Major Vandana Sharma always knew what she wanted to do with her life. Join the Indian army. And so she did. She served the forces for a decade.
According to her gender exists only in one’s mind. “I am a person who does not give up especially not because I am a girl. In fact, at times, I used to think I am very superior and that really helped,” she laughs.
Grown up in a family of armed forces, she always wanted to be an army officer. “My father was in the air force and my brother who is eight-years-older than me also joined the army. I would wear my father’s cap when he would return home and look myself in the mirror wondering if I could ever wear the uniform. I was in grade two or three then,” she adds.
She saw the army as such an exciting and interesting profession that no other career option crossed her mind. “I always wanted to be in the army. That was my first love but at that point of time, there was no government scheme of having women officers,” she says.
When women officers were included in the army in 1992, her dream came true. “My brother was lieutenant in the army already. I knew this is what I am going to do. I cleared the exam in my first attempt in the service selection board and landed at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai. There were 33 women in my batch,” she says.
She calls it a great profession for women. “Though active combat is still a challenge for women and they are not part of it, there are services like legal, supply chain, education, engineering, communication and medical, were women can conribute as much as men. It’s a great full-fledged career and has also become a permanent commission. When I started out, it was a short term contract for 5 years or 10 years. But now government has made it permanent,” she says.
Major Vandana Sharma at OTA Chennai
Starting out could be difficult as people look at you with curiosity and wonder if you can make it but once you prove yourself, gender does not matter, she says adding, “If you can run as fast, shoot as well, and do what you are signed up for – in my case, it was being able to supply stores effortlessly – as well as other male counterparts, nobody looks down upon you or considers you less,” she adds.
She has been posted to different parts of the country such as Ladakh and North Bengal where no one had seen a woman in uniform then and also played a backend role for the Kargil War 1999.
“Logistics are most prone to sabotage by the enemy because if the logistics are gone, how would the war be fought. We were the backbone of the operations,” she says adding, “You get used to the tough terrains and harsh weather conditions. When you are at war, you do not think about the weather. In general, when you walk fast for 20 metres, you become breathless. It was tough, but we were there with the soldiers ensuring that their morale was high.”
Her family has always been supportive even during the war. “It was difficult to communicate those days. The only way we could communicate was through the letters. It always read: we are very proud of you. You are doing exactly what a solider in uniform should do. As a 20 or 21-year-old, seeing that, changes you as a person. It makes you more responsible,” she says.
Vandana is a single parent to two sons. “I am the hero to my children. . Both my sons have grown taller than me,” she giggles.
Vandana Sharma, who was felicitated at the Women of Substance Season 3 by SRL Diagnostic on March 8, now works as a Chief People Officer at HolidayIQ.com, a travel portal.
When Major Amit Deswal of the Army’s Special Forces died in a gun battle with insurgents in Manipur on April 14 last year, his widow Neeta was grief-stricken. The world had collapsed around her and her three-year-old son.
However, almost exactly one year on, Neeta is all set to join the army herself. The 33year-old has been selected as a Short Service Commission officer and will join the Officer’s Training Academy (OTA) at Chennai in April to get commissioned as a lieutenant.
Neeta could have taken up a cushy government that the Haryana government had offered her after her husband’s death but she chose the Ar my’s tough life. “I never thought of separating myself from the Army . Even after my husband’s martyrdom, he has a special status in the forces and I want to carry forward his legacy by becoming an officer myself,“ Neeta told TOI from Delhi, where she is staying at present. Neeta Deswal said, “My husband was my hero and serving in the army would keep him with me forever. I just heard my inner voice and decided to don the uniform. I am focusing on performing well during training.“
Both her parents as well as inlaws had supported her decision.
A resident of Surehati village in Haryana’s Jhajjar district, Major Deswal of 21 Para died in a gunbattle with Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) militants in densely forested Nungba area during a combing operation of the Rashtriya Rifles and the Special Forces. Barely two months later, Neeta had shifted to Delhi and started coaching for the Services Selection Board, an interview conducted by the army to select officers. She was recommended for Short Service Commission in November 2016 by the army’s selection center, Bhopal.She’s been selected on one post reserved for widows of defence personnel.
Neeta Deswal with her husband late Major Amit Deswal/ Source: Facebook/NeetaDeswal
She will join OTA on April 1 for the next 49 weeks training to become an officer. Born and brought up in Dehradun, where her father was serving in the Survey of India, Neeta is preparing herself and her fouryear-old son Arjun for the tough days ahead. “ Arjun will either join his grandparents in Jhajjar or they will come to Delhi to look after him,“ she added.Major Deswal had volunteered for the elite Special Forces regiment and also served the Vikas battalion, which comes under Cabinet secretariat and provides muscle to RAW .
