priority notices must be promotable to a site-wide banner from the CMS by an admin without developer intervention | Must-have | |
| FR-NOTIFY-04 | Expired notifications must be archived at /news/archive — not deleted | Must-have | RTI compliance |

### 7.6 Data Display

| ID | Requirement | Priority | Notes |
|----|-------------|----------|-------|
| FR-DATA-01 | Every entry scheme must have a dedicated page built on a standardised template containing: Overview, Eligibility, Selection Process (step-by-step), Vacancies, Syllabus, Physical Standards, Medical Standards, Pay & Benefits, FAQ, Current Notification (if live), Apply / Track CTA | Must-have | ~20 scheme pages |
| FR-DATA-02 | Scheme pages must display a status badge: Application Open / Closed / Results Declared / Joining Letters Issued | Must-have | |
| FR-DATA-03 | Application status tracker must display the 7-stage pipeline using the UX4G Timeline component: Application Received → Under Review → Admit Card Issued → Exam Scheduled → Result Declared → Selected → Joining Letter Issued | Must-have | Each stage labelled with plain-language meaning and estimated duration |
| FR-DATA-04 | Results and merit lists must be downloadable as tagged accessible PDFs directly from the tracker and results pages | Must-have | |

### 7.7 File Handling

| ID | Requirement | Priority | Notes |
|----|-------------|----------|-------|
| FR-FILE-01 | All accepted document formats must be stated upfront before upload begins | Must-have | |
| FR-FILE-02 | Accepted upload formats: PDF, JPG, PNG | Must-have | |
| FR-FILE-03 | Maximum file size: 2MB per document, 10MB total per application | Must-have | |
| FR-FILE-04 | Upload errors must specify the problem and the fix inline using the UX4G FileUpload error state | Must-have | |

### 7.8 Payment

| ID | Requirement | Priority | Notes |
|----|-------------|----------|-------|
| FR-PAY-01 | Payment summary must display: scheme name, application fee amount, and available payment methods before initiating payment | Must-have | |
| FR-PAY-02 | Accepted payment methods: UPI, Net Banking, Debit/Credit Card | Must-have | |
| FR-PAY-03 | If payment fails, the fee must not be deducted and the candidate must be shown a clear retry option | Must-have | |
| FR-PAY-04 | Successful payment must generate a downloadable PDF receipt and send SMS + email confirmation | Must-have | |

### 7.9 Tracking & Status

| ID | Requirement | Priority | Notes |
|----|-------------|----------|-------|
| FR-TRACK-01 | Tracker accessible via application number + date of birth — no login required | Must-have | |
| FR-TRACK-02 | Each status stage must display: stage name, plain-language explanation, and estimated duration or expected next date | Must-have | |
| FR-TRACK-03 | When documents are available (admit card, result, joining letter), a download button must be active on the tracker page | Must-have | |

### 7.10 Content Management

| ID | Requirement | Priority | Notes |
|----|-------------|----------|-------|
| FR-CMS-01 | Administrators must be able to publish, edit, and retire notifications, news, and advertisements without developer intervention | Must-have | |
| FR-CMS-02 | Content must support scheduled go-live and expiry dates and times | Must-have | Critical for application window management |
| FR-CMS-03 | An emergency notice must be promotable to a site-wide banner by an admin in under 2 minutes | Must-have | |
| FR-CMS-04 | All admin CMS actions must be logged with timestamp and user ID | Must-have | Audit trail |
| FR-CMS-05 | CMS must support multi-language content entry — separate fields for EN and HI (and v2 languages) per content item | Must-have | |

### 7.11 Multilingual

| ID | Requirement | Priority | Notes |
|----|-------------|----------|-------|
| FR-I18N-01 | Languages at launch: English (en) and Hindi (hi) — full interface + content | Must-have | |
| FR-I18N-02 | Languages at v2 (within 6 months of launch): Tamil (ta), Bengali (bn), Telugu (te), Kannada (kn) | Should-have | Via UX4G Bhashini IndicTrans v2 pipeline with human review |
| FR-I18N-03 | The UX4G LanguageSelector component must be persistent, prominent, and available on every page | Must-have | |
| FR-I18N-04 | Translated content for critical pages (Eligibility Quiz, Application Flow, Scheme Detail) must be reviewed by a human translator before publishing | Must-have | |
| FR-I18N-05 | RTL support: not required at launch; Urdu (ur) is a v3 consideration | Nice-to-have | |

