The revision of the Agnipath scheme is probably the first case of NDA 3.0 becoming more accommodative.
Publication date: June 14, 2024, 11:54 p.m.
The impending review of the controversial Agnipath scheme, a short-term contractual employment in the armed forces, is probably the first case of the NDA 3.0 shedding its recalcitrant past and becoming more accommodating and sensitive to public criticism. Chastened by the electoral mandate and forced to rely on the support of their allies to run the coalition government, the BJP leaders appear to have taken a step back from the issue and initiated a process to make major changes to the scheme that had triggered widespread protests. in the country. country two years ago. Importantly, the Janata Dal (United), a crucial ally of the NDA, opposes the Agnipath plan and has been supporting its review, citing concerns over its impact on youth and recruitment processes. The Army has suggested major changes to the scheme based on feedback from an internal survey. These changes include extending service tenure from four to eight years, increasing Agniveers’ retention rate to 60-70% and raising the joining age for technical services to 23 years. The amendments are intended to address concerns about inadequate expertise and improve the plan’s effectiveness. This is a positive development, given widespread fears about the plan in its current form. A group of secretaries from various central ministries has been tasked with reviewing the entire recruitment plan and suggesting ways to make it more lucrative for the youth.
Although introduced in 2022 with the lofty goal of boosting youth recruitment into the armed forces, the plan faced intense criticism from the opposition. There were widespread protests in traditional recruitment areas of the armed forces, such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. Critics have highlighted the lack of guaranteed job security. Under the scheme, recruits are hired for a period of four years during which they receive a monthly salary starting at Rs 30,000 and increasing to Rs 40,000 in the fourth year. On completion of the tenure, an Agniveer receives a one-time Seva Nidhi package of approximately Rs 12 lakh. The armed forces may offer permanent enrollment to Agniveers depending on their requirements. Of the total annual recruits, only 25% can continue for another 15 years under permanent commission. It is widely believed that the plan has seriously undermined the operational capacity of the armed forces. Although touted as a landmark reform in the armed forces’ recruitment policy, Agnipath has left the country’s youth dissatisfied. A major goal of the plan is to reduce the average age of military personnel and reduce rising salaries and pensions. Had the government held prior consultations with state governments, armed forces veterans, youth groups and training institutions, and implemented it gradually through consensus building, the plan would have found better acceptance.
