Guru Nanak Dev University inks pact with National Defence Academy

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 19

Cadets, who get boarded out midway of their three-year training at the National Defence Academy (NDA), can now continue studies without losing an academic year.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was on Tuesday signed between Guru Nanak Dev University and the National Defence Academy, Pune, in the presence of Vice-Chancellor Prof Jaspal Sandhu and Lieutenant General Asit Mistry, PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, Commandant, National Defence Academy, and Prof (Dr) Om Prakash Shukla, Principal, National Defence Academy, Pune.

Professor Sandhu emphasised that this marked the beginning of a new era of cooperation between GNDU and the NDA. He said, “The objective of the agreement is to provide much-needed migration to the boarded out cadets of NDA for continuation of their studies at Guru Nanak Dev University. It is a great step towards rehabilitation to such cadets to complete their essential qualifications by way of lateral entry into BA/BSc/BSc (Computer Science) and B.Tech /BBA/BCom programmes at Guru Nanak Dev University.”

Lieutenant General Asit Mistry in his message said, “The academy decided to sign MoUs with various reputed universities in consultation with the Headquarters-Integrated Defence Staff (HQ-IDS) so as to assist such cadets in transferring their credits. Such a step would remove the fear of uncertainty and academic loss from the minds of young and capable aspirants.”

Prof Hardeep Singh, Dean (Academic Affairs), said in order to provide much- needed rehabilitation, the university had approved the provision for the boarded out NDA cadets to be allowed to get admission in even semester of corresponding course in GNDU and also appointed Dr Preet Mohinder Singh Bedi as professor in-charge to coordinate with officials of the National Defence Academy.

According to the NDA authorities, around 6,000 cadets have passed out from the academy over the last 10 years. In this period, approximately 2.3% cadets (around 138 cadets) had withdrawn from the academy for not being able to meet the academic goals, outdoor training, discipline standards or due to injuries/medical conditions during the course of training or old medical disorders.