Shortage of Officers: Lack of Space in NDA

NDA doesn't have space to lodge cadets
MAYANK SINGH | Pune, July 29, 2011 13:14
While the Indian defence forces have been crying about the shortage of officers, they have been unable to house the extra cadets who joined National Defence Academy for their first spring term. The Spring Term, 2011 at premier National Defence Academy (NDA), Pune had caught the officials unaware. The number of cadets joining the academy was so high that they had to convert rooms assigned for entertainment and Gymnasium to accommodate the cadets by putting the beds and the cupboards.

An officer who looks after training of the Indian Army informed TSI on the condition of not publishing his name that while the total training capacity of NDA is 1800 cadets there were more than 2000 cadets who reported during the spring term of the academy. This lead to make extra arrangements as the sanctioned strength and arrangements is for only 1800 cadets. The academy has two terms of training, spring and autumn. Spring is the session which is from January to May while autumn runs from July to November; rest of the time is for vacations.

Although, this has come as a positive development for the forces as there is an acute shortage of the officers at the level of Lieutenants, Captains and Majors who lead the operations on ground, but it could have been avoided. Another officer informed that the difficulty of accommodating the extra cadets lingers because of a decade old proposal pending with the Ministry of Defence to sanction the 16th Squadron of the Academy. The academy is organised into four Battalions, each with 4 squadrons except for the fourth battalion which has only three squadrons. Sources also informed that the long term plan is to raise another battalion in the academy.

In a recent reply defence minister A K Antony had said "The extent of shortage of officers is around 12,349 in the Army, 1,818 in the Navy and 837 in the Air Force. The shortage of pilots in the Air Force is about 426."
NDA doesn't have space to lodge cadets
Comments: The Indian Armed Forces no longer fascinate the people as career. The Indian Army is currently facing a crisis and it is short of over 11,000 officers from the rank of captain to major. Despite campaigns like “Be an army man: Be a winner of life” the armed forces continue to face a shortage of officers. Officer’s shortage in Indian Armed Forces is acute now and seriously affecting the army, in quantity as well as quality. Dispensation of Justice to Veterans and many are seen battling in courts thereby reducing the Rank and Honour, which in turn diminishing the charm of Serving the Nation by the younger generation.