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Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat reviewed the security situation along the Line of Control and the hinterland in Jammu and Kashmir. Gen Rawat, accompanied by Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Ranbir Singh and Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen AK Bhatt, visited the frontier district of Kupwara yesterday.

Army Chief was briefed about the recent counter-infiltration operations. Gen Rawat interacted with the troops and spent the first day of 2019 with troops in the Kashmir Valley.

Army spokesperson said, Gen Rawat was appreciative of the sharp vigil and ness along the Line of Control and high morale of the troops, and further exhorted them to remain for any eventuality.

Army Chief also interacted with senior police officials and discussed the prevailing internal security situation in the valley. Gen Rawat also appreciated the seamless cooperation and synergy being maintained among all the agencies.

Army Chief arrived in Kashmir valley yesterday on a two-day visit to the state.

In a recent interview, chief of army staff General Bipin Rawat spoke at length about why the Indian Army is not ready for women combat officers.

Women in combat is not just a contentious subject, it is also one which brings out passionate reactions from both aspiring women who wish to shatter yet another glass ceiling and Indian Army officers fiercely holding the ceiling in place, lest it starts to crack.

While both the disruptors and the resistance have valid arguments, Gen. Rawat strangely chose the most chauvinistic, illogical and factually untenable points to insist why the Indian Army would not have woman combatants any time soon.

From “…there are orders that we have to cocoon her separately. She will say somebody is peeping, so we will have to give a sheet around her” to “I make her a commanding officer. She is commanding a battalion. Can that lady officer be away from her duties for six months? Do I put a restriction on her to say that in that command tenure you will not be given maternity leave? If I say that, there will be ruckus created,” his arguments were infantilising women at best and ridiculous at worst.

Also read: Dear Bipin Rawat, Let’s Talk About Strong Women

Take the first point. Why would a woman officer complain about men peeping inside her hut/cabin/room, unless somebody is indeed peeping inside? And if somebody is peeping inside a woman’s room without her consent, then it is not the woman’s problem; it is a problem of discipline. And as any military leader would agree, indisciplined troops are a nightmare for any commander.

Taking the same argument forward, Gen. Rawat said that since a majority of Indian soldiers (people below the rank of officer) still come from villages, they will have a problem taking orders from a woman commander.

There are two flaws with this excuse. One, soldiers are trained to follow orders given by their superiors in rank. Period. They are not trained to take orders from a ‘male’ superior. In military, a rank is what matters, which is why it is worn on the shoulders. Now if trained soldiers chose to look at the breast of their commanding officer instead of the rank on her shoulder, then in addition to being a problem of indiscipline, it represents the breakdown of command too.

The second flaw is that men from rural areas have been taking orders from women for several decades now, whether as security guards, domestic helps, office assistants and even in the military. After all, except for combat, women officers are already serving in the military. Aren’t they giving orders to their juniors, including jawans? And aren’t those orders being obeyed?

As far as the country not being ready to receive the body bag of a woman officer is concerned, is anyone ever ready to receive a body bag of their loved one?

His most facetious argument was about women asking for maternity leave during their command tenure. In India, even the male officers who get approved for command tenure rarely do so before the age of 40. Given this, which woman, especially after enduring physical and mental rigours of military training to get commissioned as a combatant, would decide to have a child at the age of 40 or more? Even in the civil sector, the percentage of women opting to have children at 40 is miniscule. What’s more, of every ten officers, only half manage to command a unit. A woman who reaches this position is hardly likely to throw it all away because she belatedly decides to have a child. And even if she does, she would know that this would involve a compromise as far as her military career goes. This should worry the woman concerned, not the army chief.

Gen. Rawat, please look at the social profile of the officers you are commanding. Most have more than one child even before they hit their 30s; almost a decade and half before they can have a shot at commanding a battalion. Why would women be any different?

And as far as the country not being ready to receive the body bag of a woman officer is concerned, is anyone ever ready to receive a body bag of their loved one? It’s not about being ready. It’s about hoping and praying that your loved one does not return in a bag, yet accepting it when that happens.

Clearly, Gen. Rawat was caught off guard by the intrepid journalist. And the misogynist banter which usually happens in the army messes found its way into the interview.

