In what could be a major reform for enrolling citizens in the defence forces, the government is set to finalise the Agnipath recruitment scheme, which will allow youngsters to enlist in the army as soldiers for three years.

Apart from reducing the age profile of the armed forces, the new scheme will reduce the expenditure of the government on the defence forces.

How this will work

During their three-year stint, the troops will be called Agniveers or fire warriors. Upon completion of the service, the defence forces will have the option of retaining some of the best talents while releasing the others for civilian jobs, ANI reported quoting top government sources.

“Discussions are in the final stages on the Agnipath or the Tour of Duty entry scheme,” reported ANI, adding that the forces have presented the scheme to the government’s top functionaries, which have fully backed the project.

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The recruitment of soldiers has been curtailed in the last two years mainly due to the Covid-19 pandemic. According to officials records, 1.25 lakh vacancies are currently available in the defence forces. The government will finalise the contours of the projects after a few more meetings.

What is the Agnipath entry scheme?

The Agnipath scheme is a new name given to the ‘Tour of Duty entry scheme’ by the Indian Army. The armed forces began discussions on the Tour of Duty scheme two years ago, under which soldiers would be recruited on a short-term contract, trained, and deployed in different fields. This would mark a major shift from the current practice of recruiting permanent soldiers into the armed force to serve for varying lengths of time.

How will the Agnipath scheme benefit the youth?

According to the initial plans, those soldiers who will be relieved from the service after three years would be provided assistance in getting civilian jobs. A number of corporate houses have been in touch with the government for availing the services of such ‘Agniveers’.

The scheme will also provide an opportunity to the youth to serve the country even if it is for a short period of time. The youth will be inducted into the Indian Army for three years in the initial stages. The scheme will be introduced in the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy later.

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According to reports, there would be no entrance examination for the youth under the Agnipath scheme. However, the new recruits would have to undertake long and extensive training by the army.

(Edited by : Abhishek Jha)

First Published:Apr 7, 2022 2:08 PM IST