Latest 200+ group discussion topics which you might face in SSB interview in 2017 or any other interview for that matter. These are the latest 200 GD topics which are asked frequently in Army, Navy, and Air Force SSB interview during group tasks. Candidates can prepare these group discussion topics to score good marks during group discussion.
200+ Group Discussion Topics
Current Topics
Are digital payments secure enough for the Indian economy to go cashless?
Ban 500, 1000 notes – Corruption Uprooted or just changing clothes!
Can we dream of hosting the Olympics?
Chinese Goods vs Indian Goods
Do we really need Smart Cities?
Economic growth is more important than Ecological protection
EQ or IQ
Extra curricular activities should be made compulsory in school
Facebook needs to clarify policies on content removal!
How demonetization is affecting common people more than black money holders?
How is Technology impacting the Banking sector?
Is compulsory attendance really needed in college?
Is it fair to spare political parties from income tax investigation?
Is the youth of India confident or confused?
Non-execution of GST bill might herald end of present government
One India One Election – Pros and Cons
PM’s vision to make India a Manufacturing Hub – dream or a practical possibility?
Polythene bags must be banned!
Problems unite us, Religion divides us
Should Hindi be the official language of India?
Should national anthem be played in cinema halls?
Should we change the present system of education in our country?
Solution of corruption is a mirage till we catch top public figure
Will Reliance Jio be a sustainable business model in a country like India?
Youth in Politics
Economics & Business
Is Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail sector good for India?
How to Deal with High Oil Prices?
Multinational Corporations: Are they Devils in Disguise?
Are Indians Less Quality Conscious?
Ethics in Business are just a Passing Fad
Is the Consumer really the King in India?
Commercialization of Health Care: Good or Bad?
Is there any Point in having a Business Strategy when the World changes from Month to Month?
Is the Patents Bill Good for India?
Is the Business of Business only Business?
Public Sector being a Guarantor of Job Security is a Myth
Capitalism is a very Flawed System but the others are so much worse
How can a Business get rid of the Bad Name that it has earned?
Government Pumping Money into the Economy is not the Solution for our Economic Problems
Is the Budgeting Exercise of any Use?
Should Agricultural Subsidies be stopped?
Is MNCs Superior to Indian Companies?
Advertising is a Waste of Resources
Privatization will lead to Less Corruption
Should India break Diplomatic Ties with Pakistan?
Use of Force by Banks to Recover Loans
Skilled Manpower Shortage in India
Technology Creates Income Disparities
In our economic matters, there is an excessive tendency towards the thinking rather than doing.
Every cloud has a silver lining
Is disinvestment really that good for India or is a rethink in order?
Are co-operatives relevant in today’s globalised environment?
Foreign aid is a dangerous drug that can stimulate in small doses but become fatally addictive in larger doses.
Government should clean its own hands before pointing finger at the private sector for corruption.
Reforms have to grow up.
Globalization vs. Nationalism
Economic freedom not old fashioned theories of development will lead to growth and prosperity
Should businessmen run the finance ministry?
Should important services like transport be left to market forces?.
Who says MNCs are superior to Indian companies?
What we need to reduce scams is better regulatory bodies.
Trade can help the poor?
Water resources should be nationalised
Are Co-operatives Relevant in Today’s Global Environment?
Indian villages – our strength or our weakness?
Space Missions are a Wastage of Resources for a Resource-Starved Nation like India
Satyam Scandal would Impact Foreign Investments in India
Private Participation in Infrastructure is Highly Desirable
Developing Countries need Trade, not Aid
Poverty in Third World Countries is due to Prosperity in First World Countries
Indian Economy: Old Wine in New Bottle!
Is Globalization Really Necessary?
What shall we do about our Ever-Increasing Population?
Banning of Trade Unions will be Beneficial in Growth of the Economy
Why can’t India be a World-Class Player in Manufacturing Industry as it is in IT & BPO Sectors?
We Need Drinking Water and Not Coke & Pepsi in Rural India
Rise of Regional Blocs Threatens Independent Nations like India
Should the public sector be privatized?
General Interest
Is India a Soft Nation?
Should Research on Human Cloning be banned?
Should Sting Operations be Carried Out?
