Worried over the declining number of entrants into the Army from Karnataka, the State government has decided to provide pre-recruitment training to Army hopefuls.

In what is being termed the first-of-its-kind effort in the country, the Karnataka Vocational Training and Skill Development Corporation will identify 1,000 candidates and start training them from March.

Two-month regimen

The programme has been named ‘Kannadigas in Indian Army.’ “By the end of 2017, we want to train 5,000 Kannadiga youth from all parts of the State, who are planning to participate in the recruitment rallies,” corporation Chairman Muralidhar Halappa told The Hindu. The two-month training will involve personality development, apart from physical training, he said. The government hoped at least 50 per cent of the trained candidates would clear the Army recruitment process.

According to Brig. Subodh Kaul (retd.), between 700 and 1,200 vacancies for general duty soldiers are reserved for Karnataka every year, of which a large number are not filled up.

‘Better opportunities’

Brig. Kaul, who will coordinate the training programme to be held at Belagavi, said even if the trained candidates did not get into the Army, they could look for chances in the paramilitary forces and private security agencies.

“Candidates will be given certificates by the Security Sector Council of India, which will fetch them good opportunities in the private sector as well,” he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Sharath S. Srivatsa / Bengaluru – February 17th, 2017