IELTS coaching for Punjab youngsters to keep them away from drugs? This is BSF's plan

The Border Security Force (BSF) is providing International English Language Testing System (IELTS) coaching to youngsters in Punjab as part of its community effort to wean them off drugs, a senior officer of the force said today, Friday, August 9. This was stated in a report by PTI.

IELTS is one of the most sought-after English language proficiency tests for study, migration or work abroad.

An estimated 30 lakh people take the test every year and is accepted by thousands of employers, universities, schools and immigration bodies around the globe.

The BSF Punjab frontier Inspector General Atul Fulzele said the force utilised funds provided by the Union government for civic action works to hire two "good English speaking" teachers who were providing this training to youngsters at Amarkot in the state's Tarn Taran district.

"Some villagers and children of that area came to the officers of our 103rd battalion deployed in that area and said they did not have the required money for IELTS training. They sought our help," Fulzele told reporters.

"About 40-50 children have been trained till now, of which a sizeable number were girls," he added. He further said, that three girls had cleared the exam.

In addition, Fulzele said the aim of imparting this coaching was to engage the youngsters in a "gainful activity that will drag them away from drugs".

Asked if providing this coaching would lead the state's youngsters to leave the country and work abroad and was in contrast to the BSF's "nation first" motto, Fulzele said the initiative was undertaken as the children had shown interest.

"It is a skill … We are giving them a skill to go to the world and prove themselves," he said.

The BSF is deployed in Punjab to guard the 553-kilometre-long India-Pakistan international border.