Nuclear War cannot be won and should not be fought
Is Swapping Terrorists for Hostages an Encouragement to Plane-Hijackers?
Brain-Drain has to be stopped
Doctors’ Accountability to Improve Health-Care
Universal Disarmament is a Must
Is India Aping the Western Obsession with Celebrities?
India at 60: A Senior Citizen?
Unrest in Countries around India
Flexi Timings or Fixed Timings – Which is better at Work?
Individual Brilliance Certainly makes a Difference
Is Paperless Office a Reality or Not?
Rules & Regulation Breed Corruption
Do NGOs in India Really Work for Others OR Work for their Own Vested Interests?
Science Is A Boon Or Bane
Should Animals be used for Testing New Drugs & Medical Procedures?
Security Cameras & Privacy
Advertisements Cheat People, Hence Should Be Banned
Borderless World: A Threat?
Borderless World: A Myth or Reality?
Secularism has become a Tool to Justify the Wrongs done by the Minorities
What is the Difference between People who do Things Rightly and People who do Right Things?
Corruption is a Necessary Evil for Success in Any Sphere
Beauty Pageants are a Must
How to Deal with International Terrorism?
Are Peace and Non-Violence Outdated Concepts?
Indian Army as a Career Option
Capital Punishment should be Banned or Allowed?
Is Dependence on Computers a Good Thing?
Management Topics
We Need More Entrepreneurs than Managers
Rise in MBA Salaries is Not Sustainable in the Long Run
Can One Contribute to the Social Sector while Being Employed in the Corporate World?
The Rush for MBA is really a Rush for Big Money
Will Mumbai’s Film Industry ever evolve into a Truly Modern Corporative One?
Indians Perform Better as Individuals than in Groups/Teams
Positive Attitude and not Knowledge is required for Business Success
Are Ethics just Business Pretence?
Ethics in Business are just a passing fashion
Is an MBA necessary to succeed in life?
Family owned business vs. professionally run businesses
Smaller businesses and start-ups have more scope for professional growth.
Dot com or doubt com?
Managerial skills learnt in the classroom can never match those learnt from experience
Management Education in India
Is Leaders Born or are they made in Business Schools?
Is Management an Art or a Science?
The objective of Management is to maximize profits
Should GD be Part of Campus Placements?
Role of Ethics in Business
Is Management Education Required for Business?
Whether Hard-Working or Smart-Working is Desirable?
Interpretation of the Scene and Stories Written by the Candidates in the Screening:- Screening which was introduced in 1998 has got its own philosophy but practically as the aspirant feel and confront and say it does not carry any philosophy, because neither it is full proof nor it is a scientific system of selection. Gentlemen, I am extremely sorry to write very less about screening.
But the persistent request made by you has compelled me to write more and more about the screening. Now the issue at state is what becomes on instrumental to bounce you from the screening? Why 90% SSB aspirants are confronting this shock? Gentlemen, when you start thinking that whether I will get screened in or screened out then bouncing happens. When you do not narrate your story in front of audience that too convincingly then you are screened out.
When you are not competent enough to increase the listening degree of the audience then again you are screened out. When you are not able to maintain the pause or pitch and modulation then you are bounced from the screening. When you commit so many errors either in language or in the stuck-ups then you do not qualify the screening.
When you do not display a humble submission to the audience then your candidature is not considered for the screening. When the story written by you conveys differently than what you want to convey then you are gone casein the screening. When the level of your thought process does not match with your academic graph then again you are a sorry case for screening.
When you are using poor and degraded language in the screening either while writing the story or while narrating the same then you are not a deserving case for the screening. If your story and your performances are not acceptable to the group members then screening goes off from your hands. Gentlemen, I am citing a picture that was shown at 2 Air Force Selection Board Mysore. It has been reported to me by a serving personnel of Air Force.
Action:- Counselling the girl to do better in studies.
In the above picture a school going girl is sitting beside her mother and a well-dressed mom aged 35 is talking with the girl soon after finishing the talk with her mother. When this picture was presented in the Mysore Board, all the group members were service personnel of Air Force as it was a service entry. This AFCAT entry is the elite entry therefore expectation was a bit higher. I am producing the example of five group members out of fifteen as it will suffice your requirement. The story written by Chest No. 1 is as hereunder.-
Story:- Vinita a 5th class school girl was not doing well in her studies therefore her mother has requested her class teacher to counsel her there after she started doing well.
Narration by chest no. 1:- Chest No. 1 is the first candidate to undertake the narration. When he started first he looked to the assessors and during the course of narration of his written story as given above, he made stuck-ups thrice neither he was able to convince the assessors nor the audience therefore it was clear that he will not make the grade in the screening.
