Chandrapur: Young aspirants have assembled at the sports complex in Visapur, near Ballarpur in Chandrapur district, with their eyes fixed on a coveted place in Indian Army. Having risen early to line up for the recruitment process, they face a demanding series of physical tests, pushing their endurance and fitness to the limit under the watch of Army personnel.An Agniveer recruitment drive is underway at sports complex in Visapur, near Ballarpur. The recruitment drive, which has drawn 8,017 candidates from Vidarbha, other parts of Maharashtra and Gujarat, will continue till Oct 17.The district administration has put in place arrangements for food, accommodation, drinking water, sanitation and security to ensure a smooth drive. Accommodation has also been provided for the Army recruitment team at the sports complex. Of the total participants, 6,556 are from Vidarbha, 930 from other parts of Maharashtra and 531 from Gujarat.The recruitment is being conducted by Army Recruiting Office, Nagpur, under the command of Colonel Anshul Srivastava. Candidates who cleared the written examination are undergoing physical fitness tests and medical examinations for posts including Agniveer General Duty, Technical, Clerk/Store Keeper Technical and Tradesman for Class X and Class VIII pass candidates.Twelve companies are supporting meal arrangements under their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. These include Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Station, Lloyds Metals and Energy Ltd, Ballarpur Industries Ltd, Western Coalfields Ltd, GMR Energy Ltd, Dharival Infrastructure Ltd, ACC Cement, Ambuja Cement and UltraTech Cement, among others.Women’s self-help groups, facilitated through MAVIM and UMED, have set up stalls outside the complex to sell food and daily essentials, combining convenience for candidates with local livelihood opportunities. Physical, medical assessments will continue until Oct 17, with selection governed by Army’s prescribed criteria.
