The Rehabilitation Imperative
India is home to 2.78 million ex‑servicemen (ESM), with nearly 60,000 soldiers hanging up their boots each year—often in their late 30s. Early retirement keeps the military youthful, but it also means veterans must build a “second life” to meet financial and social obligations. To smooth that transition, the Ministry of Defence runs a layered ecosystem:
| Tier | Key Institution | Core Function |
|---|---|---|
| National | Directorate General Resettlement (DGR) | Pre‑ & post‑retirement training, job fairs, MoUs with industry (DGR India) |
| State / District | Kendriya, Rajya & Zila Sainik Boards | Welfare schemes, documentation, local placement help |
| Corporate Interface | Army Welfare Placement Organisation (AWPO) | Dedicated job‑matching & skilling arm for Army veterans |
Resettlement policy reserves 14.5 % of Group ‘C’ and 24.5 % of Group ‘D’ posts in PSUs & banks for ESM, plus age relaxations and fee waivers in many competitive exams .
AWPO—India’s Largest Defence Placement Network
Founded in May 1999 under the Adjutant‑General’s Branch, AWPO operates 17 regional offices and an all‑India placement portal. Its mandate: match Army veterans, widows and dependents with careers in government, PSUs and private industry.
- Scale of impact: 1.3 lakh veterans placed since inception .
- Recent momentum: In 2024 alone, AWPO enabled jobs for 16,000 JCOs, 450 officers and 300 widows/wards
- Skilling alliances: February 2025 MoU with upGrad brings AI, data and digital‑marketing courses directly to soldiers in transition .
Why Exam Coaching Matters
Despite military discipline and leadership, ESM still need civilian‑exam literacy—English comprehension, quantitative aptitude, reasoning, general awareness—to crack high‑volume recruitments such as SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, IBPS & SBI Clerical. Benefits include:
- Horizontal reservation plus 3‑ to 8‑year age relaxation (after deducting service) in SSC posts.
- Fee exemptions in SSC and selected banks.
- Stable pay scales aligned with Pay Commission matrices, attractive for families accustomed to defence benefits.
Yet many veterans lack structured coaching close to home or units.
The AWPO–Mahendra’s Classes Collaboration (2025 Intake)
The new flyer (see image) positions Mahendra’s long‑running test‑prep expertise inside AWPO’s veteran network.
| Feature | Details From the Advertisement |
|---|---|
| Subjects Covered | English, Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning Ability, General Awareness/Studies, Hindi, Computer |
| Delivery Model | Hybrid classes, study hall access, online/offline tests, chapter‑wise & pre‑/mains test series, dedicated doubt sessions |
| Physical Centres | Bhopal, Guwahati, Jabalpur, Jammu, Kolkata, Lucknow, New Delhi, Pune |
| Exam Calendar 2025 | IBPS Clerk (Oct 4‑11 prelims; Nov 29 mains) • SBI Clerk (Oct–Nov tentative) • SSC CGL (Tier‑I: Aug 13‑30) • SSC CHSL (Tier‑I: Sep 8‑18) • SSC MTS (Sep 20–Oct 24) • SSC Selection Post XIII (Jul 24–Aug 4) |
| ESM‑Friendly Clauses | Age relaxation, fee exemptions, reserved vacancies clearly flagged |
| Helplines | AWPO : 9070‑30‑6565 • Mahendra’s : 7706‑00‑8077 |
Strategic Impact
- Bridging the skills gap: Military soft skills (discipline, punctuality, stress management) meet exam‑specific hard skills, creating well‑rounded candidates.
- Employment multiplier: Clearing even 10 % of Bank & SSC vacancies could translate to 5,000‑6,000 fresh government jobs for veterans annually, a sizeable boost over AWPO’s current placement mix.
- National dividends: Leveraging trained soldiers for civil administration and banking enhances public‑service ethos while reducing pension‑only dependency.
- Family welfare: Coaching is open to widows & dependents—extending rehabilitation beyond the uniformed individual.
How Veterans Can Enrol
- Contact AWPO Node: Call the helpline or visit the nearest Regional Placement Node for counselling and registration.
- Verify Eligibility: Keep discharge book, service certificate, category proof and latest photograph handy.
- Select Course Mode: Opt for classroom, hybrid or fully online depending on posting or domicile.
- Leverage Concessions: Claim fee waivers and apply under ESM reservation in forthcoming notifications.
Looking Ahead
From MoUs with EdTech majors to hands‑on coaching for competitive exams, AWPO is evolving from a pure placement agency into a full‑spectrum career‑transition platform. The tie‑up with Mahendra’s Classes plugs the last mile—systematic exam preparation—into India’s broader veteran‑rehabilitation architecture.
Bottom line: For the soldier planning life after the parade ground, 2025 offers a clear battle plan—train, test, and transition into a government post with AWPO standing firmly in your corner.