Commenting of the expert on the above written by Chest No. 1- Vinita’s mother invited her class teacher the counsel her daughter due to her sever failure in three consecutive weekly maths test. Her teacher along with her mother discussed about the past schedule and study hours and along with her mother rescheduled her study hours from school to the house and with sincere dedication and motivation of her mother and teacher, Vinita performed well in the next weekly test.
Comment about the story of narration- Chest No. 1 should have written a complete story which should have been able to convey what led to the situation? What is happening? And what will be the outcome of the happening? I am interpreting that how an aspirant should answer the above three questions to write a story in the screening.-
“Vinita’s mother invited her class teacher to counsel her daughter for her sever failure in three consecutive weekly maths test.” Now, this is the example of what led to the situation which is the first demand of the screening story. Now, I am coming on the second demand of the story that is what is happening? This part is known as the body part, main part or the execution part because here the execution of the work takes place or is done with the help of planning, management, resources and with the intelligent application of leadership quality. In the above story the execution part can be exampled here under. –
“Her teacher along with her mother discussed about her past schedule and study hours from school to house.” After this body part the story comes ahead to answer the third part of the story writing that is what will be the outcome of the happening? This part is being exampled as here under- With sincere dedication and motivation of her mother and teacher Vinita performed well in her next weekly test.
The psychological part of the screening is being conducted, looked after, evaluated and controlled by Psychologist or Scientist of the Board. Psychologist expects that any educated person will have or should have the average level of thought process or a certain level of contents or the ideas according to his educational level and upbringing which is being contributed by socioeconomic background and the developmental history of the candidate. When you narrate the story then it is always in the mind of the psychologist and the board that this batch is for this particular entry and it is also in their mind about the minimum qualification required for this entry. During the course of the narration, the SSB aspirants should perform according to his education and the kind of entry for which he is in the board when narration does not reach or does not touch the expectation level of the qualification level and the entry then from the Psychologist side there is no. When your narration is not qualitative, not audience catching, not able to increase the listening degree of the audience them from the G.T.O. side there is again no. If your contents are not in sequence and you are not able to maintain and retain the confidence and even if you are not self-motivated and at the same time you are not able to motivate the audience then from the I.O.’s side there is again no.
Due to several contributory reason for example; lack of confidence, over dominating voice, ridiculing habit, closing the eyes; looking up and down, broken narration in either languages, shivering of legs, body, hands and head, despite looking at the audience if you kept on looking at the assessors then you are not recommended in the screening. Group is the formation of the aspirants from different strata, different states and from different languages. Before the test of narration you already interacted with the boys of your group and you know their level also. If you are not adaptable with the changing situation for example – if you fail to maintain the level of narration considering the level of your group members having the above differences then you are gain bounced. If you have a phobia whether I will clear the screening or not then this phobia may not allow you to clear the screening. If the level of your thought process is not matching the theme or the plot of the story then you are again bounced from the screening when at the time of narration you are not able to project the submissive narration with a humble voice while maintaining the eye contact and the coordinative behavioural interaction then you are again screened out. To clear your doubts and to make you understand I am facilitating you with many kinds of stories being written by candidates of different strata, states and the languages.
Story written by chest no. 2 on the same scene being reported as here under
Action:- Being counselled to upgrade the academic.
General description of chest No. 2:- From the basic language, body gesture, food habit, facial index and behavioural pattern it is sure that chest No. 2 belongs to south, therefore it can be expected that this story will have some flavour of south. The story he has written is being quoted as hereunder.
Story written by chest No. 2:- Due to language phobia, Radhika a class fifth student studying in Kerala Convent returned third day at her house after the interval alleging that she is neither able to understand nor write or speak Malayalam. She immediately requested her class teacher to commence her Malayalam class to the subjective courses at the house. With rigorous joint effort she was able to grasp Malayalam cope with class boys and was able to mix and continued her classes progressively.
General Description of Chest NO. 2:- From the general appearance, language, behavioural pattern it is presumed that the candidate is from the eastern area of U.P. and received education from village school that too from state boards.
Story written by chest No. 3
Action:- Mother and teacher both encouraging her to work hard.
Story:- Vinita a class fourth student was not going to school was not attending the classes, her mother got annoyed. She requested her class teacher to come to her house. She asked her daughter to sit beside her. School teacher got annoyed. Vinita went to school.
