New Delhi, June 19
Ruling out any rollback of the ‘Agnipath’ recruitment scheme in view of widespread protests, the Army, Navy and the Air Drive on Sunday got here out with a broad schedule of enrolment of troopers underneath the brand new coverage and asserted that it’s the solely method to convey down the age profile of the three providers.
Lt Gen Anil Puri, the Further Secretary within the Division of Navy Affairs, mentioned at a tri-services press convention that anybody concerned in protests, arson and vandalism towards the scheme wouldn’t qualify to affix the three providers underneath the brand new mannequin.
He additionally mentioned that supportive measures introduced in the previous few days for the recruits underneath the scheme weren’t initiated due to the protests and arson and the federal government was already engaged on them as a part of total measures to make sure employment for individuals who exit the providers after the four-year stint.
“Why ought to or not it’s rolled again? It’s the solely progressive step to creating the armed forces younger. It’s a query of defending the nation,” Lt Gen Puri mentioned.
The announcement of the scheme on Tuesday triggered violent protests in a number of components of the nation, with agitating defence aspirants demanding its roll again citing solely four-year tenure for 75 per cent of the recruits underneath it.
The extra secretary mentioned the “main reform initiative” to convey down the age profile was launched after years of deliberations and finding out the recruitment course of in a number of international locations.
He mentioned that even the high-level committee on the 1999 Kargil Warfare had made options on it.
“We had detailed deliberations on making forces younger. We studied the recruitment course of and tenures of troopers in a number of international locations. We wish younger folks as they’re risk-takers. They’ve ardour, ‘josh aur hosh’ in equal proportions,” Lt Gen Puri mentioned.
He mentioned the Army has been making an attempt to convey down its age profile for over three many years.
Referring to the COVID-19 pandemic stalling the recruitment course of within the final two years, Lt Gen Puri described the announcement of the Agnipath scheme as a chance given by the “God and the character” to make sure a youthful army.
The media briefing on the headquarters of the defence ministry occurred hours after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a gathering with the chiefs of the Army, Navy and the Air Drive for the second straight day.
“There isn’t a area for indiscipline within the armed forces. There isn’t a area for arson and violence. All those that wish to turn out to be a part of the armed forces underneath the Agnipath scheme should give a certificates that they weren’t a part of any arson,” Lt Gen Puri mentioned.
He mentioned the age profile of the armed forces would come right down to 26 from 32 with the implementation of the ‘Agnipath’ scheme.
Giving particulars of the Navy’s plan to induct ‘Agniveers’ underneath the scheme, Vice Admiral (Personnel) Dinesh Tripathi mentioned the naval headquarters will come out with a broad guideline for the recruitment by June 25.
The primary batch of recruits will be a part of the coaching programme at INS Chilka in Odisha by November 21, he mentioned, including the Navy is recruiting each women and men as ‘Agniveers’ underneath the scheme. INS Chilka is a coaching facility of the Indian Navy.
In regards to the Indian Air Drive’s plan for induction underneath the Agnipath scheme, Air Marshall SK Jha mentioned the registration course of will begin on June 24 and the method for on-line examination for part one of many recruitment course of will start on July 24.
“We’re planning to begin the coaching for the primary batch of recruits by December 30,” Air Marshall Jha mentioned.
Elaborating on the Army’s recruitment plan, Lt Gen Bansi Ponappa mentioned the Army will situation a draft notification on Monday and subsequent notifications shall be issued by varied recruitment items of the pressure from July 1 onwards.
Recruitment rallies underneath the Agnipath scheme will happen throughout India in August, September and October, he mentioned.
Lt Gen Ponappa mentioned the primary batch of 25,000 personnel will be a part of the coaching programme within the first and second week of December. The second lot of recruits will be a part of their coaching round February 23.
He mentioned a complete of 83 recruitment rallies shall be organised throughout the nation to pick round 40,000 personnel.
Referring to the availability of exit of 75 per cent of the ‘Agniveers’ after the four-year tenure, Lt Gen Puri mentioned round 17,600 personnel take untimely retirement yearly from the three providers.
“It isn’t that exit will happen solely underneath Agnipath scheme is applied,” he mentioned.
Unveiling the scheme on Tuesday, the federal government mentioned youths between the ages of 17 and-a-half and 21 years could be inducted for a four-year tenure whereas 25 per cent of them shall be subsequently inducted for normal service.
The youths to be recruited underneath the brand new scheme could be known as ‘Agniveer’.
In an try to pacify the protesters, the federal government on Thursday night time elevated the higher age restrict for recruitment underneath the ‘Agnipath’ scheme to 23 years from 21 for the 12 months 2022.
The announcement of the brand new scheme got here towards the backdrop of recruitments into the army remaining stalled for over two years.
The Army recruits 50,000 to 60,000 troopers yearly. Nonetheless, the recruitment couldn’t happen for the final two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
