State to have Army recruitment academy

Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 20

A state-level academy will be set up in Himachal Pradesh to impart training to the common youth for the posts of officers and soldiers in Indian Army. Sainik Welfare Minister Mahender Singh Thakur disclosed this here on Wednesday while chairing a meeting of officers of Sainik Welfare Board.

He said opening of this academy was the brainchild of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and the work had already started in this regard. The main objective of this academy would be to ensure recruitment of maximum youth of the state in Indian Army.

He said the academy would motivate educated youth having poor and rural background to join Army. Coaching facility would be provided for the posts of soldier up to officer.

The minister said coaching would be provided by trained Army officers which would help the youth to prepare themselves for recruitment in Army.

He said committees had already been constituted at the district level under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioners in this regard in which Superintendent of Police, Chief Medical Officers and Deputy Director, Higher Education would be members. He said the Sainik Welfare Board would bear the expenses occurring on various activities like coaching and assistance in recruitment rallies.

Thakur directed the State School Education Board to provide verified certificates to the students in a time-bound manner and also to reduce the verification charges from existing Rs 600 to Rs 300.

Secretary, Sainik Kalyan Board Dr RN Batta assured that all formalities for opening of the academy would be completed soon and a review meeting would be held in November this year. Director, Sainik Kalyan Board Brig S K Verma informed that recruitment rallies would be organised in October, 2018 in Mandi and Chamba districts and in January, 2019 at Hamirpur.