KABUL (BNA) The Indian government has taken a series of measures to modify a controversial new recruitment scheme to quell the young people’s protests.
A week later, the youths vented out their anger against the new recruitment scheme called “Agnipath” announced by the government on June 14 which entailed provisions for recruiting 46,000 youths into the country’s armed forces.
The recruits would be enrolled in the armed forces under respective Service Acts for a period of four years, Under the new scheme. they would form a distinct rank in the armed forces, different from any other existing ranks.
Based on organizational requirements and policies, they would be offered an opportunity to apply for permanent enrollment in the armed forces, Upon the completion of four years of service.
Based on the performance of four years, up to 25 percent of each specific batch of recruits would be enrolled in a regular cadre of the armed forces. and, the rest 75 percent would be relieved from service but given priority in the selection for various jobs along with a financial package.
Initially, the age eligibility criterion announced was in a range from 17.5 to 21 years.
The protesters argued that there had not been any recruitment in the armed forces during the past two years, and hence some who were eligible in the past two years were barred from recruitment under the new scheme.
Questioning the viability of the new scheme, the protesters also asked what would be their fate after exiting the service four years later. Thus, they demanded the total rollback of the scheme. Reported foreign media.
Sensing the public outrage over the new scheme immediately after it was announced, the government did damage control. First, it announced a relaxation of two years in the upper age limit, thus making it 23 years old instead of 21 years old, but only for this year.
On Saturday, the Home Ministry announced a 10 percent job reservation in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles for the recruited soldiers after they finish their four-year term of service.
A similar reservation was offered by the Ministry of Defence on Saturday. It approved a proposal to reserve 10 percent of the job vacancies in the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), defence civilian posts, and all the 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) for those completing the four-year service under the new scheme.
The epicenter of protests remained in the eastern state of Bihar, while violent protests were also reported from the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, etc, leaving at least 12 trains burnt, many government properties damaged, and at least one youth killed.
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