Sriya Reddy speaks with experts about rising number of women in the defence sector and the challenges they face
While courses like engineering, medical, fashion designing, media, etc. have been the most preferred career option for students, defence has emerged as one of the hot spots with rising number of women carving a niche for themselves. At the recently launched career fair—Infra Educa 2014 held in the Capital, experts from the three wings — Army, Navy and Air Force addressed the queries of the aspiring students and their parents.
According to Col Pratik Saxena, PRO, National Cadet Council (NCC), it’s the fear and difficulty level that makes students choose alternative fields. “Defence is not a career, it is a way of life,” Col Saxena said, adding that one has to leave a normal life to lead an extraordinary one. Hence, people who have always dreamt of becoming an Army or a Navy officer should only opt for this profession.
Aspirant should be extremely disciplined and have a zeal to be a part of this sector.
The sense of responsibility without fear is another important aspect that officer should have. They should be willing to serve the nation and fight for its safety without expecting monetary benefits.
Every student should be physically and mentally fit. “The basic qualities necessary for Navy is physical and mental endurance and an ability to fight against the odds,” says Dr Sanjay Bhavnani, chief operating officer, MMS Maritime India.
Apart from the required Body Mass Index, the candidate should also have an excellent IQ level in order to come up with strategies and ideas. To test physical abilities, the cadet needs to pass the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT).
The APFT consists of three stages on which the cadet is graded — push-ups, sit-ups, and a timed two-mile run. Soldiers are required to score a minimum of 60 points on each event (50 points per event in order to graduate Army Basic Training). The APFT scores are also used in the Army Enlisted Promotion System.
What makes an army officer stand out is the leadership quality. An officer should be able to lead a crowd of hundreds and should have excellent communication skills to tackle hesitations. Being a part of NCC in school and college only helps aspirants to prepare for the foundation. “It’s a myth that if you join NCC you become an Army officer. NCC only grooms people who want to clear defence exams to become an officer,” Col Saxena tells you, adding that NCC provides adventurous opportunities to the students like mountaineering, river rafting, paragliding, horse riding, etc in order to be able to develop and groom his/her personality.