Rajnath Singh approves proposal to reserve 10% job vacancies in defence ministry for 'Agniveers'

Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved a proposal on Saturday to reserve 10 per cent of the jobs in various organisations under the ministry for the recruits under the "Agnipath" scheme if they meet the requisite eligibility criteria, a move that came amid widespread protests demanding the withdrawal of the new short-term recruitment model for soldiers.

Singh approved the proposal shortly after holding a meeting with Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar and Vice Chief of Army Staff General B S Raju. It is learnt that the focus of the meeting was to ensure a quick rollout of the Agnipath scheme and discuss ways to pacify the agitators.

In an address at an event, Singh strongly defended the scheme, saying it was announced after wide-ranging consultations, including with ex-servicemen, and suggested that misunderstanding is being created for political reasons. He said the Centre is introducing many schemes to ensure that the "Agniveers" to be recruited under the Agnipath scheme get employment opportunities on the completion of their four-year tenure in the three services and if they are not appointed as regular soldiers.

The defence minister said the scheme will bring "revolutionary changes" in the enrolment process for soldiers, asserting that there will be no compromise on the quality of training to be imparted to the personnel to be recruited under it. Those to be recruited under the scheme will be known as "Agniveers".

The government on Tuesday announced the "Agnipath" model of recruitment under which soldiers will be inducted into the three services for four years with a provision of retaining 25 per cent of them for an additional 15 years following a selection process.

"Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved a proposal to reserve 10 per cent of the job vacancies in the Ministry of Defence for 'Agniveers' meeting requisite eligibility criteria. The 10 per cent reservation will be implemented in the Indian Coast Guard, defence civilian posts and all the 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings," the ministry said in a statement.

It said the reservation would be in addition to the existing reservation for ex-servicemen. "Necessary amendments to relevant recruitment rules will be undertaken to implement these provisions," it said.

"Defence Public Sector Undertakings will be advised to make similar amendments to their respective recruitment rules. Necessary age relaxation provision will also be made," the ministry added. The defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs) that will implement the reservation are Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Limited, Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL).

Mishra Dhatu Nigam (MIDHANI) Limited, Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL), Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (AW&EIL), Munitions India Limited (MIL), Yantra India Limited (YIL), Gliders India Limited (GIL), India Optel Limited (IOL) and Troop Comforts Limited (TCL) will also implement the reservation.

In his address at the event organised by the TV9 media group, Singh said the scheme was announced after around two years of deliberations, including with the ex-servicemen community, and the decision was taken based on a consensus.

"When our Agniveers come out after completing four years, they will be recognised in the whole country and there will be a sense of respect for them as soldiers. It is because of this thinking that the government has started this scheme," he said. Without taking the name of any political party, the defence minister suggested that some of the protests against the Agnipath scheme could be based on political considerations.

"There are so many issues to show any political party in poor light. But whatever politics we do, whether remaining in the opposition or in the government, it is for the country," he said. The defence minister further added: "Should we lower the morale of the soldiers of the country? This is not justice."

Several parts of the country witnessed violent protests against the scheme that largely provides for a four-year tenure on a contractual basis and does not offer pensions and other benefits that regular soldiers are given.

In his address, the defence minister said the personnel to be recruited under the Agnipath scheme will be given priority in the selection for various jobs by state governments, private industries, public sector undertakings and paramilitary forces.

"They will be given priority in selection in various government departments. 'Agniveer' is not just the name of bringing new recruits in the armed forces. But they will also be given the same quality training that the soldiers of the military are getting today. The training time may be short but the quality will not be compromised," he said.

Referring to the financial package of Rs 11.71 lakh to be given to the "Agniveers" after the completion of the four-year tenure, Singh said the Centre will also facilitate providing loans to them at a low interest rate if they need additional resources to start new ventures.

Unveiling the scheme on Tuesday, the Centre said those aged between 17-and-a-half and 21 years would be inducted into the armed forces for a four-year tenure, while 25 per cent of them will be subsequently inducted for regular service. A major objective of the scheme is to bring down the average age of military personnel and cut the ballooning salary and pension bills of the armed forces.

In an attempt to pacify the protesters, the Centre on Thursday increased the upper-age limit for recruitment under the scheme to 23 years from 21 years for 2022. The monthly salary of an "Agniveer" in the first year of employment would be Rs 30,000 and the in-hand amount would be Rs 21,000 as Rs 9,000 would go to a corpus with an equal contribution from the government.

The monthly salary in the second, third and fourth year will be Rs 33,000, Rs 36,500 and Rs 40,000. Each "Agniveer" will get an amount of Rs 11.71 lakh as the "Seva Nidhi Package", which will be exempted from income tax.

The four-year tenure under the new scheme will include a training period of around two-and-a-half months to six months. The announcement of the new scheme came in the backdrop of recruitment in the military remaining stalled due to the coronavirus pandemic for over two years.

The Army recruits 50,000 to 60,000 soldiers annually. However, the recruitment could not take place for the last two years due to the pandemic.