---

## 8. NON-FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

### 8.1 Performance

| Metric | Target | Context |
|--------|--------|---------|
| LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) | < 2.5s | 4G mobile |
| CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) | < 0.1 | All devices |
| INP (Interaction to Next Paint) | < 200ms | All devices |
| Full page load | < 3s | 4G mobile, homepage |
| Time to interactive | < 4s | 4G mobile |

### 8.2 Availability & Scale

| Metric | Target |
|--------|--------|
| Uptime | 99.9% |
| Peak concurrent users | 5× normal traffic — specifically on application window open days |
| Recovery time objective | < 4 hours for critical failure |
| Load handling | Auto-scaling or CDN-backed static delivery for peak events |

### 8.3 Security

| Requirement | Detail |
|-------------|--------|
| Authentication method | Mobile OTP (primary); DigiLocker for document fetch |
| Session timeout | 60 min unauthenticated; t-5 min warning with extension option |
| PII handling | PII stored server-side only; never in URLs; HTTPS throughout |
| Data in transit | TLS 1.2+ minimum |
| CERT-In compliance | Mandatory |
| Audit logging | All admin CMS actions logged with timestamp and user ID |

### 8.4 Browser & Device Support

| Platform | Browsers | Notes |
|----------|---------|-------|
| Android (Chrome) | Last 2 versions | Primary — ~60% of traffic |
| Android (Samsung Internet) | Last 2 versions | Significant Indian market share |
| iOS (Safari) | Last 2 versions | |
| Windows (Chrome, Firefox, Edge) | Last 2 versions | |
| macOS (Safari, Chrome) | Last 2 versions | |

Minimum supported viewport: 320px wide.

### 8.5 Analytics

| Requirement | Detail |
|-------------|--------|
| Analytics platform | NIC Analytics or MeitY-approved equivalent — no Google Analytics without explicit approval |
| Key events to track | Eligibility quiz started, quiz completed, scheme page viewed, application started, application submitted, payment success, payment failure, document downloaded, language toggled |
| Funnels to measure | Homepage → eligibility quiz → scheme → apply → confirm; Homepage → tracker → document download |
| Third-party tracking | Requires explicit MeitY approval — not in default scope |

---

## 9. CONTENT REQUIREMENTS

### 9.1 Language Plan

| Locale | Language | Script | Status at launch | Status at v2 | Coverage needed |
|--------|----------|--------|-----------------|-------------|-----------------|
| `en` | English | Latin | ✅ Active | ✅ Active | 100% |
| `hi` | Hindi | Devanagari | ✅ Active | ✅ Active | 100% — human reviewed |
| `ta` | Tamil | Tamil | ❌ | ✅ v2 | 100% — Bhashini + human review on critical pages |
| `bn` | Bengali | Bengali | ❌ | ✅ v2 | 100% — Bhashini + human review on critical pages |
| `te` | Telugu | Telugu | ❌ | ✅ v2 | 100% — Bhashini + human review on critical pages |
| `kn` | Kannada | Kannada | ❌ | ✅ v2 | 100% — Bhashini + human review on critical pages |
| `ml` | Malayalam | Malayalam | ❌ | v3 | |
| `gu` | Gujarati | Gujarati | ❌ | v3 | |
| `mr` | Marathi | Devanagari | ❌ | v3 | High priority given Maharashtra recruitment base |
| `pa` | Punjabi | Gurmukhi | ❌ | v3 | |
| `ur` | Urdu | Nastaliq (RTL) | ❌ | v3 | RTL layout requires separate design work |

### 9.2 Plain Language Standard

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Target reading level | Class 8 in English; equivalent in Hindi |
| Terminology rules | All Navy acronyms (SSR, MR, AA, UES, CDS, NDA, SSC) must be expanded and explained in plain language on first use on every page |
| Tone of voice | Authoritative but approachable — like a knowledgeable senior officer guiding a candidate, not a bureaucratic notice board |

