If we do not upgrade and update our military with time, there are no possible or even magical ways where we can win a war against our enemies residing outside and inside of our borders. Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force haven’t seen a major upgrade in a very long time. The military, especially the Army had wanted the Tour of Duty Program just like the US Army and UK Army since 1989. But finally, with Agnipath Scheme, the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force will get voluntary forces for four years. But as soon as the government had announced the scheme, extremely violent protests erupted in fourteen states. Among the 14 states, youth who claimed they wanted to be a part of Indian military services, displayed the most violent incidents in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand. They have destroyed more than 100 railway coaches, and 7 rail engines and damaged railway stations. A lot of trains were canceled due to these protests and the Indian Railways has estimated damage and loss of INR 500 Crores. This is a staggering figure.
The protests were planned and designed by coaching institutes that guide military aspirants to crack the difficult entrance exams of the Indian armed services. As the coaching institutes believed that they will lose students and make losses in crores if they make enough violent protests the government may come under pressure and withdraw the new scheme. But the government and three branches of military services held their ground firmly and announced that there won’t be any rollback like the farm laws.
So, if you wanted to serve our nation, read this article through you will get only the available truthful and honest information about this Agnipath Scheme.
The Available Information Issued by The Forces and Government About the Scheme and the Positives of the Scheme
Firstly, Check Out the Benefits for the Candidates:
1. Job opportunities at the age of 17 to 21 years. No other job opportunity in the world except for military services can be availed at this time and age group. Almost no one gets a job except in a special field.
2. 25% of the best Agniveers will get permanent job opportunities after 4 years based on their services and devotion. As the government will be selecting the best of the best, the quality of Indian armed force.
3. The rest of the 75% of the Agniveers will get better preferences for employment in various paramilitary forces, coast guard, state police, HAL, GRSE, and private sector through Agniveer Certificate. The certificate will be given to the Agniveers at the end of their four-year service. The Agniveers won’t be requiring any further training, this way, the government will save a lot more money in training the forces.
4. Savings of INR 11.71 lakh or almost INR 12,00,000 will be given to the Agniveers at the end of four years of service. It is also free of any taxes. It is an unmatched offer for any middle-class boy or girl who is 21–25-year-old.
5. The Agniveers are insured with INR 48 lakh life insurance and if they get martyred the family will get the money. All the policy premiums will be paid by the government.
6. The Agniveers will be eligible for easy and low-interest loans from banks and various government schemes like Mudra Yojana. This way, if a young Agniveer wants to start his or her business after serving the nation.
7. Above all the Agniveers will get unmatched military training from the most professional military service in the world, which is not comparable to money or anything else. The Agniveers will be more professional, devoted, and disciplined. All three of these qualities are currently lacking in most Indian youths. The Agnipath Scheme will surely start to change the direction of Indian youths and push them for a better nation.
8. The current average of working professionals in the Indian military services is 32 which is pretty old if you consider other nations like the USA and UK. But with the Agnipath Scheme, the average military age of Indian soldiers will come down to 26 years, including the officers.
9. Young people take more risks than older people. This is why Indian armed services will perform much better with this Agnipath scheme. Young people also recover from injury faster than older people. When you need to guard the unforgiving Himalayas, you have to be young, agile, strong, and fit from both mind and body.
10. The cost of maintaining the huge military force will reduce. Currently, India’s more than half of the military budget goes to pay the salaries and pensions of the current and retired soldiers. This way, the Indian military doesn’t get enough money for the modernization and procurement of new equipment. But with the Agnipath scheme, when the military doesn’t need to pay a huge amount of money every month on pensions, the military will have more money to fund modernization and procurements.
The portion of pension in the defense budget was at 19% in the 2012-13 financial year, which grew to 26% in 2019-20. In 2021, the government had allocated INR 1,33,825 crore or 28% of the defense budget for pensions, while the capital outlay was INR 1,07,233 crore or 23% of the defense budget.
