Student Police Cadet project launched

BHUBANESWAR: Student Police Cadet (SPC) project, which envisages inculcating discipline and civic sense among students, was launched here on Thursday. 
The project aims at training high school students to respect the law, practice discipline and civic sense and develop empathy for vulnerable sections of society. “SPC project has been implemented in 40 schools across the State as of now. The School and Mass Education department had selected 33 State-run and seven Central schools,” Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy said while inaugurating the project on the premises of Capital High School here. 

Official sources said the project is likely to be extended to other schools in different phases as per the decision of the State Government. The project will also strengthen students’ commitment towards their families and community along with enabling them to resist negative tendencies such as substance abuse, deviant behaviour, intolerance and other social evils, they said.  

Speaking at the event, DGP Dr RP Sharma said the programme will help students in appreciating the role, constraints and arduous nature of police work along with inculcating a sense of discipline and responsibility in them. “The project will also help students understand team spirit, gender equality and enhance their respect for law,” he said. 

Twin City Commissioner of Police Satyajit Mohanty said SPC is a two-year programme for class VIII and IX students in which both indoor sessions and outdoor activities will be held. Each school will have 44 students for the project of which half would be girls, he said. 
In July last year, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had rolled out the SPC programme. The programme was first launched in Kerala in 2010.