The government is seriously considering radical changes in the recruitment of new officers to the army, which is suffering from a crippling shortage of 11,000.
Defence ministry is considering proposal to make even 15-year-olds commit 10 years to the army for a monthly stipend
NEW DELHI: The government is seriously considering radical changes in the recruitment of new officers to the army, which is suffering from a crippling shortage of 11,000.
The proposal envisages making even 15-year-olds commit 10 years to the army for a monthly stipend to see through their graduation.
Under the proposal, the army could “adopt” around 1,200 students from across the country annually and give them a monthly stipend during graduation, against the assurance that they will serve it for at least 10 years as short service commission (SSC) officers.
A more liberal policy to permit even the permanent commissioned officers to quit the army without much fuss is also being discussed.
Sources told DNA the ministry of defence was “positively considering” an army proposal to introduce a UPSC exam for those who have passed class X. Once they clear the exam, these students will go in for service selection board (SSB) tests that anyone wanting to be a military officer has to clear.
SSB comprises physical and psychological tests, group tasks and an interview, among other things.
On clearing the SSB, the students will be put through the intensive medical tests conducted for army officers.
The army says all these procedures - UPSC exams, SSB, and medical checks – would be completed in class XI.
Once the selected students pass class XII and sign a bond to serve the army for at least 10 years, they will be officially taken on board on a monthly stipend.
The recommendation of the army is to provide a monthly stipend of Rs5,000 per student. Qualified students will get the stipend through their graduation — BA, BSc or Btech.
After graduation, they will join the army for at least 10 years as SSC officers. They will be trained at the officers training academy (OTA) in Chennai for a year before induction into the army.
Such a massive officer intake will significantly swell the army ranks. Presently, the army has about 1,400 cadets in Indian Military Academy and about 500 in OTA at any given point.
Of these, about 500 permanent officers and 1,300 SSC officers join it annually.
The proposal to get students as young as 16 to commit 10 years will help the army reverse the present ratio of 60% permanent and 40% SSC officers.
Originally, permanent officers, who go on to take up senior posts and serve the army till retirement, were to remain a lean core of the officer cadre at about 40% of the total strength and the remaining 60% were to be junior-rank SSC officers.
But today, the ratio is opposite because of the severe shortage of young officers, which has resulted in a serious management and leadership crisis at the unit level.
From an optimum of 21 officers for 800 soldiers in a battalion, the army today has as less as nine in certain peace stations.
The army is also hoping to make SSC attractive by introducing a year’s paid study leave, comprehensive health coverage for officers and their families and even golden shake at the time of leaving the service.
j_josy@dnaindia.net
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