Bengaluru: Advocate and social activist Girish Bharadwaj has urged the Karnataka government to withdraw a tender issued by the Directorate of Minorities for providing 60 days of Army training exclusively to minority students for the 2026–27 academic year.
In a letter to the state Chief Secretary, Bharadwaj raised concerns over restricting a publicly funded training programme to students belonging to specific religious communities.
He argued that a programme linked to national defence and service to the country should not discriminate among students on religious grounds. He also cited Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution, stating that the eligibility criteria raised constitutional concerns.
Bharadwaj maintained that Army training and opportunities to serve the nation should be accessible to all deserving students, irrespective of their religious background.
He urged the government to introduce inclusive, transparent and merit-based eligibility criteria. He also called for strengthening National Cadet Corps (NCC) activities and pre-recruitment training programmes across educational institutions.
The activist has sought the immediate withdrawal of the tender and a review of the programme’s eligibility conditions.