Note:- No amendment has been done in the story of the candidate for its true evaluation.
Comment:-The story does not contain a required sequence and even it has not been plotted well and it is without thought process and even the story is not in the sequence. Again I am telling a good perception and good observation will lead to good thought process, what this particular story is lacking. Even it is not expected from a boy who has written this story.
Case history of this boy:- This boy has been called for TES Navy entry and has more than 85% marks. This is his academic profile but not the personality profile. For the purpose of selection the academic profile and personality profile both should match together. If it does not match then 2% to 5% maximum fluctuation is negotiable. But seeing the ability and competence of the candidate his personality profile is below 30% to 40%. If we minus 30% from 85%, the calculation will result in 55%. This aspirant has a difference of 55% in his academic and personality profile. Therefore his case is not the case of recommendation either in screening or in final round.
Narration by chest No. 3:- When he started the narration he was not able to speak his story. He was continuously hesitating and was not able to maintain the eye contact with the group members. His confidence was also deteriorating; in the meantime one of the assessors spoke on gentleman next.
Story narrated by chest No. 4 as per the story written by him:-
Case history of chest No. 4:- This aspirant belongs to Bihar, educated from Bihar State Board and hails from rural area. The candidate is rich in academic profile but weak in personality profile on the basis of expression and knowledge.
Narration :- Gentleman I have perceived three characters from this picture. One is male age 30 and mood is positive. The second character is female aged 35 and mood is positive. Third one is also female aged 11 and mood is positive.
Comment:- The aspirant is from Bihar state board and was not fluent in his narration. He stuck up after pronouncing the word ‘gentlemen’ but did not say sorry. Further when he started that “I have perceived one male character”. During his conversation he fumbled again on the word perceive and further when he spoke ‘the male’ then again he fumbled for the third time, not a single time he apologised. One of the assessors spoke on gentlemen next. When the result was declared his name did not appear under the qualified candidates.
Story narration by chest No. 5:- The aspirant is from Lucknow and his way of speaking appears that he is convent educated and knows how to speak, mix and interact with the group.
Action:- Veena undertakes the challenge to hit the merit.
Narration of the story by chest No. 5:- Gentlemen I have perceived two female characters one is aged 36 with negative mood and another is aged 12 with positive mood and the another a male character aged 38 and mood is positive. The action of my story is that Veena undertakes the challenge to hit the merit and my story is as under. Veena’s parents have recently shifted Lucknow from South. Due to language problem she is not able to clear either the weekly test or the monthly one. After her five consecutive failures her parents started quarrelling. Veena stood from her chair and assured her parents to improve in her next test and asked for a month’s time. She started taking help from her teachers after rescheduling her time table and even she started seeking the guidance from her seniors and within a month of hard work she passed her monthly test with high marks.
Comment:- Right from beginning to the end this aspirant did not look towards the assessors and was able to maintain the eye contact from one corner to another being at the position of chest No. 5. He did not made any stickups and was speaking so slowly so everyone was able to understand it which increased the listening degree of the candidates and the assessors both whatever body language, gesture and facial index he was using all were in his control and were supporting his narration. One special thing which he did was that when chest No. 1, 2, 3 and 4 narrated their story then he was listening to them sincerely and was further motivating them by his gesture. When he started his narration then all these four chest nos. right from one to four were giving him sincere listening and were supporting him from their gesture. Seeing the process of his content giving the remaining group members also started sincere listening. When the result was declared chest No. 5 was in the list of successful candidates.
GD & PPDT:- (Interpretation) – Gentlemen, now a days or even in most of the batches G.D. is not considered as deciding factor . This is because of the following reasons-
1 The G.D conducted in screening includes or consists of 15 to 20 members. Therefore, when G.D. is commenced, most of the group members or majority start speaking together which is not audible. As a result either of the two subgroups is made or G.D. is terminated.
The status of the performances when two subgroups are made:-
Performance of the first subgroup:- The group is divided into two groups. The first group has 9 candidates. G.T.O. allows them to commence the G.D. As soon as the G.D. starts, all the 9 members start fighting over age, sex and mood of the character. Then chest no. 9 loudly speaks in between and says ‘gentlemen let us stop fighting over age, sex and mood’. Then chest no. 5 says ‘gentlemen let us decide the age of the girl at 12 and her mother at 40 and her father being third person at 35. Let us come forward to decide the action’. When the discussion to decide the action comes up, the conflict again starts among the members, no consensus is drawn. The chest no. 5 plunges in between and says,’ gentlemen, let us decide an action to motivate the girl to hit the merit’. Gentlemen, in any kind of discussion when you want to resolve an issue then it can be possible only when you come up with the common interest or common issue.