### 9.3 Content Types & Taxonomy

| Content type | Examples | Owner | Update frequency | Expiry rule | Archive rule |
|-------------|---------|-------|-----------------|------------|-------------|
| Scheme detail | Agniveer SSR scheme page | Recruitment Directorate | When scheme criteria change | Does not expire | Versioned |
| Notification | "Applications open for Agniveer MR 02/2026" | Recruitment Directorate | Per recruitment cycle | At application close date | Archive at /news/archive |
| Advertisement | Official PDF advertisement for a scheme | Recruitment Directorate | Per recruitment cycle | At application close date | Archive |
| Result | "Merit list declared for Agniveer SSR" | Recruitment Directorate | Per result event | Does not expire | Keep live |
| Joining letter | "Joining letter issued — 10+2 Cadet Jul Batch" | Recruitment Directorate | Per batch | Does not expire | Keep live |
| News | "Navy Day Recruitment Drive" | PRO / Directorate | Ad hoc | No automatic expiry | Keep live |
| FAQ | "What documents are needed for Agniveer?" | Content team | Quarterly review | Does not expire | Versioned |

### 9.4 Mandatory Content

| Content | Required on | Authority |
|---------|------------|-----------|
| Copyright notice — "Content Owned, Updated and Maintained by Join Indian Navy" | Footer — all pages | GoI policy |
| Accessibility statement | Footer + /accessibility | GIGW 3.0 |
| Privacy policy link | Footer — all pages | IT Act |
| RTI information link | Footer — all pages | RTI Act |
| Page last updated date | Footer — all pages | GIGW 3.0 |
| Screen reader access link | Header — all pages | GIGW 3.0 |
| National Informatics Centre attribution | Footer | NIC policy |
| india.gov.in link | Footer | Digital India policy |
| Partner logos (NGSP, Aadhaar, CSC, Digital India, UPSC) | Footer | Policy requirement |

### 9.5 CMS Requirements

| Requirement | Detail |
|-------------|--------|
| CMS needed | Yes — mandatory |
| Content editable without developer | Notifications, news, advertisements, scheme status badges, site-wide emergency banner, FAQ entries |
| Scheduling | Go-live and expiry date/time per content item — mandatory |
| Emergency banner | Admin-promotable from CMS in under 2 minutes |
| Multi-author workflow | Yes — multiple Recruitment Directorate staff |
| Content approval workflow | Recommended — draft → review → publish; not blocking for v1 |

---

## 10. INTEGRATION REQUIREMENTS

### 10.1 Backend Systems

| System | Purpose | Integration type | Notes |
|--------|---------|-----------------|-------|
| Indian Navy Recruitment Backend | Application processing, exam management, results, merit list generation | REST API | APIs must be documented before design begins; front-end fully decoupled |
| Payment Gateway | Application fee payment | API / redirect | UPI, Net Banking, Card — provider TBD (NIC-approved) |
| DigiLocker | Pre-fill application documents (Aadhaar, education certificates) | OAuth2 API | Design document upload as fallback; DigiLocker as enhancement |
| NIC Analytics | Usage tracking and funnel analytics | Embed / Tag | No Google Analytics without approval |
| SMS / OTP Gateway | Registration OTP, payment confirmation, status notifications | API | NIC-approved provider |
| Email Gateway | Application confirmation, payment receipt, scheme notifications | SMTP / API | NIC-approved provider |

### 10.2 Authentication

| Field | Detail |
|-------|--------|
| Method | Mobile OTP for registration and login |
| Guest access | Eligibility quiz, scheme browsing, news, FAQs, application tracking (by application number + DOB) — all without login |
| Login required for | Starting an application, accessing saved applications, downloading scheme-specific documents post-selection |

### 10.3 Payment

| Field | Detail |
|-------|--------|
| Payment methods | UPI, Net Banking, Debit/Credit Card |
| Receipt | Downloadable PDF + email + SMS confirmation |
| Failure handling | Fee not deducted on failure; inline retry option; helpdesk contact shown |
| Refund flow | Out of scope — handled by existing backend |

### 10.4 Notifications

| Channel | In scope | Trigger events |
|---------|---------|----------------|
| SMS | Yes (launch) | OTP, application submitted, payment confirmed, status change, joining letter issued |
| Email | Yes (launch) | Application confirmation, payment receipt, scheme notification subscription updates |
| WhatsApp | Should-have (v2) | Status updates via NavyWhatsApp channel if provisioned |
| In-app / browser push | Out of scope | |

### 10.5 Document & Data Pre-fill

| Source | Data pre-filled | User action required |
|--------|----------------|---------------------|
| DigiLocker | Aadhaar data (name, DOB, address), educational certificates | Grant DigiLocker permission in application flow |
| Existing user profile (if re-applicant) | Name, DOB, contact details | Confirm and edit |

