Vijesh Kamath,DHNS: Govt to prepare state's youths for Army's tough recruitment rallies. A pre-recruitment training programme proposed by the Karnataka government for those aspiring to get into the Indian Army is all set to be launched. The admission process for the programme will begin on March 3.

The training programme for those aspiring to join the military and para-military forces was first announced in the budget proposals for 2016-17 and since then there have been thousands of enquiries from across the state seeking details about the course.

The newly reconstituted Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC), which has been entrusted with the task of implementing the programme, has decided that 1,000 youths will be trained at two camps – at Belagavi and Madikeri – to prepare them to face the rigorous recruitment rallies conducted by the Indian Army.

“It is seen that very few candidates from Karnataka get selected at recruitment rallies conducted by the Army. While candidates, by and large, pass the medical test, they somehow fail to get through the physical fitness test. We have decided to start a two-month course, the first of its kind, to bridge this gap,” KSDC chairman Muralidhar Halappa told DH.

Application forms for the course titled “Kannadiga in Indian Army” will be issued at all district employment offices from March 3, Halappa said. He expects a good response to the programme as there were not less than 11,000 queries on the course when the corporation conducted awareness workshops on skill development in colleges across the state.

If the number of aspirants exceeds the intake of 1,000, then a selection process will be held to pick the best of the lot, Halappa added.

He pointed out that most of the candidates who fail to get through the recruitment rallies, end up as security guards. “Getting into the Army in a matter of pride not only for the candidate but his entire family. We want more aspirants from Karnataka to join the Army,” Halappa said.

The Army conducts rallies on a regular basis to recruit sepoys or soldiers (general duty) for youths in the age group of 17.5 to 21 years. Pass in Class X/II PU?is a must and aspirants will have to undergo a physical fitness test, physical measurement test, medical test and a written test. Selected candidates get a minimum salary of Rs 14,000 a month onwards, social security benefits and several perks.

At the two-month training programme (11 hours a day), the candidates will be trained in all aspects with a focus on physical fitness, Halappa said. The course will be conducted by former army personnel among others.

Based the success of the first batch, KSDC?plans to expand the intake to 5,000 next year, Halappa said.