Agnipath Scheme GD

The new military recruiting programme was launched by the Narendra Modi administration on June 15, 2022. The new army recruiting programme was unveiled by Rajnath Singh, India’s defence minister, together with the heads of the three services. According to this plan, new army recruits may serve for four years before being required to retire at age 75 without receiving gratuity or pension benefits. The government envisions the new system for Army, Navy, and Air Force troop recruiting as a significant reworking of the decades-old selection procedure to improve the young profile of the three services. The troops that are hired via the “Agnipath” programme will be referred to as “Agniveers.” According to the plan, the Army will probably hire around 40,000 troops, the Navy about 3,000 sailors, and the IAF about 3,000 pilots by the year 2022.

But within two days after the Agnipath Yojana announcement for military recruitment, widespread violent demonstrations broke out throughout the nation in response to the worries expressed by potential troops, culminating in the burning of buses and trains and damage to other public property.

Before formulating your view on the subject, you should thoroughly understand a vital GD topic for MBA admission 2023, Recruitment in different services and other academic courses, the background of launching Agnipath, its major features, grounds for protests, advantages, and criticisms:

Agneepath Scheme Details

“Agniveers” are the people that are chosen for this recruiting procedure. According to the decision, “Agniveers” will get a competitive salary and an exit retirement package after four years of work. It is important to note that this possibility is only open to employees with lower officer levels, or those who joined the military without being commissioned as officers.

The Department of Military Affairs’ Additional Secretary, Lt. Gen. Anil Puri, said that although the average age is now about 32 years old, it will eventually drop to 26 years old. This is going to occur in 6-7 years. It is necessary to tap into the youth’s potential and prepare him for the future in order to turn the military into one that is young, tech-savvy, and contemporary. After serving in the Army for four years, he said that recruits’ resumes and biodata would be quite distinctive, and he would stand out from the throng with his attitude, abilities, and time.

What is Agneepath Scheme

In agneepath hiring Indian youngster between the ages of 17.5 and 23 may apply for the Indian Armed Forces. Agneepath is a short service commission that lasts for a total of four years, including the training phase. After the training term, agneepath receives a 25 percent retention bonus, while other applicants are given preference for positions in the CAPF, Assam Rifles, and state police.

Agnipath-Key Highlights

• The Government of India has authorised the Agnipath initiative, and it will be put into effect starting in September 2022.
• The hiring process is open to both male and female applicants.
• This programme would include recruiting for the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force.
• Twice a year, the hiring procedure will take place.
• The Agnipath positions are below those in the officer cadre.
• The only way to serve in the military as a non-commissioned officer is via the Agnipath Scheme.
• The recruited Agniveers will serve for a period of four years, which will be divided into six months of training and three and a half years of deployment.
• In the first year, a remuneration package of Rs. 4.76 lacs would be provided. By the conclusion of the fourth year, this will increase to Rs. 6.92 lacs each year.
• After four years of service, the recruits would get Rs. 11.71 lakhs. After four years, the corpus fund would reach around Rs. 11.71 lacs thanks to contributions from the government and the aggrivers totaling 30% of the remuneration portion. This will not be subject to income tax.
• The Indian Army’s pension programme would not be available to those who retire after four years of service.
• The Indian government anticipates using this programme to hire 45,000–50,000 people annually.
• There would be a 10% reservation for “Agniveers” in the Assam Rifles and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).
• For recruitment into these two paramilitary forces, Agniveers will get a three-year age relaxation beyond the maximum age limit that is specified, while the first batch of Agniveers would receive a five-year age relaxation.

Pros of Agneepath Scheme

• The soldiers, who will be relieved after the four-year services will be able to compete in the civil world as they will be assisted by the Indian army.

• The ‘Agneepath’ scheme opens the way for the recruitment of about 46,000 soldiers into the Army, Navy, and Air Force in the first year.
• 25% of the staff will be retained after 4 years which means lakhs of candidates will ultimately get permanent jobs.
• The Indian army will have the option of retaining a few of them and they can serve the nation as permanent soldiers.
• Agniveers will receive a one-time “Seva Nidhi” package at the end of their four-year engagement,
•  Many corporate sectors and big MNCs have shown interest to hire “Agniveers”.
• This will be a great opportunity for the candidates from the age limit minimum of 17.5 to a maximum of 23 years
• Agniveer, a recruited youth for a Four years of service, would have bright career options after serving in the armed forces.
• The Scheme May Also Be Beneficial For Agniveers’ Personal Development. They will be exposed to the disciplined lifestyle of the armed forces.

Cons of Agneepath Scheme

• There is no job security as the candidates will again become unemployed after the 4 years of service.
• This recruitment is only for 17.5-23 years of candidates.
• Agniveers will be cautious and most of them will be seeking a second job.
• There will no extra or basic benefits will be provided to the candidate alike the other government jobs.
• Once the soldiers will complete their four years tenure then 75% of the them will be relieved from service, it will be unfair in a way with their future.
• No pilot scheme to evaluate the plan.