Agneepath Protest: Youth across India out on streets demanding scheme rollback

'Agneepath' or 'Agneeveer' scheme has been launched to recruit soldiers in the Army, Navy and Air Force, for a term of four years.

Protests erupt against 'Agneepath' scheme in many states.

The decision of the central government to launch the Agneepath scheme for army recruitment is turning into an 'Agneepath' for the government with aspirants coming out in large numbers across the country to protest against the scheme. as well.

The flames of agitation which started in Bihar has reached the entire country with youth coming out on the streets and opposing this scheme. The youth from states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Himachal Pradesh blocked road and rail traffic demanding the rollback of the Agneepath scheme.

'Agneepath' or 'Agneeveer' scheme is a process for recruiting soldiers in the Army, Navy and Air force, to be hired for a term of four years on contract.

One of the students also allegedly committed suicide in Rohtak, Haryana, protesting against this scheme.

This Tuesday, the Ministry of Defense launched the Agneepath scheme, to recruit youth in the armed forces. Following its announcement, on Wednesday morning, students came out on the streets in several districts of Bihar, demanding its rollback.

There are also reports of students setting the Intercity Express on fire in the Kaimur district, while at many places the protest turned violent and students burnt tires by blocking the road. In Palwal, Haryana the protesters pelted stones at the police and set vehicles on fire after vandalizing them. On the other hand, the Delhi-Jaipur highway has been completely jammed in Gurugram.

Opposition parties and some of the members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have also requested the central government to reconsider its decision.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati has termed the 'Agneepath scheme' of recruiting soldiers an unfair scheme toward rural youth.

Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in a statement has requested the central government to reconsider this policy and rationalise it by ensuring permanent jobs to soldiers who complete their four-year term.

What is Agneepath Scheme?

The central government has launched this recruitment scheme in the armed forces for the first time in which soldiers will be recruited for the short term. Under this scheme every year about 40-45 thousand youth will be inducted into the armed forces. These youths will be between the age of 17.5 to 21 years.

These recruitments will be done on the basis of merit and medical test and during these four years, the soldiers will be given basic military training of 6 months.

The soldiers will get Rs.30,000-40,000 monthly salary, along with other benefits. In the first year, they will get, Rs. 30,000; Rs. 33,000 in the second year, and Rs. 36,500 in the third year and Rs. 40,000 in the fourth year.

On completion of four years, the service of all these Agniveers will end and then new recruitment will be done, of these 25 percent will be permanently inducted into the armed forces.

Benefits of Agneepath scheme

As per the Defense Ministry, this will reduce the average age of the Armed forces from 32 to 24-26 years by 2030. The ministry wants to bring down the ratio of young and experienced soldiers to 1:1 in the next 10 years. As per an estimate, in the next 10 years, half of India’s three forces will be Agniveers. which will make the forces more youthful, more fit and trainable.

Read More:

• Cabinet clears ‘AGNIPATH’ to recruit youth in Armed Forces; 46,000 Agniveers to be recruited this year
• Education Ministry to recognize training of Agniveers as graduation credits