There appears to be no dearth of patriots in Adilabad as can be seen in the enthusiastic response from youngsters to the first ever recruitment rally being conducted by the Indian Army in the district. The candidates, all between 17 and 23 years of age, are braving severe heat conditions, are spending a night by the side of the road under trees just to be able to get an opportunity to serve the motherland.
“Yes, there is this matter of employment, but it is secondary to serving the country as a soldier,” asserts Ch. Giridhar of Adilabad town. He says he was keen in joining the Army though he has no pressure on him to land with a job immediately.
“I know that the Indian Army looks after its soldiers well by paying good salaries and other incentives. Nevertheless, I am here to seize an opportunity to serve the nation,” states Pawar Vishnu, another aspirant belonging to Sonpalli in Ichoda mandal.
“The response from youth is not all that bad and neither is their performance at the selection tests,” observes the Chennai Zone Deputy Director General, Recruiting, Brig. Sangram Dalvi. “We are holding the rally here to give an opportunity to boys in this backward region to join the Army,” he adds.
Notwithstanding Brig. Dalvi’s encouraging words, the lack of preparedness among the candidates to take selection tests was quite obvious the way they performed in physical tests. For example, not many candidates had enough energy for 10 pull-ups and a good number dropped out after completing only five or six of them.
“I have prepared well for the physical tests,” differs Sambar Ramesh of Tandra in Sarangapur mandal who has completed Intermediate. He says he had sufficient time to prepare for the event and hopes to get through the physical part of the selection.
