- On June 14, 2022, the central government announced an army recruiting program called Agneepath. This yojana is intended to recruit personnel for all three divisions ( Army, Navy, and Air Force) for four years
- Under this scheme, the youth joining the army will be called Agniveer.
- Every year 45,000 to 50,000 soldiers will be recruited for a four-year.
- After four years, 25% of the batch will be recruited on a permanent basis on their respective services for a period of 15 years.
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidates must be between the age of 17.5 and 23.
- They must meet the medical requirements for enlistment in the military that are specific to their category.
- The required educational qualification will be class 10+2, depending on the service and assigned role.
Objectives of the Agneepath Scheme
- To improve the Armed forces’ youthful profile so that they are always at their most combat-ready and to enhance our security forces.
- To train young people and reduce retirement and pension costs.
- To bring down the average age profile of the Indian Armed Forces by 4 to 5 years.
Benefits of Agneepath Yojana
- By this scheme, thousands of applicants would eventually land permanent positions
- It will create “future-ready” soldiers which help to fight any unexpected situation.
- Through this scheme, the country will get a higher skilled workforce.
- It will increase employment opportunities and because of the skills and experience acquired during four-year service, they will be able to work efficiently in other fields also.
Salary Agneepath Scheme
- Under this scheme, soldiers will receive a salary of Rs. 30,000 per month for the first year. This will increase every year and it will be Rs. 40,000 in the last fourth year.
- They will also get a non-contributory life insurance cover of Rs. 48 lakh during their services in the armed forces.
- In case of death, the payout will be over Rs 1 crore, including pay for the unserved tenure.
- Soldiers who leave the services after four years will be provided a skill certificate by the government.
- Agniveers will contribute 30% of their salaries to a package called “Seva Nidhi”. This will accrue interest.
- A lump sum tax-free amount of 11.71 lakh will be given to Agniveers who leave after 4 years.
Related Concerns
- It will be very difficult to find another job after four years of service in the armed forces. Because after hard training and four-year service in the armed forces it becomes very difficult to prepare for any other exam.
- There will be no pension for Agniveers after 4 years of service in the armed forces.
- The training given to the Agniveers will be wasted after 4 years of service.
