Army to expand goodwill initiative for students of J&K and Ladakh

Under operation Sadbhavana, the Army has established 46 “goodwill schools” in the UTs and also provided assistance to over 1900 state-run schools as of now. Over 14,000 students are enrolled in these schools

To “integrate” youth of the union territories (UTs) of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh with other parts of the country, the Army has decided to expand its ongoing goodwill initiative -- operation Sadbhavana. The Army will now sponsor the education of youths from the UTs at its residential schools and colleges across the country starting this academic year.

Representational image. (AP)

Under operation Sadbhavana, the Army has established 46 “goodwill schools” in the UTs and also provided assistance to over 1900 state-run schools as of now. Over 14,000 students are enrolled in these schools.

For the first time now, 110 students from the UTs will get to study in Army-run colleges and schools every year as a part of the initiative.

Initially, 100 seats (50 each) have been earmarked for students of classes eighth and ninth in Army schools at Beas in Punjab and Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand for the current academic year. From the next academic session, 100 seats will also be reserved in Army Public Schools in Dhaula Kuan (New Delhi), Noida (Uttar Pradesh), and Dagshai (Himachal Pradesh).

“Till now the Army was helping the youth of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh through the schools within the territories of these UTs under Sadbhavana. But now the Indian Army will be sponsoring undergraduate courses and school education to selected children and youth from the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in residential schools and colleges functioning under the Army Welfare Education Society (AWES) across the country. This will help them explore the various career opportunities available in the country and also integrate them with the rest of the country,” a senior defence official said.

Seats will also be reserved in undergraduate courses in some Army-run colleges. For instance, this year, two seats each will be earmarked in Army Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology and Army Institute of Fashion Design in Bengaluru, Army Colleges of Nursing in Guwahati, and Jalandhar. While colleges will offer undergraduate degrees in hospitality to both girls and boys, seats in courses like fashion designing and nursing will be available only for girls.

“From academic session 2022-23 onwards, two additional seats each will be provided in Army’s Management institutions at Kolkata and Greater Noida and Army Institute of Education (only girls) at Greater Noida. The students will be offered MBA and B Ed/B Ed special education (only girls) courses in these colleges,” said a statement issued by the Army on Tuesday.

All domiciled residents of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will be eligible for admission. The Army will conduct an admission test for these seats from the next academic session.