Chandigarh: Around 2,929 students are being trained in Punjab via a special coaching programme being sponsored by the government to prepare them for the National Defence Academy examination, which will be conducted in April 2011.

The coaching classes for NDA aspirants have been organized by the Department of Employment Generation in collaboration with Director-General of School Education.

The Director General has directed all District Education Officers to identify schools and teachers in all districts who would be able to provide training to students planning to take the NDA examination next year.

Around 700 teachers have now been roped in by the government to provide coaching classes to the NDA aspirants across the state of Punjab. In Gurdaspur, 400 students have registered for the classes whereas in Patiala and Tarn Taran, 328 and 300 students have enrolled for the classes respectively.

Also, several ex-servicemen have been involved in the project as well and are assisting in running the classes.

Seeing the enthusiasm shown by the NDA aspirants for the classes, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has announced that the teachers who are coaching the students would be given an honorarium.