Youths protest repeated postponement of Army recruitment written examination

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 18

The youngsters who had appeared in the physical fitness exam for Army recruitment staged a protest outside the DC’s office today as the written examination is being postponed repeatedly.

The protesting youth said around 2,000 boys had appeared in the fitness exam in December 2020 at Khanna in Ludhiana, while the written exam that was supposed to be held in January 2021 is being delayed.

Exam cancelled

• The common entrance exam for the recruitment rally under the unit headquarters quota for the Sikh Regimental Centre, Ramgarh Cantonment, has been cancelled. In a press note sent by the administration, it is stated that the exam for Army recruitment for the recruitment years April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021, and April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022, has been cancelled. The new date for the exam would be announced later.

A group of protesters said the written exam of those who had applied for clerk and technical posts was held but written exam for the post they had applied has not been conducted to date. Due to the irresponsible attitude of the government, the exam has been postponed nine times, they alleged.

“We are around 1,800 candidates who had cleared the physical fitness exam. We have to appear in the written exam but it is being delayed for past nine months. Whenever we raised the voice demanding from the authorities concerned to get the pending written exam held, excuses were always made to postpone the written exam due to Covid-19. On the other hand, around five candidates had appeared for the Punjab Police recruitment exam. Are the Covid guidelines only for 1,800 candidates who have to appear in Army recruitment written exam?” they said.

A group of protesters said they have spent Rs 50,000 to take coaching from different academies for preparing for the exam. “We belong to economically weaker families and it is difficult for us to wait for more time for the examination. We appeal to the Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana, to take the required steps to get the written examination conducted as Army recruitment is very important for all of us”, they said.

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