Only Physically Fit Guards to Protect Sabarimala's Temple Gold Under Revised TDB Rules
Thiruvananthapuram: Security personnel guarding the gold-plated sanctum sanctorum of the Sabarimala Sree Ayyappa Swamy Temple and the famed Ezharaponnana (seven-and-a-half golden elephants) at Ettumanoor will now be required to meet Revised physical fitness standards before being appointed.
The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has revised the eligibility criteria for Strong Room Guards deployed at its temples, making physical fitness tests mandatory for recruitment. Candidates will now have to qualify in events such as sprinting, long jump, high jump, rope climbing, and pull-ups to secure a position in the security wing.
The decision follows a recommendation by the Vigilance SP, who stressed that officers entrusted with protecting strong rooms containing valuable temple assets should possess adequate physical fitness. As a result, the TDB has adopted fitness standards similar to those followed by the police and fire and rescue services for the recruitment of strong room guards.
Applicants will have to appear for eight physical events, and qualifying marks must be obtained in at least five of them to pass the test.
Physical Fitness Standards for Strong Room Guards
- 100-metre sprint: 14 seconds
- High jump: 1.32 metres
- Long jump: 4.57 metres
- Shot put: 6.96 metres
- Cricket ball throw: 60.96 metres
- Rope climbing: 3.65 metres
- Pull-ups: 8 repetitions
- 1,500-metre run: 5 minutes 44 seconds
The revised recruitment norms are aimed at strengthening the security of valuable temple treasures and ensuring that personnel assigned to protect them are physically capable of responding effectively in emergency situations.