### 10.6 File Handling

| Field | Detail |
|-------|--------|
| Accepted formats | PDF, JPG, PNG |
| Max file size | 2MB per file; 10MB total per submission |
| Virus scanning | Yes — required before storage |
| Storage | NIC cloud infrastructure |
| Retention period | As per Recruitment Directorate policy (minimum 3 years post-application) |

---

## 11. DESIGN & BRAND REQUIREMENTS

### 11.1 Design System

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| **Design system** | UX4G (ux4g.gov.in) — mandatory |
| **UX4G compliance level** | Full compliance — this product is a reference implementation |
| **Component library** | UX4G Figma component library (attached to design brief) |

### 11.2 Brand Identity

| Field | Detail |
|-------|--------|
| **Brand name** | Join Indian Navy |
| **Parent brand** | Indian Navy — Ministry of Defence, Government of India |
| **Brand adjectives** | Trustworthy, Prestigious, Approachable, Indian, Purposeful |
| **Visual tone** | Formal/institutional with warmth — the authority of a premier defence force combined with the accessibility needed to reach a first-generation applicant from a Tier 3 city |
| **Brand rationale** | The Indian Navy is one of the most respected institutions in India. The site must feel worthy of that institution — not corporate, not cold — while being approachable to an 18-year-old from Nashik on a Redmi phone |

### 11.3 Colour

| Colour role | Value | Justification |
|-------------|-------|---------------|
| **Primary (main CTA, active states)** | `#003087` — Deep Navy Blue | Indian Navy's institutional colour; conveys authority and trust |
| **Secondary (supporting actions, accents)** | `#C8960C` — Naval Gold | Gold from the Navy emblem and officer insignia; conveys prestige and aspiration |
| **Tertiary / accent** | `#FFFFFF` — White | Clean contrast surface; white uniform association |
| **Page background** | `#F8F9FA` — Off-white | Softer than pure white; reduces eye strain on long-form content |
| **Card surface** | `#FFFFFF` | Clean; separates content clearly on off-white background |
| **Primary text** | `#111827` — Near-black | High contrast; legible on all surfaces |
| **Secondary / muted text** | `#4B5563` | Supporting labels, captions |
| **Link colour** | `#003087` — Navy Blue | Consistent with primary; familiar as a link colour |
| **Feedback — Success** | `#166534` | WCAG-compliant green |
| **Feedback — Warning** | `#92400E` | WCAG-compliant amber |
| **Feedback — Error** | `#991B1B` | WCAG-compliant red |
| **Feedback — Info** | `#1E40AF` | WCAG-compliant blue |

Dark mode: Required — Recruitment Directorate to confirm. Default: dark surfaces using `#0A1628` (deep navy) with gold and white text.

### 11.4 Typography

| Field | Detail |
|-------|--------|
| **Primary typeface** | Noto Sans (UX4G default) — universally supported, works across all scripts |
| **Heading style** | Bold (700 weight), normal letter spacing — conveys authority without aggression |
| **Body size** | 16px default; increase to 18px on forms for accessibility (target audience includes lower-literacy users) |
| **Regional scripts** | Hindi → Noto Sans Devanagari; Tamil → Noto Sans Tamil; Bengali → Noto Sans Bengali; Telugu → Noto Sans Telugu; Kannada → Noto Sans Kannada (all per UX4G typography tokens) |
| **Line height for Indic scripts** | 1.7× minimum (vs 1.5× Latin) — required for readability |

### 11.5 Shape

| Field | Choice | Justification |
|-------|--------|---------------|
| **Corner radius style** | Moderate (6–8px) | Institutional enough for a defence org; approachable enough for a young candidate. Sharp would feel cold; soft would feel unserious. |
| **Elevation style** | Subtle — light card shadows | Content-rich information site needs clear card separation without visual noise |
| **Border style** | Subtle borders on form fields; borderless cards | Forms need clear field delineation; card content should breathe |

### 11.6 Iconography

| Field | Choice |
|-------|--------|
| **Icon style** | Outline — clean, legible at small sizes, works on both light and dark backgrounds |
| **Domain-specific icons needed** | Anchor (brand mark), Ship/Vessel, Aircraft, Submarine, Rank insignia, Scheme-category icons (Officer / Sailor / Agniveer), Document types (admit card, joining letter, result) |
| **Source** | Lucide React (UX4G set) for UI icons; custom SVG set for Navy-domain icons |

