PATIALA: Sounds strange, but the presence of tattoos on their bodies prevents several potential Punjabi candidates from getting selected to the Indian Army every year.

BHARAT BHUSHAN/HTColonel Vaneet Mehta training jawans recruited during the previous rally in Patiala on Thursday.

Despite a specified policy on tattoos in place since 2012, the trend remains prevalent. Now, the Patiala office that caters to five districts has especially highlighted the rules on tattoos for nearly 30,000 candidates participating in the upcoming recruitment drive for the post of jawan.

Director of the local office Colonel Vaneet Mehta said that the military life is all about discipline. “But as we have seen in recent years, several candidates are debarred from selection during the screening process due to objectionable tattoos on their bodies. We have, therefore, highlighted the rules in our publicity material for awareness of candidates participating in our upcoming recruitment drive, so that they are not disqualified just because of these mistakes,” he said. THE REGULATIONS As per the army’s regulations on the display of tattoos that were released in 2012, candidates appearing for selection to the post of jawan are allowed only limited and prescribed-size tattoos on inner parts of their forearms, i.e. from inside of the elbow to the wrist and on the reverse side of their palms. Permanent body tattoos on any other part of the body are not acceptable and candidates are debarred from selection during the screening process, state the rules mentioned in the publicity material. The Indian Army, recently, specified tattoo rules for commissioned officers as well.

TATTOO SCREENING SOON AFTER SELECTION IN RACE

Colonel Mehta said that the presence of tattoos will be checked soon after the candidates get selected in the initial race. Following this, dope test and other physical tests will be conducted before the final medical test. The written test scheduled in January-end will lead to the final selection. NOT MANY SURVIVE INITIAL STAGES

Even as the number of candidates registered for the upcoming drive has increased by 8,000 to 9,000, not more than 10% of the total registered candidates are able to reach the final stage. A senior army official said that as many as 70% candidates fail to clear the initial run, in which a candidate has to cover 1.6 km in 5.4 minutes. “Not more than 10% survive the recruitment process till the final stage,” he said. In 2013, the Patiala office recruited 1,172 jawans, which went down to 972 in 2014. The prevalent drug abuse in Punjab and availability of other lucrative career options had led to the decrease in the recruitment of Punjabi youth in the army, said another officer. “With more candidates this time, we hope to see an increase in the selections,” he said.