Education programme for army people

Mumbai: The Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU) has signed a MoU with the Defence services according to which it will train and educate the armymen working on the borders through distance learning programme.

The MoU was signed between Dr R Krishnakumar, Vice Chancellor of YCMOU and Lt. General V K Chaturvedi, Director General of Manpower Planning and Personnel Services, Shrinivas Belsare.

The university will offer courses for jawans and officers in all three services of the defence forces with 44 new study centers being established all over the country besides the 3600 centers of the University in Maharashtra.

A special B.Ed programme will also be launched for war widows so that they can gain employment, Krishnakumar said, adding a special BA, BCom and MBA programme will be developed according to the needs of the Defence services.

A special BSc programme will also be developed for children of defence personnel to prepare them to face the Combined Defence Services (CDS) exam to join the Services.

"It is observed that after a lifetime of service for the nation the jawans, who are highly respected by all citizens, feel erosion in their self-esteem when they have to work as watchmen or security guards in some organisation after retirement from the services.

"This is because of their inadequate qualifications. They never get an opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills while working under harsh conditions. The conventional system of education cannot reach these most unreached sections of our society. YCMOU, with its aim to reach the unreached has deliberately developed these programmes," he said.