A significant influx of Army aspirants has descended upon Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand for the Territorial Army recruitment drive, leading to chaotic scenes as candidates voiced grievances about inadequate accommodation, limited food options, and insufficient transportation. Despite these claims, the district administration has contested the allegations of mismanagement.
Preliminary reports indicate that around 18,000 individuals traveled to Pithoragarh in pursuit of just 133 available positions within the Territorial Army. The overwhelming number of aspirants prompted local police to use lathi-charge to help control the surging crowd. The situation was exacerbated by a postponement of a scheduled recruitment event for the Territorial Army in Danapur, Bihar, which had been set to include candidates from Uttar Pradesh. Young men from Uttar Pradesh, seeking opportunities, converged on Pithoragarh following the announcement that a recruitment rally would occur in Danapur from November 26 to December 1.
Conditions for the aspirants were reportedly dire, with videos circulating that depicted young men sleeping on streets and footpaths as they endured the night after failing to secure accommodations. The aspirants complained about exorbitant travel costs, with reports of taxi fares skyrocketing to as much as Rs 10,000 for a trip to Pithoragarh. Footage also emerged showing candidates attempting to board overcrowded Uttarakhand Roadways buses, with some entering through windows and others forced into cramped spaces within the bus.
One aspirant, Tushar Saini, shared his frustration, explaining that local taxi operators were charging unreasonable rates and the options for public transport were severely limited. “There were only four Uttarakhand Roadways buses. There were clashes. We were forced to come in taxis from Tanakpur and Haldwani as we had no other options. The district administration did not make any arrangements,” he said. Another aspirant, Aayush Bharadwaj, echoed these sentiments, highlighting the lack of overnight accommodations and essential provisions.
In response, Pithoragarh District Magistrate Vinod Giri Goswami emphasized that adequate arrangements had been made for the influx of aspirants. He stated that langar (community kitchens) had been established, and transport was organized to facilitate the movement of candidates from various locations within Uttarakhand. According to Goswami, accommodations had been secured in 30 schools in the area, and free meals had been distributed at 18 different sites. He noted that more than 100 Uttarakhand Roadways buses and approximately 250 taxis had been deployed to assist with transportation.
To accommodate the expected surge in candidates, schools in Pithoragarh were closed from November 20 to 22. Goswami reassured that plans were in place to manage the anticipated crowd, with 10,000 to 12,000 Army aspirants projected to arrive over the course of November 22 and 23. He also mentioned that 55 school buses had been hired to meet transport demands during the recruitment process.
The Territorial Army serves as a unique branch of the Indian Army, allowing individuals to partake in part-time military service, which includes physical tests, written examinations, document verification, and medical assessments as part of the recruitment process.
