Question : RECRUITMENT OF ARMY PERSONNEL

(a)the methods adopted for recruitment of Army Personnel, including jawans;

(b)whether the candidates are put to untold hardships due to absence of specific notification in this regard;

(c)if so, the reasons therefor;

(d)whether the Government is aware about the lathi charge resorted to by the police recently on the candidates assembled in Wayanad in Kerala for recruitment on the assumption that this was for general selection, while the real purpose was for recruitment to limited categories; and

(e)if so, the steps taken/being taken by the Government to lay down clear cut guidelines for the recruitment of Personnel?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE (SHRI A.K. ANTONY)

(a) to (e): A statement is attached.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3256 FOR ANSWER ON 14.12.2006

Selection of officers in the Army is done through the UPSC on the basis of all India open competitive examination followed by interviews and physical examination by Service Selection Boards (SSB). Non-UPSC selection is made by open advertisement in Employment News and national dailies. Shortlisted candidates are interviewed by SSB and then medically examined. Final merit list is prepared thereafter.

Recruitment of Jawans in the Army is carried out through open recruitment rallies. Before carrying out the recruitment rallies, adequate publicity is given in the local media and on the All India Radio.

A recruitment rally at Sulthan Bathery in Wayanad District of Kerala under Army Recruiting Office (ARO), Calicut was planned from 4th October 2006 to 6th October 2006 for recruitment to Soldier (Technical), Soldier (Clerical/Store Keeper), and Tradesmen categories only. The publicity for the rally was carried out through the local media. Inadvertently, Soldier (General Duty) category was also included in the publicity though this error was corrected in part through print media and the District authorities on 22nd September 2006. The news papers covered the same on 23rd September 2006. Further, this was also announced on the first day of the rally. This change was also conveyed by the ARO on 3rd October 2006 through the electronic media, i.e. “Manorama News”. The rally was conducted smoothly on 4th and 5th October 2006. However, on 6th October 2006, in the early hours of the day, some people started throwing stones at the rally site and the police could not control the situation. The Additional District Collector came to the site and suggested cancellation of the balance of the rally in view of prevailing situation. Consequently, rally on 6th October 2006 was cancelled. The candidates who were to be screened for Soldier Tradesmen at Wayanad were given additional opportunity at the rally conducted at Thiruvananthapuram from 15-20 November 2006. This facility is also being extended at the rally to be held at Thrissur during January 2007.

This was an isolated incident which occurred due to a mistake in the advertisement released prior to the rally. The existing guidelines for recruitment of Army personnel are exhaustive and adequate.