PTI

Imphal/Churachandpur, May 12

Razed buildings and burnt furniture. These are what remain of St Peter’s School in Manipur’s Imphal after a year of violence in the state between Kuki and Meitei ethnic groups.

“We were preparing to celebrate its silver jubilee year in 2023. But then the clashes broke out. They burnt everything,” said principal Khupkhoman, a Kuki who has since moved to Churachandpur from the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley region.

Over 800 students had hopes attached with our vision and within a night, everything was gone. We were preparing to celebrate the school’s silver jubilee. Now, we stare at a dark future. The crisis continues, and there is nothing to look forward to. Khupkhoman, Principal

Now an abandoned structure, the Manipur Board-affiliated St Peter’s School had more than 800 students till Class X pre-May 3, 2023, the day reports of incidents of clashes started pouring in from many parts of the northeastern state, prompting the closure of educational institutions, offices and businesses.

“It’s one day at a time for us. The situation remains unpredictable and we don’t plan anymore. The crisis continues, and there is nothing to look forward to or look back upon,” said Khupkhoman, 62, who moved with her family to the hills of Churachandpur.

The school, built by Khupkhoman and her late husband over 25 years, also had her residence on its premises. She now lives with her family in a rented accommodation, displaced like more than 60,000 others from both communities. But Khupkhoman has not stopped calling families living around the school to take updates about her Meitei students even as the Kukis have moved out. “They have joined other schools, some have dropped out,” she said.

Recalling the preparations for the silver jubilee year celebrations, Khupkhoman said practice for dance and singing performances was underway. There was a lot of activity but then, within a night, it was all over, she said with tears in her eyes. The institution was attacked in the early hours of May 4 by a mob.

“The school was everything we had. Built brick by brick, it was where we lived for years… Over 800 students had their hopes attached with our vision and within a night, everything was gone. At first, I had thought that this will be over in a week and I was already making plans about what all needs to be done before we resume classes again,” said Khupkhoman.

Incumbent Shoigu, a long-term ally, to take up new job

Reuters

Moscow, May 13

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a surprise new defence minister, nominating civilian Andrei Belousov, a former deputy prime minister who specialises in economics, for the job more than two years into the Ukraine war, the Kremlin said.

Putin wants Sergei Shoigu, defence minister since 2012 and a long-standing ally, to become the secretary of Russia’s powerful Security Council, replacing incumbent Nikolai Patrushev, and also to have responsibilities for the military-industrial complex, the Kremlin announced on Sunday.

The changes, certain to be approved by parliamentarians, are the most significant Putin has made to the military command since sending tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022 in what he called a special military operation.

The shake-up gives Shoigu a job that is technically regarded as senior to his defence ministry role, ensuring continuity and saving Shoigu’s face. Valery Gerasimov, the chief of Russia’s General Staff and someone with a more hands-on role when it comes to directing the war, will remain in post.

Sergei Lavrov, the country’s veteran foreign minister, will also stay in his job, the Kremlin said.

The appointment of Belousov, a civilian official known for his economic decision-making rather than battlefield knowledge, is the biggest surprise. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesman, told reporters that the change made sense because Russia was approaching a situation like the Soviet Union in the mid-1980s, when the military and law-enforcement authorities accounted for 7.4% of state spending. That, said Peskov, meant it was vital to ensure such spending aligned with the country’s overall interests, which was why Putin now wanted a civilian with an economic background in the defence ministry job.

“The one who is more open to innovations is the one who will be victorious on the battlefield,” Peskov said. The change is also likely to be seen as an attempt by Putin to subject defence spending to greater scrutiny to ensure funds are effectively spent after a Shoigu ally and deputy defence minister was accused by state prosecutors of taking a bribe.  

Maj Gen Harvijay Singh, SM)

