A nation is stronger if each young rf'an realizes his duty to his country.

Training will make them

realize it. 
Discipline Is The Bridge Between Goals And Accomplishment - Jim Rohn

A very good morning to all, honourable principal,VP, administrative officer, esteeme panel of judges, teachers
and my dear friends..

I'm cadet Nivas Kumar from tungabhadra house and today I stand here in front of you all presenting my
views in favour of the motion "SHOULD MILITARY TRAINING BE MADE COMPULSORY?"

Have you ever heard word Conscription?  Conscription, as a word, has been seen with a negative connotation;
when it’s actually about serving the nation. It is something that is going on from ages in some places, and
really helped people. 
There are differing formats in military conscription that one sees. We have the Singapore/Turkey model,
wherein young boys are made to do two years of military service after school, with some kind of refresher
every year. Then you have the Israel model where both boys and girls are exposed to compulsory military
service. India has had the National Cadet Corps (NCC) in place for eons now and that has had a positive
contribution to the psyche of the overall national discipline in our citizenry. But then, the NCC is not
compulsory, especially in private schools, though the existing format does give a limited avenue for
youngsters to pursue a military career later in life.

Does getting military training only means that one is being trained to sacrifice himself/ herself, fighting at
the border? Absolutely not! Yes, it is true that if one joins military, then there might come a time when one
will be asked to stand firm and face the enemy (also their bullets), but just by undergoing military training,
one does not become eligible to fight at the border. Just like the sun never forgets to show up in the
morning and hide in the evening or like the trees, that never forget to breathe out oxygen so that mankind
can survive, discipline is prevalent in the nature itself.
Military training is an ambiguous term which often confuses the audience that it merely refers to teaching
of the usage of guns and other weapons. But instead, military training encompasses planned schedule and
routine, behavioural management, temper management, fighting the fears, overall development- physically,
mentally and socially and developing the ability to face all the problems. Therefore, every individual should
undergo such a training which involves blood, sweat and tears.

The system of near-universal national conscription can be traced back to the French Revolution in the 1790s.
The concept brought in large number of soldiers, that created a powerful military. Neighbouring nations in
Europe adopted that concept and built it into a system that could work during peacetime as well.

Looking back in history, the first example of conscription was the State of Qin (China) in 221 BC ; started
a process of registration of every household which allowed them to bring in universal military service, and
helped in creation of the Qin empire.

The war in Europe has shown us some graphic images of footballers, boxers and beauty queens donning the
military gear. It is not merely romanticising and mythologising the concept of war between nations. These are
clear markers to drive home some lessons for students of military history. If there is one thing that the
Ukraine-Russia war should teach our policymakers, it is the incomparable value of the ‘citizen soldier’.
Not only are the students taught the essence of military training but they get to learn some essential
qualities like time management, problem solving skills, team work, habit of rising early and sleeping early.
Even the biological clock of our body is set according to the routine of the Nature. Military training makes
us someone, who is on the ball to face all/ any situation in life. We learn to work with others, treat our
team members respectfully, help selflessly and live a stress free life.

Military training contributes to a life in an ivory tower and thus, making us strong and bold. Abnormal
routine (which includes staying up late, working for long hours, stressful life, lack of physical activity, etc)
might sound interesting but sooner or later we will definitely realize that the chickens have come home to
roost. it will definitely act as a boon in disguise!

From one’s experience, one has seen a considerable boost in discipline in youngsters who undergo military
service. While the sense of civic responsibilities and adherence to law is a gainer, one even sees an added
respect for the uniform amongst those who wear it and the citizenry that benefits from this measure. One
even sees young people opting to get married with their uniform on, which, to my mind, is a highly desirable
thing.

There are those who believe that military training could teach the youth skills that we may not want them
to learn; in case those unemployed or radicalised youth joining the ranks of the bad elements.

Experiences of countries who have abolished draft, especially the United States and France, show that
professional armed forces can be more expensive than a draft-based military.

• India faces the shortage of military officers, and the step could help the government to get the required
number.

• The restructuring of regiments by making military training compulsory will lower down the walls of
differences between rural and urban India, the different states and the communities.

• The compulsory military training will be a form of vocational training that will utilize some years of
youth life for constructive purposes.

• Military training will instill much needed discipline and patriotism in the hearts of young blood that are
just blindly walking on the path of westernization.

• It will provide a means to many young people who want to be a part of public enterprise but sometimes
cannot fulfill the entrance criteria.

• The past has shown that conscription has helped the countries like Israel and Switzerland during the
tough times.

• It will help the women to protect themselves from the illicit elements who want to take undue advantage
of females.

The large military might that would be possessed by the country. it would also lead to a higher level of
awareness regarding the country and its functioning. In a country like India where several people disrespect
apex governmental institutions like the Armed Forces, serving in the army might change their perspectives
and make them better-informed citizens.

Another possible advantage that conscription might bring about in a culturally diverse country like India is a
higher level of national integration. Citizens of the country from all over – Kashmir or Kanyakumari, would
come together and serve under one banner: that of the Indian Armed Forces. This could promote national
integration and the peaceful coexistence of culturally diverse groups in the future.

A democracy like India always faces this problem of uniformed voters. The fact that the majority of the
Indian populace has very little to no idea about the actual issues plaguing the country is very evident from
the electoral campaigns that leaders often put up. Elections in India are not fought on the issues of
economic development, employment, or foreign policy; they’re fought on topics such as religion, caste-based
reservations, and loan waivers.

But what does conscription have to do with any of this? Well, it does. If people are being asked to
potentially risk their lives by enlisting in the army, then they would surely want to know what they’re
risking their lives on, and why the particular issue exists. This would lead to greater political
understanding among the general public of the country, which maybe someday might result in elections being
fought on actual developmental issues.

Not to mention, the service of an individual in the armed forces, albeit short-lived, will instil in him useful
skills that are very useful in the holistic development of an individual. From discipline and physical fitness
to the ability to play well in a team, the armed forces can be a very enlightening experience for anyone. 

These are some of the reasons for which several people believe that conscription is a good option, especially
for a country like India that frequently has border troubles with its neighbours

Therefore, if we really want to make India a great country i.e. free from all the evils of corruption,
Nepotism and selfish interests, it is high time that we impart military training to our youth and make the
true soliders and saviours of the motherland. This would also serve as the second line of defense during the
wars or any unrest or cries. The three attacks of China and Pakistan in 1962, 1965, and 1971 have
compelled Indian leaders to think over the problem seriously.