Upgraded defence selection to tackle suicide, fragging

Defence Institute for Psychological Research Director Manas K Mandal said earlier only positive traits were looked into as being present in a person coming for selection, now negative traits would also be looked into.

The first stage of the modified system announced earlier this year by DIPR will be computerised for which computer centres are coming up at the Services Selection Boards (SSB) and the Air Force Selection Boards, and the second stage will lay emphasis on the absence of negative traits.

There will also be an individual online aptitude test called the Military Aptitude Test, which will go online at the DRDO website from July this year, for candidates to assess themselves before they can apply for the armed forces.

The DIPR, which recently concluded a two-month study in J-K and the North-East to identify reasons for the increase in incidents, has recommended the creation of a separate cadre of psychologists within the next five years to curb the increasing number of incidents.

The Army is also likely to set up a squad of “roaming psychologists” which will travel and counsel troops in conflict areas on a need-to-need basis on DIPR’s recommendations. “We have suggested a cadre of psychologists in the ratio of one per thousand troops. A set of 20-25 mobile psychologists that can move from corps to corps where the need is more has also been recommended,” Mandal said.

The DIPR has identified 151 causative factors among defence personnel that can drive them to suicide or commit fratricide during the study. “The causes are clustered into things like domestic problems, professional hazards and interpersonal reasons,” Mandal said. He added that the ready availability of weapons in the army triggered most killings.

The study — conducted amongst 2,000 serving personnel from all ranks in J-K and the North-East — has revealed that issues related to leave form the basis of most interpersonnel conflicts. “Army personnel returning from leave have to be counseled before they join the units. We have to help them in re-aligning with their units after coming back from long leave,” Mandal said.

DIPR has also come out with a manual of 10 dos and dont’s that has been distributed to field formations in all insurgency-hit areas to identify soldiers likely to crack.