The news of mutiny by the troops of an artillary regiment is indeed shocking. This perhaps is indicator of changing times and failure of Army to absorb the spirit of changing times in to its ethos. Those of us who know Indian Army knew that it was coming. But we, inpart, chose to close our eyes because we hoped that by doing so we shall some how avert it from happening in our life times. We failed to raise the wolf cry because the dream was some how too far fetched and would have broken if we would have shaken the trees. Yes all of us who had been associated with army in any way are to be blamed for this break down of traditional bond betweeen officers and men.
That the men of the unit went hunting for its senior officers and in the process badly mauled the commanding officers is more shocking and has perhaps set a preceedent which shall have volcanic fall outs on the organisational.plane of the army. It is therefore important that we analise the jorney of post independence army to this breakdown point.
Indian army inherited the beggage of traditions left behind by Britishers. Theses set of written and unwritten fables were instituted over a long period by Britishers who love their history be it family, clan or nation's. The officer of the british origi carried these traditional values and customs to India later handed over the torch to Indian officers. The intial cadre of Indian officers came from middle clas and feudal landed gentry. Britishers ensured that these people were trained hard under most difficult simulated training conditions. Breach of discipline was dealt with ruthlessly at all levels. Even today when one visits British units /regiments the legacy of this history is unfolded brfore visitors. No soldiers are seen loitering around on garrison roads without reason and above all the dignity of king's coat is maintained by all. In India after independence the army started to change tacks. The intake of officers from nondiscript socio economic strata increased. After the 1962 debacle the induction libralised further. Trainingwar became sole criteria of army's daily drudgery. The value of traditions and history was relegated tothe lowest priority levels
Arab Isrealy wars brought to the fore the example of another kind of army. The civilians who wore uniforms when required. The higher echelons of command in India as else where admired this system but somehow remainedglued to traditional angel more for there own convenience than out of convictions. Perhaps no one noticed that Isrealies were fighting for their survival with their backs pressed hard against wall. One mistake and they shall loose everything including their home and hearth to marauders.
The induction of officers in Indian Army is faltering at the very first level i.e. the SSBs. Somewhere along the line the SSBs forgot to upgrade their methods of selection and relaxed the old valuation system in the process of screening.The mental toughness, truthfulness, initiative and a reasonable grasp of acquired knowledge (education )and team spirit are not being quantified in proper order.
The training process at acadmies suffered as it shifted from vintage to modren. New concepts were institutionalsed without putting them to brutality of hard core testing. Current concepts without the benefit of historical perspective were entered in to the biblical order. Army in a hurry to modernise its arms and services went in haphazard way to introduce half baked doctrines and untried weapons system. The picture that evolved is that of puzzel where componets of thepicture are patched on wrong slots
The recritment process got warped. Though the recruits today or more educated aware of the world and environment around them, their physical and mental capabilities are far less than their predecessors. They do not deify the position of officer insted they compare themselves and their status with officers. With higher levels of education required for handling the advanced tecnologies, it is essential that the screening of men before recruitment goes through a set of physical and psychological tests to weed out the chaff from the grains.
The biggest negative factor is the prevailing political and administrative system which is badlly perforated by corruption and vested interests.The men in army grow up in the streets and lanes of cities,towns and villages of the country where exposed to the massive corruption and lethargy of the system influences the whole lot be it officers or men.The relegation of armed forces to the lowest levels of precedent in the nation's hirarchy has influenced the intake.
Virtually all the training centers and academies are located in the heart of busy towns and cities. Cantonments areas are swamped with civil populations and commercial activities exposing recruits to the undesirable social environment. Trainig ares have become a casuality because of growth of civil population and residential hubs in the heart of cantonements. The administration of cantoments has gone to the civilians with army having little say on management of defence lands and assets. The picture remains bleak as one delves furrther in to woes of army.
The big question remains who will bell the cat and how?
That the men of the unit went hunting for its senior officers and in the process badly mauled the commanding officers is more shocking and has perhaps set a preceedent which shall have volcanic fall outs on the organisational.plane of the army. It is therefore important that we analise the jorney of post independence army to this breakdown point.
Indian army inherited the beggage of traditions left behind by Britishers. Theses set of written and unwritten fables were instituted over a long period by Britishers who love their history be it family, clan or nation's. The officer of the british origi carried these traditional values and customs to India later handed over the torch to Indian officers. The intial cadre of Indian officers came from middle clas and feudal landed gentry. Britishers ensured that these people were trained hard under most difficult simulated training conditions. Breach of discipline was dealt with ruthlessly at all levels. Even today when one visits British units /regiments the legacy of this history is unfolded brfore visitors. No soldiers are seen loitering around on garrison roads without reason and above all the dignity of king's coat is maintained by all. In India after independence the army started to change tacks. The intake of officers from nondiscript socio economic strata increased. After the 1962 debacle the induction libralised further. Trainingwar became sole criteria of army's daily drudgery. The value of traditions and history was relegated tothe lowest priority levels
Arab Isrealy wars brought to the fore the example of another kind of army. The civilians who wore uniforms when required. The higher echelons of command in India as else where admired this system but somehow remainedglued to traditional angel more for there own convenience than out of convictions. Perhaps no one noticed that Isrealies were fighting for their survival with their backs pressed hard against wall. One mistake and they shall loose everything including their home and hearth to marauders.
The induction of officers in Indian Army is faltering at the very first level i.e. the SSBs. Somewhere along the line the SSBs forgot to upgrade their methods of selection and relaxed the old valuation system in the process of screening.The mental toughness, truthfulness, initiative and a reasonable grasp of acquired knowledge (education )and team spirit are not being quantified in proper order.
The training process at acadmies suffered as it shifted from vintage to modren. New concepts were institutionalsed without putting them to brutality of hard core testing. Current concepts without the benefit of historical perspective were entered in to the biblical order. Army in a hurry to modernise its arms and services went in haphazard way to introduce half baked doctrines and untried weapons system. The picture that evolved is that of puzzel where componets of thepicture are patched on wrong slots
The recritment process got warped. Though the recruits today or more educated aware of the world and environment around them, their physical and mental capabilities are far less than their predecessors. They do not deify the position of officer insted they compare themselves and their status with officers. With higher levels of education required for handling the advanced tecnologies, it is essential that the screening of men before recruitment goes through a set of physical and psychological tests to weed out the chaff from the grains.
The biggest negative factor is the prevailing political and administrative system which is badlly perforated by corruption and vested interests.The men in army grow up in the streets and lanes of cities,towns and villages of the country where exposed to the massive corruption and lethargy of the system influences the whole lot be it officers or men.The relegation of armed forces to the lowest levels of precedent in the nation's hirarchy has influenced the intake.
Virtually all the training centers and academies are located in the heart of busy towns and cities. Cantonments areas are swamped with civil populations and commercial activities exposing recruits to the undesirable social environment. Trainig ares have become a casuality because of growth of civil population and residential hubs in the heart of cantonements. The administration of cantoments has gone to the civilians with army having little say on management of defence lands and assets. The picture remains bleak as one delves furrther in to woes of army.
The big question remains who will bell the cat and how?
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