NEW DELHI: The Border Security Force (BSF) is providing International English Language Testing System (IELTS) coaching to 50 youngsters from five villages on the Indo-Pak border in Punjab as part of its efforts to steer them away from drug abuse.Sources said that the BSF selected 50 students from Rajoke, Wan, TJ Singh, Kalia and Dal in Tarn Taran district after the screening and shortlisting process.The border guarding force then hired two teachers and held the coaching for five months from January 1 to May 31 this year at Amarkot. An officer of the BSF on condition of anonymity said the coaching was organised by the force under the ‘Vibrant Village Program’ and almost all the youth were sons and daughters of landless farmers who could not afford the IELTS fees. These youngsters were also provided with free transport facilities.Sources said that now the BSF is awaiting approval to start the second IELTS course. This time youths who have a degree or diploma will be eligible for the coaching as the rules for IELTS have changed.Border Security Force (Punjab Frontier) Inspector General Atul Fulzele said that villagers and their children approached officers from the 103rd battalion, expressing their inability to afford IELTS training and requested them for support. “We decided to utilise the funds of the Union government which were designated for civic action to hire two proficient English-speaking teachers. These teachers have been offering IELTS coaching to youths at Amarkot in the Tarn Taran district,” he said.Fulzele also said that out of the 50 youngsters, more than half were girls, with three girls having successfully cleared the exam.”The primary objective of this initiative is to engage the youth in productive activities, thus distancing them from drugs,” he added.Addressing concerns about whether this would encourage youngsters to move abroad, Fulzele pointed out the youth’s keen interest and added, “We are equipping them with a skill that allows them to excel globally,’’ he said.The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is highly regarded worldwide for those seeking to study, migrate or work abroad, attracting around 30 lakh candidates annually. It is recognized by employers, universities and immigration bodies globally.The BSF is entrusted with guarding a 553-kilometre stretch of the India-Pakistan border in Punjab.
Source link
