Tribune News Service

Srinagar, October 23

The Army said today that more than 3,000 local youths appeared for the common entrance examination (CEE) for recruitment in the Army, thus defying the separatists’ protest calls.According to an Army statement : “After successful recruitment rallies in south Kashmir’s Anantnag and north Kashmir’s Bandipora districts from September 21 to October 3 in which 3,000 candidates appeared, the last phase of the CEE was held at Anantnag in south Kashmir today in which 412 candidates from different parts of Kashmir and Ladakh appeared.”The Army said the youths had proved that they wanted to serve the nation. The Army had assisted the aspirants to prepare for the CEE by conducting their pre-recruitment training across many parts of Kashmir.