After deciding the action the situation comes to draw the consensus about the common or the group story.
Again most of the group members start suggesting their story or the story written by others to be accepted as a common story to present or submit to the G.T.O. or to audience. Then chest no. 9 and chest no. 7 plunge in between and say,’ gentlemen, I am with chest no. 9 and I would like to suggest when you have accepted the action of particular story then nothing alternate is left to accept the same story. On the logic of chest no. 7 and with the consent of chest no. 9 the entire group members speak in a single voice to present the same story as a common story and nominate chest no. 5 to present the common story in front of the mini board. Now chest no. 5 stands up and presents the common story or the group story as hereunder.
Interpretation of gesture while presenting the group story:- Chest no. 5 who is nominated to submit the group story makes an eye contact with the assessors mainly with the G.T.O. and the entire group members also starts looking towards chest no. 5 and simultaneously he also looks to the G.T.O.
Now chest no. 5 starts submitting the group story as here under.
Action:- Veena undertakes the challenge to hit the merit.
Sir, our group story is as hereunder – We have perceived three characters from this picture one is male aged 33 and mood is positive, second one is female aged 36 and the mood is negative and third one is also female aged 12 and mood positive the action of our story is –
Veena undertakes the challenge to hit the merit and sir, according to us our story goes hereunder –
Veena’s parents have recently shifted Lucknow from South. Due to language problem she was not able to pass either weekly test or monthly one. After five times failure her parents were annoyed. Veena stood from the chair and assured her parents and asked for a month. She took help of her teacher. After rescheduling she started seeking the guidance from the seniors and within a month of hard work she passed the test with high marks.
When the result is declared only chest no. 5 was recommended in the screening test.
This is Shubham Gupta at the age of 19 he donned a uniform to pursue his dream of proving himself in battle protecting our motherland. He chose to put his life on line to fight for you and me. Today he is fighting a different battle! A battle to survive, a battle to stand on his own feet, a battle to do his daily chores!
He was selected to join the National Defence Academy in June 2010 for training to become an Officer in the Indian Army. In April 2012 during the advance stage of his training he was wounded while on duty rendering him 100% disabled. His was an attributable injury. An injury that he sustained because he was doing what he was ordered to do, since it was necessary to make him capable enough to protect the nation. He considered it an honour to have been injured on duty in the service of his motherland.
He was boarded out of services with 100% disability, unable to even conduct himself without an attendant crippled for life. His parents whose pride he once was are struggling to provide their undivided attention to him due to his medical condition.
In return of pledging his youth to the nation he was given a pittance of monthly financial aid, which was pet-named ex-gratia and no benefits normally available to disabled Ex-servicemen and surprisingly – Zero Medical Facility.
He may be no one to our Political leaders or the military brass, but to his parents, he was the only hope. They have been running from pillar to post to get justice for him even petitioning the National Human Rights Commission and the President of Indian but no one has bothered to help. I believe, when someone gets injured in service of the nation, the nation is obligated to grant him his due- a decent disability pension.
This is not just his story but that of around 300 Officer Cadets, out there like him, left out in the open, wounded and forgotten. The small group of young boys, who chose the military, not as a career choice, but as a passion. These boys took this decision at a young age, in their teens, not because they did not have enough opportunities in this vibrant world but because, they consider their calling to their country as the No.1 priority.
Don’t they deserve a life of dignity?
Don’t they deserve a second chance at life, a resettlement?
If not for parents like his who were brave enough to offer their sons to the nation, this great republic would not have been the same. It is because we have youngsters like him, ready to serve and catch a bullet proudly on their chests, willing to die for the nation, that India sleeps peacefully. It is for our tomorrow that they gave their today. It is indeed unfortunate that they had suffered injuries in service of the nation but what is more calamitous is how the nation ignores them, their needs.
I have to take this up, because I still believe in the words of Capt. Manoj Kumar PVC “Some goals are so worthy, it’s glorious even to fail” After all, I have been trained by the Indian Armed Forces, I couldn’t give up without a fight.
I hail this petition for your support for this cause. Lend me your voice for
· Disability pension respectable to the rank trained for
· medical cover
· Option for shelter employment in other Government Departments in officer cadre
It is 3 p.m. and the heat is searing; but the 20-year-old Shaheen Rahimi is unruffled as he runs, jumps, crawls and climbs through the obstacle course along with other cadets at the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai.