Watch: Why General Bipin Rawat’s Remarks Were Unbecoming Of His Office

Contrast this with the press conference the chief of naval staff had a few weeks prior to this infamous interview, on December 3, at Kota House in Delhi. In response to a question on women officers being inducted in the combat role, Admiral Sunil Lanba said, “Navy is a gender-neutral service. We have already commissioned women officers in combat. They are flying the P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, which is a combat platform.”

According to Admiral Lanba, women officers have been trained to release weapons from P-8I, which is combat in the navy.

In response to another question, he added that all the modern under-construction warships are being designed to accommodate women officers. The only reason women have not been deployed on surface ships so far is because the naval training ships are not equipped to train women officers. “We are working on this. As soon as we have new training ships, we will train women for deployment on combat ships,” he told the assembled journalists.

Admiral Lanba offered no timelines and none were asked. A new training ship could start training women officers next year, or it may not do so for another five years. But at least the chief conveyed that the navy has no prejudice against women, instead of belabouring the fact that a woman officer may have to be alone on the ship with male colleagues for several months on operational deployment.

Inducting women in combat is a serious subject, which is why very few armed forces in the world induct women in the fighting arms. It deserves a serious and well-considered response. If he was not giving so many interviews at a breakneck speed, perhaps Gen. Rawat would have had time to consider his responses and he wouldn’t have exposed his regressive mind-set.

Surely, the head of the largest volunteer army in the world could have done better.

Ghazala Wahab is executive editorFORCE newsmagazine.

An aura of sombreness and serenity generally prevails around war memorials the world over. There is an unwritten code of conduct for the visitors. It is sacrilegious to talk loudly, shout and laugh or have picnics at these monuments. But not so at India Gate. We need to have a code of conduct.

Lt-Gen SR Ghosh (Retd)
Former GOC-in -C, Western Command

RECENTLY, I visited India Gate in New Delhi to show the “Amar Jawan Jyoti” to an American visitor on his first trip to our country. India Gate, an architectural masterpiece, was constructed in honour of our gallant soldiers who had laid down their lives during World War I and the Third Anglo-Afghan War. The names of 13,218 of these soldiers are inscribed on India Gate. Designed by Edwin Lutyens, the 42-metre tall memorial was inaugurated on February 12, 1931 by the then Viceroy of India, Lord Irwin, who said in his inaugural speech, “The stirring tales of individual heroism, will live forever in the annals of this country. This tribute to the memory of heroes, known and unknown, will inspire future generations to endure hardships with similar fortitude and no less valour”.

Four decades later, and after many more deaths of Indian soldiers, the Amar Jawan Jyoti was created under India Gate to commemorate the memory of those who had lost their lives during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war. Since then, the Eternal Flame and the reversed rifle with a helmet on top, stand in mute remembrance of the immortal souls of all Indian soldiers who “gave their today for the nation’s tomorrow”.

Almost every country that has lost soldiers in a military campaign has created war memorials, many of them constructed and maintained through private funding by residents of that area and who look after these with care and pride. In the UK, France, Canada and Australia, war memorials have been constructed in hundreds of villages and towns by residents in honour of their fallen. In Russia, newly married couples traditionally pay homage at a war memorial immediately after their wedding in remembrance of the great sacrifices made by the soldiers of the Soviet Union in previous wars. 

Washington DC memorials

The US has some of the finest war memorials in Washington DC which are visited by almost five million people every year. 

• The famous Vietnam Memorial is a place of sorrow and memories, where the names of over 58,000 dead are etched on the highly polished, black granite Wall.
• The Korean War Memorial comprising 19 statues of US soldiers on a patrol represents more than 36,000 American military personnel killed in that war.
• The  World War II Memorial, constructed in 2004, honours the spirit and sacrifice of the over 4,00,000 dead.

Just across the Potomac river lies the National Arlington Cemetery, cradling over 4,00,000 graves, including that of President John Kennedy, and the Tomb of the Unknown.

