Karimpur, Feb. 28: To make the educated unemployed youths proficient and skillful enough for various competitive examinations, the BSF authorities have set up a ‘library-cum-multi facility training centre’ at the Bousmari border outpost under 141 Battalion in Nadia close to the Indo-Bangladesh border.
The training centre – ‘Azad Granthagar’ – named after martyred assistant commandant Azad Singh Dalal and equipped with computers, multimedia projectors, sitting arrangements, books, magazines, newspapers, and journals, was inaugurated by BSF’s Berhmapur sector DIG Rajesh Kumar Mishra on Tuesday afternoon, under the border guarding force’s civic action endeavor.
BSF authorities said that in a remote border area like Bousmari, where people are largely dependent on agriculture as their sole occupation, and educated unemployed youths with weak financial backgrounds often join smuggling in depression, this facility would act as a platform for “career counseling cum guidance” in real term, said Commandant of 141 battalion Nagendra Singh Rautela.
Inaugurating the centre DIG Rajesh Kumar Mishra said, “This centre is a permanent solution for students and job-seeking youth in their endeavors. We will help them to prepare for various examinations and online tests here”, the Commandant said.
BSF officials claimed that people living in Bousmari and adjacent areas on the bank of River Padma are largely underprivileged due to their remote geographical location.
“The area under Karimpur-I block is far away from town with few job opportunities. Even the schools are not having sufficient infrastructure or teaching staff. Poverty often led to dropping out at a tender age eventually indulging in smuggling activities. Our objective is to help such underprivileged students and youth to establish their own identity as good human beings and to encourage them in their educational and career-building endeavors”, a senior BSF official said.
The early initiative to help youths in the area began in 2021 when the commandant of 141 Battalion Nagendra Singh Rautela launched a training programme for SSC GD constable examinations aspirants at the Jalangi border outpost. 200 aspirants joined the programme under the supervision of Inspector DK Mehdi. But only 1 aspirant was finally selected and joined SSB.
“The local people appreciated this initiative and further requested us to organize such coaching classes in more numbers. But we found many shortcomings among them to achieve success, of which computer illiteracy was a major one. So we have planned to help them to overcome this hurdle. We have installed eight computers where students in groups will be trained by our officials”, a BSF official said.
“Moreover, we noticed that students cannot afford books or study materials or join private coaching classes due to poverty. To develop their skill and confidence, we would impart them with Hindi and English language training and also provide them with all types of competitive Books, magazines, and newspapers at the centre, apart from proving study materials and also arrange mock tests and interviews”, the official added.
Archana Das, a young girl who attended the inaugural programme said, “It is definitely a great opportunity for us. People would remain indebted to BSF authorities for this support”.
Prakash Mondal, pradhan of Hogolberia panchayat said, “This is a praiseworthy initiative by BSF…In a backward area like us, this facility would come as a big help to our students”.