Smriti wants students to have glimpse of a soldier's life

The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry wants to show a glimpse of the soldier’s life to schoolchildren, aiming to seed them with an intent of joining the armed forces.

HRD Minister Smriti Irani has written to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, seeking his approval to take groups of schoolchildren to forward areas and military establishments to expose them to the upbringing and professional responsibilities of a soldier.

“We are waiting for the Defence Ministry’s response,” sources told Deccan Herald.

The HRD Ministry has initiated a move to organise school trips to country’s forward areas and military establishments under a new programme ‘Seema Darshan’ following a suggestion by Haryana Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma. Sharma had suggested introduction of such a programme for schoolchildren at the meeting of the central advisory board of education in August. Smriti Irani, who presided over the meeting, liked the suggestion and assured Sharma of working on it. Under the proposed ‘Seema Darshan’ programme, children from across the country will be selected for visits to Indian borders.

“The details of the programme will be worked out in consultation with the Defence Ministry, once its approval comes,” sources said.

The ministry is keen to start the programme with the visit of a select group of schoolchildren from different parts of the country on January 26, 2016. “Our effort is to hold Seema Darshan on January 26. Children from states should go and see how the security forces work,” Smriti Irani had said at a Children’s Day function on November 14.