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The Rediff Special/ Colonel John Taylor (retd)

There is no need for alarm bells to go off!

Recently the chief of the army staff stated that the duration of training at the Indian Military Academy was to be reduced by six months. Will this affect the officer material which will pass out from the portals of the IMA?

Background:

During emergencies and times of war, the army has resorted to reducing the training period of both officers and jawans. During the Second World War, the then British Indian Army had to reduce the training period both at Sandhurst (where the Imperial Military Academy is located in the UK), and the IMA at Dehradun.

The IMA was established in 1929 under the first Commandant, Brigadier Kingsley (I have the honour of being from the same regiment -- the Fourth Gorkha Rifles). The first course passing out of IMA had just 25 Gentlemen Cadets. The IMA did not have the infrastructure and wherewithal to train the sudden demand of officers at the time the Second World War was declared. Hence, the Officers Training Schools was established at Poona and Bangalore sometime around 1939. The training period was curtailed to just six months, and officers passing out of the OTS were known as Temporary Commissioned Officers. After the war, these two institutions were closed down in 1945.

In the 1950s, these two institutions were reactivated and continued to train the temporary commissioned officers till about 1955-56. In 1962, after the Sino-Indian border conflict, there was an acute shortage of officers, as the army went in for a major expansion programme. Units which were demobilised (disbanded) after the Second World War were re-mobilised and new battalions raised.

The battalion in which I had the honour to serve, was a newly raised unit (01 Jan 1963) and to this day is considered the "baby" of the regiment. To cope with the large short fall of officers, the two OTSs were re-established at Poona and Madras. Once more the army resorted to shortening the training period. So one can see that this is not something new, and there is no need for alarm bells to go off! In fact since 1966 the OTS at Madras has become a permanent feature and has been renamed the Officers' Training Academy, OTA, where Short Service Commissioned, SSC officers are trained.

Types of Courses

At present there are three types of courses conducted at the IMA. They are as follows:

1. The ex-National Defence Academy, NDA entry: Army cadets from NDA join the IMA after a three year training at Khadakvasala and do a year's training before passing out.
2. The Direct Entry: Young graduates join the IMA directly after qualifying through the CDS and SSB. They undergo a one-and-a-half year's training at the IMA.
3. Technical Graduates: Same as Direct Entries, they are, however, technical graduates and do one year's training at the IMA.

All these entries will now have their training reduced by six months.

Impact of shortening the training period

From past experience, it has been seen that by shortening the training period, no major difference has been felt at any level. The SSC officers with just nine months training have fought as well in Kargil as their IMA counterparts (with one year training or more). My own personal experience confirms this. A number of my colleagues were Emergency Commissioned/SSC officers in the battalion, and in other regiments. They fought the 1965 and 1971 wars as well as anyone else. A fair percentage of these also qualified for the Staff College and Higher Command Courses.

Shortening a training course means cutting out the "frills"-- but frills also are needed to make better officers. Things like horse riding, polo, hiking and trekking are reduced -- sometimes cut off completely. The number of periods of subjects like drill, weapon training and physical training are reduced -- this may slightly affect the officer's confidence in himself, but nothing to really be alarmed about.

Life in the battalion will iron out these wrinkles! Besides let me assure my civilian friends that one 40 minute class under the drill sergeant or PT Instructor is enough to change anyone's "style of walking" -- especially during the initial training period.

It is extremely gratifying to see boys turning into MEN -- even their mothers cannot believe their eyes. A young boy who left home, returns as a confident man ready to take on the world. This young man has been taught to "think" and find "solutions when all hell breaks loose" around him! There is no computer or brain storming sessions for him to fallback on -- just himself. He cannot afford to make a mistake -- his men's lives depend on his decision. That is why the training staff at the IMA will be ready to make up for the duration of training lost. Training will be intensified that much more.

Post IMA Training

Even if the training at the IMA is reduced, the newly commissioned officer has still to do his Young Officer's Course. This is done at various training institutions like the Infantry School, School of Artillery, School of Mechanised Warfare etc. The training here is more specialised and job related. Honing of skills already acquired at the IMA in platoon level tactics, weapon training and commando training is done.

The process of training goes on -- to the last day when you finally hang up your boots! The commanding officer of the battalion ensures that the young officers earns his spurs -- and what better way is there than to earn them in war!

The Rediff Specials

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