The Hindu reports that 50 plus Army officers will have to undergo Physical Proficiency Tests (PPT) every quarter:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/shape-up-or-lose-promotion-army-officers-told/article4899002.ece
There is an opportunity in this challenge; for the 50 plus Army man/women this is a challenge, for the 54 plus exservicemen and women this is an opportunity.
The moot question is: who will grade the Army Chief (or the Army Commander, or the Corps Commander, or the Div Commander, or the Brigade Commander) every quarter without fear or favour? I concede that the Army Chief does not have to worry about promotions but maybe there is a proviso wherein s/he cannot become a Governor if s/he doesn't pass the PPTs. (Maybe there is proviso that debars the Chief from becoming a President if s/he doesn't pass the PPTs as well. As an aside: I dream of the day when a Chief will become the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces)
But take the example of PPTs of the Army Commanders. Do you think the Chief will have the time to conduct PPTs for the Army Commanders every quarter? S/he will be up to his neck in pursuit of higher direction of war. Where is the time to conduct PPTs for the Army Commanders?
Think about it. Will the Army Commanders have time to conduct PPTs for the Corps Commanders, the Corps Commanders for the Div Commanders...Well, the buck always stops at the Commanding Officer (CO) level. And I guess the COs have plenty of time to conduct PPTs. Any case COs are, more often than not, less than 50. So, let's leave the COs out of this.
Step in, the 54 plus exservicemen and women. They have no axe to grind. They don't need to fawn over Army Chiefs and Army Commanders. They are the perfect people to conduct these tests. They know the ropes and have previous knowledge of these tests. They could be easily be recruited / hired as consultants to conduct PPTs for Brigadiers and Generals.
This, I think, is a great re-employment opportunity for exservicemen and women.
But be cautioned. This will only work till the time PPTs are not introduced for exservicemen and women. I am told that such a proposal is also in the pipeline. Then, things will get a little complicated.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/shape-up-or-lose-promotion-army-officers-told/article4899002.ece
There is an opportunity in this challenge; for the 50 plus Army man/women this is a challenge, for the 54 plus exservicemen and women this is an opportunity.
The moot question is: who will grade the Army Chief (or the Army Commander, or the Corps Commander, or the Div Commander, or the Brigade Commander) every quarter without fear or favour? I concede that the Army Chief does not have to worry about promotions but maybe there is a proviso wherein s/he cannot become a Governor if s/he doesn't pass the PPTs. (Maybe there is proviso that debars the Chief from becoming a President if s/he doesn't pass the PPTs as well. As an aside: I dream of the day when a Chief will become the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces)
But take the example of PPTs of the Army Commanders. Do you think the Chief will have the time to conduct PPTs for the Army Commanders every quarter? S/he will be up to his neck in pursuit of higher direction of war. Where is the time to conduct PPTs for the Army Commanders?
Think about it. Will the Army Commanders have time to conduct PPTs for the Corps Commanders, the Corps Commanders for the Div Commanders...Well, the buck always stops at the Commanding Officer (CO) level. And I guess the COs have plenty of time to conduct PPTs. Any case COs are, more often than not, less than 50. So, let's leave the COs out of this.
Step in, the 54 plus exservicemen and women. They have no axe to grind. They don't need to fawn over Army Chiefs and Army Commanders. They are the perfect people to conduct these tests. They know the ropes and have previous knowledge of these tests. They could be easily be recruited / hired as consultants to conduct PPTs for Brigadiers and Generals.
This, I think, is a great re-employment opportunity for exservicemen and women.
But be cautioned. This will only work till the time PPTs are not introduced for exservicemen and women. I am told that such a proposal is also in the pipeline. Then, things will get a little complicated.
