SHORTAGE OF DEFENSE PERSONNEL
A report about the shortage of armed personnel in the defense sector of India baffled me and kept me thinking. The defense minister, Mr. A. K. Anthony has stated that there are over 14, 000 vacancies of officers in the Highly Glorified Defense Sector of India. Unambiguously, The New Indian Express has reported the matter on page 10 (18th August, 2011). It is intriguing that in spite of the large unemployment in the country and with plethora of able bodied young people there are no takers for the defense jobs. However, there is a different picture that comes into your mind if you were to look at the growing aspirations of the young people in this country. For one, most youngsters have taken to that easy life where there is less monotonous routines, no rigid rules or regulations and above all where there is no real fear of death. Of course, in this century we all live in an atmosphere of great tension where the ordinary life can be as easily blown to smithereens by a well devised explosive from one or the other terror groups, yet life in the defense is altogether a different picture where men battle it out in any weather conditions all the while trying to remain alert against a sudden enemy attack or a sabotage or an ambush. Therefore, this calls for a clear distinction between the jobs in the defense sector and the one that is civilian especially so for the new recruits.
Just have a look at the India growth story and the idea you get is that apart from the 'all cozy no responsibility' works there is plethora of private jobs for young people whatever be their qualification. At first sight there is denying the fact that these jobs are better and more lucrative than the ones at the defense. Why is it so? Just take the case of the IT sector, although the job has its ups and downs like the rest especially when a person is under undue stress or when he or she has to stay awake for several days or nights in order to finish up a project, but when it comes to pay there is however no match for it. Again, look at the other government jobs where although there may be less amenities than those offered in the defense, yet when you weigh it relatively to the stress and the tension the civilian government jobs are far ahead than those of the defense. With the pay hike in the government civilian jobs there is less likelihood for the defense sector to show up any glamor for which our youngsters would easily fall to.The biggest negative factor is the risk of injury or death and not being able to meet ones family for months and perhaps years. Small wonder that no youngsters are likely to opt for a job in defense. Then of course comes the low morale which the Indian defense sector is experiencing like its counterpart in other countries.
Lack of Charismatic Appeal
The Indian defense faces a lack of charismatic appeal or glamor relative to other civilian jobs and this is felt more when there is better life options available with ordinary masses. Here, the other countries are not way behind. One fact comes to mind often is the way there were irritation on the part of the American forces in Iraq where many recruits were doubtful as to whether the war was justified and whether there was any need for the same. The death toll was enormous considering the fact that the American's public doesn't take it lightly at all. True, the regime of Saddam Hussein was atrocious yet on the whole the war didn't resonate well with the American defense forces and so also its allies although the former tried to keep it all hush hush. Now coming to Indian defense forces we are not all that handicapped like the defense forces of other countries as we always have greater degree of legitimacy in making our forces fight as we are defending our own territory and not the least we are fighting almost on continuous basis the terrorists on our soil.
Thus, it is inevitable to look at the defense sector from the point of view of both peace time and war time. In case of war time this may not be quite the case as wars have changed and most modern wars are not between nations, but with different terror groups operating from different territories. Some countries in the world today play the host to hardcore terrorists groups operating from their soil apart from the necessary training and funding for instilling violence in those countries with which they have little chance of winning in a full scale war. By carefully placing the priorities of the Versatile Indian Defense Forces both during the peace time and war times and also the way the terror wars are distinguished unlike those of war zones can the Versatile Indian Defense Force regain its fast diminishing charisma as the best sought after jobs of our country. I am no defense experts yet it is definitely a sad thing to hear that young people look elsewhere for employment or rather they go for defense jobs only as a last resort.
More Appealing Emoluments and Benefits for the Defense Sector
Unlike the other government jobs the Defense Ministry should make the defense sector jobs more appealing at least on the benefits side. One thing I have noticed among my relations in the defense sector is the hectic disciplinary schedules and less holidays. It goes without saying that unlike the civilian jobs the defense people slug it out in all weather and in all discomforts that life can provide in the Himalayas or other inhospitable terrains. Therefore, for those recruits although the daily discipline is of utmost importance they can be given periodic leave after say three months of border watch or camps at some harsh terrains. A sort of shift mechanism can be made to run such that all the trained recruits get a posting in the harsh terrain once in a while with a generous periodic leave after their busy term. If not this then something quite close can be worked out by our defense experts such that the Indian Defense Forces once more regain their previous charisma. In fact, more new recruits for such shift operation ( I don't know whether there is already one ) can give jobs to more youths. Funds can be brought in as India is in growth stage. Again, there are lots and lots of funds held in transit and due to some vague reasons have not reached our soil and the matter is still in the court. But one thing is certain the Valuable Indian Defense Sector must have a face change if it has to make itself more attractive to the general masses seeking employment. Ebullient Coast Guard Vessels and Lighthouses offers enough scope of adventures, mystery and sea faring enthusiasm for youngsters and all that is needed is to highlight their magic every now and then rather than keep everything in suppressed silence under the pretext of defense secrets. If too much of secrets are suppressed then people tend to forget them altogether.
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