The Indian armed forces are one of the largest military forces in the world and the 2nd largest army in terms with personnel. It has a proud history and according to a recent survey conducted in 13 provinces, the country feels that the Indian army is the most trusted institution, followed by the judiciary.

Movies and posters depicting the valor of the Indian army have become quite popular at the box office. Of late, the trendy dialogue from Uri: The Surgical Strike, “How’s the Josh?” has struck a chord with the youth. Nevertheless, the Indian armed forces are grappling with a shortage of over 10,000 officials. Indian military that faces a burdensome task of defending our borders is facing an acute shortage of officers.

The following are some of the reasons for the shortage of officials:

1) Lucrative private sector: The youth of modern India is well aware of private corporations and organizations, that attract them straight out of college. They seek to redeem the amount they spent on education by getting a job with a high pay-scale. Familiar with the inner mechanisms of both private organizations and the Indian army, they choose the former for it’s an easy and trendy lifestyle.

2) Lack of Awareness: People who do not hail from army families lack the knowledge and respect that comes with joining the army services. In addition to their lack of knowledge, parents worry about their children’s future and safety when thinking of considering the army as a career choice. Peer pressure, similarly, pushes today’s youth towards choosing the options which are more risk-free, and in vogue.

3) No Incentives: The government has also done a poor job in attracting the youth. Not only that, the government is finding it difficult to retain officers once they join with many opting for premature retirement. Apart from a low pay scale, discontentment with the glacial pace of promotion is another big reason for the exodus. Only 15% of army officers make it to the rank of colonel after 20 years of service, and it takes another decade to reach the rank of a brigadier. This slow pace of advancement is in stark contrast with the police service where one can become an Inspector general after 16 years of service.

The solution, according to experts, lies not in a massive pay hike but in enhancing the quality of life in the armed forces and providing a decent retirement package. The government of India must take care of its “Jawans” by promoting different aspects of our army like their awesome and quick rescue operations in the face of calamity, instead of glorifying border skirmishes with our neighbors through movies and outlandish posters. Not only that, a recent remark by Yogi Adityanath has sparked a controversy when he referred to the Indian army as “Modi ji ki Sena” in a speech. There is only one thing to be said about that, Politicians must refrain at all costs to invoke the army’s name for the sake of politics. It is quite disheartening when you see that the credit for protecting our borders is somehow enjoyed more by the politicians than our army officials.

What we need now, are efforts from the youth of the nation as well as the Indian government. The government should work on vigorous advertising, better incentives and prospects for a steady future in the army. On the other hand, the youth need to focus on the various accomplishments of the army. Besides that, the pride and respect that comes with being a part of the armed forces fraternity is beyond comparison.