“When I came here, I was the youngest of the whole batch. I was just 19. I turned 20 last September,” the lanky young Afghan cadet says with pride.
Rahimi is one of the foreign cadets currently training at the OTA. He hails from Afghanistan. He has three brothers — two are in the Armed forces and one is a police officer.
“I came here because of the friendship between India and Afghanistan. I came here after passing out directly from college and came via the Ministries of Defence of both the countries,” Mr. Rahimi told The Hindu.
Mr. Rahimi says while they are all called Foreign Gentleman Cadets (FGCs) — currently there are 22 Afghans under training at OTA — “there is no difference in training, academics or anything. We are all taught the same things.”
“I am feeling like I am at home. We feel as if we are in an academy in Afghanistan,” he says.
Mr. Rahimi, who is expected to graduate from the Academy on March 11, says he has learnt a number of skills such as boxing, swimming and horse riding, besides completing a 40-km marathon and a 50-km marathon with a 22-kg combat gear, including the rifle.
Following the passing out parade on March 11, he and the other senior cadets from Afghanistan will head back and complete another three months of training before being inducted into the Afghan army.
When asked what the motivation was for him to join the army, Mr. Rahimi says, “India and Afghanistan have a common enemy. That’s why I want to join the army and serve my country.”
The famous Army Polo Championship saw a thrilling final match between 61st Cavalry and Army Service Corps after a tough round of league matches which also saw participation from Corps of Artillery, Remount and Veterinary Corps and Armored Corps.
Army Polo Championship commenced on 31 Jan 2017 after being re-instituted in 2015 after a gap of ten years.
History of 61st Cavalry:
The Horses of Cavalry Regiment
At the time of Indian Independence in 1947, the only mounted cavalry remaining in service were the President’s (formerly Viceroy’s) Body Guard and several units that had formed part of the Imperial Service State Forces, provided by the Indian Princely States.
Upon the integration of the State Forces into the regular Indian Army in 1951, the remaining horsed cavalry units were reorganised and reconstituted into several separate horsed cavalry units which were later combined into a single regiment.
On 1 October 1953 the “New Horsed Cavalry Regiment” was established at Gwalior, with Lt. Col. Phulel Singh of the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces as its first Commandant. The new regiment was re-designated as the “61st Cavalry” in January 1954.
The 61st Cavalry is one of the world’s last remaining non-ceremonial cavalry units.
Horse units have been used in areas where terrain does not favour vehicles. The last time 61st Cavalry were used in a wartime role was in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War where they were used for long range patrols in the border areas.
The regiment has a strong polo playing tradition, producing some of India’s best polo players. Members of the regiment have won the Arjuna award – India’s highest award for outstanding sportsmen – four times for polo and five times for equestrian events.
The Indian Air Force conducted AFCAT/EKT 1 2017 on 26th February 2017.
Aspirants who appeared for both AFCAT and EKT 1 2017 will be eligible to join the Air Force in Technical Branch.
While we have analysed the AFCAT 1 2017 question paper and posted the question paper discussion, question paper of EKT 1 2017 will soon be updated and discussed on our site.
AFCAT 1 2017 was 2 hrs and EKT lasted for 45 minutes.
EKT Pattern:
EKT consists of objective type multiple choice questions related to the basic concepts of engineering. The questions will generally be dealing with the basic concepts as well as a thorough understanding and clarity of your basics will help you solve this test easily.
The EKT Question paper consists of 50 questions to be answered in 45 minutes. Each question carries 3 marks making EKT of 150 marks (50×3 = 150).
EKT Subjects and Syllabus:
Candidates will be tested based on their specialisation branch like Electrical & Electronics, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, etc. Based on the subject you choose while applying, you will be asked basic engineering level questions.
Roy Matthew, the Indian army soldier who had featured in a video exposé by The Quint on the the ‘sahayak’ system, was found dead in a room in abandoned barracks at Deolali Cantonment today. The army suspects Matthew committed suicide since his body was found hanging from the ceiling of the room. The Times of India reported that doctors estimated Mathew had been dead for around three days given the extent of decomposition.
The army told the Times of India that Matthew went missing within 24 hours of the controversial video being released on February 24. He was one of the soldiers featured in a video that showed “soldiers walking dogs of officers and taking their children to school” the same report stated.
The video “created an uproar over the British era Sahayak system,” News 18 reported.