### 11.7 Photography & Illustration

| Field | Detail |
|-------|--------|
| **Photography style** | Real Indian Navy personnel — diverse representation of officers, sailors, Agniveers, women in service, technical and non-technical roles. Action and portrait. Never stock imagery. |
| **Illustration** | Minimal — flat vector for process explainers and eligibility quiz screens only |
| **Asset source** | Official Indian Navy media library and Directorate of Public Relations photography |

### 11.8 Motion & Density

| Field | Choice | Justification |
|-------|--------|---------------|
| **Motion personality** | Subtle/functional | Government recruitment portal — motion must aid comprehension (step transitions, status updates) not entertain. Respect `prefers-reduced-motion`. |
| **Default transition** | 200ms (UX4G base token) | Fast enough to feel responsive; slow enough to be perceptible |
| **Layout density** | Comfortable | Forms and candidate journeys require breathing room; dense layout increases error rate on mobile |

### 11.9 Existing Reference

| Reference | Influence type | What to take / avoid |
|-----------|---------------|----------------------|
| UK Royal Navy (royalnavy.mod.uk) | Positive | Guided eligibility discovery, role-based browsing, strong visual identity — take the approach |
| US Navy (navy.com) | Positive | Life/career storytelling, clean persona entry points, mobile-first — take the structure |
| Current joinindiannavy.gov.in | Negative | Do not replicate: ticker approach, internal taxonomy labels, cluttered homepage, passive notice-board style |
| GOV.UK | Positive | Plain language, task-first hierarchy — take the content strategy |
| Other Indian Army / Airforce recruitment sites | Negative | These have similar problems — do not benchmark against them |

---

## 12. ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

| ID | Requirement | Standard | Current failure | Notes |
|----|-------------|----------|----------------|-------|
| A-01 | WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance across all pages | WCAG 2.1 | Multiple criteria failing | Non-negotiable; independent audit required before launch |
| A-02 | All images must have meaningful alt text | WCAG 1.1.1 | Missing on several homepage images | Decorative images use `alt=""` |
| A-03 | No auto-playing or auto-scrolling content without a pause/stop control | WCAG 2.2.2 | Ticker banners and hero carousel both fail | Tickers removed; carousel becomes manual-only |
| A-04 | Text contrast ≥ 4.5:1 for normal text, ≥ 3:1 for large text | WCAG 1.4.3 | Unknown — full audit required | Must be verified in both light and dark modes |
| A-05 | All interactive elements keyboard-navigable with visible focus indicator | WCAG 2.4.7 | Needs audit | Use UX4G shadow-focus token for all focus rings |
| A-06 | All form fields have visible, associated labels | WCAG 1.3.1 | Likely failing in application forms | No placeholder-as-label patterns |
| A-07 | Error messages must be associated with their fields and describe the specific fix | WCAG 3.3.1 | Likely failing | See FR-FORM-09 |
| A-08 | Skip to main content and skip to navigation links must be functional | WCAG 2.4.1 | Present but unverified | Test with NVDA + Chrome |
| A-09 | Touch targets minimum 44×44px | WCAG 2.5.5 | Failing — many current touch targets are small | Critical for primary mobile persona |
| A-10 | No information conveyed by colour alone | WCAG 1.4.1 | Status badges likely use colour only | All statuses need colour + icon + text label |
| A-11 | Session timeout warning before expiry with extension option | WCAG 2.2.1 | No warning currently | See FR-FORM-07 |
| A-12 | All downloadable PDFs must be tagged accessible documents | WCAG 1.3.1 | Current PDFs are scanned images — completely inaccessible | New PDFs must be generated as tagged; existing PDFs to be remediated |
| A-13 | Site tested with NVDA + Chrome and VoiceOver + Safari before launch | Manual test | Not currently tested | Include users with disabilities in usability testing |
| A-14 | Indic script content must have correct font, adequate line height (1.7×), and bidirectional text handling | WCAG 1.4.12 | Hindi not currently available | Set at typography token level |

---

## 13. CONSTRAINTS

### 13.1 Design Constraints

| Constraint | Detail | Source |
|------------|--------|--------|
| Must use Indian Navy anchor emblem and institutional identity | Logo, emblem, and official Navy colours must be honoured | Directorate of Public Relations, Indian Navy |
| Must feel consistent with other official GoI digital products | UX4G compliance achieves this | MeitY / Digital India policy |
| Photography must be from official Navy media only | Cannot use stock imagery of military personnel | Indian Navy policy |

