Imphal, April 28 2009: THE 57 Mtn Divn has sponsored 24 local girls for studying nursing course in Guwahati.

The girls were sent to Guwahati to appear in the entrance examination which was held on April 25 .

Now the girls have returned to Leimakhong from where they were sent to Guwahati by a special bus along with their parents.

On their return from Guwahati today, the Deputy General Officer Commanding (Dy GOC), 57 Mtn Divn, Brig Sarbjit interacted with the girls and exchanged pleasantries.

According to a press release issued through the PIB (Defence Wing) by the Media Cell, 57 Mtn Divn, during his visits to the rural areas of Manipur, Maj Gen Shakti Gurung, VSM, General Officer Commanding, 57 Mountain Division learnt about the plight of many girls who are educated and qualified having passed their 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry and Biology in the families of many villagers in the rural areas of Manipur.

These girls, the press release stated, are forced to work in menial tasks to support their families financially and have not been able to proceed to college/gain employment to supplement the incomes of their families due to financial constraints.

The General Officer initiated a special dialogue with the prestigious Army Institute of Nursing, Guwahati to obtain special vacancies for those girls who meet the qualitative requirements of the institute.

Then 29 girls had been identified and the case for sponsoring these girls to attend the four-year course had been initiated by him.

The application forms for 24 girls fulfilling the requirements of the Institute had been filled out and forwarded to the Army Institute of Nursing.

These girls had been collected together at Leimakhong with their guardians on April 22 and were dispatched by a special bus, hired by the Army for them, to Guwahati, for the entrance exams which was conducted on April 25 .

They returned today to Leimakhong for dispersal to their respective villages.

The press release informed that once these girls clear the entrance exam they will then be admitted to the Institute for training.

The 57 Mountain Division will sponsor their complete training till they qualify as professional nurses and are inducted into the ranks of the Military Nursing Service officers.

This truly shows the concern and humane face of the Army regarding the plight of the youth in Manipur and brings to the fore the fact that it indeed is an Army of the people and for the people, the press release added.

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