Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
* Separate institute to be operational at Mohali by July this year : Grewal
Chandigarh, Girls of border state Punjab are all set to realize their dream of joining armed forces as their male counterparts as the Punjab Government is all set up a separate institute for them on the pattern of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute to train them for or joining armed forces. This state of art ultramodern complex set up on a piece of 8 acre in sector 66 SAS Nagar Mohali is all set be operational by July this year and admission process would start in the month of May this year.
Maj. Gen. BS Grewal, VSM (retired), Director Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute giving information about this said that Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal was impressed by the performance of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute and wanted that girls of Punjab should get an equal opportunity to join the forces and sanctioned for setting up this institute. Describing it a major initiative towards gender equality, Major General Grewal said that Punjab would be the first state in the country that would have separate training facility for the girl cadets. This institute will train girls at the college level over a period of three years as the lady cadets pursue their graduation studies simultaneously.
Further he explained that during the 2 year course at the +1 and +2 level, focused training would be imparted by experts including retired service officers and erstwhile Group Testing Officers and Psychologists to prepare cadets for the NDA Entrance Examination and Services Selection Board. A lot of emphasis would be laid in the training on personality development, soft skills and communications and leadership training. The institute would provide basic military training to the girls with emphasis on honing both mental and physical abilities. The institute located in approx. 8 acres, the campus would have a state-of-the-art training facility with a hostel, cadet’s mess, ante room, gymnasium, indoor shooting range, office accommodation, library cum cyber cafe, class rooms and an auditorium. Additional infrastructure such as a swimming pool, squash court and stables for horses would be set up in the second phase. Well laid out sports fields for hockey, football, volleyball, basketball, lawn tennis and a jogging track are also be developed for the girls cadets.
