They were visiting the educational institutes in the city with a bid to create greater awareness about the role of the armed forces and generate the interest of the State youth in joining the services.

The NDA representatives constitute the northern leg of the nation-wide car rally organised by the academy as part of its ongoing Golden Jubilee celebrations. The NDA completes 50 years of its existence in January 1999. Flagged off from Mumbai on November 30, the rally will traverse 12,000 kms across the country to conclude on December 31. The team members comprise 10 officers, 15 cadets and 3 non-commissioned officers, divided between the northern and southern legs.

Speaking to The Indian Express, team leader Major Inder Mohan said, ``The aim of the rally is three fold: To promote adventure activities among our cadets so that they can pursue the same at a later stage in their career, to spread the message about the Academy, including the criteria and process of admission and also to tell our countrymen about the role of the armed forces. We find that most identify us only with war and are ignorant about the responsibilities of the forces during the time of peace''.

Speaking about their experiences in the interactive sessions at schools in Surat and Vadodara, the cadets said while the awareness about both the Academy and the forces was essentially lacking in Gujarat, girls had divulged a keener interest about the forces than the boys. ``We found that the students neither have the required information about the NDA and the forces nor are they properly guided. However, it was surprising as well as heartening to learn that the girls were more curious to know why there were restrictions on their entry and in what ways could they serve the forces,'' a cadet said.

Another cadet pointed out that participation in the forces varied from state to state with the northern region contributing the majority while there were only a few recruits from Gujarat. ``No one doubts their patriotic spirit. But it is the familial attitude that makes the difference. People here tend to be more business oriented. They have the opportunity to serve the nation but they don't seem to be using it, probably because they don't know how,'' he added.

The cadets unanimously discharged the notion of the armed forces being an economically less lucrative career. ``Judging from our personal experience, we feel that few in the services are actually bothered about the economics of the job. Also the Fifth Pay Commission has made a lot of difference in that aspect,'' said a cadet.

The NDA representatives are scheduled to visit the Kendriya Vidyalaya (Harni), EME School and Air Force on Saturday. They will proceed to Ahmedabad on Sunday.