Press Trust of India / New Delhi Oct 25, 2009, 15:32 IST
Bogged down by shortage of 11,500 officers due to low intake at military academies and a high rate of premature retirements, the army has indicated to its leadership that it will take 20 years of best efforts to fill up the vacancies.
In an internal study, the army has said the projection was conditional and the vacancies could be filled up in two decades only if training capacities in the academies are increased and the exit rate of officers wanting to retire prematurely is kept low.
On the basis of the study, the army headquarters has suggested to the commanders that the intake of recruits at the Dehradun-based Indian Military Academy (IMA) and the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai be increased by improving training capacities of the two institutes, an officer told PTI here.
The mounting shortage of middle rung officers in the Indian army to the tune of 11,500, Lt Col and below who actually lead the troops in battle is a cause for serious concern, in view of threats on Indo-Pak and Indo-China borders. Despite incentives and recruitment drives, suitable youth, meeting the laid down standards and criteria for officer cadets are not coming forward to join the armed forces. To safeguard the security and soverignty of our country, as a last resort, the conscription of able bodied suitable youth be considered to make up the shortage of officers in the three services, Viz; Army, Navy and Airforce at the earliest.
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