Twenty cadets of Mohali’s Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (MAFPI) have been selected to join the National Defence Academy and Indian Naval Academy for the courses commencing in the first week of July. Already, two cadets from this institute have joined these prestigious academies in January this year, bringing the tally to 22, similar to the previous year’s figure. With this, the sterling performance the institute continues to retain its premier position as a feeder institute for the National Defence Academy.
Cadet Armaanjit Singh Dhaliwal has attained 14th position in All India Merit list while Cadet Piyush D Jain is at 21st position, said MAFPI spokesperson. Over four lakh youth from all over the country appeared in the UPSC entrance exams for NDA conducted in September last year. “Selected candidates were called for interviews at various Services Selection Boards from January to April this year. After which the final merit list, announced on June 3, had about 450 candidates,” said the spokesperson.
The candidates will now be invited to join the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, and the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, in the last week of this month. Maharaja Ranjit Singh AFPI was established by the Punjab Government for reversing the declining trend of Punjabi youth joining the armed forces as officers. Ever since the first batch of cadets completed its training in 2013, the Institute has been successful in sending as many as 51 cadets from its first three batches to join the armed forces. Cadets of the fourth batch are currently preparing for the NDA entrance exam to be held in September this year, he said.