According to the OTA, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the regular routine of training is progressing with necessary precautions

Chennai: Over 200 men and women cadets from India and friendly foreign countries commenced their 11-month course at the Officers Training Academy, Chennai. The OTA is a premier institute of Indian Army that trains men and women into officers for the Short Service Commission. At present, the OTA is the only Army training facility that trains women.

According to the OTA, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the regular routine of training is progressing with necessary precautions.

The OTA trains two batches of nearly 200 cadets each, every year. The passing out parade at the academy is a grand event that takes place twice a year- usually in March and September. Nearly 200 cadets including those from friendly foreign countries pass out of the academy.

However, since the start of the pandemic, the otherwise grand passing-out parades at the academy have become highly-restricted events.

Conventionally, parents and kin of the passing-out cadets are allowed to witness the grand event in-person at the academy and do the pipping honours (placing the star on the uniform). But with the pandemic restrictions in place, the academy has started live-streaming the event and prohibited entry of outsiders.