A country with such a large population should have the defense forces numerically commensurate with the population that is to be protected. Additionally, we must take into account the long land and ocean boundary line of India along which she needs border security forces to be deployed all the time. We have over 7700 kilometers long border with China and we have nearly five thousand kilometer border with Pakistan. Both of these countries are not on good terms with us because both want to grab as much of our border land as they can. The worst is that the two countries are in an unholy alliance as far as their policy towards India is concerned ever since our independence. As per the statement given by the Minister of State for Defence on the floor of the Parliament, army has a shortage of 25,472 JCOs and other ranks, the Navy needs 13,373 more sailors while the Air Force requires 13,785 airmen. In all we are facing a shortage of over 52,000 personnel in the ranks of Junior Commissioned Officers, sailors and airmen in the armed forces of the country.
We know that numbers are of vital importance for any defence force of any country. However, countries with a long border with hostile countries require adequate number of defence personnel of which we have shortage in our country. There are many reasons for this shortage. With considerable improvement in national economy people are tempted to adopt a career that brings more money and entails less physical hard work. Information Technology revolution has made deep impact on social and individual life. New technologies inducted into the defence areas have done away with the requirement for large manpower. Hundreds and thousands of Indian families that inherited from many generations the tradition of joining the armed forces and serve the nation have diversified their professions and this has caused shortage of officers and other ranks in all the three wings of armed forces in our country. It will be further noted that the basics of recruitment system in all the three wings of the defence forces remain the same that had been created by the British rulers. But with the changing times, it is imperative that some sensible and reasonable modifications should be brought to the recruitment system. No doubt some change has been brought about but the entire recruitment system needs to be revisited in the light of national requirements.
It has to be remembered that the Government has often meted out scurvy treatment to the personnel in armed forces in regard to various benefits when these were brought to the notice of the Government. The one rank one pension case dragged on for decades before it was resolved by the present Government though still some aspects of the case remain not clarified. This has negative impact on the youth who otherwise would be willing to be recruited. It is also noted that there is weak propaganda on the part of Defence Ministry for recruitment in the armed forces of the country. The NCC system needs to be made very effective because it should become a motivating force for a large number of schools-going youth. It is heartening that the rank and file of defence forces have been opened for female recruitment and that a good number of girls stand recruited in all the three wings. But this is a vey small number and should increase manifold with the passage of time.
Lastly, although conscription is not enforced in our country, and perhaps that is something laudable, yet the fact remains that the youth of our country have to inculcate a sense of duty towards the defence of the country. Some semblance of military training is necessary for the youth of the country to make them disciplined for any defensive activity when occasion arises.
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