When it comes to the army, there are some facts that one should remember in mind. The most significant fact of it is Indian Army Hair Cutting. Haircutting is part of grooming, grooming is underappreciated and it is not related to hair only but also to personal hygiene.
Proper haircutting is referred to as the sense of discipline in the army. Discipline develops a sense of camaraderie and trust among soldiers and holds them as a unit which is critical for building an effective team.
Discipline in the Indian Army is very crucial for several reasons. It helps to ensure that the soldiers follow the orders and adhere to a code of conduct, which indicates unity and integrity within the team and unit.
History And Tradition of Indian Army Hair Cutting
The military haircut has had a very long tradition since the ancient time of the Roman Empire. Earlier instances of soldiers having a short haircut in a specific style can be traced to the Roman period when they used to have a Regulation cut, these short haircuts were used to indicate a sense of discipline and readiness for the battle.
Over the centuries, different military forces have adopted their own variations of the military haircut, but the basic principle has remained the same: a short, practical haircut that is easy to maintain and keeps hair out of the face. In modern times standardization in the military haircut has been done with specific guidelines and regulations for how soldiers should cut their hair.
In Indian Army Hair Cutting these kinds of haircuts are very famous among the youth as they are easy to maintain as well as help complement the aesthetics. And to a lesser extent, the Indian army haircut is an adaption of those rules because of the obvious advantages it offers.
Purpose and Regulation
- When we talk about the purpose and regulation of the Indian Army Hair Cutting. It has a little broader aspects like Safety and Practicality. In combat situations when soldiers have to engage themselves for retaliation shorter hair reduces the risk of hair getting caught in equipment or interfering with the proper functioning of protective gear such as helmets and gas masks.
- It also helps the soldier to focus on their goal because their hairstyle will be no longer the reason for interference as their hair will not come onto their faces which creates the chance of blockage of Sight.
Rules/ Regulation and Guidelines in Indian Army Hair Cutting
- According to the Defence Ministry order of 2002/03 Hindus, Muslims, and Christians are not allowed to keep beards in the Indian Army.
- Muslims who were commissioned prior to 2002 are only allowed to keep a mustache and beard.
- Sikh personnel who wear a turban and keep a beard at the time of commission/enrollment would continue to do so. This personnel must maintain the beard neatly dressed/tied and rolled and not keep flowing.
Hairstyles and Technique
Here are some of the hairstyles that are allowed in the Indian Army Hair Cutting. These haircuts are generally preferred by Soldiers as well as civilians. Here is the list with Photos of the Hircuts.
- Regulation Cut– This is One of the most basic and common haircuts in the Indian army in which soldiers have short straight hair in the middle, and fading skin at the side.
2. High and Tight– In this hairstyle the length is retained, the sides are faded, and the long here of about 4 inches is pulled back to give a proper shape and avoid coming on facial areas.
3. Buzz Cut– This is a very short and stylish haircut that elongates the face in which the top of the head has super short hair and gives a decent look and comfort.
4. Undercut– In this hairstyle generally long hairs are kept in the center part of the head and these are faded away till the back of the neck while the sides are subtly faded.
5. Crew Cut– This is one of the most versatile and fancy-looking hairstyles in which a soldier has retro style cut and sides are faded circling the lower head.
6. Butch cut– In this haircut soldiers have super short hair, sides are faded. This haircut is generally for the soldiers who wear helmets and face masks like Air Force aircraft fighters.
For female candidates, there are no such rules after you get commissioned in the army you have to bun your hair if they are long and maintain it so that it does not impose any hindrance in your working and professional life.
But during the training period, female candidates have to carry a ‘Boy-cut‘ hairstyle and it is very obvious because, during the training period, they have to go through physical training.
Grooming Standards and Discipline in Indian Army Hair Cutting
Haircuts can indeed contribute to maintaining discipline and professionalism in various ways. Here are a few reasons why
- It gives a neat and well-groomed appearance that is very much required in a soldier.
- It maintains Uniformity and discipline.
- It helps to define the perception and first impression in the way we represent ourselves and contributes significantly to the initial impressions we make on others.
- Regularly maintaining a professional haircut requires self-discipline and personal responsibility.
Haircut regulation in the Indian army helps to foster a sense of camaraderie and esprit de corps among the soldiers. When everyone adheres to the same standards it reinforces the sense of unity and belonging within the unit.
Challenges and Adaption
India is a country with various cultures and religions and so soldier from different religions may have their own practice that governs their hairstyle. In such cases adapting the standards of hairstyles along with maintaining overall integrity and unity can be a challenge.
Indian army operates in a variety of terrains and climates including high-altitude areas and dense forests in such cases maintaining the hairstyles and adaption of the standards becomes very crucial to ensure that practicality and functionality are not compromised.
Hair is often considered as a sense of identity and strict regulations to impose the hair standards can sometimes clash so adaption of the standards set by the officials can be a challenge.
Conclusion
So far we have discussed the hairstyle standards that are being followed in the Indian Army Hair Cutting and how it creates and sense of uniformity and belonging towards an organization. It creates a sense of discipline and readiness for the battle.
there are so many types of haircut styles that are being followed in the Indian Army out of which a few of them are mentioned above along with the photos. There can be challenges including terrain, Climate, And cultural diversities of the religion but an adaption of these challenges brings the soldiers together and forces them to work as a unit.
For further information please visit the official website of the Indian Army. Click here https://joinindianarmy.nic.in/
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