The government is currently debating whether or not to implement the ‘Tour of Duty,’ which enlists people in the military for a short period of 3 to 5 years.
Moreover, it is expected to cover the shortage, save money for military equipment improvements, and instill discipline and patriotism in the kids before they work in other fields.
While the idea is admirable and well-intentioned, the execution and impact require more thinking.
The military has been raised, maintained, and modernized throughout history
The military has been raised, maintained, and modernized throughout history with the primary goal of providing security to the nation/state/people.
In doing so, the military performs a variety of tasks, including youth training, indirect social discipline, and economic restraint and cost-cutting measures, as militaries have always been costly to operate.
Moreover, with technological advancements and new vistas opening up, security has expanded its scope to become a multi-dimensional, exceedingly complicated affair involving every major state department, resulting in a significant increase in the expenses involved.
Freedom and sovereignty, on the other hand, are essential for any nation or state to survive, thrive, and develop, and no price can be placed on them. This also necessitates that the cost of security is shared by those entities that benefit from it.
To meet the requisite numbers, three-year tenures would require five induction cycles, while five-year tenures would require three. The recruit’s training period would stay at 44 weeks, implying that more people would need to be recruited and trained.
Because of the overlapping training cycles, the centers would require additional infrastructure, training resources, and trainers, all of which require time and resources. To balance out the overall fiscal advantage, their costs and time impact must also be calculated. Even if it results in monetary gains, weakening the Indian Army’s basic strength and capacity to fulfill its primary job is not worth it.
Incorporating veterans into police forces and other government sectors such as education and public transportation helps reduce the government’s overall pension cost while also maximizing the use of a highly qualified national resource and increasing efficiency.
Compulsory NCC training in schools and colleges is more likely to instill the desired ideals and patriotic spirit in children at a lower cost and with no negative consequences for the military.
In fact, if vocational training is introduced into NCC and is viable within the current system and infrastructure, these NCC cadets will produce improved HR resources for all industries.
Also Read: ‘TOUR OF DUTY’ SCHEME TO RECRUIT JAWANS FOR 3 YEARS, DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS
