City army aspirants unhappy with Agnipath scheme

NT Correspondent
Bengaluru

Young military aspirants in the city expressed disappointment with the Agnipath scheme approved by the union government. The scheme enables young Indians to join the army for a limited period of four years, walk away at the end of it with earnings of Rs 11.71 lakh and an opportunity to be retained or serve in other sectors.

However, the scheme doesn’t guarantee employment for the soldiers after his service period. This, among other aspects of the scheme, have translated to violent protests in several states. Surya E, who wants to serve in the territorial army said that the scheme did not do justice to aspirants’ demands. “I don’t really like what the Agnipath scheme is offering. Not only in terms of the recruiting policies but also the restrictions and limitations introduced by this scheme. Firstly, it is really unfair to everyone who has tried so hard in the past but was not able to clear it. The mental state they might feel because they were not able to make the cut, but as soon as their time is done, everyone else is getting in. The hard work that they had put up would come into question.

“Also, the age limit that they have put on the scheme, if younger people are recruited even though they might not have an intention of continuing in that field, the number of seats we compete for through competitive exams will also decrease. The government is saying that there is no relation between the two, but there will surely be some repercussions,” he said.

Another army aspirant Sahit said that Agnipath was unfair to those who had been preparing for competitive exams. “I am not completely in favour of or against the Agnipath scheme. Mostly because I think it is kind of a good situation for those who want to work for their nation. I keep changing my mind on the matter because the scheme has its own ups and downs,” he said. “The fact of the matter remains that there are many people who have put in everything to study for the competitive exams and feel it is a bit unfair towards them. If not at the moment, there will be some point wherein there would be a clash between the jobs that both parties apply to,” he added.

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Scheme misunderstood: Veteran

Retired brigadier Monappa who was formerly deputy director general of recruitment, decried the violent protests, adding that the aspirants have misunderstood the scheme in particular and military recruitment in general.

“Imagine the people who are joining the army are burning the trains, they are looting the public, they are holding school buses at ransom. These people are not required in the army,” he said. He added that there was no guarantee that any of the protesters would pass the stringent army selections if they weren’t medically fit.

“If they get an opportunity and they are selected (for the Agniveer scheme), they (Centre) say 30 per cent of them are going to be retained. The rest of the people will get a package of about Rs 12 lakh in hand after four years. It has been clarified that some of them will be absorbed into the police. Central government said that if they are found suitable, they’ll be absorbed into the paramilitary forces