War memorials are silent symbols of heroism, sacrifice and patriotism and are looked upon with utmost reverence across the world. When a soldier stands in homage at a memorial, a sea of silent emotions flows through his body and mind, as he remembers battles fought and fallen comrades. Citizens come here to remember and honour the sacrifices made by the soldiers, or to grieve for a father, a brother, a husband or a son who has laid down his life for the country.

These memorials are also historical touchstones which link generations of families and remind them of their forefathers who fought and died for their country.

Interestingly, each year, more than 300 “Honour Flights” are organised by non-profit American organisations to bring World War II, Korean and Vietnam War veterans, many of them on wheelchairs, to these Washington DC memorials, at no cost to the retired soldiers.

An aura of sombreness and serenity, therefore, generally prevails around these monuments. There is an unwritten code of conduct for the visitors. It is sacrilege to even talk loudly, let alone shout and laugh or have picnics at these monuments.

Shocking scene at India Gate

I had not visited India Gate for many years and it was with these sombre thoughts that I stepped on to Rajpath and walked up to the Eternal Flame. But what greeted me was something that shook my sensibilities. While the enclosed segment of the Amar Jawan Jyoti was immaculate, the entire area around it was a huge “tamasha”, with hordes of men, women and children shouting, laughing and making merry. Children were having rides on mini cars behind the memorial, while vendors and hawkers sold ice creams, bhelpuri and other eatables. Dirty paper plates, water bottles and plastic packets littered the area and the stench of food and waste hung around like a shroud. Stray dogs roamed around or basked in the afternoon sun. It was shocking that this national monument of sacrifice, valour and patriotism had been reduced to such levels…..a sacrilege to the memory of the fallen soldier.

Who was responsible for this? Was it the fault of the government agency tasked for the upkeep and sanctity of the area, or was it the general apathy of the citizens?

Take steps to restore dignity

It is imperative that we take steps to restore the dignity of the immortal soldier and the sanctity of the memorial.

• At the outset, there must be strict enforcement of the rules or code of conduct in and around the memorial.
• This could be done through education, monitoring, levying of fines and infrastructural changes.
• We need to make the circular road around India Gate into a no-horn/no-parking zone.
• Hawkers, vendors and all other commercial activities must be banned in the road and no food items allowed to be carried by visitors.
• Strict enforcement should be put in place against littering, defacing or urinating.
• Visitors must also be educated by official guards and through notice boards to maintain silence and decorum within the memorial area.
• And finally, we need a dedicated organisation to manage and take care of the National War Memorial area. Nobody can do this better than the military itself as can be seen in the manner that they maintain the upkeep and sanctity of war memorials within cantonments.

It would, therefore, be in the fitness of things to hand over the responsibility of the National War Memorial to the Territorial Infantry Battalion located just across India Gate. This unit, with a little reorientation, training and reorganisation will be ideal for this vital job.

As we wait for the Prime Minister to inaugurate the National War Memorial in the coming months, let us start now and put in place some urgently needed rules, regulations and codes of conduct so that the spirit and dignity of the soldiers who have laid down their lives in the defence of our nation is honoured for all times to come.

Chandigarh, December 8

A panel of historians discussed the role of Indian soldiers in the World War-I at the festival today. Sqn Ldr Rana TS Chhina said the story of the Indian freedom was largely a political narrative and the contribution of Indian soldiers had never been studied.

He suggested declaration of the orange marigold as a remembrance flower for honouring the fallen Indian soldiers on the lines of red poppy chosen by the British for the same cause. Prof Anju Suri said princely states from the Punjab region had major contribution towards the war effort and the rulers of Patiala, Jind, Kapurthala, Nabha and Malerkotla paid handsome incentives to soldiers. David Ommissi, a history lecturer in the UK, said this muted description portrayed the sufferings endured by Indian soldiers. — TNS

“Pakistan has very cleverly changed the complete demography of so-called Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan. So, one is not very sure as to who is an actual Kashmiri, whom we are addressing these issues to,” he said.

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said the demography of “other side of LoC” has been changed by Pakistan

NEW DELHI: 

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said on Wednesday that Pakistan has very cleverly changed the complete demography of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) including Gilgit-Baltistan while adding that the identity of Kashmiris on the other side of the Line of Control has systematically been eroded by Islamabad.

