AGNIPATH
– DEFENCE
News:
Agniveers breathe fire in
‘optimised’ training
What's
in the news?
●
The first batch of Agnipath numbering
19,000, are younger, between 17 and 23 and will go into history as being a part
of India’s biggest military reform since Independence.
Agnipath
Scheme:
●
It is a short-service manpower model under which around 45,000 to 50,000
soldiers will be recruited annually.
●
Of these, 75% will leave the service in
four years. 25% will be allowed to continue for another 15 years under
permanent commission.
●
The new system is only for personnel below officer ranks (those who do not join the
forces as commissioned officers).
Objectives
of Agnipath Scheme:
●
To guzzle the armed forces ethos, courage,
commitment and teamwork in the youth.
●
To provide the proper abilities and the
qualities such as discipline, motivation, dynamism so that the youth remains a
proper asset.
●
Provide an opportunity for the youth who are very much eager to serve the
country in the uniform of a soldier.
●
To enhance the profile of the armed forces
by incorporating some of the best soldiers who can be in the front line and be
a major asset during the war.
Features:
Online
system:
●
Enrolment
to all three services will be through a centralized online
system, with special rallies and campus interviews at recognized technical
institutes.
●
The recruitment standards will remain the
same, and recruitment will be done twice a year through rallies.
Age
eligibility:
●
Recruitment will be carried out on an “All
India All Class” basis with the eligibility
age ranging from 17.5 to 21, with medical and physical fitness standards in
accordance with existing norms.
●
Planned intake of 46,000 young men and
women this year.
Payment:
●
The ‘Agniveers’ will receive an annual
package of ₹4.76 lakh in the first year to ₹6.92 lakh in the fourth year, apart
from risk and hardship and other allowances as applicable.
Seva
Nidhi:
●
Under the ‘Seva Nidhi’ package, they will
receive about ₹11.71 lakh, including
contribution and interest, on completion of service.
●
The recruits will have to contribute 30% of their monthly emoluments
to Seva Nidhi, with a matching contribution made by the Government.
Pension:
●
There will be no entitlement to gratuity and pension benefits under the scheme.
Life
insurance:
●
They will also get INR 48 lakh life insurance cover for the four years. In case of
death, the pay out will be over INR 1 crore, including pay for the unserved
tenure.
Significance
of Agnipath Scheme:
1.
Leaner and younger force:
●
The move will make the permanent force
levels much leaner for the over 13-lakh strong armed forces in the country.
●
As only 25% recruits will be allowed to
continue for another 15 years under permanent commission.
●
Further, the average age in the forces is
32 years today.
●
It is expected to go down to 26 in 6 to 7 years with the implementation of the scheme.
2.
All India, All Class Recruitment:
●
The scheme will ensure ‘All India, All
Class’ recruitment to the services.
●
This is significant for the Army, where
the regiment system has region and caste bases.
3.
Patriotism and National unity:
●
National unity, camaraderie and bonding
should not be predicated on caste, community, religion or provincial
affiliation but on the more equitable notion of being a patriotic Indian.
4.
Reduce defence bill:
●
Pensions
made up 28.4% of this year’s defence budget.
●
Leaner force and reduced benefits will
considerably decrease the defence bill, which has been a major concern for governments
for many years.
●
Further, the saved money can be utilized
to buy state-of-art technology and equipment which are the backbone of modern
warfare.
5.
Benefits to Agniveers:
●
The skills and experience acquired during
the 4-year service will allow the soldiers to get employment in various fields.
●
This will also lead to availability of a higher-skilled workforce to the economy
which will be helpful in productivity gain and overall GDP growth.
6.
Buffer force:
●
The ex-agniveers could act as an ad hoc buffer
force who may be called to serve again for boosting
national security in times of external/internal threats.
7.
Global Parity:
●
All major militaries in the world are
undergoing reform.
●
There is a trend towards reduction in the
number of personnel and emphasis on increasing capital expenditure on modern
weapons and equipment.
Concerns
of Agnipath:
1.
Contractualization of armed forces:
●
The foundation of this scheme is a
four-year contract.
2.
Jobs for the majority:
●
States such as Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir,
Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan,
are where the bulk of the Army recruitment takes place.
3.
Perks and benefits:
●
Many of these people value job stability,
which includes retirement benefits and pensions over competitive salaries.
4.
Uncertainty after the end of commission:
●
Most of them will be forced to leave the
job within four years, which doesn’t fit into their hopes and aspirations.
5.
Casualization of training:
●
It reportedly takes two to three years to
train a member of the army, but as a part of the Agnipath, soldiers will only
be trained for six months.
6.
Threats to national security:
●
Defence analysts have allegedly pointed
out that the Russian soldiers who were trained for a limited amount of time
before they went to war have performed disastrously.
7.
Morality of Agniveers:
●
Many experts believe that shorter duration
service could compromise on training, morale and commitment in comparison to
the permanent recruits.
●
Critics argue that agniveers may turn out
to be risk-averse with the bulk looking to secure an alternate career.
WAY
FORWARD:
1.
Longer contract term:
●
Make the period of the contract for new
recruits longer than four years. The present clarification fails to address
this issue.
2.
Continuance of the commission:
●
Relook the 25 percent re-enlistment at the
end of the contractual period. Ideally, it should be over 50 percent retention
for long-term posts.
3.
Policy commitment for reabsorption:
●
For those leaving after their short
service, do obtain a binding commitment from CAPFs, state police forces and
other organizations that they are willing to absorb this trained military
manpower.
4.
Gradual shift in recruitment policy:
●
Continue with existing regular enrolment,
in reduced numbers, and gradually shift to the Tour of Duty once it stabilizes
after five to ten years.
5.
Rehabilitation of Agniveers:
●
The Government should help rehabilitate
soldiers who leave the services after four years.
●
They can be provided with skill
certificates and bridge courses that will help them in finding gainful
employment.