APPROACH TO CONDUCT OF TRAINING IN
MAI BHAGO ARMED FORCES PREPARATORY INSTITUTE FOR GIRLS
INTRODUCTION
1. The charter of the Institute specifies the selection of girls after 10+2 and preparing them for commission into the Defence Forces, through various Women Officer Entry Schemes. During the three years training period, the Lady Cadets are enrolled at MCM DAV College Chandigarh in BA, BSC (Non-Medical) and Bcom. They also imbibe at the Institute different aspects of training essential for preparation for commission into the Defence Forces. With time as the Institute evolves and fresh experience is gained, modifications to the approach may be necessitated. Thus, there may be a requirement to revisit this approach periodically.
TRAINING MISSION
2. The ‘Training Mission’ includes building up physical and mental abilities, developing Officer Like Qualities in the Lady Cadets. In addition, preparing them to appear in competitive examinations for selection into the Officer Training Academies (OTAs) under relevant Women Entry Schemes, for a career as commissioned officers in the Defence Services.
CONDUCT OF TRAINING
3. The total training for Lady Cadets is spread over three ‘Training Years’. Training will cover the following specific areas:-
- (a) Academics.
- (b) English Speaking and Communication Skills.
- (c) Outdoor Training.
- (d) Personality Development
- (e) Development of Officer Like Qualities (OLQs).
- (f) Motivational Training.
- (g) Essentials of Military Training.
- (h) Preparation for Written Examination and SSB Interview.
4. The Inter-se priority between academics, outdoors, personality development and competitive exams is altered with academics gaining priority in the beginning and competitive exams becoming more significant towards the end of graduation.
ACADEMICS
5. Academics will remain the area of prime focus during the entire training period of three years.
6. Necessary guidance will be provided through the Institute Management, college professors and experts to help Lady Cadets decide on the subject combinations. If Lady Cadets can get B.Com or any other subjects, based on the centraluniversity level selection on merit, she will be allowed to pursue the same.
7. Special need based interactive sessions will be organised for additional help or to address specific problem areas of the Lady Cadets. Regular interaction between the College Authorities and the Institute Management will be undertaken to monitor individual progress. Performance of the Lady Cadets will also be monitored during tests and semester examination.
ENGLISH SPEAKING AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS
8. The Lady Cadets will be trained to acquire fluency in the English language, in terms of both conversation and written abilities.
9. During the first training year, regular classes by experts will be organised to enhance English speaking and communication skills. Lady Cadets will be encouraged to converse in English. In addition, the Lady Cadets will be made to take part in group discussions, prepared talks, extempore speaking and conversational exercises. Lady Cadets will be encouraged to develop reading habit as also write synopsis and book reviews. In the long run, apart from raising individual confidence levels; training in English speaking and communication skills will be a preparation for the Lady Cadets both for the written examination as well as for the SSB interview.
OUTDOOR TRAINING
10. The aim of outdoor training is to ensure that the Lady Cadets achieve a high degree of physical fitness, stamina, physical toughness and overall physical well-being. This training will instill self-confidence, enhance endurance and prepare them to undertake the rigours of physical training at the Officers Training Academies (OTAs). The outdoor training will include –
- (a) Physical Training (PT) & General Fitness Training.
- (b) Games & Sports (Hockey, Badminton, Volleyball, Basketball).
- (c) Gymnasium Training.
- (d) Toughening & Endurance Training (Final Training Year)
- (e) Cross Country (Final Training Year)
- (f) Drill.
- (g) Small Arms Firing.
11. It is envisaged that some exposure to swimming, equitation (horse riding) and unarmed combat will also be introduced in due course.
PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT & OFFICER LIKE QUALITIES
12. Personality Development for the Lady Cadets will be a continuous process both as part of the campus life as also formal training to ensure all round development. This is a vast subject and will broadly cover, behavioral and attitude training, confidence building and etiquette. This will be achieved by a multifarious approach of talks by eminent personalities tours to reputed. Institutions entertainment, Social and Cultural activities. The management comprises experts from Service Selection Boards who will personally oversee the development of these skills.
PREPARATION FOR WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS AND SSB TRAINING
13. The Lady Cadets will be trained in examination/ answering techniques, time management and ability to think under pressure. Regular and constant focus will be maintained in exposing the Lady Cadets to General Awareness, Current Affairs and General Knowledge. The Lady Cadets will be encouraged to read News Papers and listen to the News. In the final training year, customized preparation will be organised for the written examinations for seeking admission into the OTAs. For this purpose the training will be outsourced to an established institute, having necessary expertise.
14. For the SSB training, expertise available with both the sister Institutes will be exploited to maximum benefit. Where required, specific part of the training would be out sourced to locally available experts. The Institute has its own obstacles and GTO tasks structures. Customised focus on SSB training will be in the last training year in keeping with the dates of college exams, OTA written exams and the SSB dates. The SSB training will include training for cracking Screening Test, Psychological Tests, Group Tasks and the art of facing the Interview.