Tribune News Service,Amritsar, December 15

The ABVP’S youth wing cited a survey report to indicate that recruitment in the Indian Armed forces from Punjab had reduced significantly, and the youth have been made unfit for Army owing to the drug menace. While many still contemplate on these report and the fact that the findings might be true, two young boys from Amritsar have managed to dress in olive green and proudly so.Lieutenant Ranjit Singh Gill and Lieutenant Iqbal Singh have taken the oath to serve the Army and have been recently commissioned to the mechanised infantry. Clearing the air about the hesitation of the youth from Punjab in donning olive green, 29-year-old officer Ranjit said, “The recruitment at the officer level has been less as compared to other jobs and there have been less selections overall.”Ranjit though says that the tough interview and training course requires focus and determination. “One has to dedicate oneself to the job. My passing out course was 138 regular.”Belonging to Bhure Gill village, near Ajnala, Ranjit completed his graduation from Khalsa College before training for four years to become an officer. “I trained at Army Cadet College and then at IAFA, Dehradun. I was recruited in the Army Education Corp and it’s a great privilege to become the first officer from my village,” he said. He also completed his Masters of Business Administration from Sikkim Manipal University and is now looking forward to his long years in service.Lieutenant Iqbal Singh followed in his father’s footsteps and joined Army. “My father retired as Subedar Major and I have always wanted to serve.”