Tribal girls would be flying high

Ranchi: Tribal girls of the state would soon be flying aircraft. Thanks to an initiative of the state welfare department, about 12 of them would hone their flying skills by taking part in the commercial pilot training programme at a Mumbai institute.

After completing their one-year training there, the girls would be able to join airline companies of their choice. Then they would have to adopt two girls of their respective villages and educate them up to the graduate level, as the state government wants the tribal girls becoming pilots to return something to the society after making it big.

So far, 20 tribal girls have applied for the training after the welfare department came out with a notification allowing the tribal girls to join the programme. Some girls, who had earlier applied for the airhostess course, are also expected to appear in the aptitude test for pilot training.

Till last year, the pilot training programme of the state welfare department included only tribal boys. The girls had the option of joining only the airhostess training course. Accordingly, the department had issued a notification inviting applications for both the programmes this year, too. However, after a long discussion within the department, the officials revised their decision and allowed the girls to be included in the pilot training as well.

Education Council of India, a Government of India body, would carry out a test to choose candidates for pilot training. The list of selected candidates is expected by September-end and the candidates would be sent for training in October. The state has selected Mumbai-based Institute of Aviation and Aviation Safety, Flight School, for the training.