This year, the Lucknow University Sanskrit Department's Board of Oriental Studies will begin studying religious leaders in the Army. The department's coordinator, Dr. Prerna Mathur, has advised that a religious leader holds a position in the army and will be responsible for carrying out religious activities there. Now, this year will see the start of the course on this. According to Dr. Prerna, candidates with a PG Diploma in Acharya or a Bachelor's degree in Rituals will be taken into consideration for this position, said a News18 report.
She revealed that students from this department at Lucknow University will be able to pursue a PG Diploma in Acharya or complete this course with a Rituals topic in 2024–2025. The four-year degree program will be followed by a one-year PG Diploma in Rituals and Acharya.
Additionally, Dr. Prerna Mathur disclosed that twenty spots are open for the PG Diploma in Rituals, out of the 28 seats that are available at Shastri. Shastri will not charge any fees. All that students need to do is deposit the form money. After completing this program, students can become Shastris for just Rs 5,000. The cost of Acharya's PG Diploma programme is Rs 10,000 every semester.
Role of religious leaders
In the Indian Army, religious leaders are typically selected to oversee religious activities within various regiments and divisions. They are also in charge of upholding the army personnel's diverse religious customs. Those applying for the position of Pandit must have graduated from an accredited university. They must to be Hindus as well and have completed a year-long certificate program in rituals. These positions have a minimum age requirement of 25 years old and a maximum age requirement of 34 years old for candidates.
Religious instructors are also recruited by the Indian Army. The position of Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) is held upon their hiring. The monthly pay can be up to Rs 1 lakh.
