Ex-servicemen body proposes compulsory 'sainik training' in schools for character building

A group of ex-servicemen has asked the government to make elementary "sainik training" compulsory in schools in order to ensure national integration and character building among schoolchildren. The Rashtriya Sainik Sanstha, a group of ex-servicemen, has sought the inclusion of 'sainik training' in the new National Education Policy (NEP) which is likely to be announced soon.

"India is a growing country and it requires strong characters to fulfil its dreams, character building starts from childhood schooling and therefore, it is necessary to impart at least elementary 'sainik training' in schools," Colonel Tejandra Pal Tyagi (retd) who is president of the body and a Veer Chakra awardee, said at a press conference. "A student who has undergone even a symbolic sainik training is unlikely to be a part of the violent groups putting the police posts on fire and will be better equipped in self defence," he added. Tyagi, also talked about a syllabus prepared by the ex-servicemen body. "Devotion to duty, discipline, training and honesty are part of the sainik character which is why an Army of about 14 lakh brings any situation under control during a calamity either natural or man-made while protecting the entire country," he said.

"The syllabus we have prepared includes lessons on patrolling, first aid, disaster management, pollution control, exposure to artificial intelligence and robotics, freedom struggle, rise of nationalism besides drills and physical training," he said. Major Sushil Goel (retd) said the body has conducted a pilot run of the training course in few schools in Muzaffarnagar, Jabalpur and Ghaziabad.

"The sainik training course was initially undertaken and designed for the unemployed youth. However, the same course has been modified for school children. Since we have experience in running such courses and our organisation has its units across 23 states of the country, the said proposal can be coordinated on a pan India basis," he said..