New batch of constables to undergo qualitative grooming

Pritesh Basu Kolkata: For the first time ever, the state government has decided to provide English communication training to the newly recruited constables of the West Bengal Police. At the same time, they will also be trained on basic computer skills.

According to a senior official of the state Home department, the proposal to provide "spoken English" training to the newly recruited constables was taken up by the top brass of the state police considering that there is a need to improve their communication skills to work in the present situation especially when the number of foreign tourist flow in the state has increased and at the same time e-office has been made mandatory for all departments of the state police.

According to the officer, the training will help them to assist their seniors in carrying out different work including awareness creation programmes and official works.

Recently, 4298 constables were recruited in the West Bengal Police. Usually constables undergo training at the Swami Vivekananda State Police Academy.

The newly recruited constables will undergo the usual training at the academy and besides that they will also learn English communication and acquire computer skills.

The training will be undertaken by a private agency that will be finalised by senior officers of the state police. The state government will invest Rs 9 lakh for the training of the constables. The training will be imparted to them in batches.

It may be mentioned that the state government has made e-office mandatory for all departments from the very beginning of 2018. "So that the constables can easily carry out the office works even after undergoing the training," the official said adding that the curriculum of the training will be finalised by the police officers after consultation with the authorities of the agency that will provide the training.

In the past six years, the state government has taken up several steps for skill development of its officials in different ranks. Now the rank and file of the state police has also supported the move of the state government to provide communication and computer skills training to constables.

Several steps have been taken up by the state government in improving the tourism infrastructure that has resulted in a sharp increase in flow of tourists at different spots in the state.

It includes tourists from both different parts of the country and abroad. "In such a scenario, improving the communication skills of constables is essential. They can easily communicate with the tourists when they will be deployed at tourist spots," the official said.