Date: 10/11/2022
Relevance: GS-3: Various Security Forces and Agencies and their Mandate.
Key Phrases: Agnipath, Recruitment rallies, Technologically savvy, Training methodologies, Risk-taking abilities, Home Ministry, Lesser experience, Nationalism in the youth, Esprit de corps,Training, Resettlement, Transformative move, Lateral induction, Adequate re-employment opportunities.
Context:
- On 14 June 2022, India introduced the Agnipath short-term military enlistment scheme, seeking to recruit young Indians into the military with four-year tenure.
Key Highlights:
- The recruitment rallies conducted for the Agniveers have seen a positive response, both among boys and girls.
- The Agniveer rallies which saw a good turnout show that our youth are motivated and willing to serve the cause of the nation.
Issues:
- Training
- Our present system of almost one year of training- and even more for the technical arms- was devised when the standard of education of recruits was low, with an even lower technical threshold.
- Nowadays, all our youth are technologically savvy.
- So to continue with old training methodologies is irrational. Optimizing the training duration is very much a possibility.
- In most countries, the training period varied between six to eight months.
- Bonding and Esprit de corps
- Another aspect that has been much discussed is bonding and esprit de
corps, and whether the Agniveers will be able to deliver when the
time comes.
- As far as esprit de corps is concerned, the onus is on the units.
- If the supervisory staff in a unit is good, they would make the Agniveers feel welcome, mould them and make them a part of the team.
- Another aspect that has been much discussed is bonding and esprit de
corps, and whether the Agniveers will be able to deliver when the
time comes.
- Lesser experience with young profile
- There is a concern of lesser experience with young aged-agniveer.Whether
they will be able to deliver as per the requirements.
- Young soldiers have more risk-taking abilities. Most gallantry award winners have had a younger profile.
- There is a concern of lesser experience with young aged-agniveer.Whether
they will be able to deliver as per the requirements.
- Resettlement of the demobilized Agniveers
- Following the announcement of the policy, there was a public
outcry on the issue of the resettlement of the demobilized Agniveers.
- The Home Ministry and certain State governments straightaway announced 10% lateral induction.
- Following the announcement of the policy, there was a public
outcry on the issue of the resettlement of the demobilized Agniveers.
Agnipath Scheme
- About
- A transformative move to modernize the country’s armed forces, create opportunities for the youth to serve the nation, and via soldiering, create a large pool of skilled youth.
- Features
- The concept of scheme envisages promotion of nationalism in the youth offering skilled manpower to the society and ensuring a more youthful profile of the Army.
- Under this plan, around 50,000 soldiers, or ‘Agniveers’, will be recruited annually, with most leaving the service in four years.
- The entry age for all new recruits in the Armed Forces has been fixed as 17 ½ - 21 years of age.
- Only 25% will be retained in service for another 15 years, as permanent cadres.
- The rest will be released from the armed forces with a good amount of Seva Nidhi(an amount of 11 lakhs with accrued interest).
- 10% of the vacancies are reserved for the recruitment in CAPFs and Assam Rifles for the Agniveers, as per the announcement by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)
- Advantages
- A transformative reform of recruitment policy of the Armed Forces.
- A unique opportunity to the youth to serve the country and contribute to Nation Building.
- Armed Forces profile to be youthful and dynamic.
- Attractive financial package for the Agniveers.
- Opportunity for Agniveers to train in the best institutions and enhance their skills & qualifications.
- Availability of well-disciplined and skilled youth with military ethos in civil society.
- Adequate re-employment opportunities for those returning to society and who could emerge as role models for the youth.
Way Forward:
- The Agnipath scheme has to succeed at all costs as the nation’s security depends on it, for there is no runner up in a war or in counter-insurgency operations.
- No Agniveer should be left high and dry, else the rural youth’s first preference will be the Para Military Forces and other Government jobs where there is an assured long duration service and Armed Forces will become a second option for them.
Conclusion:
- All new schemes have teething troubles and this one too will have its
fair share of niggles. As and when these crop up, there will always
be room for mid-course corrections.
- It requires collective resolve to make the Agnipath scheme a success.
Source: The Hindu
Mains Question:
Q. What are the main features of Agnipath scheme and also discuss related issues? Suggest the measures to address these issues. (250 Words).