10. Women’s Empowerment will be also on the card of the Agnipath Scheme. The Navy and Air Force have already announced that they will take female sailors and pilots which will give a huge boost to women empowerment.
12. India will have more reserve forces than ever. This way, for any war situation or natural disaster we will have a highly trained professional who can join the battle or rescue missions at moment’s notice.
So, who will get hurt by the Agnipath Scheme?
If the government has introduced the Agnipath scheme, there will be people who will make some huge losses apart from the enemies of India. They are not hidden enemies they are mostly scavengers who want to make profits from chaos.
The tuition centers which train students or candidates for the armed forces will not be able to pull their deep-rooted strings for the recruitments.
But The Candidates and Government can also get hurt:
The Loss for the Candidates:
1. After four years of service, going back for higher studies will be a little difficult for a discontinued student in comparison to a fresh candidate. But the 2019 New Education Policy can come into effect and ensure that the Agniveers can opt for higher education if they want. A possible quota for servicemen should be introduced.
2. Those who do not opt for higher education after the 10th or 12th and joined the Agnipath scheme, will only be able to sit for the post-examination in the highest Upper Division Clerk.
3. 75% of candidates will be deprived of increment and pension benefits after the 4 years of service.
The Loss for the Government:
1. There will always be a chance that the Tour of Duty or Agnipath scheme candidates won’t take many risks during their service life. But with better training and psychological analysis, this can be averted.
2. There can be inequality between the two types of recruits in the job. And since the stabilization will be based on an evaluation of 4 years of service, there will be a possible risk of bias and nepotism.
3. At the end of the contract-based job, the candidates can join any separatist organization or anti-social gang, completely disrespecting their uniform and oath. But again, with better training, psychological analysis, and opportunities all these unsavory situations can be easily averted.
But India at War believes, that all these negativities are just mere possibilities and won’t come to a reality as the youth who wants to serve India, don’t do it for money. They do it for the love of the motherland. All these possible situations are mainly introduced by the gang of tuition institutions who offer to coach to crack the hard military service entrance exams and political parties, especially opposition parties.
So, What Now?
If you wanted to serve the nation by joining the military services Agnipath should be your first preference. You can also opt for NDA, CDS, and AFCAT schemes, if you want to become an officer in the Indian armed forces.
Those who have burnt railway carriages damaged railway stations, and properties will be banned from these schemes. So, instead of protesting against this scheme learn more from your nearest Army, Navy, or Air Force station and prepare for it. As the military has announced that they won’t back down and roll back the Agnipath Scheme.
The Army, Navy, and Air Force have already announced the recruitment process.
You can find them in the following links:
Army Agniveer Scheme:
https://www.freejobalert.com/army-agneepath-agniveer-2022/975894/
Read the full notification here:
Air Force Agniveer Scheme:
https://www.freejobalert.com/air-force-agneepth-agniveer-2022/975868/
Read the full notification here:
Air Force AFCAT Scheme:
https://www.freejobalert.com/afcat/62751/#AFCAT-02-2022
Read the full notification here:
https://img.freejobalert.com/uploads/2022/05/Notification-Indian-Air-Force-AFCAT-02-2022.jpg
Navy Agniveer Scheme:
https://www.freejobalert.com/navy-agniveer-2022/976689/
Read the full notification here:
https://img.freejobalert.com/uploads/2022/06/Notification-Indian-Navy-Agniveer-Posts.pdf
Final Take:
Agnipath Scheme is undoubtedly a great scheme for the Indian Youth. It is for those who really want to serve the nation with pride and honor and not for money. Finally, when generations of Agniveers will take charge of the nation, our country will be more disciplined and ordered with fewer criminal activities.
India At War appeals to the protesters to stop protesting and learn some more about the scheme and do something better for the nation.
As the era of warfare is changing and drones are now constituting a huge chunk of battle material in the future the wars may be fought by advanced AI powered robots and drones. So, we will be needing less human resources. So, the Agnipath scheme could be a way to recruit more tech-savvy youths for our military forces.