The cross-border assault is part of a new wave of counteroffensive actions by Russia. President Zelensky Kharkiv is a key Russian target — a Russian-speaking city just 15 KMs from the border. There were numerous Russia backed failed attempts in 2014 to declare a “Kharkiv People’s Republic” like Donetsk and Luhansk. Russian forces made attempts to capture the city in the opening days of the invasion of Ukraine, sending in lightly armoured special forces units in a bid to seize local government buildings; they failed miserably. Later Russia employed a destructive approach turning parts of the city to rubble. Kharkiv is was a vibrant, youthful city of nearly 1.5 million people steeped in academics, art and literature. Full of historic monuments, home to 24 universities and some 200,000 students – Most have been damaged now. Leading up to this fresh offensive on Friday, 10 May, Russia’s air force has inflicted heavy damage on Ukrainian troops using glide bombs and missiles from a standoff distance. The main assault began on 10 May with Infantry and Armoured vehicles. One Ukrainian Drone Pilot has reported: Russian armoured vehicles carrying a powerful electronic jamming device that blocked the use of explosive drones in a dome of around 500 metres around them. As conventional as it can get with all flavours of joint operations. Another conventional flavour is that after the success in Avdivka and now Kharkiv, Russia is likely to continue the use of Air Force for interdiction. Shortage of Air Defence in Ukraine is what Russia is exploiting – Believe it or Not, Air Defence is the most neglected resource in modern armies. Whatever little they have can be overwhelmed with cheap missiles and drones before the knockout punch. After the recent Iran missile attack on Israel, every nation must wargame Blue Land Air Defence (include only the deployed resources and …… NOT…… those under development …….. that is a trick Blue Land normally employs to show six packs that do not exist) with Red Land Space capabilities. This is also a wakeup call for those shouting the obituary of a tank from rooftops. A point to note: The extremely mobile and well protected (both physically and electronically) Battle tanks will have multiple advantages of operating and surviving in a hostile battlefield environment – despite being a lucrative target. Those in the open without such protection will surely be sitting ducks. “They are pressing us with their numbers,” said another Drone pilot of Russian Infantry. He said, he had killed a platoon’s worth of Russian soldiers one recent day, “and they keep coming.” A polite reflection: soldiers are not cannon fodder. They deserve all the protection that modern technology can offer. Late on 10 May, the US announced a new $400 million package of military aid, including rockets, surface-to-air missiles and armoured vehicles to Ukraine. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said that the aid was intended, in part, to help Ukraine fend off the Russian assault on capture Kharkiv. While some analysts have called the assault a ‘Recce in Force’, I suspect a larger action in the coming summer weeks. Putin said in March that he would consider creating a demilitarised ‘sanitary zone’ in territories under the Kyiv regime, large enough to prevent attacks on Russian territory by foreign-supplied missiles or raiding groups. Last month, his foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said the city of Kharkiv would be a part of that demilitarised zone. Meanwhile, Kharkiv keeps its calm and carries on. Tulips planted in April in front of the city’s administration building on Freedom Square are in full bloom and the city’s cultural and social life continues uninterrupted……Bravo!

n a remarkable display of engineering prowess and innovation, the Indian Army has unveiled its first-ever 2D precast concrete structure. This ground breaking project, completed in a mere 60 days, signifies a major leap forward in rapid construction technology for the military, reported TOI.

Lieutenant General Prit Pal Singh, General Officer Commanding of the Sudarshan Chakra Corps, inaugurated the cutting-edge facility in Gwalior on Friday. The project’s rapid completion is a testament to the Indian Army’s dedication to adopting state-of-the-art construction methodologies to enhance its operational readiness and efficiency.

This innovative 2D precast building was meticulously crafted using pre-manufactured concrete components assembled on-site, a process that drastically reduces construction time and costs while maintaining structural integrity and durability. This ground breaking approach sets a new benchmark for military infrastructure development within India.

The Sudarshan Chakra Corps, spearheading this initiative, is actively integrating advanced construction technologies such as 3D printing, precast concrete, and expanded polystyrene (EPS) systems into its infrastructure projects. These technologies are pivotal in accelerating construction timelines, ensuring robust structures, and improving the overall satisfaction of Indian Army personnel.

“The adoption of pre-cast concrete technology has not only expedited the construction process but also significantly enhanced the quality and sustainability of our military infrastructure. And completion of this facility in just over a month and a half is a testament to our engineering teams’ skill and dedication,” Lieutenant General Prit Pal Singh remarked.

The Indian Army envisions this project as the first step in a larger initiative to revolutionize military construction across the country. By embracing cutting-edge technologies like 3D printing and precast concrete, the Army aims to establish a new paradigm for infrastructure development, ensuring faster, more efficient, and more resilient structures that meet the evolving needs of the modern military.

The inauguration of this 2D precast building in Gwalior marks a significant milestone in the Indian Army’s ongoing journey towards modernization and operational excellence. It underscores the organization’s unwavering commitment to innovation, collaboration, and execution, reaffirming its position as a trailblazer in military infrastructure development.

As the Indian Army continues to explore new avenues for enhancing its infrastructure capabilities, the successful completion of this project serves as a shining example of what can be achieved through a combination of vision, determination, and cutting-edge technology.

