With the attainment of independence, the Indian Army had made great strides in liquidating illiteracy from amongst her forces. It had earnestly taken to the learning of Hindi in the Devnagri script. This was not only in vogue in the peace stations, for adequate opportunities existed in this respect in the field areas, where the standard of education had been raised to a considerable degree.

An Infantry Brigade somewhere in J & K had, in recent months, achieved enormous success in the educational curriculum and were playing an important role in furtherance of a national plan. A brief survey of their educational activities is given in the following paragraphs.

The Brigade authorities were organising a series of courses for JCOs and ORs. Since Hindi had become the lingua franca of India and consequently the common language of a jawan, a three-fold responsibility in this respect was being shouldered by the Brigade. Firstly, the training of Regimental Instructors in Hindi and imparting knowledge of basic principles and methods of teaching to them was of paramount importance, so that they could efficiently work as instructors in their own units. The training of JCOs in the organisation and contents of educational training of troops under their command formed the second responsibility. The third was the educational classes for all those JCOs and NCOs within the formation who had to pass Indian Army first and special class certificates of education examination so as to qualify for promotions to the next higher rank.

The Brigade had already conducted a series of such courses and classes, which had resulted in a substantial increase in the percentage of literacy in Hindi in the whole formation.

While brisk programme in implementing Hindi as the medium of education in the Army was carried out in the Brigade, the training of all ranks in different arts and crafts was also given due attention. Jawans were introduced to leisure time occupations - knitting, weaving, drawing, painting, carpentry and several other vocations.

Practically every day, the information room was visited by one Officer or the other. In recent months, the information room had been visited by General Maharaj Shri Rajendrasinhji, C-in-C, Army, and several high ranking Officers. They were all impressed with the information room and labelled the same as the best in Jammu and Kashmir.

One of the very important ways of improving the general knowledge of all ranks in the Brigade was the self-study in the information room. That was not all. All ranks of different units within the Brigade came to the information room and kept abreast with the day to day affairs in the world and the general knowledge.

The information room had twenty-four panels which gave information on subjects ranging from the home geography to the world affairs and the United Nations Organisation. To popularize the learning of Hindi ninety per cent of the information different panels was given in Hindi (Devnagri Script).

Special features of the information room were the "Quiz Board" by which one can test his own knowledge without referring to anybody, the wall newsboard, the 'Five Year Plan', 'Sports' and the 'Indian Art' corner. The wall 'Newspaper" gave in its various panels not merely the day to day news, but the weekly editorial, and a critical analysis of world problems, India's agricultural development, sports, citizenship, arts and so on.