### 13.2 Technical Constraints

| Constraint | Detail |
|------------|--------|
| Hosting | NIC (National Informatics Centre) infrastructure — mandatory |
| Domain | gov.in domain — cannot be changed |
| Framework | NIC-approved front-end stack; UX4G React component library recommended |
| External CDN | Requires NIC/MeitY approval |
| Third-party services | Must comply with GoI open-source and procurement policy |
| Cookies | Consent required per IT Act; no tracking cookies without explicit user consent |

### 13.3 Timeline Constraints

| Constraint | Detail |
|------------|--------|
| Hard launch date | To be confirmed with Recruitment Directorate — driven by next major recruitment cycle |
| Application window blackout | No major changes to apply flow during any active application window |
| Phased rollout | Recommended — informational pages first; apply flow only after thorough testing |

### 13.4 Content Constraints

| Constraint | Detail |
|------------|--------|
| Mandatory footer content | Specific text, logos, and links mandated by GIGW 3.0 and GoI policy cannot be removed or restyled significantly |
| UPSC-related content | Scheme details for NDA/CDS are published by UPSC — Navy portal links to UPSC; does not replicate UPSC content |
| Legal copy | Disclaimer and privacy policy text may be legally locked — confirm with Navy legal team |

---

## 14. RISKS

| ID | Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation | Owner |
|----|------|-----------|--------|------------|-------|
| R-01 | Backend API documentation incomplete or unavailable at project start | High | High | Technical discovery sprint in Phase 0; design for API-readiness; use mock data for design and early development | Tech lead |
| R-02 | Active application window opens before revamp is complete | High | Medium | Phased rollout — discovery and informational pages launch first; existing apply flow stays live until new one is fully tested | PM |
| R-03 | Content team unavailable for plain-language rewrite | Medium | High | Engage dedicated content strategist; build content templates that simplify the rewrite effort | Content lead |
| R-04 | DigiLocker API approval delayed | Medium | Medium | Design document upload as the primary flow; DigiLocker is an enhancement, not a dependency | Tech lead |
| R-05 | Translated content quality for regional languages is poor | Medium | Medium | Human review gate before any language is activated; pilot with Hindi first before v2 languages | Content lead |
| R-06 | Accessibility audit reveals deep structural issues post-build | Medium | High | Bake accessibility checkpoints into design review, component development, and QA — not just end-of-project audit | Design + QA |
| R-07 | High traffic spike on application window open day causes downtime | High | Critical | Load testing at 5× normal; CDN for static assets; server auto-scaling pre-agreed with NIC | Tech lead |
| R-08 | Navy photography assets not available or insufficient for design | Medium | Medium | Begin asset audit and request process in Phase 0; identify gaps early; plan illustration fallbacks | Design lead |
| R-09 | Stakeholder sign-off delays at each milestone | High | Medium | Agree review cadence and sign-off SLAs upfront; weekly sync with Recruitment Directorate | PM |

---

## 15. OPEN QUESTIONS

| ID | Question | Impact on design | Priority | Owner | Due date | Resolution |
|----|----------|-----------------|----------|-------|----------|------------|
| Q-01 | What is the exact list of active entry schemes and which are in scope for dedicated scheme pages? | Determines number of scheme pages to design | P1 | Recruitment Directorate | Phase 0 | |
| Q-02 | Which CMS platform has NIC approval? (Strapi / Directus / other) | Admin interface design depends on CMS capability | P1 | Tech lead + NIC | Phase 0 | |
| Q-03 | Is the existing recruitment backend API documented and accessible? What authentication does it use? | Entire application flow depends on this | P1 | Tech lead | Phase 0 | |
| Q-04 | What is the hard launch date or recruitment calendar milestone driving the timeline? | Sets sprint plan and feature prioritisation | P1 | Recruitment Directorate + PM | Phase 0 | |
| Q-05 | Which payment gateway provider is NIC-approved for this portal? | Payment flow UI depends on gateway redirect vs embedded | P1 | Tech lead + NIC | Phase 1 | |
| Q-06 | Is dark mode required at launch or is it a v2 feature? | Affects design scope and token work | P2 | Recruitment Directorate + PM | Phase 1 | |
| Q-07 | Can the Navy provide a photography brief and asset library access for design use? | Hero sections and scheme pages require real photography | P2 | Navy PRO / Directorate | Phase 1 | |
| Q-08 | Is the "Compare Schemes" feature (side-by-side) required at launch or v2? | Affects scheme detail page and explore section design | P2 | PM | Phase 1 | |
| Q-09 | What is the notification subscription backend — is email/SMS subscription to scheme alerts technically feasible at launch? | Affects scheme detail page CTA design | P2 | Tech lead | Phase 1 | |
| Q-10 | Which analytics platform is approved — NIC Analytics, or is there an existing setup? | Affects event tracking implementation scope | P3 | Tech lead + NIC | Phase 2 | |

