MUMBAI, June 4 -- State school education minister Dada Bhuse announced on Monday that military training will be made mandatory in state-run schools from the first grade to instil patriotism, loyalty for the nation, a sense of discipline, exercise and organisation skills among students. Bhuse declared the plan after a meeting with education officers in Nashik. "There are about 2.5 lakh (250,000) ex-servicemen in the state who will be inducted to implement this programme," he said, adding sports teachers, National Cadet Corps (NCC) and scout guide instructors will also impart military education to the students. The idea stemmed from feedback of 48 zilla parishad school teachers who recently returned from a study tour to Singapore, impressed with "the way the concept of Nation First was integrated into the school education system there", said Bhuse. Bhuse said chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, and ex-servicemen welfare minister Shambhuraj Desai "have evinced interest in the move". He added, apart from the training, health cards will be introduced for students from government schools. "If a disease is diagnosed during the check-up, the concerned student will be provided treatment under government schemes," he said. Criticising Bhuse's move, Mahendra Ganpule, former vice president of the state principals association, said, "There is no need to introduce this kind of training, as our current curriculum already them at various levels. Instead of providing good infrastructure and teachers, the department is busy with populist announcements." He called for discussions with child psychologists before implementing the new plan....