Delivering the Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Lecture in Delhi on Wednesday, the army chief said, “Every time something happens on our side (of LoC), we must always address it to say that it is also going to have a radical effect on other side (PoK). The issue is, on the other side, the complete demography has changed.”

“Pakistan has very cleverly changed the complete demography of so-called Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan. So, one is not very sure as to who is an actual Kashmiri, whom we are addressing these issues to,” he said.

General Rawat further said, “People from Gilgit-Baltistan (part of PoK) are also now being taken over gradually (by Islamabad). So, to say that there is an identity between our side (of LoC) of Kashmir and the other side, then the identity thing has gradually been eroded very cleverly by the Pakistanis. That is an issue we have to look at.”

The army chief said that the tolerance levels of the people in Jammu and Kashmir have “reduced and perceived alienation” as the youth in the region are being “indoctrinated to act irrationally.”

“In recent times, the tolerance levels of the public in Kashmir have reduced and perceived alienation is indicative of a definitive aspirational deficit amongst the local youth. The Kashmiri youth is being indoctrinated to act irrationally. The proliferation of social media has further compounded the challenge and contributes towards the spread of an anti-establishment narrative,” he highlighted.

General Rawat said, “Perceptions in Jammu and Kashmir is based on whose story you are listening to. Thus, making peace narrative is very different. These narratives are built around the constructs of radicalisation, alienation, agitation, religious fundamentalism and anti-nationalism on one hand and the perception of a Kashmiri common man on the other.”

Talking about the state, the army chief said, “Things will be brought under control and are being brought under control, but sustained pressure needs to be maintained.”

General Rawat also expressed concern over allowing funeral processions of terrorists. He said that those who are glorifying terrorists as brave hearts are “possibly trying encouraging more people to join the terrorist ranks.”

The army chief’s comments come after two Central Reserve Police Force or CRPF jawans sustained injuries on Wednesday in a stone-pelting incident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district. A group of people had resorted to stone pelting during an ongoing encounter between the security forces and the terrorists in Chathergram village.

Smita Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 28

Amid the euphoria of groundbreaking ceremony of Kartarpur corridor by Imran Khan, India has dismissed remarks made by the Pakistani Prime Minister on Kashmir. New Delhi underlined that the Kartarpur corridor opening is a religious issue between the two countries and must not be given an overarching political context.

“It is deeply regrettable that the Prime Minister of Pakistan chose to politicise the pious occasion meant to realise the long-pending demand of the Sikh community to develop Kartarpur corridor by making unwarranted reference to Jammu and Kashmir which is an integral and inalienable part of India,” said MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar.

Earlier during the ceremony in Kartarpur in presence of his Chief of Army Staff Qamar Javed Bajwa, Indian government representatives and Union Cabinet members Hardeep Puri and Harsimrat Badal, Punjab Minister Navjot Sidhu and invited Indian media delegation among others, Imran Khan brought up the Kashmir bogey. “The only issue between us is Kashmir, all it needs is just two capable leaderships to resolve this issue. Just imagine the potential we have if our relationships get strong,” said the cricketer-turned-politician and now Pak PM.

“Pakistan is reminded that it must fulfil its international obligations and take effective and credible action to stop providing shelter and all kind of support to cross border terrorism from territories under its control,” added Raveesh Kumar in his response.

This after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in Hyderabad categorically rejected a fresh offer from Pakistan to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the SAARC summit to be hosted by Islamabad. 

The Kartarpur corridor groundbreaking happening just two days after the 10th anniversary of the Mumbai attacks and ahead of the G20 summit where PM Modi is expected to flag issue of terror financing and safe havens and Pakistan’s grey listing by Financial Action Task Force to world leaders, including Donald Trump, means India would continue with its sharp attacks on Islamabad regardless of the new found warmth generated among the Sikh community on both sides of the border.

“It’s a step towards peace which our region needs. Barbed wire at borders is measure by a sovereign state to check/deny illegal crossings. Corridors & Gates are for legal peaceful visitors. So is the case for all our neighbors,” said the Pakistani Army Chief on the corridor ground breaking occasion.

New Delhi, November 25

As India and Pakistan prepare to lay the Kartarpur corridor project foundation, Islamabad hopes it will send a message globally.

