By Archana Sharma

Jaipur, Apr 8 (IANS): Committed to its promise of providing jobs to the deserving aspirants despite the woes caused by the pandemic, the Indian Army has been successfully conducting recruitment rallies in Rajasthan following all the Covid protocols such as wearing masks, maintaining social distancing and using plastic sheets, curtain covers and PPE kits, among other measures.

As a result, thousands of candidates are turning out for these recruitment rallies notwithstanding the Covid scare, and not even a single positive case has been reported so far from these drives, officials confirmed.

While as many as 66,649 candidates registered online for the army recruitment rally conducted at the Maharana Pratap Khel Gaon in Udaipur from February 8-27, the recruitment drive at Amer in Jaipur from March 8-21 saw 72,473 candidates registering online, confirmed Lt Col Amitabh Sharma, PRO Defence, Rajasthan.

"The total footfall at the Udaipur rally was 41,386. The Jaipur rally saw the participation of 43,475 candidates, while the run was attended by 41,698 aspirants," Sharma said.

For the next rally scheduled at Alwar from April 20 to May 15, 69,344 persons have registered online. Of these, 30,065 candidates belong to Alwar, 19,435 are from Bharatpur, 6,017 from Dausa, 6,298 from Dholpur, 5,808 from Karauli while 1,721 are from Sawai Madhopur.

During the selection process, various stages of screening are being carried out, which include physical fitness test, medical examination and document verification. The candidates who clear the selection process become eligible to appear for the Common Entrance Test.

"We are following all the Covid protocols while conducting these drives. The candidates need to submit two certificates -- a Covid asymptomatic certificate duly stamped and certified by a government doctor, and a no risk certificate. Also, help is being sought from the civil administration for all kinds of medical back-up in case of any eventuality," said Sharma.

"We are also taking prevention at our end, which includes vaccinating the staff deployed for the recruitment drives, providing PPE kits to those manning the entry points, etc. Even the doctors and the medical teams assisting us have been provided with PPE kits," he added.

"Further, there are temperature guns at the entry points and also intermittent stains to do random testing of candidates feeling uneasy/unwell. Each candidate must carry his own mask and sanitiser. Also, sanitising machines have been placed at every strategic points which are refilled regularly. Proper disposal of used PPE kits is being carried out in coordination with the civil administration. Also, the candidates are regularly instructed to follow social distancing measures," Sharma said.

Rajasthan is in the middle of a second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. On Wednesday, the state recorded 2,801 new Covid cases and 12 deaths. As on Wednesday, Rajasthan had 18,146 active cases.