Indian Navy faces manpower crisis

For the last three years, the armed forces have been facing a shortage of 13,000 officers, including 1,996 Navy officers and 53,700 other personnel, according to a defence ministry statement made in Parliament in 2013. Though the Navy has been on with efforts to fill the gap, the force has failed to attract the right persons.

The INA, Ezhimala, which can train up to 180 officers in a batch in the Indian Naval Academy BTech course (four years), has been getting on an average 100 new recruits during the last few years. In the last batch, only around 50 cleared the stringent recruitment procedures, said an official in charge of recruitment.

Though hundreds of candidates appear for the written as well as the physical tests, only a few pass through, he pointed out. However, Chief of Naval Staff R.K. Dhowan, who visited the Ezhimala academy, revealed that there was still a vacuum.

“In the coming years, one person in the Navy will have to do the work of two till the vacuum is filled,” he said. “We have already directed the INA training centres to cater to more officers.

“As part of this, INA, Ezhimala with facilities to impart training to only 750 cadets, now trains over 1,200,” he said. “Men and women joining Navy are our most valuable assets and we have ensured the best training to hone their skills, but we cannot compromise on the quality of personnel as well as training,” he said.

“Till the induction process of new recruits is over, the shortage of personnel could be overcome by optimum utilisation of resources. Till then, every single officer and sailor of the Navy will do the work of two people,” Mr Dhowan said.

Though a young officer who passes out as sub-lieutenant draws a salary between Rs 60,000 and Rs 80,000, we are yet to receive the right guys, lamented another official.