‘Youth given chance at Desh-Bhakti’: MoD briefs media on Agnipath scheme. Highlights
- Additional Secretary Lt General Anil Puri said that the new armed force recruitment scheme has been created to cater to the larger need of national security in India
Agnipath scheme has been at the heart of massive violent protests throughout India since the past week. The protest saw railway coaches burnt, public property vandalised and the death of a 19 year old in Telangana's Secundrabad.
Ministry of Defense on Tuesday conducted a media briefing wherein Additional Secretary Lt General Anil Puri said that the new armed force recruitment scheme has been created to cater to the larger need of national security. He further stressed that several committees on defense reforms recommend younger profile for armed force, which therefore led to the formation of the Agnipath recruitment scheme.
Puri stressed on the fact that there will be no change in recruitment process under Agnipath scheme compared to existing process. “Agnipath scheme being rolled out so that armed forces get best talent,” he said.
Here are the highlights of the media briefing
- Anil Puri said that the armed forces of the country need to take advantage of the demographic dividend of the nation. Citing other countries like France, Russia, Israel, Puri said that 50% of India's population is below 25 years of age and therefore can be recruited in the armed forces
- Puri also said the commanding officers need not be young, but the Agniveers selected through the Agnipath scheme will be the best talent from the applicant pool.
- Lt General Puri further stated that recruitment under Agnipath scheme will be carried out under objective and transparent selection process
- Talking about the written pledge to be submitted for applying for the Agnipath scheme and the subsequent police verification, Puri said that the process was undertaken even before the Agnipath scheme and the protests happened.
- Further Puri mentioned that all the Agniveers who fight for the nation are eligible for the Paramveer awards and another kind of Gallantry awards
- IAF official shared a timeline recruitment process. He stated that the registration process will be conducted between 24 June and 5 July. He further went on to state that Agniveer Vayu or the soldiers recruited under the Agnipath scheme into the Indian Air force will be ready for training by 30 December
- Sharing an elaborate timeline the IAF chief also said that combat capability of IAF remains non-negotiable and that the air force division is ready to recruit personnel under Agnipath scheme
- Further the Indian naval forces official said that there will be no change in our combat readiness because of Agnipath scheme, while also informing that the registration process for this division of the Indian Armed forces will begin on 22 June instead of 25 June
- He further mentioned that the Agnipath scheme will also open up another branch for the Indian shipping industry and the Indian navy to collaborate and create opportunities, where in the training and experience of Agniveers will be considered for them to get a job with the merchant navy
- Agreement signed between Directorate General of Shipping and Indian Navy to benefit personnel retiring from Indian Navy and provide them opportunity to work on merchant ships, the official said
- The naval officer also stated that the only difference is the training process of the Agniveers is being shortened but not the quality of the training
- Indian Army official also stated that Agnipath scheme will not impact Army's combat capabilities; in fact it will improve the same. He also informed about the fact that the special entry scheme for women that has been implemented for the past three years also stand valid for the Agnipath recruitment
- According to the Indian Army official the first batch of Agniveers will be ready for training by December this year and for active service by July 2023
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Business NewsNewsIndia‘Youth given chance at Desh-Bhakti’: MoD briefs media on Agnipath scheme. Highlights
First Published:21 Jun 2022, 04:00 PM IST
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