(With Inputs From Agencies)

PTI

Samba/Jammu: BSF personnel opened fire on Friday night to shoot down a Pakistani drone near the International Border in Samba district, officials said. Troops of the BSF detected the movement of the drone from the Pakistan side late in the night and fired nearly two dozen rounds, they said on Saturday. The drone, however, was flown back to the Pakistani side. PTI

Mortar shell destroyed

Jammu: A rusted mortar shell was found in an open field here and subsequently destroyed in a controlled explosion by the bomb disposal squad, officials said on Saturday. The 82-mm mortar shell was noticed by some farmers near Ratnal village Friday evening, the officials said.

The aim of the exercise was to enhance operational efficiency of ‘composite task forces’ in order to overcome natural and man-made obstacles

The exercises were reviewed by Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command.

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 11

Sappers from Western Command’s Kharga Corps carried out a month-long extensive exercise under simulated battlefield conditions at various Army training bases for honing skills in the execution of combat support operations.

The aim of the exercise was to enhance operational efficiency of ‘composite task forces’ in order to overcome natural and man-made obstacles, thereby facilitating the movement of strike corps elements during war.

New generation technologies and platforms were integrated and validated during the exercise. This included equipment such as full width mine plough with multi roller assembly for breeching of mine fields, drones with day and night capability for reconnaissance, modular bridges, anti-drone system and command and control networks.

Sappers, also known as combat engineers, provide close combat engineering support for offensive operations, which require rigorous training during peace time. Their role includes laying and breaching mine fields, laying portable bridges and tracks for vehicles, creating and demolishing obstacles and disposing of ordnance.

The exercises were reviewed by Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, who commended the troops for their professional excellence and efforts towards incorporating the latest technology.

Local administration warns tourists not to venture on the Churdhar track without information

Solan, May 11

Indian Air force rescued two NRI women tourists in their Cheetah helicopter from the thick forests of Teesri village en route Churdhar tracking route in Sirmaur, on Saturday morning.

They had ventured on this track on Friday but were stuck in Teesri. One of them who had suffered from a spinal injury failed to negotiate the tough climb.Nohradhar police received information about the duo at 4 pm following which they proceeded to rescue the women.A team of state disaster response force also reached Teesri to rescue them.

Sirmaur Deputy Commissioner Sumit Khimta said the reports of two NRI women tourists being stuck at Teesri forests were received on Friday evening by the district administration. They coordinated with the home ministry, air force, ministry of external affairs and local officials for their safe rescue as it involved NRI women.Arrangements were made to airlift them at 11 am, said DC Khimta.The women were traced to about 10 km beyond the base camp by the district administration on Friday night.

They have been identified as Richa Abhay Sonawane and Sonia Rattan. Richa is a native of West Bengal who was born in Darjeeling in 1980. The other woman, Sonia, was born in India in 1978. She had undergone a spinal surgery after suffering from an injury.

Both are citizens of the US. After being rescued, they were sent to a hospital in Chandigarh for treatment.

About The Author

Powerful nations employing disproportionate force to achieve tactical objectives need to introspect.

Lt Gen JS Cheema (retd)

Former Deputy Chief of the Army Staff

IN 1999, Pakistan’s Kargil intrusions challenged India’s territorial integrity. Emboldened by its nuclear tests conducted the year before, Pakistan aimed to internationalise Kashmir as a nuclear flashpoint, assuming that its newly acquired capability would deter India from a full-scale military response, forcing early mediation and allowing it to keep the intruded territory across the Line of Control (LoC). To resolve the unprecedented crisis, India categorically rebutted any diplomatic efforts proposed by Pakistan until the intruders were completely evicted. A long period of diplomatic parleys would have afforded adequate time for the Pakistani intruders to consolidate their positions and indulge in excessive nuclear rhetoric to pressure India to accept the new alignment. Accordingly, the Cabinet Committee on Security instructed the armed forces on May 18, 1999, to clear the intrusions employing air power offensively but laying down a term of reference not to cross the LoC.

India’s declaratory self-imposed caveat of not crossing the LoC, reflecting its policy of ‘strategic restraint’, was aimed at garnering international acceptance of a responsible nation avoiding escalation and prioritising peace. This could also help lift sanctions imposed by the global community after it had conducted nuclear tests in 1998, though this stance left many questioning the policy. Not surprisingly, it created a paradox, wherein India wanted to evict the intruders from its territory but was not ready to enter Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), which was under Pakistan’s illegal control since 1948. It was tantamount to accepting the LoC as the international border and abdicating its claim to PoK. This limitation bolstered Pakistan’s belief that India feared escalation because of the former’s nuclear capability. The restriction also caused tremendous consternation among the Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF), as it involved frontal attacks along the expected approaches, causing larger Army casualties and curtailing the radius of the circuit of IAF combat aircraft. On being explained the adverse implications for the conduct of military operations, as the contingency might arise to cross the LoC, the National Security Adviser diluted the restriction, stating publicly that not crossing the LoC holds good today, but not sure what would happen tomorrow. The damage was, however, done, with Pakistan perceiving it as a meek military response.

