Agnipath – Agniveer Scheme – Join Indian Armed Forces – A good opportunity for the weaker sections of the society

 

Agnipath – Agniveer Scheme – Join Indian Armed Forces – A good opportunity for the weaker sections of the society

Soutth Block New Delhi - Ministry of Defense

India is a big country, an emerging power, with an army of 1.4 million strong, the second biggest armed forces of the world. Even before independence in 1947, Indian army was one of the best armies of the world with unimpeachable credentials of valour and discipline.
The role of the Indian army and its men (Jawans) in the two World Wars remained a saga of bravery and sacrifice not only in and around India but in the war theaters of Europe, Asia and other regions under the command of Britain on one side and also of the Azad Hind Fauz of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on the other. The partition and independence in 1947 brought the Indian army to the fore to quell and repel the Pakistani aggression on J&K and succeeded in thwarting the dirty designs of Pakistan. With hostile neighbors like Pakistan and China with a land frontiers of thousands of miles in

inhospitable terrain, remained on toes for most of the years with full-pledged wars in 1962 with China, in 1965, 1971, 1999 (Kargil) with Pakistan, and recent skirmishes and standoffs in Doklam and Galwan with China and continuing cross border terrorism in Kashmir and North East of India. India being a big country in South Asia, Indian armed forces were called upon to do its part in controlling the security situations in Sri Lanka and Maldives in the 1980s which remained an experience with lessons to learn in the process. As regards the international profile of the Indian armed forces, India is the largest contributor to the Peace Keeping Forces of the UN and the role and conduct of the IndianPeace Keepers, under the aegis of UN, earned laurels for both the Brass and the Boots of the Indian Armed forces and rightly so. With the changing situations and requirements, changes both in the structures and functioning are a must. Most of the structures of the Indian army, like caste based regiments, marshal or non-marshal distinctions, light infantries (to accommodate low caste Sikhs and other denominations), command structures remained as these were in the colonial times. Obviously, it is difficult and undesirable to sustain these outdated and outmoded formations in a democratic, secular and diverse society. Not abruptly, because of sensitivities involved, but slowly and steadily under the evolutionary process, all the governments at the Centre have been alive to the changes. Command structures came under a big change more recently with the introduction of Commander of Defense Services (CDS) to head the Department of Military Affairs. The change was accepted and received well. Now the Government of India has come with a new recruitment scheme called ‘Agnipath and Agniveers’ which has attracted mixed reactions of ‘Yes and No’. Unfortunately, it has also resulted in uncalled for violence as the young aspirants who were already in pipeline to join the army felt that the new scheme would deny them an opportunity to realize their goal. Let us hope the

With Raksha Mantries of India and Belarus

situation settles down and the Government succeeds in convincing the stake holders about the benefits and desirability of the new scheme of ‘Agnipath and Agniveer’ to make the Indian Armed Forces a dynamic and vibrant machine to meet the challenges of the future which are formidable. While I endorse the new scheme, I would confine my take to one or two aspects of it which I think have a direct bearing on the socio-economic fabric of the society at large not as an expert but a layman and a common citizen.

The Agnipath scheme was announced on June 14, 2022. Online registration for recruitment under the Agnipath scheme will start from July 2022, according to a notification issued by the Army on June 22. The online registration on the force's recruitment website: joinindianarmy.nic.in is mandatory for all job aspirants under the

new model. The Agnipath scheme, announced on June 14, provides for the recruitment of youths between the age brackets of 17-and-half years to 21 for four years with a provision to retain 25% of them for 15 more years. Later, the government extended the upper age limit to 23 years for recruitment in 2022. The Army stated that the 'Agniveers' would form a distinct rank and a "distinctive insignia" will be worn by the Agniveers on their uniform during their service period. All the relevant details on the eligibility criteria to become an Agniveer - Education, health criteria; written test etc. are available on the scheme’s website. Let us proceed further:

·       The new scheme appears to be more accessible and transparent, prime facie.

·       It should make a good beginning to dismantle and discard the regiments based on religion and marshal and non-marshal considerations. Some vested interests and mindsets with so-called racial ‘superiority complex’ syndrome did not like this and the Government under the societal pressure appeared to be non-committal on the issue, unfortunately, against the secular and democratic credentials of the polity and the state.

·       Towards merits of the Agnipath scheme, one may count – early start for as young as 17.5 years particularly for those who does not have the wherewithal to go beyond 8th or 10th standard due to socio-economic reasons – for those who has already done 10 or 10+2 – they would not only be able to do their further study from the IGNOU while in service as Agniveer but also start earning to support themselves and their families – by the time they retire at 21, they would be equipped with not only an appropriate educational certificate/degree but also skills as trained workforce to continue as a working and earning member of the society with a handsome amount in hand as savings to start their own businesses.

·       After completion of tenure as Agniveer, 25% of the lot would be absorbed in the armed forces and would continue in the army. The rest would be available in the open market – some would love to start their own as ‘self employed’ – some would like to find a suitable slot in the para-military and police forces of the centre and the states – some would try to join the PSUs – some would try their luck with the private sector as skilled man force. The Government and the State Governments have made special provisions with reservation and other preferential arrangements to accommodate the young Agniveers in recruitment for various jobs under their per-view.

·       With these arrangements, Indian Armed Forces would get the desired age profile and fully trained and motivated cadre to defend our frontiers and the country would get a semi skilled and skilled young manpower to contribute the wellbeing and prosperity of themselves, their families and the society at large. Is it not good and beneficial rather than producing young school and college graduates with no skill and motivation to swell the figures of unemployment? In the developed countries, education aims at to make one ready to enter life with work skills rather than harping on the academic aspect just for the sake of school or college graduation.

With these off the cuff considerations, I would tend to add that the scheme of Agnipath would prove to be good launching pad or spring board for the youth belonging to the weaker sections of the society, who does not have much say and influence to get suitable training and placement otherwise, to start their careers. I would particularly recommend the Agnipath to the young aspirants of the socially weaker sections as it would give them a sense of elation as a part of the prestigious Indian Armed Forces on one side and added opportunities to join the para-militiay forces, police forces and PSUs on preferential basis on the other. Some of them, who tend to be a ‘job giver rather than a job seeker’, would have necessary skill and training with seed money to be an entrepreneur.

With this, I would urge the youth of the socially weaker segments of the society and their parents and guardians to kindly look into these new opportunities offered by the scheme of Agnipath to

Defense Minister Jgjivan Ram with Army Chiefs

become Agniveers. It would give them a sense of ‘Empowerment’ to get their due space in the polity and socio-economic structures of the country as equal partners. Indian Armed Forces ought to represent a ‘secular and a casteless democratic India’ as visualized in the constitution of India. Agnipath is the right Path for the poor and under-privileged of the country.

 The only caution which I would like to mention here for the consideration of the Governments or Administration is; what one of my friends, Retired IAS Tilak Sarangal, made in one of his video chats on the subject in his Facebook status – Government should ensure that 75% of the released Agniveers at the age of 21, are catered and accommodated in the mainstream of the economy and the society. If not, they would be too venerable to join the forces ‘inimical’ to the national interests; including security and integrity of the country. We should take a duenote of this danger.

Chupa Kar Asteen Mein Bijliyan Rakhi Hain Gardoon Ne
Anadil Bagh Ke Ghafil Na Baithen Ashiyon Mein
(The sky has kept thunderbolts concealed up its sleeve
Garden’s nightingales should not slumber in their nests)