Ahead of the ground-breaking ceremony by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on November 28, his Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhary today said the step proved that Islamabad meant peace.

In remarks alluding to the Modi government’s U-turn on proposed talks in September in New York, Chaudhary tweeted: “Pakistan, through its conduct, has once again showed who stands for peace in South Asia and which force is not sincere.” 

Meanwhile, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who, along with Cabinet colleague Harsimrat Badal, will attend the ceremony, hailed the movement forward. Calling it “one pilgrimage every Sikh longs for”, Puri tweeted: “I feel blessed that I will be able to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib.”

The American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has also welcomed the move to open the corridor. However, sounding a cautionary note, it said no individual should take undue credit, referring to leaders across parties in Punjab and the Centre patting their own backs. — TNS

Any kind of fundamentalism is inconsistent with the message of Guru Nanak, who preached all religions had merit and it was necessary to learn from each other for harmonious living.

Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 22

Societies worldwide are facing the challenges of terrorism and environmental degradation. What can we draw from the teachings of Guru Nanak to tide over these?

Three things in Guru Nanak’s life are very important. First is his emphasis on gender equality. Guru Nanak wanted men and women to be treated equally and his message was “so kyun manda aakhiye jit janmain rajjan”. Today in our own country atrocities against women and children are on the increase. It is, therefore, necessary to take Guru Nanak’s message to all nooks and corners of the country to emphasise the need for paying adequate attention to the wellbeing of our women and children.

Guru Nanak laid great emphasis on the protection of environment —water, air and Mother Earth. We end Japuji Sahib with a reference to the need to protect environment. The challenge is to live in harmony with nature.

Thirdly, the Guru emphasised the need for inter-faith harmony and sustained dialogue among religions and religious communities. He travelled the world to promote the culture of dialogue among various religious groups, whether it was the yogis of the Himalayas or the maulvis of Mecca.

His message is that all religions have merit and it is necessary to learn from each other to ensure harmonious living. This message of Guru Nanak is as relevant today as it was when he lived.

The Guru preached a world without boundaries but we are living in a world increasingly defined by boundaries. Is this why the world is moving away from his teachings?

Well, the world will have to come back to the path shown by Guru Nanak Dev ji. It is true there is so much strife in our country, so many religious disputes and caste rivalries. These are not conducive to harmonious living and, therefore, the message of Guru Nanak of promoting inter-faith dialogue and harmony is paramount. Guru Nanak said ‘naa koi Hindu naa Musalman’. Everyone is to be judged by what one does in his life.

Guru Nanak lived for the poor and shared his earnings. But world is becoming increasingly self-centred…

The basic message of Guru Nanak is equity and equality. Therefore, equitable distribution of income and wealth is an integral part of the teachings of Sikh Gurus. Equitable distribution of income, dealing constructively with social and economic inequalities, is integral to the message Guru Nanak gave to the world.

Radicalism has been on the rise across the world. Is there a lesson to be drawn from Guru’s teachings?

All sorts of fundamentalism are inconsistent with the message of Guru Nanak and other Sikh Gurus. Caste barriers were decried by the Guru. He emphasised equality of human beings and, therefore, the need for promoting inter-faith dialogue.

So you are saying that inter-faith dialogue is the best solution to religious fundamentalism?

Yes, that is the only solution.

Guru Nanak established the city of Kartarpur where there was harmony of every kind. Do you think such a society is possible today?

I think technology has brought new challenges. I don’t believe we can reverse the march of technology, and with technology comes growing urbanisation. I don’t think we can bring back the type of model Guru Nanak Dev ji showed and worked on in Kartarpur. But his message of ‘kirat karna, wand chhakna, naam japna’ is as relevant in modern society as it was during Guru Nanak’s time. The basic message is still valid for the wellbeing of humankind.

The youth appear to be increasingly losing touch with religion and spirituality… your thoughts?

My message to the youth is they must get away from the path of drugs, which is destroying the vitality of the youth of Punjab. The path shown by Guru Nanak can lead us to a life of piety and self-control, which is essential for harmonious living.

Are lack of jobs and economic strife also reasons why youth are unable to turn to spirituality?