Pakistan raised the spectre of a nuclear confrontation, with its Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, declaring its newfound confidence in countering an Indian attack on equal terms. Days later, Pakistan issued an official warning of retaliation, implicitly with its nuclear weapons. These threats were primarily aimed at the international community, especially the US and other Western nations, to pressure them to restrain India’s military push. However, New Delhi dismissed these threats, well aware of Islamabad’s limited nuclear capability — possessing only a few undeveloped nuclear weapons with restricted delivery systems sans a proper command structure for using them. Lt Gen Prakash Menon, former Military Adviser to the National Security Council Secretariat, aptly remarked: “It was with a non-existent capability around which Pakistan wove its paradigm of a nuclear umbrella, to prevent escalation as well as leverage the nuclear flashpoint card internationally.”

The international community, initially swayed by Pakistan’s rhetoric, saw through it as India presented concrete evidence of the Pakistani army’s involvement in the intrusions. The shift in the narrative compelled Pakistan to tone down its rhetoric. Reacting to Islamabad’s threats of more incursions, New Delhi hinted at military action across the border. The Army’s success in recapturing the intruded heights reflected the hollowness of Pakistan’s nuclear rhetoric. India carefully calibrated strategic troops posturing close to the border and relocating naval assets to the Arabian Sea to create a strategic asymmetry along the entire Indo-Pak front to achieve escalation dominance, should there be a need for war. While the Western media overplayed the nuclear threat, Pakistan’s attempt to link its actions to a potential nuclear flashpoint failed. Instead, it came under intense international pressure to withdraw.

As the Indian military operations gathered momentum, Pakistan sought an exit strategy. Its Prime Minister visited Washington in July 1999 to meet then US President Bill Clinton, who categorically rejected Pakistan’s repeated pleas for direct US intervention in the J&K dispute and called again for withdrawal. Pakistan eventually agreed, and the Indian Army accepted a phased withdrawal on its terms and conditions. The Pakistani army withdrew by July 17, barring three areas, which were cleared by the Indian Army by July 25. On July 26, the Indian Army declared the successful conclusion of the Kargil War.

The Kargil conflict marked a strategic shift in the international perception of India, whose measured response, exercise of strategic restraint and prioritisation of regional stability over escalation were viewed positively. The US unequivocally favoured India, with its Congress recommending the suspension of loans from international financial institutions to Pakistan until it withdrew its troops. The G8 countries and the European Union adopted a similar stance. Russia was more supportive, while Pakistan’s trusted ally, China, maintained a neutral stand. Most of the other countries showed even-handedness, asking for restraint, while Saudi Arabia and Iran sought UN intervention. The saga of the unparalleled courage and bravery of Indian soldiers was superbly supplemented by politico-diplomatic initiatives bolstering India’s international standing as a responsible country. Pakistan was humiliated not only on the Kargil battlefield, but also globally.

The Kargil conflict highlighted the contrasting perspectives of India and Pakistan. India conceptualised a limited conventional war as an option below the nuclear threshold. Pakistan, however, believed that its newly acquired nuclear capability had deterred a stronger Indian response, emboldening it to continue using terrorism as an instrument of state policy, as evidenced by the terrorist attacks on Parliament in December 2001 and the Mumbai terror attack in November 2008. Whether an all-out war in 1999 could have prevented major terror attacks originating in Pakistan remains debatable.

The strategy of restraint can be a powerful tool of a strong nation and not a sign of weakness, as it underscores a country’s confidence in its long-term strategic approach. In today’s world, this lesson seems more relevant than ever before. Powerful nations employing disproportionate force to achieve tactical objectives need to introspect. The object of war, as per Carl von Clausewitz, is not victory but to establish enduring peace. But unfortunately, that has rarely happened, as testified by the numerous ongoing confrontations.

t’s after a long time of nearly two decades that Punjab has won IESL Presidency. Punjabis in general and Punjabi ESM in particular boast of all our qualities. My earnest request to Punjab’s ESM to rise to the occasion. We are about 10000 members less than Haryana though we have more ESM in Punjab. Please circulate our far and wide to your Punjab veterans.

https://www.sanjhamorcha.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/APPEAL-TO-VETERANS-TO-BECOME-MEMBERS-OF-IESL-1.pdf

A large number of exam attempts are only benefiting the coaching industry, wasting the resources of the UPSC and also taking a heavy toll on the candidates.