Sources told News 18 that Matthew told his wife that he felt stressed the day after the video was aired and texted his officer an apology on February 25. He went missing the same night and was marked absent without leave (AWOL) by the army.
Matthew was attached for ‘buddy duties’ to a colonel posted as an additional officer in Deolali’s artillery centre. Police officials told Times of India that they are investigating whether Matthew felt “tortured or harassed” after the video came out. News 18 added that he was believed to be “mentally disturbed.”
The Quint, which launched the video on February 24, has since taken down the original video of the sting operation as well as a report on Matthew’s death.
The original video came close on the heels of another exposé about poor treatment of army soldiers. On January 7, BSF soldier Tej Bahadur Yadav, posted at a base camp in Jammu and Kashmir, uploaded a video on Facebook complaining about the poor quality of food served to soldiers. Yadav alleged that this was due to senior officers pilfering food supplies meant for the soldiers stationed at the base camp.
Yadav posted another video today (March 3) detailing the hardships he’s gone through since the first video went viral. He complained of being “mentally tortured,” according to a Hindustan Times report, and appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for support.
In the new video, Yadav also claims that his phone was confiscated on January 10 and discusses the possibility of having “Pakistani contacts” added on his phone after it was confiscated. He appeals to viewers saying, “Please don’t trust these rumours and believe only when I put out a video,” Scroll reported.
The BSF launched an inquiry into Yadav’s conduct after he released the first video and cancelled his request for early retirement given the pending inquiry, which is expected to conclude in March. Another probe into Yadav’s claims about the food determined that he was incorrect.
Yadav mentions the cancelled retirement in the new video as well. However, this video does not seem to have helped him gain any support with the union home ministry. A senior official from the ministry told Hindustan Times that Yadav’s behaviour was indicative of “gross indiscipline”.
The BSF also remains unsympathetic towards Yadav and told India Today that the soldier broke rules by recording the new video.
The latest video is believed to have been recorded when Yadav’s wife Sharmila visited him at his new base. The Delhi high court granted her permission after she moved the court stating she had not heard from her husband since the first video was released and was worried about his condition, NDTV reported.
Since the time my mobile number got published on SSBCrack, I have been constantly getting calls from defence aspirants who are appearing in the SSB. After talking to them, I realized I must write about 5 sure ways to fail in the SSB. All along I have been writing to help candidates pass in the SSB but it seems it is now important to tell them what they must do to fail hoping that they will not commit these five mistakes.
Wake up in the end
I have heard so many candidates who appeared in the CDS / AFCAT / NDA written test but did not do anything till they received the call letter because they were not sure if they will clear the test. This is most unfortunate. If you think you can become a Class I Officer by preparing in the last one month or so you are sadly mistaken. Even though SSB is a test of personality, one requires to prepare a lot both physically and mentally. There is no substitute for hard work.
Don’t Read Newspaper
Often candidates don’t read a standard newspaper. They struggle in communication and also lack knowledge about current affairs. Unless one reads a good English newspaper regularly, he/she can’t acquire the required knowledge about what is happening in and around. Reading Newspaper is also an art. One must separate the wheat from the chaff and grasp the essentials. It’s always good to make small notes of certain facts and figures. If you see the general knowledge section of the AFCAT exam you would realize that most questions come from the newspaper.
Don’t watch English News
Candidates either don’t watch News or watch Hindi News. Both will lead to failure. Watching English News channels such as NDTV 24×7 not only enhances your knowledge but also improves your vocabulary and communication. Further, I always said, “it is not sufficient to have knowledge alone”. One must have his own views on various issues faced by the country and the world. We at SSB are looking for a thinking person. The easiest way to develop perspective on various issues is to watch programs like ‘We the People’ and ‘Big Fight’.
Don’t Do Physical Activities
Even though SSB is not about physical attributes, one must be able to do at least the bare minimum. I have come across several candidates who are obese and don’t attempt the obstacles that involve some risk. It may not be that they lack courage but the fact that they are obese they just don’t take any chances. This is a sure case of failure.
Fake Your Self
It’s often said, “One requires more intelligence to tell a lie and get away with it”. As said earlier, the assessors are highly trained and hence it’s very difficult to fake yourself in front of them. At best one can modify his/her responses to project well but if someone tries to tell blatant lies, it is likely that he/she may be caught. The best thing to do is to hide some negative facts and project the positives in a way that it catches the attention of the assessors. Most coaching academies tend to tell you the ideal and candidates try to fake themselves. We call this bad coaching effect and reject the candidate.
I hope this article helps you follow the correct path to success!!!
