Major change in Agnipath scheme, Agniveers will be able to become permanent in armed forces

According to NDTV report, a major government decision has been taken in the Agnipath scheme. Under this, the remaining 75 per cent Agniveers exiting under the Agnipath scheme will now be given an additional engagement period of two years. Thereafter, the Agniveers who are willing will be able to enroll as regular soldiers in the armed forces. This major decision was taken at the cabinet meeting held on Wednesday by the government.

This step has come at a time when, just a few weeks prior to it, nearly 18,000 Agniveers were set to retire from the armed forces. Chief of Defence Staff General N. S. Raja Subramani stated that all Agniveers will be provided an opportunity to continue their service in the armed forces. He added that all this will depend on their performance and its evaluation.

Stating that it was made clear from the beginning that this scheme would be reviewed, General Subramani said that the performance of Agniveers was reviewed every year and finally we reached a decision that a two-year extension should be given. He also added that this scheme was not set in stone from the very beginning. This review did not happen suddenly just today, but it has been a continuous process.

Discussions on this subject have been going on for the last three to four months and today our recommendations have been approved by the cabinet, General Subramani said. He further emphasized that the Agnipath scheme will continue in its present form, that is, for the first four years. The Agnipath scheme has not been discontinued and it will continue in the future as well.

On the other hand, this second engagement period of two years provides an opportunity to serve longer to those Agniveers who could not be selected in the first four years. There are matters related to their respective experience, qualification and skills. It does not mean that they are bad, but it is a relative matter. Therefore, during these two years, they get an opportunity to serve longer in the army, which also includes the provision of enrolling as a regular soldier.

He stated that this scheme will prove to be a win-win situation for both sides. It is noteworthy that the Agnipath scheme was launched in the year 2022, the objective of which was to lower the age profile of all three services and under this scheme personnel are recruited for a short term. The personnel recruited under this scheme are known as Agniveers.

Earlier, soldiers were recruited under the Agnipath scheme for a tenure of four years, with a provision to retain only 25 per cent of the personnel in regular service. This decision has come amid criticisms faced against the short tenure. Due to these criticisms, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra and many other states had also made provisions of reservation for Agniveers in police and other services.