SSB batches commencing from March 20 postponed due to COVID-19: Indian Army

The Indian Army said that it has postponed all Services Selection Board (SSB) batches commencing from March 20 due to COVID-19 crisis.

Amid the threat of coronavirus outbreak, the Indian Army on Tuesday decided to immediately postpone 90 different courses involving officers and jawans across the country.

"All large congregations involving close personal contact are to be avoided and public gatherings are to be postponed. Between the period from March 16 to April 15, a total of 90 courses are to commence which involves movement of 6,000 personnel including officers, Junior Commissioned Officers and other ranks from various units and formations to category A establishments," senior Army sources had told ANI.

"Orders have been issued that all courses of institutions scheduled to commence up to April 4 at Category A Establishments for officers and jawans are to be postponed with immediate effect," they had said.

The Army will review the situation arising due to COVID-19 at the end of this month.

Sources said that the postponement of courses includes the ones where male and female cadets were to start training at the Officers' Training Academy in Chennai.

The cadets who went back to their homes during midterm break have also been asked to report late in view of the coronavirus.

The armed forces have prepared quarantine facilities for 15,000 citizens across the country to handle the pandemic threat.

An Indian Army jawan from Ladakh, whose father had travelled to Iran for pilgrimage, was also tested positive for COVID-19. Senior Army sources confirmed that the Indian Army Lance Naik from Ladakh Scouts tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday.

The father of the 34-year-old jawan from Ladakh Scouts had travelled to Iran for pilgrimage and returned to India on February 27.