UDUPI: Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts have been blamed that a very few youths showed interest to join the defense forces. For many reasons, youths from these twin districts did not join the defense forces in good numbers, one being lack of guidance and training through proper mentorship. However, the state’s first government-run army selection training school will start in Udupi district in 15 days.
Backward Classes Welfare department, Karnataka is opening the ‘Koti Chennaya Army Selection Training School’ in Barkur, Brahmavara taluk, Udupi district.
The training school is named after legendary Tuluva twin heroes Koti and Chennaya. 100 youths will be admitted for the first batch and will undergo four months of tough training to help them join the Indian Defense Forces as ‘Agniveers’.
Free meals and accommodation will be given to the trainees. Already, 60 of them have been selected and will be on roll in 15 days as training will begin. 40 more will be enrolled soon. Candidates from Backward classes have 75 per cent reservation and SC candidates have 25 per cent reservation.
Karnataka State Backward Classes and Social Welfare Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary told TNIE that this type of training school will be opened in Dakshina Kannada and Uttara Kannada districts too and later will be opened in all remaining districts in the months to come. He added that those who get trained in these schools have better chances of getting selected for the defense forces.
Udupi District Minister S Angara who hails from Dakshina Kannada district said that the interest among the youth to join the armed forces is gradually improving in the coast, for which this training school will be a supporting factor.
This, he said, was evident as more than 100 youth from his native Sullia taluk participated in the ongoing Agnipath recruitment rally in Haveri. Former MLC Captain Ganesh Karnik who has served in the Indian Army and retired as a Captain, said that ‘Agnipath’ was planned after carefully studying the recruitment strategies of forces of other countries.