Lt Gen NPS Hira (retd)

Former Chairman, Punjab Public Service Commission

THE results of the annual civil services examinations, conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), were declared recently. For the past few years, the exam methodology, its efficacy to select the best, and the brutal competition among the aspirants have become subjects of debate. The civil services need the best human resources. The UPSC has a system in place to select the best candidates. However, are they really the most suitable? A closer examination of the system reveals that the present system has led to some unintended consequences, especially for those candidates who do not make it.

Many parents in India are keen to see their children enter the civil services. The selection process is extremely tough. This year, only one applicant out of almost 1,300 made the cut. Since some candidates who apply do not appear in the exams, the actual success rate is roughly one out of 700-800. Despite the heavy odds, aspirants continue to appear in the exams year after year. Unfortunately, a significant number of them end up frustrated.

An important question is: Are we selecting the best? A candidate in the general category is allowed six attempts, backward castes candidates can make nine attempts and for Scheduled Castes, there is no limit on the number of attempts, though there is the age limit of 37 years. It is almost a thumb rule of any competitive examination that if a candidate is allowed to make repeated attempts, his or her performance in the written exam keeps improving with every attempt. The interview is a more complex affair. The performance in the interview normally does not improve as much with successive attempts because it demands greater originality of ideas and expression from the candidate. The weightage for the written test is about 87 per cent. The interview weightage is only around 13 per cent. Those clearing the examination in the fourth to sixth attempts generally make it as they are able to score high in the written test. The British, who started this examination in India, allowed only two attempts. It was a decision based on logic. When we allow more than two attempts, the candidates keep improving their written exam performance every year for the simple reason that they have been reading the study material under the same syllabus, with only a little variation in current affairs. So, in the end, we may select a very hard-working and perseverant civil servant, but he may not be the brightest or an original thinker. The high number of attempts allowed are partly due to political reasons and partly due to lobbying by the coaching industry, whose turnover runs into thousands of crores of rupees.

The examination has three stages: preliminary, mains and interview. A candidate in the general category who takes six chances does it over a period of almost eight to 10 years. In the reserved category, it may go up to 15 years. On the face of it, the odds may appear to be something like 800 to 1, but in reality, it is the same candidates appearing again and again. So, for a persistent candidate, the real odds of making it are around one out of 200 candidates. For the top three services (IAS, IPS and IFS), it is about one out of 400-500. On the whole, the rejection rate is still unacceptably high at around 99.5 per cent. Unfortunately, it is not the candidate but the system which we have designed for him that is responsible for getting him sucked into it. The moot point is should the candidates be allowed to continue appearing for three to five years? The hapless parents, too, realise this only after they have wasted a lot of their hard-earned money on coaching.

Allowing so many attempts, be it in the general or reserved categories, really does not help. Ultimately, the number of candidates getting selected, whatever may be the category, remains the same. A candidate may be very bright, but it is extremely difficult for him to compete in his first attempt with another candidate who has been preparing for up to 8-10 years. So, we are being unfair to the bright and also to the not-so-bright. It stands to reason that the number of attempts be reduced to two or maximum three. The reserved category may be allowed one more attempt.

If the number of attempts are reduced, about 80 per cent of the candidates selected will be the same. About 20 per cent may change and that change would be for the better, both for the system and the candidates. A large number of attempts is only benefiting the coaching industry, wasting the resources of the UPSC and also taking a heavy toll on the candidates. Most of them end up missing other bright career opportunities.

Another issue is whether the UPSC needs to get a psychologist on its interview panel, like in military interviews. It is a problem to objectively quantify psychology in terms of marks. A psychologist may like to exercise the veto; therefore, it is very difficult to incorporate one in a government selection system due to its legal implications. The present interview panel, which consists of experienced people, has stood the test of time. The real problem is with the number of attempts.

One more knotty issue is the ‘optional subjects’ allowed in the examination. There are two optional papers with a weightage of as much as 500 marks out of a total of 1,750. The optional subjects have little useful outcome in selection. It is also very tough for any examination body to deal with this complication in its assessment. The Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) has done away with the optional subjects. This has helped the PPSC reduce the load on the candidates and also enabled more objective assessment due to a level playing field.

A high number of aspirants for the civil services is a good sign. We need to ensure that they do not get mired down in this process. Let this examination not become an unintended trap for the candidates, messing up their lives.