Agniveer recruitment rally under way in Kozhikode

The drive will screen 28,606 candidates from various districts

The Agniveer recruitment rally to shortlist candidates from the north Kerala region has commenced at the East Hill Government Physical Education Ground.

As allotted, candidates from Malappuram and Palakkad districts turned up for the first round of various physical tests comprising 1.6 km run, long jump, and zig zag balancing on Saturday.

Officials said the rally would screen altogether 28,606 applicants under five categories during the 10-day drive. They added that it would go on till October 10 in Kozhikode.

The mass recruitment rally in the city will give opportunities to Army job aspirants from Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad and Thrissur. The tenure of service will be four years in the identified categories, including Agniveer general duty and Agniveer technical. 

The shortlisted applicants reached the spot early on Friday to have a look at the ground and familiarise themselves with the arrangements. Many of them were part of various pre-recruitment training in the Malabar region.

Though the city was the centre of protests against the Centre’s Agnipath scheme, alleging that it encouraged contract system in the defence sector, it failed to catch up with the decision of the Army to screen out such protesters from all future recruitment drives. Police clearance certificate too had been made mandatory for those desirous of taking part in the Agniveer selection drive.