---

## 16. TIMELINE & MILESTONES

| Phase | Duration | Key deliverables | Dependencies |
|-------|----------|-----------------|-------------|
| **0 — Discovery** | 4 weeks | Stakeholder interviews, NIC analytics baseline, accessibility audit of current site, API discovery sprint, content audit, photography asset audit, open questions (Q-01 to Q-05) resolved | Recruitment Directorate availability; NIC access |
| **1 — Strategy & IA** | 3 weeks | Revised sitemap confirmed, navigation taxonomy, content model, user journey maps, usability testing plan | Phase 0 complete; Q-01 resolved |
| **2 — Design** | 6 weeks | UX4G theme token decisions, high-fidelity screens (all personas, all journeys), component override documentation, dark mode if confirmed, prototype for usability testing | Phase 1 complete; photography assets available |
| **3 — Usability Testing** | 2 weeks | Testing with 6–8 representative users across Arjun, Priya, Suresh personas; Hindi testing session; iteration on findings | Phase 2 prototype complete |
| **4 — Development** | 10 weeks | Front-end build (UX4G components + Navy theme), CMS integration, backend API integration, accessibility implementation | Phase 3 complete; API documentation available; CMS platform confirmed |
| **5 — QA & Accessibility Audit** | 3 weeks | Functional testing, load testing (5× peak), WCAG 2.1 AA independent audit, cross-browser and device testing | Phase 4 complete |
| **6 — Content Migration** | 3 weeks *(parallel with Phases 4–5)* | Plain-language content rewrite (EN), Hindi translation + human review, CMS population | Content strategist engaged; Phase 1 content model confirmed |
| **7 — Soft Launch** | 1 week | Informational pages live (no apply flow yet); monitoring; hypercare | Phase 5 + 6 complete; no active application window |
| **8 — Full Launch** | — | Apply flow live; DNS full cutover; 2-week hypercare period | No active application window during cutover; load testing passed |

**Estimated total duration: 28–32 weeks from kick-off**

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## 17. APPENDIX

### 17.1 Glossary

| Term | Definition |
|------|-----------|
| Agniveer | A recruit under the Agnipath Scheme — a 4-year short-term military service scheme launched in 2022 |
| SSR | Senior Secondary Recruit — a sailor entry category requiring 10+2 qualification |
| MR | Matric Recruit — a sailor entry category requiring Class 10 qualification |
| AA | Artificer Apprentice — a technical sailor entry for Class 10 pass candidates |
| NDA | National Defence Academy — a tri-service academy entry via UPSC exam for 10+2 pass male candidates |
| CDS | Combined Defence Services — a UPSC exam-based officer entry for graduates |
| UES | University Entry Scheme — direct officer entry for final-year engineering students |
| SSC | Short Service Commission — a commission granting 10–14 years of service (renewable) |
| PC | Permanent Commission — a full-career officer commission |
| JAG | Judge Advocate General — the Navy's legal branch; JAG Entry is the officer entry for law graduates |
| FRRO | Foreigners Regional Registration Office — relevant to e-Visa and foreign national tracking (out of scope for this portal) |
| GIGW | Guidelines for Indian Government Websites — MeitY's web standards framework, currently version 3.0 |
| NIC | National Informatics Centre — the technology arm of MeitY; hosts this portal |
| Bhashini | India's national language translation platform, providing the IndicTrans v2 API used for regional language content |
| DigiLocker | A government platform for storing and sharing official digital documents — Aadhaar, certificates, etc. |

