JAMMU, NOV 22: All porters who supplied logistics to the Indian troops fighting the Pakistani intruders in Kargil, stand a chance for recruitment into in the Army as the Northern Command has decided to hold an open rally at Tanda (Akhnoor) from December 10 to 19, if found eligible for candidacy.Substantiating, a senior Army official said that though the rally is open for candidates from all over the State, there will be special consideration and separate screening for those who acted as Army porters during the Kargil conflict, provided they fulfill the requisite qualifications for the soldier (general duty). Necessary instructions in this regard have been issued by the Northern Command Headquarters, he added.Significantly, this is for the first time in the State that such a recruitment rally is being organised at a place other than the district or tehsil headquarters.About the qualifications, sources said that the candidates must be between 18 to 21 years of age, besides a minimum height of 163 cms, weight 48 kgs and minimum chest 77 cms with 5 cms expansion. Apart from this, the candidates should be at least 8th class pass except for Kathua district and Samba tehsil, where minimum educational qualification prescribed is matriculation.Pointing out that the decision to hold a rally was reportedly taken by the Northern Command, a senior Army official said that the candidate must reach the spot by 9 am on December 10. They should bring along with them a copy of the state subject, character certificate, five passport size photographs, education certificate along with two photostat copies of each certificate and certificate of NCC or sports, etc, he added.The Army had engaged 3,600 porters, mainly from Akhnoor tehsil, for supplying logistics to the Indian troops fighting Pakistani intruders in Kargil. After the conflict was over, the Army officials decided to retain only two companies of porters comprising 600 men each and de-enroll the others.However, those two companies were also de-enrolled by November 1, following the creation of 14 Corps and deployment of a company of regular troops for porter duties in Kargil. This had reportedly led to widespread resentment among the de-enrolled porters, sources said.
