Kajal Shah wants to ‘‘do something’’ for her country. So this 17-year-old is joining the defence forces. Kajal came to Mumbai to pursue her goal single-mindedly. She was among the toppers in the Gujarat Board in Std X, so it’s not like she didn’t have options. But there are few who think like her. Even those with opinions on ‘enemy’ nations don’t prepare for a career in the armed forces. Biotechnology is preferable to battling it out on the border.
‘‘When I was in school, I used to dream about joining the armed forces,’’ says Komal Padia, this year’s topper among girls in the Std XII exams. ‘‘But it fizzled out gradually. And then, I’m zero in terms of physical fitness.’’
Komal’s is an honest opinion. Others don’t even have an opinion. ‘‘Defence?’’ asks a puzzled student standing outside Ruia College, Matunga, ‘‘Maybe. If nothing else works out.’’
At the National Defence Academy (NDA) at Pune, currently only 140 cadets of the total strength of 1,800 are from Maharashtra.
It’s not just the armed forces’ lack of hip-value. With foreign shores beckoning, who cares for a ‘‘soldier’s job’’? A student of Mithibai College, Vile Parle, says he wants to study biotechnology. ‘‘Because it has great scope abroad.’’ Gaurish Telang from Patkar College, Goregaon, is equally clear. ‘‘No way, I don’t think I can serve in the forces for all my life,’’ he says.
Tragically, the generation that swears by Google simply doesn’t have a clue how, when or where to apply, what kind of jobs are available and what they can expect.
‘‘Where do I get the information?’’ asks a science student from Vidyavihar. Mahesh Rewaskar, also applying to Ruia College, says the risk factor is a deterrent. His pals Ninad Deogharkar and Niranjan Jedhe chip in: ‘‘We grew up wanting to do engineering. Nobody encouraged us to think beyond. Do engineers get defence jobs?’’
There are others too, who tried, but gave up after one attempt. That persistent keenness is reserved for management, maybe medicine.
What does this shying away from defence mean in the long run? Ex-servicemen spell out the problem. ‘‘There is a shortage in the officers’ cadre,’’ says Maj Gen (Retd) V K Madhok. ‘‘The Air Force is short of 1,000 officers, the Navy is short of 800 officers and the Army is short of 15,000.’’
He lists probable reasons. ‘‘Our political class has kept the armed forces isolated. People know very little about them. The absence of a healthy media-military relationship for projecting the forces in the right perspective has only added to the problem,’’ he says.
‘‘Inadequate remuneration and compensation for risks and a turbulent life could be deterrents,’’ says Lt Gen (Retd) Ashok Joshi. ‘‘The admission bar needs to be adjusted for attracting more youngsters to the forces.’’
‘‘National pride is also low on the priority of today’s youth,’’ opines Lt Gen (retd) Moti Dar (former vice-chief of army staff). ‘‘Everybody is speaking of more money, more comforts and an easy life.’’
Do you have it in you?
The NDA is for boys
* Boys aged 16 to 19 years, who have passed 10 + 2 or equivalent examinations and have qualified through the Union Public Service Commission exams
* Cadets receive a graduate degree from the Jawaharlal Nehru University and more for further training
Women in defence
* Graduates and postgraduates in specific disciplines can apply
* Shortlisted candidates will be tested and interviewed, then recruited on Short Service Commission basis