After two years of no enlistment in the Armed Forces, Narendra Modi The government has radically changed the way soldiers of the Army, Navy and Air Force are recruited. Under the Agneepath scheme, recruits will be inducted for a term of four years, at the end of which 25% will be retained for regular service.
The scheme, launched earlier this week, has been touted as a significant step towards making the armed forces younger and fitter. It has also been billed as a victory for the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) as recruits, known as Agniveers, who do not make the cut for regular service, can go on to the paramilitary forces which in turn undergo training. Will save on cost. ,
However, the scheme is yet to get unanimous approval among army aspirants and ex-servicemen, due to the age-limit eligible for recruitment and the lack of traditional pension among others.
After Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand, the government went ahead to solve the issue of age on a one-time basis Protest Against the new scheme on Thursday, under the upper age limit for recruitment Agnipath Was increased from 21 to 23 only for the year 2022. The lower age limit remains 17.5 years.
However, despite the scheme including one-time contributory severance pay called Sewa Nidhi, concerns remain over the absence of pension, which adds up to Rs 11 lakh after four years, and there is a lack of clarity on whether Agneepath will be an additional recruitment model or will replace. Existing recruitment system in Defense Forces.
“There is no clarity among most of the candidates on whether the old model of recruitment will continue or not. This, coupled with the years-long wait for recruitment, is creating frustration among the candidates,” said Shubham Singh Charak, a research scholar in National Security Studies at the Central University of Jammu.
The decision not to rollout the pilot is also worrying the candidates. Many people, including veterans who opposed Agneepath, believe that agniveer May create a reserve pool to be called upon during war of natural calamities.
“Not only is there a lack of job security under the new recruitment scheme, but there is also a dearth of pension and additional benefits. For anyone who is ready to fight and die for the motherland, the sense of security that their family will be taken care of is a big deal, especially for those coming from rural areas,” said Charak, who at one time also wanted. to join the armed forces.
There are also concerns about whether Agniveer will be able to get a job in civilian life after four years in office. The government has said that recruits not selected for permanent posting in the defense forces will get 50% credit for a Bachelor Degree and job assistance. However, veterans believe that currently, it is unusual for retired executives who have not completed a degree to get a corporate job. But Air Force and Navy recruits, who are hired after earning degrees, get employment after completing their service tenure, he says.
Some of the candidates who are preparing for the entry into the armed forces for a long time see the merit in the new recruitment scheme. Harsh Singh, an Air Force aspirant and a BCA 2nd year student from Mathura has been preparing for the Indian Air Force recruitment exam since two years. Unlike many of his friends, Harsh is not opposed to the Agneepath plan as he sees it as “just another level added to the recruitment process”.
“If selected, we will get credit for a fresh graduate degree as well as quota in job searching later. I am confident that I will be among the top 25 percentile artists and will be selected for a permanent job. After all, wearing a uniform has been my dream. That dream is coming true without being hired as my permanent member. Even if I don’t get shortlisted, I can pursue my love of coding,” he said.
Sriram Srirangam, the founder and director of Shriram’s IAS, has been training youth for decades for government service exams, the most popular civil service exams. He says those who do not make the cut to remain in the armed forces would be ideal IAS candidates.
“After spending four years in the defense forces, we will find a large group of youngsters who are mentally alert, physically strong and technology savvy. The youth who come out of this system will be very well prepared for all the prestigious opportunities including IIMs, IAS, Armed Police etc. They can pick up the basic principles of constitution, law, economics, foreign policies etc. This can be the foundation of bureaucracy. They will be most competitive for the best government posts including IAS and IPS,” said Srirangam.
Himanshu Gautam, co-founder of Saphala, a platform that prepares rural youth for competitive exams including defense forces, says the government will save money on pensions which can be used to invest in advancing defense technology.
“Agneepath will help the agile people who are willingly and willingly stepping up to serve the nation. I think it is important that we see this as a step forward in the army,” he said.
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