### 17.2 Current State Audit

| Element | Current issue | Recommended change |
|---------|--------------|-------------------|
| Visitor counter | No user value; conveys insecurity about site legitimacy | Remove |
| Font size buttons (A A A) | Non-standard; duplicates browser native zoom | Remove; ensure base font ≥ 16px |
| Auto-scrolling tickers (×2) | WCAG 2.2.2 failure; high cognitive load; no pause control | Remove; replace with static accessible notification panel |
| Hero image carousel (auto-play) | WCAG 2.2.2 failure; no pause control | Replace with static hero or manual-only carousel with full controls |
| Category cards (Executive / Engineering / Career and Job / Electrical / Education) | Internal Navy terminology; not candidate-friendly; "Career and Job" is redundant | Replace with candidate-type entry points: "Become an Officer" / "Join as a Sailor or Agniveer" |
| Quick Links row (social media + external sites) | Social media in primary navigation space creates distraction | Move to footer; Quick Links reserved for task-relevant government links only |
| Bottom sticky bar (5 CTAs) | 5 competing CTAs — Apply Online, Email Us, Join as Agniveer, Join as Officer, Contact Us | Rationalise to 2 contextual CTAs based on page — eliminate Email Us and Contact Us from primary bar |
| "SAFEGUARDING SEAS FOR A VIKSIT SAMRIDDHA BHARAT" tagline bar | Footer placement wastes brand opportunity; currently decorative | Integrate into hero as part of brand statement |
| Visitor counter | No user value | Remove |
| "Page last updated: 10/06/2026" | Useful signal of site freshness — currently buried | Retain in footer at GIGW 3.0 standard placement |

### 17.3 Entry Scheme Inventory

*(To be validated and finalised with Recruitment Directorate in Phase 0 — Q-01)*

**Officer Entry Schemes (~12):**

| Scheme | Abbreviation | Qualification | Category |
|--------|-------------|---------------|----------|
| National Defence Academy | NDA | 10+2 (Male) | UPSC |
| Combined Defence Services | CDS | Graduate | UPSC |
| University Entry Scheme | UES | Final-year B.Tech | Direct |
| Short Service Commission — Technical | SSC(T) | B.Tech | Direct |
| Short Service Commission — Non-Technical | SSC(NT) | Graduate | Direct |
| 10+2 Cadet Entry | B.Tech Cadet | 10+2 Science | Direct |
| IT Entry | IT | B.Tech CS/IT | Direct |
| Judge Advocate General Entry | JAG | LLB | Direct |
| Education Branch | Edu | M.Sc / B.Ed | Direct |
| Logistics Branch | Log | Graduate | Direct |
| Naval Armament Inspectorate | NAI | B.Tech | Direct |
| Pilot / Observer | Pilot/Obs | B.Tech / Graduate | Direct |

**Sailor / Agniveer Entry Schemes (~8):**

| Scheme | Abbreviation | Qualification | Category |
|--------|-------------|---------------|----------|
| Agniveer Senior Secondary Recruit | Agniveer SSR | 10+2 Science | Agnipath |
| Agniveer Matric Recruit | Agniveer MR | Class 10 | Agnipath |
| Agniveer MR — Musician | Agniveer MR (Music) | Class 10 + music qualification | Agnipath |
| Artificer Apprentice | AA | Class 10 Science | Direct |
| Senior Secondary Recruit | SSR | 10+2 Science | Direct |
| Matric Recruit | MR | Class 10 | Direct |
| MR — Musician | MR (Music) | Class 10 + music | Direct |
| Civilian entry schemes | — | Various | As notified |

Each scheme requires a dedicated page per FR-DATA-01.

### 17.4 Related Documents

| Document | Location | Relevance |
|---------|----------|----------|
| UX4G Design System | ux4g.gov.in | Design system reference — mandatory |
| UX4G Figma Component Library | Attached to design brief | Component source for all UI |
| GIGW 3.0 Guidelines | meity.gov.in | GoI web standards compliance |
| Agnipath Scheme documentation | mod.gov.in | Scheme context and eligibility rules |
| NIC Hosting Policy | nic.in | Technical infrastructure constraints |
| Current site analytics (NIC) | To be provided in Phase 0 | Baseline metrics |
| Recruitment Directorate content inventory | To be provided in Phase 0 | Content audit source |

### 17.5 Stakeholder Sign-off

| Stakeholder | Role | Signature | Date |
|-------------|------|-----------|------|
| | Recruitment Directorate — Product Owner | | |
| | Design Lead — UX4G Team | | |
| | Technical Lead — NIC | | |
| | Accessibility Reviewer | | |
| | Legal / Compliance — Navy | | |
| | MeitY Representative | | |

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*End of document.*

*This BRD is a living document. All changes must be recorded in the Document Control table and communicated to the full design and development team. Changes after design sign-off require a formal change request with impact assessment.*