All You Need To Know About Territorial Army, As Uttarakhand Recruitment Drive For Force Descends Into Chaos

Thousands of candidates reportedly turned up for a Territorial Army recruitment drive in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, overwhelming all the preparations made for the exercise.

A recruitment drive for the Territorial Army led to chaos in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh as thousands of candidates arrived to participate in the event, which is scheduled for November 12-November 27. The number of participants was reportedly higher as another recruitment drive — scheduled in Bihar – was reportedly postponed. The exercise was meant to fill just over 100 positions, Navbharat Times reported.

The district administration said adequate arrangements had been made for the drive, but the preparation appeared to have been overwhelmed by the turnout. As a result, participants complained about a lack of accommodation, and also alleged they had to shell out a huge sum of money to get to the location. There have also been reports of injuries amid a stampede-like situation.

The Territorial Army is a 250-year-old force, created during British rule. It was a local force raised with local people for better governance.

Civilians were trained to fight a war, just like the Army. It is not a standing army, but a reserve force. 

The railways, petroleum industry and hospitals are critical during wars, and so personnel from these sectors receive this training too.

Territorial Army recruits only get their salary for the serving period. 

Units of Territory Army 

The different units of the Territorial Army (TA) include Ecological TA, Infantry TA, and Departmental TA. The Home & Hearth TA comprises surrendered militants and local residents who have been given employment on the basis of their training.

Role They Serve

The Territorial Army performs tasks that fall beyond the Army's realm, from planting of trees to gathering of intelligence. It is a multipurpose force, and also plays a crucial role in protecting important assets of the nation, like research centres etc. 

In areas like Jammu and Kashmir, they play a crucial role in intelligence gathering, and support the Army in every possible way

The TA comes under the central government. Its personnel have the same training as the Army but have a multipurpose orientation.

What Are They Paid?

TA personnel are salaried, but not paid for the duration of their return to civilian life. They have an option to stay home for up to a year.