Army to tie up with IGNOU for giving soldiers a better life after retirement

New Delhi, Sep 3 (ANI): To empower soldiers educationally and to provide them with an opportunity of a second career option after retirement, the Indian Army has come out with a plan according to which soldiers who join service after school can study for a degree in market driven courses.

The Indian Army will tie up with the Indira Gandhi National Open University to set up community colleges on the pattern of the US system of community colleges in its cantonments and other defence establishments to impart education in market-driven courses and soft skill programmes.

The Army will sign an MoU with IGNOU on September 4 to give academic diploma or associate degree and graduation degree to soldiers, which is seen as a step towards empowering the soldier to live a life with dignity and confidence after retirement.

The project named 'Gyan Deep' will benefit many of the 1.2 million soldiers of the Army. Nearly 50,000 trained soldiers retire every year from the army after an average of 15 years of service.

"The jawans will be given BA, BBA, BSc and BCom degrees depending on their area of work," a senior officer said.

For soldiers who join after Class 10, the army will be organising bridge courses to bring them at par with those who have completed Class 12.

The Army-IGNOU Community colleges will function as autonomous bodies conducting examinations and their courses are hitherto fore. By Praful Kumar Singh (ANI)