Joblessness is a major problem affecting our young. This problem must be tackled frontally.

What does religion mean to you personally?

It means being a good citizen, trying to do my duty and leading a life of dignity and self-respect.

Do you think religious identities and religious symbolism are important?

Well, we cannot wish away symbolism but it need not be used to promote destructive ends.

Sikhism has spread worldwide because of the Sikh diaspora. What would you say to the Sikhs living outside India?

The Sikhs are today an international community, found in every part of the world. And where there is a Sikh, there is a gurdwara. Gurdwara is also a place where the tradition of langar, feeding the hungry regardless of their religion and caste, is still practised. To the Sikhs living outside India, my message would be that they have an obligation to be good Sikhs and good citizens of the countries to which they have migrated because their conduct will influence people’s judgement about the community. And, therefore, it is very important for the diaspora, the Sikhs in particular, to set an example of nobility and good living, practising teachings of the Gurus.

It is also necessary in our own country to ensure that our religious institutions are not misused to promote religious hatred.

What according to you is the role of the SGPC?

The SGPC is the supreme religious institution of the Sikhs. It must, therefore, guide the Sikh community to follow the righteous path shown by our Gurus.

Punjab has just seen an attack on Nirankari Bhavan in Amritsar on the eve of the 550th Parkash Utsav. Do you see this as an attempt to revive militancy in the state?

Terrorism is the enemy of humanity and, therefore, it is the responsibility of all to work for its elimination. No problems are solved by resorting to terrorism and it is, therefore, necessary that all our institutions — political, religious and social — are mobilised to deal with the scourge of terrorism.

Punjab has suffered a great deal in the past and it will be a very sad day if terrorism takes root in Punjab again.

Politics is being played out even on Parkash Utsav. The SGPC and the Punjab Government are organising their own functions. All this when the Guru preached unity…

My feeling is that all segments of the Sikh society and other religious communities, whether Hindus or Muslims, Guru Nanak was common to all. Guru Nanak’s message has universal validity and this must be an occasion to unite all communities in promoting the cult of good and honest living among our people.

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 12

Five schools in the state have been identified for establishing Cadet Training Wings (CTWs) that will train and prepare students to become commissioned officers in the armed forces.

Under the programme, envisioned to increase the contribution of the state to the armed forces’ officer cadre, the schools will be responsible for academics up to the Class XII level, while special instructors under the supervision of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (AFPI) at Mohali will conduct structured leadership and personality development capsules at the schools for potential students.

Expenses for running the capsules, which will mirror the training at AFPI, will be borne by the government.

The shortlisted schools are the Yadavindra Public School (YPS), Patiala, Punjab Public School, Nabha, Army Public School, Beas, Doon International School and YPS, both in Mohali. A dozen schools had applied for the programme.

Three training nodes to coordinate the activities are being set up.

“Keeping in view the administrative limitations, only five schools will be covered under the programme in the first phase. More schools will be brought on board gradually,” said AFPI Director, Maj Gen BS Grewal.

“While final approval and release of funds from the government is awaited, we have begun preliminary work and interaction with the schools is underway,” he added.

The AFPI was set up in April 2011 to arrest the declining trend of the youth from the state joining the armed forces as officers.

Prior to this, Punjab was sending only six to eight boys to the National Defence Academy per batch, but now this number has doubled. In June this year, 17 out of the 29 cadets from the sate who passed out of the Indian Military Academy were from AFPI.

Over 110 AFPI cadets have been successful in joining various service academies and the tally for 2018 will be 26.

The state government had initially wanted to set up three more institutes on the pattern of the AFPI, where all boarding lodging and training expenses for the two-year fully residential programme are borne by the state. However, financial constraints warranted a re-think and the government went in for the CTWs instead where existing infrastructure of the schools would be used.

Leadership and personality development 

• The shortlisted schools are Yadavindra Public School (YPS), Patiala; Punjab Public School, Nabha; Army Public School, Beas; Doon International School and YPS, both in Mohali.
• The schools will be responsible for academics up to the Class XII level.
• Special instructors under the supervision of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (AFPI) at Mohali will conduct structured leadership and personality development capsules at the schools for potential students.