Karnataka: Army recruitment rally at Udupi from March 17-27

UDUPI: A good 11-months after it was initially planned, the Indian Army is finally moving ahead to conduct its recruitment rally at Mahatma Gandhi district stadium here from March 17.
With online applications already invited for this purpose in 2020, Army is looking to recruit youths from Bagalkot, Chikkamagaluru, Dakshina Kannada, Davanagere, Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Shivamogga, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga and Vijayapura districts.
Confirming that the recruitment rally is the same one that was scheduled from April 4 to 15 last year, Col Firdosh P Dubash, director (recruitment), Army Recruitment Office, Mangaluru told TOI that the Army had completed all process to commence the recruitment process as on March 18.
However, a decision was taken a day prior to defer the process due to the emerging pandemic situation followed by the subsequent nationwide lockdown.
“There is no change in qualification or requirements that were prescribed for the rally in April 2020,” Col Firdosh said. The only change is that the aspirants will have to produce a Covid19 negative certificate when they come for the rally, he said adding that 40,000-odd applications his ARO received will be the ones that will be processed for this rally which will be held up to March 27. “No fresh notification will be issued,” he said.
Candidates who meet the qualification benchmark at this rally will appear for a written test that will be held in Mangaluru on May 30. Those who pass this test will be sent to their respective regimental centres for training in two batches.
The first batch will go in June and the second in September, he said adding they will undergo 10-months of training before they are combat-ready. The ARO will facilitate this entire recruitment process, he noted.
Deputy Commissioner G Jagadeesha said the administration will assist the ARO in smooth conduct of the event. Mobile toilets, potable drinking water, cleanliness, lighting, shamiana, barricading and other facilities needed for the purpose will be arranged, he said.
Medical and fire and emergency services personnel will be on standby. District police will assist the Army in conducting the rally in an orderly fashion, Jagadeesha said.
Department of public instruction will depute staff to check the educational qualification certificates of candidates, DC said.
Initially, after the postponement, ARO had planned to hold the rally in January and has now scheduled it for next month. Recruitment is for posts of soldier – general duty, technical, technical nursing assistant, nursing assistant; soldier clerk, storekeeper technical. Those who have passed SSLC are eligible for soldier tradesman.