By Online Desk
Amid the rising protests across the country, the Defence Minister said process of recruitment under the ‘Agnipath’ military recruitment scheme will start in a “few days”, on Friday and appealed to the youth looking at joining the military to start preparing for it.
Singh also tried to assuage the concerns of young people agitating against the 4-year contractual recruitment plan, saying the new model is a “golden opportunity” for those wanting to join the country’s armed forces.
He said the government’s decision to increase the upper age limit from 21 years to 23 years for recruitment under the scheme in 2022 will allow a significant number of youths to join the armed forces.
Singh took to Twitter to reach out to the demonstrators in the backdrop of continued violent protests in several states.
One person was killed in police firing in Secunderabad during the protests that raged through several states for the third day on Friday with trains torched, public property vandalised and many thousands blocking tracks and highways.
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“Due to the lack of recruitment process in the army for the last two years, many youths could not get the opportunity to join the army. Therefore, keeping in mind the future of the youths, on the instructions of Prime Minister @narendramodi, the government has increased the age limit for recruitment of Agniveers from 21 years to 23 years,” Singh said.
मैं प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi को युवाओं के भविष्य की चिंता करने और उनके प्रति संवेदनशीलता के लिए हृदय से धन्यवाद करता हूँ।मैं युवाओं से अपील करता हूँ कि सेना में भर्ती की प्रक्रिया कुछ ही दिनों में प्रारम्भ होने जा रही है। वे इसके लिए अपनी तैयारी शुरू करें। 3/3
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 17, 2022
Meanwhile, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari said, the selection process by the Indian Air Force for recruitment under the Agnipath scheme will start from June 24.
He also said that raising the upper age limit to 23 for induction under the Agnipath scheme for the year 2022 would permit a larger section of youths to enrol under the new model of recruitment.
“The government has recently come out with the ‘Agnipath’ scheme for enrolment in the armed forces. The age bracket for the scheme is 17-and-half-years to 21 years. I am pleased to inform that the upper age limit for the first induction has been increased to 23 years,” Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari said.
“This change would permit a larger section of the youth to enrol Agniveer. The selection process for the Air Force will start from Jun 24,” he said.
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After the scheme was rolled out, the Army said it would ensure an enhanced youthful profile of the force and result in a “reduction in the average age from 32 to 26 years over a period of time.
The three service chiefs have also strongly backed the scheme and said it was unveiled after over two years of deliberations.
Military officials said with the infusion of technology and revamping of the training programme, the armed forces would ensure that the personnel inducted under the scheme have the same skill sets which are required to meet the operational challenges.
(With inputs from agencies)
